Our New Years Day was spent with family this year. Both Uncle Philip and Uncle Charlie came over for wieners and sour kraut, some board games, and some Ohio State Football. New Year's Eve we had Aunt Rachel with us too, spending the night. We spent some time with her at the Des Moines Botanical Center. Judah participated in the scavenger hunt and both kids enjoyed digging in the dirt. Afterwards we picked up daddy to join us at Tumea's for some Italian cuisine. Later New Year's Eve night, Philip came over to enjoy some Graziano's and to bring in the New Year with a movie.
We ended the month having only one full week of school and routine. The polar vortex kept bringing minus 30 degree wind chills and below zero temperatures causing us to spend lots of days at home indoors. We the passed the time by playing play dough or water beads, having (toilet paper) snowball fights, dancing to Hawaiian music every night, putting on puppet or acting shows, riding trains, baking, making bracelets, and reading lots of books.
On our one nice day, Tim took Judah outside to build a big fort in the nearby snowbank. Even mommy and Krissy came out to play in the tunnels and compartments they pushed out. The fresh air was a nice treat since most days this winter have been below freezing.
Almost as an after thought after Christmas (as we were putting all the Christmas decorations away), Krissy discovered Frosty the Snowman. Her obsession with Frosty is no longer an after thought now. The teachers at Judah's school put up a large snowman. Krissy talked about going to see it everyday this month. Every time we arrived to pick up Judah, she excitingly started singing "Frost the Snowman" in her sweet little voice. Then we would have to say goodbye to Frosty and you could hear her scream his name as we would walk out the door. At the end of the month, Krissy helped the teachers take down Frosty after school. They were kind to let us keep his hat, nose, and arms to make another snowman at home. Mom told her tell the teachers thank you but instead she grabbed mom's hand saying, "Mama, come here! Where did Frosty go?" At home we would watch the old Frosty classic several times a day, sing the song, and read the book all to her delight.
Judah had Martin King Jr Day off from school. So mom took the kids to the Des Moines Science Center for the day to join a friend. Both kids joyously ran around to all the stations, building and exploring science. Krissy enjoyed the Lego car race track as much as Judah. She would get up on a little stool among kids twice her age, racing her car that mommy built her. Judah thoughtfully built his cars to make them go fast, always wanting to be the winner.
Daddy had the holiday off too and spent his free time painting the toy room walls blue. In one day he had all the prep, painting, and clean-up done adding a brand new look in the toy room. Even Judah helped with some of the painting. He has also has finished some other projects around the house this month like scrub and clean the tile grout in the kitchen.
Judah has traveled around the globe at school going to China, Mexico, and then Europe. His school times are filled with Mexican hat dances and building a Colosseum. He even showed us at home how to act "Three Billy Goats Gruff." He continues to enjoy school very much always coming home with crafts and papers. His skills continue to grow as he counts higher and higher now by tens and colors perfectly within the lines. He likes to recite books and even tries any chance he can to read or spell something. Daddy and Judah continue to explore Geronimo Stilton books before bed each night.
Krissy loves her baby dolls (especially Jessie her cabbage patch doll) and even mommy's old baby dolls (mommy's tiny tears). Often you will hear her carrying on a conversation with them. She even likes to make sure they are fed and have water to drink (more like soaking them). She reads them books. She puts them on the potty (to mommy's horror). The babies take tractor rides and stroll around the house. One day I even found her on the stool next to the changing table trying to change their diaper. She then puts them to bed after a bath together. She is a good little mommy (except for naked baby). Krissy has developed the skill of slicing up her food. She uses Judah's tool saw instead of a knife. At any rate though, she practices cutting up her Velcro wooden food and feeds it to us or her dolls for dinner.
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