January 2017

A new year always brings a fresh start that for some reason feels so good!  We expect 2017 to bring some exciting changes for our little family with Victoria making her arrival and Logan now working full-time and we can't wait to see what lies ahead!  January was great but I'm happy it's over--the closer we can get to spring the better!

Our month began with church on the first and the realization that Eli would have started primary this year!  It's exciting and weird to think he would be growing up so fast.  Because of his early January birthday, he would have spent nearly an entire year in nursery as a 3-year old.  A sweet lady, whom we never met, drew a special picture of what she envisioned Eli would look like as a young boy and dropped it off at the cemetery for us on the day of his funeral.  We have cherished this picture ever since and I can absolutely see him in it!  Austin has many of the characteristics of this picture and we've also had several people see it and say things like "Wow, what a darling picture of Eli!" before realizing he died long before this.  The accuracy is that good in my opinion!

On the first we also celebrated Eli's and Logan's birthdays with my family.  I love that it feels just like any other birthday and not something awkward or forced just because he isn't here.  As our kids get older, I want to make it into an even bigger celebration and do something really fun as a family on that day.  For now, we keep it low-key but it's still perfect.

Early on in the month it seemed like Logan was outside shoveling at least once a day for a week straight.  Austin still doesn't love going out in the snow but he was mesmerized watching his daddy work!

I usually take our Christmas things down right after Christmas but I couldn't muster up the energy until after New Years.  As much as I love having it up, it feels so good getting it down and having everything clean and back in order.  Austin was a big help putting things away too! :)

On Eli's actual birthday, the 4th, we got some balloons and went to the cemetery with our families to sing.  The lighting and weather were really crappy that day so the pictures we got are really poor quality but I'm glad we have something.  Eli's cousins in Seattle didn't let the distance keep them from joining in on the birthday festivities! 

On Logan's birthday, the 6th, he was able to take the day off work which was the best thing of all!  We had our first MCA scan for Victoria that day so we ran to that appointment before stopping for lunch at Sapa Sushi Bar downtown.  It's officially my favorite sushi restaurant now!  Oh my goodness, it was so delicious and I've craved it many times since!  From the outside it looks a bit scary and not somewhere I'd ever walk into but the food is completely opposite of that.  If you haven't been, you need to go asap!  After lunch we went and picked up Austin and took him shopping for a bit.  We didn't buy much but it was fun to be out as a family.  Later that evening for dinner we ate at one of our favorite restaurants, the Dodo.  Talk about a day filled with the best food on the planet!  Logan says he had a great day and I sure hope so because he deserves it!  I'll never forgive myself for forgetting his birthday the year Eli was born when we were still in the hospital and I was wacky trying to recover.  Every birthday going forward has to make up for that!  I didn't take a single picture on Logan's birthday which I'm bummed about but at least I was distracted because we were having such a good time as a family!

Austin is finally starting to warm up to nursery a bit!  He has a hard time when we drop him off but calms down shortly after.  I love peeking at him when I can and seeing him happily playing.  Life is always better when he has his bunny.  Thank goodness for that thing!

I took Austin to Gateway Discovery again a few weeks ago and it was extra fun because it was really dead and it was just me and Tinny.  We usually go with other friends or family members, which we love, but it was really nice just enjoying 1-on-1 time with him. It made me a bit sad realizing he won't have much of that when his sister comes.  

Logan grabbed Little Caesars on his way home from work one day this month and every time we eat it, Austin is obsessed with the dipping sauce.  He dips his pizza and crazy bread in it but he also loves eating it straight off his fork.  Yuck.

A few of Austin's favorite things are fireplaces, the iPad, and Mimi so getting all three at once is a big bonus!

We had Beck over for a little while earlier this month and he and Austin had so much fun together. They are really starting to play well together now and constantly laugh at each other.  Things are almost always good between them unless a screen is involved.  We're trying to teach Austin that it's okay to let other people watch with you.

Poor Tinny was diagnosed with his 6th ear infection earlier this month.  I don't think he has had enough of them to get tubes yet but it sure feels like he has them all the time!  I asked my mom how many I had had when I got tubes and I think she said it was like 17 diagnosed infections in 6 months or something crazy!  I guess it could always be worse!

Austin was so thrilled when the snow melted and it warmed up a bit during the middle of the month and begged to go outside constantly!  Every time we went to and from the car he would sneak over to his playhouse and hated not being able to stay outside.  I'm right there with him--I hope it warms up asap this year!

My sweet grandpa, who we live with, turned 92 this month.  He's slowing down but is still doing so well for his age.  I hope he hangs around for as long as possible!  We had fun celebrating his birthday and hearing him wish for "another 92"!

I had tried convincing Austin to eat snow many times this winter but he wouldn't even think about it so I was super surprised when I let him run outside ahead of me a couple weeks ago only to go out and find him chowing down the snow!  He kept holding it out to me saying: "A wawa!" funny kid.  He now wants to eat the snow any time we go outside.

Naturally, this is one of Austin's favorite things!  I have to admit that he may or may not have watched more shows than necessary during this pregnancy.  His favorite shows currently include: Daniel Tiger, Stinky and Dirty, and Car City.  More than those, though, he LOVES watching home videos of himself doing random day-to-day things.  

We read the children's scriptures with Austin every night before bed and rotate through the four different books.  I actually feel like I learn so much reading the simple versions of the scriptures.  We recently finished the Book of Mormon for the second time--one year exactly after we finished it the first time.  I hope we keep this up for years and years to come!

Logan got his diploma in the mail this month and it was such an exciting thing for all of us because it truly made it feel like he was officially done!  He is going to walk in May as long as it doesn't conflict with Victoria being born and I can't wait for him to experience that!

When Austin saw Logan out snow blowing last week he was dying to get out and help so I got him all bundled up and he loved it as long as he didn't have to get in the snow.  Helping his daddy outside has always been his favorite!

A couple Saturdays ago we decided to put together the toddler bed I had found for Austin online ages ago but we didn't anticipate switching him just yet.  I had no desire to deal with him getting out all night and I was sure he would but I thought he might warm up to the idea if he just saw it set up for awhile.  He immediately fell in love with it and sat on it all afternoon reading books and playing with toys.  When he was in the bath that evening Logan moved the mattress back to his crib and when he went in and saw it he said: "Oh no!" with this saddest inflection.  We asked if he wanted to sleep in his big boy bed and he said: "Yeah" so we decided to give it a go.  Shockingly, he stayed in it all night and ever since then has never once tried to get out during his naps or at night.  I'm sure there will come a time when he realizes he can get out but his room is completely pitch black so I think he's a little scared to get out for now.  He wakes up much happier than he used to and is still so proud of his bed.  I'm glad we have that transition taken care of before Victoria gets here!

Victoria's crib sheet might be the only pink thing in this room for awhile!  At least it doesn't scream boy too much...

I had to run a couple errands at the mall last week so of course we had to stop by Hot Dog on a Stick too!  I have never liked corn dogs but man, that cheese on a stick is SO tasty!

I guess Austin loves it too! 

Logan's aunt and uncle have these little benches and Austin is obsessed with them.  He has always loved sitting on small things (even if it's not made to be sat on) so he loves that these little seats are the perfect size for him!

After getting over his ear infection, Austin had just a couple healthy days before catching another nasty bug this past weekend.  He was SO miserable and not himself at all.  I had his ears checked out just to make sure they had gotten better and the doctor confirmed they were fine but that he just had a new bug.  This winter seems to have been nastier than normal!  The one good thing about Tinny being sick?  He let me cuddle him to sleep for the first time EVER!  He typically refuses to have anyone lay by him and he has never fallen asleep in our arms (except as a tiny baby).  When he had a hard time falling asleep on Saturday I went in and laid next to him and he immediately put his hand on my face and fell right to sleep.  Listening to him breathe as he slept so peacefully with me next to him was a dream!  For several days while he was sick, Austin had basically no appetite so when he finally asked for a hot dog and peaches I was thrilled!  This kid would eat hot dogs for every meal if we let him.

 Odds and Ends:

My pregnancy hit some bumps this month but things are okay right now, thankfully!  Victoria's MCA level, which tells us how anemic she is, took a big jump a couple weeks ago and we thought we would have to transfuse but after lots of prayers from many people, we have been able to hold off longer than we originally thought we could.  It's difficult and risky to transfuse this early (I'm only 22 weeks) so every day we can put it off is a huge blessing.  Fortunately her growth and movement are all normal so that's a huge blessing.  Fingers crossed things continue to go well!  I'm grateful we have appointments so often right now but man, has this pregnancy gone by slow because of that!  I feel like I should be way further than 22 weeks right now but I'm just grateful to be pregnant at all!

All things are great with Austin!  He's busy, hilarious, and learning lots every day!  He said his first two-word sentence the other day when he saw an empty bottle and said: "All gone!" He surprises us every day with a new word but then he won't say it again until it's his idea.  He rarely says anything when you ask him to so we love when he's in the mood to say new things.

Logan is really liking work and is liking being done with school even more!  He came home the other day and said: Guess what?  Tuition was due yesterday!  I love not paying tuition!"  Haha so do I!

I think that does it for January!  Every month that passes gets us closer to warmth and meeting Victoria so we hope it goes by fast!