colleen writes: Great start to 2012....

It was a great start to 2012. January is, unfortunately, my least favorite month, and this year it hasn't been so bad. Maybe it's this unusual weather? Maybe it's because I'm not working? I think it's the weather! We stayed busy this month with our usual activities: library on Mondays, preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, playgroup on Fridays, some miscellaneous playdates, and Wednesdays are our "flex" days. If we're tired we stay home, if we're not tired we do something fun!
Poor little Carter had 3 doctor's appointments this month. One because he was sick. One was for a "well baby" check and one was at St. Joe's in Ann Arbor for an encephalogram-a.k.a. an ultrasound on his melon. The doc said it grew too quickly, but the test results just proved that he has a very nice melon:) Carter is so funny...When he sees something that excites him--usually something shiny such as a pop or beer can or shiny jewelry--he gets wide-eyed and his hands become little pinchers. Adam has to hide his beer now because it is too much of a distraction! Carter has gotten used to being a baby; he doesn't like to move much and would rather lay on the ground and yell until I pick him up. If I put him on his belly he flips over immediately. That's the extent of his movement. It's okay with me. I only get a baby for a year, so I adore his babyish antics.

Gabrielle has been such a good girl this month. A little less in the "let's-test-mom-for-any-and-all-reasons" department. She seems really interested in the concept of turning 4. ("I don't want to be with the 4-year-olds in preschool. They're big!") She thinks her birthday is looming in the next few weeks. I keep trying to explain that her birthday is in a few months and that there are other holidays that have to happen first. It doesn't matter though...she has already decided that she wants either a Rapunzel or a Maleficent birthday party. Hmmm....Rapunzel or MALEFICENT?!?! (She's the evil queen in Sleeping Beauty.) WHAT?! But here's the real kicker....she wants ME to dress up as Maleficent. I'm not so keen on that idea. When I poopoo her idea, she says, "Mom, you frustrate me." I'm a good sport, but I don't want to wear a Maleficent costume!! I shudder to think of her teenage years.

This month Gabrielle had Dad's Night at preschool. She made a pink rock star guitar and they did some kind of musical performance. I don't really know because I wasn't there! In February Gabrielle and Adam are going to the Daddy/Daughter Dance and he is going to be the helper dad at her co-op preschool. It's pretty sweet. They really enjoy each other's company. He's so caring and patient--she's lucky to have such a great poppy. Sometimes she calls him Adam out in public, and that is just embarrassing. HA!

I hope you had a great start to 2012 as well. Thanks for reading this long post!! Stay happy and healthy! Until next month....

Colleen

Tiana