Happy New Year

I hope 2011 finds you well. We are busy, busy, busy around here. Ian is learning to walk, but still only takes about a dozen wobbly steps at a time before he bumps into something (usually with his face), topples over, or dives into our laps. And he is learning new words like crazy. I think he understands pretty much everything we say. I better learn to watch my mouth when I'm driving... A couple weeks ago he suddenly started pointing to and saying "eyes" and "teeth." Then he learned "ears" and "face", although he still calls his head his "bop." Keith says maybe because he bumps it so frequently. Watching him learn so much so fast made me stop to think about some things I've learned over the past year:

• I may never get anything done on time ever again. Such as this post - which I wanted to put up on January 1st....
• Everything is washable. No matter what the tag says, if it gets pooped on or puked on it's going through the hot water cycle.
• There is something about Walmart that makes kids cry. Even Ian, who rarely cries, is prone to have a meltdown there.
• To appreciate free time.
• If you are about to microwave your coffee for the third time, just forget about it.
• You can do almost anything with only one free hand.
• Sometimes I have to just ignore the mess and read a book.
• To multi-task. I thought I did that before. I had no idea.
• To be less judgemental. Sometimes I am "that mom." The one whose kid has the crusty, snotty nose, the dirty shirt, and isn't wearing shoes or a jacket in December.

And here are some pictures from our wonderful holidays. Like I said, busy!



Night lights thing at the Butterfly Pavilion. Ian was fascinated!




Animals and children flock to this man!



 
 




Christmas with the H cousins.

 



Ian likes obstacle courses...

  



Finally got to try those snow pants out!

 



This stuff is fun!

 



He wanted to dive right in.

 



Ian's card trick - shove all the cards under the cardboard...

 



Ho Ho Ho!

 



So excited for opening presents!

 



I guess this looks like something that needs to be tasted.

 



Howdy!

 




Enough with the Santa hat.






"Happy New Year! See these 4 new teeth I've been working on?"





Surprise, surprise, Ian likes candy canes. And he has a bruise on his head.






What a stinker!





Ian's dedication at Nana and Papa's church.

  



Making funny faces at themselves in the mirror.

"Please, no more pictures."



Groovin' in his authentic 70s bell bottoms. I think he wanted to join the band.

  


  



Tuckered out!