Growing Up

This week the girls found out they loved my laundry baskets because they make excellent cars. So they sat in their "cars" a lot this week, and I would even hear Sami say "Seatbelts. So we can be safe-"a classic Dora line. And they load up their cars with purses and then start "texting" on their fake cell phones. It is so cute, in a bitter-sweet sort of way. I want them to still be my babies, but they want to grow up.  And they sure are growing fast.

Love Pictures

I love pictures. I love that you can take a moment and capture it to look at forever. Sappy, I know, but it means a lot to me. Like these pictures of us playing in the rain. They were taken July of 2010 but in my mess of pictures, they got lost. Until I started organizing my pictures and found these gems. I love them because they represent the girls so well. Sami was going through a stage where she didn't want her picture taken so I took them on "the sly." (Thankfully she's over that stage). And the girls are painting with the rain. They love to paint. And I love them.

This week we learned Jonathan schedule would change. I have been looking foward to February for a long time. Because J would be doing clinic, which means those nice 8-5 clinic hours, and Jonathan was going to get a whole week off-his first time off since he started his internship. But then his chiefs changed that. He is going to do wards again in February and he will get his week off & clinic in March. I was bummed, to say the least. I had plans! We were going to go to the aquarium, celebrate Valentine's Day, blah, blah, blah. It really isn't a big deal, just a delay (& the fact that wards are brutal!). I was discouraged for a couple of days, until I was reminded at how blessed I really am. These pictures remind me of my blessings. 

This Week...

I feel like Sami and Janie are really starting to become friends. Janie asks Sami to read to her, to play with her. In this picture, Sami is teaching Janie her alphabet flashcards. This past week, Sami was "reading" Go, Dog, Go to Janie and Janie had her arm around Sami as they sat in my recliner. It melted my heart. (Just a side note, 3 people asked me this week if they were twins and a little girl down the street asked me where the twins were when I got the mail without the girls. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked if they were twins, I would have at least $50 ☺.)

My Janie asked to sit on the potty and actually went! So of course I pulled out the big girl undies and thought maybe she had magically potty-trained herself...um, no, she didn't. Ten minutes later we were cleaning up a mess. But, hey! I am so hopeful. She is getting ready and I think potty training will be great. When I get serious about potty training her, that is. 

My Sami is a Sunbeam! How can she be this big?! Last week was her first week in primary because the first week of January I kept the girls home because of runny noses. Sami wasn't thrilled to be go to primary instead of nursery. She loves nursery. Who wouldn't? Puzzles, toys, singing time, coloring time, awesome snacks...it's a hard adjustment. But Brother and Sister Harris just got called to be the Sunbeam teachers and both Sami and Janie love "Harris" as we call them. They sit with me in the pew and help me every Sunday that Jonathan is working. I owe them a lot. The girls love them so I feel that it is a gift from Heavenly Father that they have moved up with Sami. She will love Sunbeams just as much as nursery in a few weeks. 

Girls & Bathrooms

Sami's bathroom habits are of great interest to everyone in the house. Will she do all the steps? Will she need help dressing herself? Or Janie's big question: "How much attention can I get from Sissy while she is stuck on the potty?" Ok, maybe Janie doesn't say that exactly, but that's how she acts.  When Sami says she has to go potty, Janie is right beside her in a race to the toilet. They talk in there. They giggle. They fight over the toilet paper and who gets to shut the door. They almost always want the door closed, which makes me nervous. And Jonathan and I find it interesting that girls gather in the bathroom at such a young age. We knew teenage girls do it, now we know toddler girls do it too. 

A New Year

My New Year started out perfect. Jonathan was supposed to work a 30 hour shift. So I was bundled up watching a romantic period film when he called and said to look in the driveway. There he was! His attending (bless her!) said he could go home and come home early the next morning if he kept his pager on. Sah-weet! So we were in bed by ten. I think the best way to start the new year is by being well-rested. I don't want to be impatient with my kids on January 1st because I didn't get enough sleep ☺. I think that means that I am getting old.

As for resolutions? I wasn't very motivated this year. I have two: to potty train Janie and get Sami out of her crib.  Janie has problems with constipation, so potty training her could be complicated. I'm thinking I will start that in June. Why June? Because Jonathan has a week off to help me. 

And about Sami...if you have any advice I would appreciate it. She loves her crib. No, she really, really, loves it! We talk about her big girl bed all the time. She lies in it for a second, then says "no thanks, Mama. I want this bed!"-pointing to her crib. I've read books, but they mainly have advice on how to keep kids IN bed. I've checked out children's books on the library about this transition, and hopefully that will help. I've got a guard rail up, and made her bed super cute. But she likes her crib. Sometimes I feel like it's no big deal, but then my back starts hurting from lifting her in and out, and I think "it's time." But I don't want to push her. Advice?

And Jonathan? He's back in wards and I think his main goal is to keep his head above water and keep his balance with life, work, family, & church. So far, I think he's done great. He is tired though. 

Here's to a great 2011!