Good Riddance to January

I really hate the month of January!! I say that every year. I think it's the longest, coldest month EVER. So, I am happy that February is here. We have Jeremiah's 6th birthday to look forward to this month (in 15 days in case you are counting, like he is), plus we're one baby-step closer to spring!!

Since we got back from our CA trip in early January, we have gotten back into our regular routine. J is back in his school routine, and they just finished the first semester. We have parent/teacher conferences next week, so we'll hear all about how he's doing then. The way he is flying through his sight word lists, I'd say he's doing great! :)

J had a Music concert on the 27th. He had Music class for the first semester and now gets to enjoy Art class for the second semester. So they had to show off what they have been working on since the beginning of the year in Music!

1:15 on a Wednesday afternoon- what better time for a music concert? Sleepy girl was pretty good, seeing as this was right during her nap time!

Adam was in MN for work so had to miss the concert, so I took a few videos for him. HERE and HERE are some videos- J is in the back row with the red-striped shirt. The teacher part of me wanted to march up there and give a few of the kids a stern talking to about their behavior (not caught on video- one of J's classmates removing his shoes and throwing them under the risers mid-concert), but the parent part of me was relieved that it wasn't my problem! :)

I hope I don't jinx it, but both kids have managed to stay healthy for like the past 2 or 3 weeks! Amazing! Today we had their Dr appointment to get their ears re-checked. Hope's looked great! Jeremiah's...... well, not as great. He just started complaining the other day that his ear felt plugged up (yes, same ear that's been infected. Twice.) So the Dr took a look and she said yes, there is still fluid in there but it's not infected (yet). Either it's fluid from the last infection that did not absorb/leak out of his ear or it's new. SO. If he keeps complaining about it being plugged OR it starts to hurt in the next couple days, I can call and the Dr will call in yet another prescription. But hopefully, it gets better on its own and J will just go back for another re-check in early March. Sheesh!!!! And knowing our luck, the kids probably picked up some random germs while we were in the waiting room forever, too!

Poor baby a few weeks ago! Thankfully the same day she perked up!

When she started making a mess of my kitchen, I knew she was back to normal!

J being silly with H's hat. I think they definitely look like siblings!

We play this game a lot- run around the table and say "ahh-boo." It will be so nice when she can run around outside instead!!

Another winter issue- staticky hair! It's a major struggle for H!

Entertaining ourselves with Hope selfies!

Daddy brought J a little Lego guy from his trip to MN, and J put it together all by himself!! He was so proud of himself. Before he started, he said "I think I can do this one all by myself. I believe in myself!"

Monday it was 40 degrees! We decided to get some fresh air for 15 minutes- woohoo! I don't think we can complain about the weather much right now- the blizzard that hit our friends in Iowa arrived here as a major rain storm complete with thunder and lightning! And most of our snow is gone (for now).

Hope turned 15 months on Jan 24, and It seems like she has grown up SO much in the past month! She has gotten teeth and molars left and right (and top and bottom), and her vocabulary has just exploded. She repeats a LOT, and has added so many new words! Words she now says= bite (when she wants a bite of whatever someone is eating), eat (when she's hungry), drink (deet), help (owp), Hope (Ope), hat (at), up, out, brother (dudow), couch (dout), Molly (Mah-yee), done, puppy (boppy), cheese (dees), bus, truck (tuck), book (bock), ball, pizza (pee-da), snack (nack- we hear that A LOT!), animals (a-mols), ride (wide), poo poo (yeah, she said that to me as she was pooping... maybe she's ready to potty-train! Ha!).... I'm sure I'm forgetting some but that's all I can think of right now! These are in addition to the words she was already saying back when I posted around her birthday. It's just crazy how much she is talking, and will pretty much repeat anything you ask her to. And I lover her cute little voice!! She has become quite the dancer also. :) HERE is a video.

January was kind of a rough month for our family. My Uncle Carl passed away and he will be greatly missed! Not everyone can say they grew up riding their uncle's backyard train! I'm so happy that my kids have also been able to enjoy train rides at Uncle Carl and Aunt Cora Mae's house. I'm pretty sure Jeremiah will always call it "Uncle Carl's train" (as will I!).

On the day Uncle Carl passed away, Jeremiah brought this book home from his school library:

It made me smile and think of Uncle Carl! :)

Also in late January, my sister-in-law Cheryl was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. We are praying fervently for God to heal her, for her to have minimal side effects from the chemo (which she started on Monday), and that she (and Matt and Josie and Evan!) can avoid germs while her immune system is compromised from the chemo. Your prayers for her would be greatly appreciated as well!!