A New Year

It's day eighteen of 2011. How are YOUR resolutions going? I'm sticking to mine so far, but I guess I should mention, it's pretty easy not to break a resolution when you don't make any in the first place. :) While I can think of about a million things I should do or attempt to do this year, I decided not to make any actual resolutions. However, I did decide to make this year a great one and that's already happening.

Jacob is doing so well with school. His reading is getting better and better and he's learning at such a fast pace, I can hardly keep up. We're in the middle of the first grade curriculum books, which have presented him with a few more challenges, but he's moving right along. His love of learning hasn't dwindled, not even the slightest bit. He enjoys school and couldn't wait to get back to his CC class after the holidays. He can now recite Ephesians 6:1-15 and tell you the main events in history beginning with creation all the way up to Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris. It is truly unbelievable how much he has memorized since August. Heath and I are very proud of him and we pray that Jacob's eagerness to learn will continue.

Just before January, Jacob and I talked about resolutions -- what they are and why people make them at the beginning of the new year. On New Year's Eve, he came up with this one all on his own.

Jacob loves the toys he received for Christmas and I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to pry him away from his space shuttle to have school. Well, he has certainly kept his new year's resolution. If you didn't catch it in the video, he said he wasn't going to play with his toys during school. So far, so good. He knows that after school, comes playtime and the new toys haven't been a distraction at all. Whew.

She wouldn't say it on camera, but when Annabelle wished anyone a happy new year, she said, "Ha-birday new year! (Happy birthday new year!" I guess she was telling everyone to have a happy birthday in the new year. Will do, Annabelle. :)

Annabelle started off the new year with a bang. About a week and a half ago, she learned to climb out of her crib. Honestly, I'm surprised it took her this long, considering how much she loves to jump and climb. Early one morning, I was preparing Jacob's breakfast, for which he was very impatiently waiting. Annabelle was still asleep, or so I thought. All of a sudden, I heard the sound of little footsteps and the rustle of a diaper. Annabelle ran into the kitchen with the biggest smile on her face I've ever seen. "Pimb out pib!!!!" (Climb out crib!!!!!) I pretended to be excited with her, but really, I wasn't. This huge milestone for her made me realize, my baby is growing up. Not to mention, it scared me to death to think of what she might get into if she crawled out of bed in the middle of the night while the rest of us were asleep. Annabelle is crazy, you know. :)

We did what we had to do -- convert the crib to a toddler bed, or as we like to call it, a big girl bed. She absolutely loves it. At night, she climbs into bed all by herself.....and stays there. Can you believe it? Naptime has been a little more difficult to enforce, but I'm happy to report there are no major issues. After a few (or several) times of picking her up and taking her back to bed, she eventually gets the point, grabs Minnie Mouse, pops her thumb in her mouth and falls asleep.

Papa Larry built Annabelle a dollhouse bookcase for Christmas. She loves it. Can you tell? I love it too!!!

_______________________________________________

We also have another reason to believe this is going to be a great year. My sister is GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!! I am beyond happy for her and I (and the rest of the family) just love her fiance, David. Jacob and Annabelle are super excited to officially call him Uncle David. :)

The wedding planning has begun. Oh, the joy! Oh, the fun! Congratulations you two!!