Staying Warm and Having Fun!

January sure has been a busy month!!! I have been a bit pre-occupied from blogging and other typical tasks on my end due to a hectic weekend schedule. I spent last weekend with my spectacular sorority sisters in Grand Rapids celebrating Maria's baby shower! We showered her with PINK in excitement for the March due date of her baby girl. It is so fun to watch my friends prepare for motherhood. It brings back a slew of feelings...anticipation, anxiety, eagerness, etc. As much as I loved pregnancy and bringing my babies home, I am SO GLAD it's in the past!!!

I am truly loving life these days! Russell and Sloane amaze me everyday with the their imaginations and conversations. I can't remember a day that I didn't laugh about something they said. I took the kids for their first "7-11 Slurpee run" the other day after getting shots at the doctor (I figured they deserved a good reward for being brave)...anyway, upon arriving home, Russell says to Aron, "are you jealous Dad? We got Slurpees and you didn't." Russell is always thinking and asking questions. I swear you can actually see the wheels turning in his head! I was so proud of him yesterday. While Aron was gone and Sloane was sleeping, I slipped and fell down our staircase. Russell came running. He asked if I was o.k. then brought me the phone to call 9-1-1. I explained that I was fine, but needed a "boo, boo, buddy." He quickly brought me an ice pack and stayed by my side until all was well. Thankfully, I have no lasting effects from the fall! I am also so happy to know that my emergency role playing has worked! The hilarious part is that before grabbing the phone, he ran to his room to put on his fireman's hat! I guess he relates emergency situations to the fire department! What a kid!!! He's my hero!

Sloane is becoming quite the little lady. She prances around all day holding tea parties, caring for her babies, and asking for privacy while using the bathroom. She goes into the bathroom, announces a need for "privacy", then shuts the door and takes care of her business! I must say that I LOVE having a DIAPER FREE household!!! She is constantly trying to keep up with her older brother and is anxiously awaiting her third birthday! I don't know how she is going to make it 3 more months. She asks almost daily if it is "Aipwell twetty four?" Needless to say she is very excited for a "Dowa party with Dowa cupcakes." What would the world be like without Dora the Explorer?!?! I think I sing "We did it! We did it? We did it! Hurray!" in my sleep!

Yesterday we went to a pajama themed birthday party for our neighbor friends Zeke and Casey!

A picture of the kids taken today while pretending to be "camping out."