The End.

2012. You are the year I wish to forget. In four and a half hours I will not have to write your number again. I can pretend you never happened (and the little evidence of mid year will fudge her age for the rest of her life).

You were  hard on us. We are not coming out of it unscathed, but we are coming out of it and for that I am grateful. We are hopeful, that a new start is in store for us.
We are rejoice-full.
We will continue to chose joy, even when that is the hardest road to take. When depression, self pity, exhaustion and resentment are looking like an easier place to land we will continue to see the little bits of life that are worth smiling over. And they are here. Always.

2013. Be gentle with us.
We are still smiling.

6 months!

1-Elizabeth is sitting very well now.
2-She naps for 20 minutes at a time...tops. Ug.
3- She is more interested in her toys.
4-Her brothers remain her favorite toys. 
5- She is very ticklish and has an awesome belly laugh.

6- She eats food!

Snow Day

We never did have a snow day last year. We had such a mild winter that Jon never once shoveled the driveway but the downside is the boys didn't get to play in the snow either. Well....today was their day! They stayed out all afternoon. Jake went through 3 pairs of mittens and Ella had a nap in the sun. I love winter days like this!

Sink Bath

I had forgotten the best way to bath a squirmy baby! Ella had her first sink bath today! She loved it!

Christmas 2012

 Andrew and Robyn got engaged!

This has been a hard year. There have been some beautiful moments and the birth of Elizabeth was our miracle but I am eager to see 2012 come to an end.

Jacob had pnemonia, I had the flu, my grandfather passed away, one of the most tragic and violent events of recent history took place in Connecticut, Elizabeth stopped napping for more than 15 minutes at a time,Jacob stopped napping entirely, Jon had his CAT scan to see if his chemotherapy was successful. And that was just this week.

I am grateful for the opportunity we had over this Christmas week to see family, carry on traditions and watch our children smile.

"James"

The Elf on the shelf book says that the kids can talk to their elf but they can't touch him or his magic will leave. Well...Jake touches him everyday...this was too distressing for Ben so I changed the rules so that when James is touched he becomes naughtier, which they love of course. After putting mustaches and whiskers on our family picture his antics continued by painting the boys toenails bright pink while they slept and toilet papering our Christmas tree...

Ben is really into Santa this year. He asks everyone if they are a "believer". We have never made a big deal about Santa and I try to be sure that I never lie to him outright about him so when he asks me if I believe I usually just say "well, do you?"
He looks at me like I am nuts and says "Mommy! We have an ELF in our house!?"

When we bought the Elf on the Shelf I never dreamed that he would actually believe he is a real elf. I thought my introspective, thoughtful and logical Ben would know that we were moving him around and think it was a fun game...nope. He believes absolutely that James is a real elf and is flying back to Santa every night.

5 year olds are so fun. Jacob on the other hand...the jaded other half, laughs at him scornfully with a little eye roll "Bum (what he has always called him) he is dust a dawl! He isn't weel!"- Ben glares at him. But I know Ben really does think he is real. I have heard him talking to him when he thinks I am not listening...and of course there was the finger under his nose to check his breathing incident. 

I wonder what James will be up to tonight...

Sweeties

 Look at this handsome man. I am a sucker for a cute guy and a baby!