Over the Last Month

Is Christmas really just around the corner? Drew is getting funnier by the day. His one-sided scoot has turned into all-fours every once in a while, so he looks like a really fast gorilla scooting across the floor. He is such a snuggle-bug and is happiest being held or wrestled with. He holds out his hands to almost anybody so that he can get picked up. He loves to laugh and his toothy grin is contagious. He started clapping for himself after crawling to the top of his slide in the basement. His kisses are often open-mouthed and slobbery, but once in a while he will pucker up his little lips and plant one on you. He loves to crawl up and sit on the couch or on chairs and he can't get enough of climbing up and down the stairs. He is starting to stand on his own but gets ticked off when you try to get him to take a few steps. :) He gets along with Sage really well and loves to pull her hair and tickle her.. and he finally beat a five week double ear infection after three antibiotics!

Sage continues to love school and make new friends. She got a great report at her parent-teacher conference and we were told that she is very happy, friendly, and clean. :) No surprises there! She always comes home with some sort of project or artwork that she can hardly wait to share. Ella(s) still go to school with her in her backpack everyday, and it seems that they are accompanied by more friends as the weeks go by. Yesterday she brought seven stuffed animals home in her backpack (that she had apparently rounded-up on her morning trek throughout the house). Ross and I both agree that she has really grown up over the last couple of weeks. She seldom has tantrums and can generally be reasoned with. She is a wonderful helper and has a very sincere and empathetic heart. She loves her baby brother Drew. She can also be quite hilarious at times and she catches us off-guard with her dialogue.  For instance, she was walking out of Target with me the other night and saw a cart left out on the sidewalk. She told me that, "They're not responsible, Mommy!" She also had the time of her life on her special Daddy date when they went on a train ride from Boone to the "North Pole" and met Santa on Santa's Express. She got to wear pajamas, drink hot cocoa, sing carols, and listen to stories, but her favorite part of the night was "playing with her friends". We've also been fortunate with this nice weather to get to the zoo a few more times this winter.

 Here are our two monkeys snuggling up together: