And a Happy New Year...

For New Years Eve day, we took the kids to First Night downtown. Super cold, interesting music, and fun people watching. We let Stella run amuck, and she loved every minute of it!! (Please note how extra adorable Stella is with the pig-tails. Ugh... I melt!!)

Some new things for the new year...

Stella is saying short phrases, like "love you" and "hold you" and "up please". She has started calling her daddy "Nate" occasionally. It's pretty funny! Before bath time she likes to sit on the toilet and pretend to wipe. Potty training is still a while a way though. Thank goodness!! Her favorite books are Tomie de Paola's Baa Baa Black Sheep and Other Rhymes, and Can You Find Me, and Counting Colors. She is very good at signing and is picking up new ones all the time. She likes to try and sign along when we sing our ABC's. So far she has the 'z' down. Her favorite songs are Baa Baa Black Sheep (go figure), The Wheels on the Bus (especially the 'beep beep beep' part), and If You're Happy and You Know It. We have started coloring almost daily. It is super fun!! The only downside is Stella likes to take the markers and draw on her face a little. It's all fine and dandy till we go in public with a hint of hot pink on her face. I get a lot of, "What happened???". She blows my mind everyday...she's funny, smart, and sweet. I just love watching her grow.

Sam unfortunately has swine flu right now. He is doing fine, but Stella is in Houston until he is all better. But he is doing lot's of new, exciting things too...

He has been pulling up to standing, and even pushing things around a bit (like his mini piano). I think he will be walking soon. He also says, "Da da da"-when he's happy and "Ma ma ma"-mostly when he's sad. Sam also makes a clicking sound. Much in the same way the dolphins do, I believe he must be using sonar communication to tell me something very very important. He really is a happy little guy; easy, adorable, and totally cuddly.

Every night Nate plays this game where he chases Stella around the house with Sam extended in his arms. It looks like Sam is flying around the room after his sister. They both laugh hysterically. It's friggin hilarious!! They are gonna be best friends. I can already tell.

So, cross your fingers we kick this flu quickly. It's the pits. And did I mention I am ready for Stella to come home too?!?

Happy 2010!!!