New year. Capitol. Owley

2020!

The year of clarity, right? Wrong, the year we pay more in daycare than our mortgage... funny, not funny. It's hard to believe it's a fresh new year. We kicked off the new year similar to last year, we headed to Wes and Kristi's for a little party. We last longer this year than last. Ains started getting fussy and we decided she'd had couldn't have any more fun or she wasn't going to be any... so we drove home, swung by the capitol to see the new year in lights. E really gets into the capitol, she likes the size and pointing it out.




We brought the year in slow... hung out at home and played a bit. They olders are starting to play a bit on their own. Don't get me wrong, it's not this harmonious hand holding kumbayah moment where they tell each other how wonderful they are but there will be 3 to 5 minute stretches of play where no one is poking, biting, hitting, sitting on, or pulling each other's hair. It usually can last a bit longer if Ainsey keeps her button nose out of it, but that girl is usually on a mission.

We've been sorting out toys from Christmas and playing with some opening others and actually looking at what we got. Our kids are pretty lucky so Christmas was a blur of overwhelming and to look at and appreciate the gifts was necessary.

We also fully appreciated that Ainsey is 10 months... she's waving, sputtering on with her sounds, pulling herself up, standing, doing very little furniture cruising but it's starting. I looked at her the other day and she's grown into her face and body a bit and I realized my tiniest baby is not that much of a baby any more. I'm not sure I'm in love with that. She's been having teeth issues - they seem to be bothering her a bit, she still only has two. The other thing bothering her is her brother and sister constantly taking stuff out of her hands - she will now fuss at them when they do, get owley, and she's even been known to wave her hands in agitation at them. I thought E was going to be our sass one - I think Ains may be a spitfire too. And if she doesn't keep me up at nights, the thought of two fireballs might.

ALR: Do you see it Eleanor?
EER: I do! The Christmas tree is gone.
ALR: Yes, because it's a new year. Now it says 2020.
EER: 20 20! Yeah!
MJR: You know that she doesn't know what that means.
ALR: Yeah, it's irrelevant but she seems excited.
ALR: Grady, do you see it.
Silence.
ALR: Eleanor is Grady awake?
EER: Yeah.
GRR: ya.
MJR: Obviously Grady is not as excited about the new year.

Olders getting dressed
GRR comes downstairs very proud of his choices: Look! My Shirt! My pants!
EER comes downstairs equally or more proud of her choices: Grady, you look nice, but I look beautiful.