A Good Start

As I hoped, 2011 has started out much better than 2010.  For starters (drumroll please) JEREMY HAS A NEW JOB!  (Loud cheers and applause).  As of Wednesday, January 19th, Jeremy is the Director of Internal Audit/Compliance at Madison Bank in Richmond, Kentucky!  Jeremy has been on the road since we were married in 2002, so we could not be more elated that he will no longer be traveling across the country and will finally be home every night with us.  And for those of you who are wondering, we have not yet come to blows - I hear that the "honeymoon" period is about 6 weeks before he starts getting on my nerves (I, of course, could never annoy anyone).

(At this point, Jeremy is standing over my shoulder snickering loudly).

I, for one, am really enjoying having him home.  I actually read not one, but THREE books this week.  I know you probably don't think that is a big deal, but it is to me.  One of my biggest stress busters is reading a book and I LOVE to read.  So when you haven't been able to read a book for over a year (and I do NOT exaggerate), it can be very difficult.  But now that Jeremy is home, I find that I actually complete all the items on my to do list.  We can fit in Lilly's therapy, a home cooked dinner, baths, bedtime, and everyday household chores in before 9, which leaves me a whole hour to myself!  We also get to spend time together and aren't rushing on Saturday to cram a week's worth of chores and errands into one day before he heads back out on the road.  These days we look at each other and just say in wonder - so this must be what a normal family is like!

As for the girls, Lilly has started walking and she is into EVERYTHING.  She took her first steps before Christmas, but one day recently she realized that walking was not as difficult as she first thought and just took off.  She bumps into walls, face plants into the floor, and trips over toys, but nothing stops her - she just plows ahead.  It is funny to watch her waddle along, particularly because she is so small and looks so much younger for her age.  I have a feeling she will be running before I know it.  She has also taken to sign language and can sign to us when she wants her milk, to eat, and when she is "all done."  She has picked up a few more words, waves and claps loudly, and has become so interactive.  I see her growing into a toddler so fast!

Sadly (for me), she has become a Daddy's girl, not caring much for Mommy unless she is hurt or feeling bad.  I keep trying to get her to come over to my side, but no dice - she loves "da da."  I guess I shouldn't be surprised since I can't pry Olivia from my hip :)

Unfortunately, at this moment Lilly is into Mommy since she has developed a nasty cough.  I tend to get very nervous when Lilly falls ill, so we are starting a round of antibiotics in hopes that will kick it.  We have increased her chest therapy and added an inhaler too, which eats up a lot of our time, but hopefully it will all pay off in the end and this bought of sickness will pass quickly.

Liv is back into the swing of things with school and her new ballet/dance/gym class.  She LOVES the Little Gym and begs to go back there for camp (she attended a morning camp over the Christmas break) and dance class.  She also is doing well in preschool and we have been so pleased with St. Elizabeth Ann Seton that we enrolled her for next semester for 4 half days a week.  As I mentioned in a previous email, we have decided to grow Liv's bangs out and when she wears them back, she looks so much older!  I guess I shouldn't be surprised since she turns 4 in just a couple of months.  She has already hit a growth spurt and grown out of her 3T clothes, which has left me scrambling to find cheap winter clothes until the Spring - not easy to do at this time of year.  The worst part is that she is too big for her 3T clothes, but still a little short and skinny for her 4T clothes too.  So she either looks like she is wearing highwaters with a tight mid-driff shirt or is swallowed up in a sweatsuit with pants that continually slide further down her (non-existent) "bum" and hips.  Oh well - I just tell her to pull her pants up and we move on!

All in all, 2011 has gotten off to a good start, so we are crossing our fingers that things continue to move in a good direction!