The long lost blogger

Yeah, yeah. I know. I suck. I am contemplating making the blog a new year's resolution, but I need to put some thought into whether or not I can keep it. But for now I will give a brief update for those of you who have expressed concern about the well being the kids. All is well. I mean relatively well. No, really, it is great.

The 4 of us have been struggling to stay healthy since Thanksgiving. We have been holed up for 2 weeks trying to ensure a healthy Christmas. RoryCate is growing like crazy. She is such an amazing baby. So sweet, smiles for everyone. And sleeps like a dream (she is still in our bed, but I am scared to rock the boat. This might be another new year's resolution). We had her 4 month check up and she is right on track. I will update about that later, but the most exciting news is that RoryCate has been chosen to be Baby Jesus in our church's Christmas Eve program. When we got the call we were very excited until we were informed that Tate will be Joseph, I will be Mary and John will be Jesus' older brother, John (the bible has been rewritten). Tate and I are getting a little nervous, I am not a performer, but I expect Tate will draw from his experience as the drunken homeless guy in the Little Shop of Horrors production at AC (he didn't have any lines there either, so he had to work very hard to get his characters point of view across, riveting).

John is doing fantastically as well, he had a rough December with sickness and didn't get to go to school (which just about pushed me to the mental institution), but he seems to be feeling good now. He is really getting into Christmas, calling Santa, Claw-Claw and loving his little nativity scene. He loves the word baby, pronounced BEE-BEE, as he cuddles the wooden Baby Jesus. He is also all about the tree and Daddy's Choo-Choo around the base. We are loving his little voice and enjoying all the new words he adds almost daily. (of note, for the phrase Uh-Oh, John has a british accent with this word, and this word alone) RoRo is still his favorite person in the whole wide world, and I recently put 2 and 2 together to realize why Row Row Row Your Boat (he calls it THE BOAT song) is his favorite song (its about his sister!!). John has continued with his potty learnin'...this is going to be a very long process. He is happy to go anytime I suggest it, but it is rarely his idea. And honestly, I don't have the energy to do the every 15-30 minute potty visit. There have already been way too many ridiculous scenarios where I am nursing one while sitting on the edge of the tub, singing songs and reading books to the other one sitting naked on the potty. This also seems to be the exact time of day the UPS guy rings the doorbell and I am scrambling to get all of us put together enough to get to the door. John is his father's son and loves himself some tv. Jack and Melmo are his favorites. With colds and the cold, we have been stuck inside. I hate to admit we catch an episode of Jack's Big Music Show or Sesame Street almost every day. John has also discovered the goodness that is Hot Cocoa. This is the ultimate of all treats in his eyes, and believe you me, I use it to my advantage. We are in the midst of the terrible twos and I need all the bargaining chips I can find. The boy can throw a tantrum that shames his mother into believing she has failed miserably at motherhood. Then the next day he will be an absolute angel. Hoping this phase passes quickly. Timeout has some effectiveness, but sometimes he loves to be in timeout and acts as if it is a game. He visits THE SPOT at least once a day for throwing food on the floor. So much more to say about the little man, and I hope to find some time ot catch up. I can't believe he will be 2 in a few short weeks...my baby is becoming a little boy!