Naptime

I was there for this one yesterday - took the photo myself! She looked so peaceful. And you can't see it but she was surrounded by about 10 more stuffed animals. She's getting very social and attached to her stuffies.

Bathtime!

I'm in North Carolina, but Abby is clearly getting clean without me!

What do you Do During a Snowstorm?

Build a snowman...
Have mammoth playdough sessions...


Draw in the frost on the glass (I love jake's luke skywalker stance here)...
Build things with dominoes...
Build things with blocks....
Catch snowflakes on your tongue...
Today, we danced, painted, did yoga, sorted coins, played computer games, read books and threaded beads. What will tomorrow bring? (no school, that's for sure!)

The Big Snow

We got 15 inches, got snowed in, lost power twice, lost phone service, and built a large snowman. I think we qualify for the "we experienced winter this year, even in VA" prize!

Making Soup

Yesterday, Abby helped me make "yellow" or squash soup, very happily. Here she is eating a muffin while I stir. Today we are all snowed in, and it looks like at least 6 to 8 inches have already fallen!

News in January

-Jake is reading! He is sounding out 3 letter words and proudly read to Mike last week at pick-up time at school. He's still very nonchalant about it outside of school, so we are low-key too.

-Abby is off the charts again! She's 37" high, weighs 33 pounds and her head is 20" wide. Dr. said she is one of the tallest 2 year olds in the country, but her weight to height slope remains consistent with normal growth. His advice? Don't be afraid to remind people: "She's 2!" (This is tricky since half the time when asked her age she announces she's 3, and then chuckles wildly).

-I had a great first travel week at Duke last week. Exhausting but productive. Our 2 babysitters helped Mike hold down the fort nicely here. Felt good!

-BUT, just got an email tonight from one of said babysitters, who announced she is quitting in 2 weeks. She says she's bitten off more than she can chew with her schoolwork, and cannot work for us AT ALL. Will try to negotiate with her, but it's likely she's a goner. Truly a shame. Abby LOVES her! I do not have time to readvertise and interview with my current schedule, so we're going to try to suck it up without her. Such a blow.

-Just signed up last week to go to the Skoll World Forum in London in April. To hang around with the top muckety-mucks in social entrepreneurship. Woo-hoo. Hmmm...hope we can get good babysitting coverage by then!

-Mike totally enjoyed his three day vacation two weeks ago in Durham, as did I. A very nice residual effect is that Jake is now letting me put him to bed several times a week. He has not wanted to let me do this since Abby was born, so this is HUGE! It is like rediscovering my sweet little boy. He is a mass of energy and chaos during the day, but he is so very sweet at bedtime! And I'm getting my kiss quota back up as a result!

-And I'm off to Durham again tomorrow!

Suck and Twirl

They Say it's Your Birthday!

Abby turns 2, triumphantly!