Keeeaaaiiiii

So despite the cuteness factor being over a million

And having a great time on the first day while being attentive and well behaved

She decided that perhaps the discipline required in Karate was not her cup of tea, conmsidering her mother's issues with restriction and authority.. well .. all I can say is Atta Girl! But really, she wants to do some more swim classes and we are very happy with her for trying something new.

Other than trying Karate (very expensive at full price karate) this week we've been doing a lot of reading, Norah is a book maniac and will actually go to sleep cuddling a book! I have to supply her with at least two if not more books when she being tucked in at night, preferably books that are new or haven't been seen recently. SHe likes to have her legs tucked in with her arms out to look at the books before she falls asleep. All I can think is that I read consistently while nursing her for the first year ( until she got too squirmy to keep the pages level) and so perhaps her obsession started there? [My other theory is that I had a lot more piercings when Abby was younger and now she has this love of shiny, small things... ] So, we have been reading a lot of books, especially the ones that make oodles and oodles of annoying music and noise. All curiously supplied by grandparents, or surrogate grandparents ( yes, you know who you are) and have great buttons that even 14 month olds can figure out! At least this one plays classical music, albeit tinny.

ANd let's not miss the late night firegirl emergency we had after bathtime, it was great! not sure what it was exactly except a lot of running around and yelling 'EMERGENCY!" taught to us by a friend :) Ohhhh yess, and you know who YOU are lol :) But it was great fun and super cute.

Wow am I ever a whiner!

You know I just read over a few blog posts from the past year, really trying to find the post called The Bean of All, which is worth a reread and chuckle, and I've decided I only ever crank it out on this here blog, and complain about everyintg.... Well here are some great thing happening this month:

My Jellyfish bag made it into the Spring issue of Interweave knits,

I've finally joined a few groups on Ravelry and am having my patterns test knit for free and getting really great feedback. I have two patterns on Knitpicks and hopefully will have two more later on this month.

The kids are enjoying each other more and more, they spent the better part of the afternoon having Abby push Norah in the itty bitty doll stroller ( yes rather unsafe) but when the 14 month  old actually fits in the itty bitty doll stroller there is a novelty factor that a three year old cannot ignore. And then there have been the glowstick illuminated baths in a dark bathroom.. tommyknockers anyone?

We also get two weeks of free Karate lessons from a local place thanks to a Valentine's day card that Abby brought home from school. We also get a free uniform and I am hoping that Abby really likes Karate because I think she is an incredibly powerful little being and if she could learn to centre that energy and really focus herself she could be even more of a dynamo.

We've really been focusing being really calm and respectful to Abby lately, not giving into the raging crazies every time she does something.. well ....raging and crazy. She has been helping me cook dinner every evening, or at least most evenings and she often says that it is her favorite part of the day. :) Norah has been falling prey to the separation anxiety tantrums.. which are.... great...... oh sorry *happy post* they are GGRRREREEAAAATTT! SO we have been speaking a great deal of Toddlerese. For any of you unfamiliar with toddlerese it is basically the most fulfilling form of dealing with a tantrum ever invented and it works! You basically deal with the tantrum by repeating the request that your toddler is making with the same force and body language she is using. Check out Dr. Harvey Karp over here and see what I mean! I would recommend his Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block to anyone with small children. :) Sometimes it works on husbands too but they can't have read the book and if you let on that you are using a 2 year old method on him.. well.. better just keep it between us eh?

            

And we got lovely outfits from Papa and Grandma from their trip to the Dominican Republic, and of course we had a modeling session, this is abby's Mod look :) ANd NOrah's tired look:)

And that's about all, pretty random really

Again with the sicky sicky sicky

So, this month has been interesting, last month even more so. I think I can sum it up in one photo really:

Yup, we've been feeling this good :) lol And today after an emergency doctor visit I have a roll call, a double ear infection for Abigail, a lung infection for Norah and for your's truly, a developing lung infection. Anti-biotics all around please doc! I mean the saving grace is that the prescription plan saved us 150 dollarrs, so you know that is nice.

But the student pharmacist wasn't betting on the cranky level as he doled out four medications taking fifteen times as long as usual and then said

"huh? only $11.28, well that's good right?"

so of course he got a snarky "Well that's the great thing about Military medical insurance, they may take your husband away from you for years at a time and try to kill him but they give you cheap pills."

                                               

Not one of my finer "nice" moments. Mostly I am cheezed off that after two afternoons of concentrated valentine making poor Abby never even got to exchange them at school, she mostly lay on the couch moaning all morning, and then really worried me when she stopped moaning and just lay there. However hopefully she can give out Valentine's next week. And then maybe, maybe we can see our friends sometime soon.

                                  

The good news is that Nemo is doing well, perky as ever even though his status has changed forever. But don't tell him as he continues to romance Buster his dog toy night after night. That is, when Norah isn't stealing his bed amidst his utter confusion

 

 And thankfully his cone of shame is gone too

Alright I am going to take my cranky self to bed.