We had a fantastic time with family in California over the holidays. Our drive there and back went well, again through the night so the kids could sleep. This time we left a bit earlier so we could arrive earlier and get more sleep, but the kids did not do well being put back down...even at 4 in the morning. As you can guess, we were not very happy. Lots of fun times with family and a car full of presents later, we found ourselves heading back home.
A couple weeks later, we celebrated my 31st birthday at my parents with Tracy and her kids, then Jonathan took me to get Adaya's footprint tattoo and then on a surprise overnight trip to Bridal Veil Falls B and B while mom and dad watched the girls. When we came back, we all went out to lunch and even Eric joined us!
In February, Adaya taught herself to climb up stairs and to finally pull herself to a standing position! And while, she absolutely refuses to walk or sign, her vocabulary is much more advanced than Chloe was at this age. Among others, she says "Mamma," "Dadda," "uh-oh," "night-night," "thank you," "doggie," "bye-bye," "cracker," "papa," "belly," "shoe" and just yesterday "ball."
We switched Pediatricians (again) and have decided to catch Adaya up on all her immunizations, except for Hep B and the flu, just like we did with Chloe. In her 15 month appointment she was 18 pounds, still 1 percentile, but growing fast and I am certain she will catch up in size to her peers very soon.
We got three different snow falls just in February, the most we had all winter and Chloe got to enjoy playing out there for several days. Adaya not so much.
Chloe continues to grow into a very smart and sometimes frustrating preschooler. She is enjoying learning more about letters and their sounds in our pre-preschool coop with three other families and I think we will be ready for a more advanced preschool curriculum next fall, supplemented perhaps by some preschool arts and recreation classes around town. She is learning to pray, understand more about God, Heaven and the Bible and is (usually) a very thoughtful and protective big sister.
She had her first swimming lessons, which started out really well, until it was time to get her ears wet and dunk. She did not "pass" and we will be waiting awhile before we put her back in, and it won't be at Forest Grove again, either! (But that is loooong story)
February also marked an entire month of Chloe waking up dry, so she now sleeps in panties, even at Grandma and Grandpa's which has been very exciting. She is also growing like a weed in length and almost outgrown all her 3T pants and size 8 shoes!
The first of March found me in jury duty, but I was dismissed before noon and had the rest of the day to myself and evening alone with Jonathan, which was awesome!
Jonathan has been working long hours and still commuting to Salem four times a week. he was feeling very weary of his job and even considered leaving towards the end of last year and earlier this year, but several perks and good marks have led us to believe that God still wants him there, even with the long and frustrating commute. With gas prices raising fast, the gas guzzling truck is getting a little scary to drive, but thankfully his shoulder has healed better and faster than expected and his physical therapist has cleared him for riding the motorcycle again, yay!
The housing market continues to keep up thinking we will be staying put in our little home, so God is teaching us to appreciate what we have and wait on Him and His timing.
And as spring draws near, it has us thinking warm weather thoughts, making plans for the summer, including taking some much-needed family vacations, planting a garden and looking to the future. I am starting to get bitten by that "baby bug" again and I wonder if we will have a boy, how the girls will do as big sisters and if we will burst the seams of this house!
