Time Flies

Time flies so quickly these days. It seems like it was just the last week of January and now here we are at the end of February. I am happy to say we did survive the "Ice Storm of 2009" (read that with a great deal of dramatic tension, if you would, as they say it here in the Tristate area.) We received 4 inches of snow Tuesday, followed by Wednesday's 4 inches of ice, topped off with 8 inches of snow on Thursday during that last week of January and Cincinnati pretty much shut down. The kids had four days off of school (what?! we had years were we didn't have four snow days total!) power was out in some areas for weeks (we were lucky, not even a blink of the lights this time!) and my pregnant body was stuck in the house to avoid falling outside for almost a week.

The kids had so much fun in the snow everyday and there's nothing like several hours in the snow to get them ready for a good night's sleep! The following week, just as all of this glorious white stuff was melting away, we got another 6 inches of snow and another snow day! The kids have had so many calamity days off of school between the wind storm in September and the snow in January they have to start making days up! They attended on President's Day and have some other scheduled days off that they will have to attend on.
We certainly celebrated Valentine's Day this year! We always seem to though now that I think about it. Valentine's Day 2000 was the first time Brian sent me flowers - before we had even met - from Ft. Hood. Valentine's Day 2004 we made the offer on our first house together. Valentines's Day 2007 we accepted one of two offers received that day on that first house thus ensuring we would move into this house.

So, what about 2009? We partied! On Thursday was Katie and Lainey's first preschool party and they had so much fun. The had two crafts to do, danced, played games, decorated and ate a cookie and of course passed out valentine's for all of their friends. They are learning so quickly, too. Katie knows her name by sight and loves to pick "K" out of other words and find out what they are since her name starts with K.

Lainey has become very interested in other kids and doing what the group is doing although she is certainly still my little free spirit. I'm so glad we decided to send them to preschool now and Pleasant Park is a perfect fit for them.
On Friday was Brandon's kindergarten valentine's party. I also went in to help with that party. All I can say is WOW. They had four crafts they rotated through, crowned a king and queen, passed out valentines, and had treats galore!

I am always so impressed by his teacher - with 25 kids all of that should be absolute chaos but it never is - she keeps them moving and always has their attention.

Brandon is just loving kindergarten these days. I am always amazed by what he suddenly has learned, whether it is parts of the Mass, or new words while we are reading, everyday is a surprise (at least for me!) His penmanship is impressing me as well. Even when he does his homework on the bus, I don't have anything to erase for him to do over. I suppose all of those hours at the art cart in preschool helped those fine motor skills develop.
On Saturday, Valentine's Day (or singles awareness day LOL) we attended Maddie's second birthday party. The kids had so much fun at her Tinkerbell party and loved tie dying T shirts as the activity. I can't believe she is two years old already. I started babysitting her when she was 5 months old and that just doesn't seem that long ago!
So what did Emily and Brian do for Valentine's Day? Paid off the van, the TV and the Kirby sweeper! Gotta love the tax return when you have all of these deductions - wait until next year when we add Harrison on there! In leiu of flowers this year, Brian got me a pedicure at the spa where I have my hair done which is an especially timely gift as I am no longer able to successfully reach my own toes without bending into some strange contortions.

I am now 35 weeks pregnant and this pregnancy has simply flown by. Being pregnant while taking care of twins is certainly different than a twin pregnancy. Harrison will be here sometime in the next four weeks. My OB has scehduled my induction for March 22 which is 39 weeks 1 day but I have never been 39 weeks pregnant so we will see what happens between now and then.