Allie and Hunter: January 2013

New things are exciting in 2013!

My something new is....I have a new part time job working for Loudoun County Public Schools. I'm a Pals Tutor. I work with students at an Elementary School in grades K-3. I'm able to make my own schedule, so I work 1/2 a day, 2 days a week. I'm really enjoying the job. The commute is a little longer than I eventually want, but right now it gets me teaching in the county in which we live, and kids go to school.

Brian's something new is...went to his 1st Redskins play-off game. They didn't win, and Brian was a little sick when he went, but I'm sure it was still exciting.

Allie's something new is....she's now playing basketball. She's on a girls team with other 1st and 2nd graders. So far she's had 3 practices and will have her 2nd game tomorrow. She loves it. Brian says at practice she can hardly contain her excitement It was so much fun going to her 1st game last week. She's our little athletic girl for sure.

(I am finding it hard to take action shots. Better ones to come!)

Girl Scouts is still going, and she likes that too. We just hosted 9 of the girls here in January for movie night, which was lots of fun. School is going great. I can really tell her reading is picking up. This makes me so happy. I know she does well in school, but I just want her to be a good, strong reader. Maybe I push it so, because I struggled so in Elementary school as a reader. In September, Allie's attitude when reading at night would be "do I have to." Now, she's ready to read at night, with no "do I have to's." Most nights she keeps her light on after we leave and keeps reading. What a change in just a few short months.

Hunter's something new is....WORDS!!! I'd say in the last 2 weeks he's probably added 10 new ones that he can say and use. He's almost reached 50 words. He's trying so hard. His newest are sock, clock, yuck and stuck. He loves to use stuck! Lots of things are stuck! Today he said "mama....(then lots of nonsense words...his Hunter jargon, then "AA" (which is Allie). From what his speech therapist says, he trying to make longer sentences. It's a good thing. He's still missing sounds and has trouble connecting sounds together, even if he can say the sound separately, but I'm so happy in his recent words.

Hunter is now singing. He loves to walk around the house saying E,I,E,I,O. He can also do the hand movement for Twinkle, Twinkle, Row, Row, Row your boat, and Itsy Bitsy spider. Recently I have seen him walking around doing his Hunter jargon and the motions, so I know he's singing. Adorable but haven't caught it on video yet.

Another 1st is....He's in a twin bed now. On New Year's Eve, we took his crib apart and put up a twin. He's doing great. Here's a picture of him recently reading in bed (just like in the crib at bedtime). This is how Brian and I found him when we went to check on him. Out like a light!

One more 1st for Hunter this week is play with play-doh. He was very unsure about touching play-doh at the babysitters he goes to while I work. (an awesome mom, who keeps him and also has a son Hunter's age.... Saw them holding hands last week when I picked Hunter up). I decided it was time to do play-doh at home. He sat on my lap, and we just kept playing until he got comfortable touching it.

These pictures are not great, because he's sitting on my lap and I'm just trying to reach around and take pictures of him discovering play-doh.

I know I'm way behind. Until recently I've done so well at keeping this blog up, but I guess life just is busy...and that's a good thing!

December is always full of family and fun. This year was no different. The month started out with our annual breakfast with Santa at our church. The volunteer fire department hosts the breakfast. Allie had prepared her list and even made Hunter one too. Hunter sat in Santa's lap for the picture, but then was out in a flash.

Next came, picking out the tree, decorating the tree and decorating in and around the house. Allie loves to help. Hunter was napping at the time. Next year I know he will love this part too.

In mid-December, Allie got to decorate her gingerbread house. Each year her house is well thought out with patterns all around. This year was no different! Hunter watched while Allie and her friends Joshua and Aiden decorated...Don't worry little buddy, next year you get one too!

Then came Christmas Eve. This year we went to the children's service for Christmas Eve. It was nice to hear that service, but I do prefer the candlelight service. Nothing like singing Silent Night, with candles. I'm thinking next year, we will go back to an evening service. This year Hunter needed his nap.

Christmas Day was filled with big smiles, happy children, Granny and Papa, yummy food and love. We had a wonderful Christmas, and hope you did too.