Here are just some pictures of what we have been up to lately.

We celebrated President's Day by going to COSI with my sister-in-law Melissa and her daughter Claire.  Aren't they cute together!

Another trip to the trampoline park (we spent a lot of the winter here!).  William found his favorite part is actually running up and down this ramp and swinging from the handrail.

On this trip, Eliana wanted to wear her fancy red dress.  When she jumped, the dress would flair out, and Eliana said, "I'm a butterfly!"

A day in the park.  I don't know what that face was about.

They love each other!

Evidence that I am the best mom ever: cupcakes for breakfast!  One of David's friends came over and brought us cupcakes as a treat.  I told them they could not have the cupcakes before dinner because it would ruin their appetites.  They had to wait for dessert.  But that night, dinner was late, so the kids went to bed immediately after.  We forgot dessert!  The next morning, Eliana said, "oh no, we forgot about the cupcakes!" So she asked if they could have them as a snack before breakfast.  She was so patient the evening before that I felt bad telling her she had to wait again.  So I decided half a cupcake each before breakfast was allow.  Just like a muffin, right?  Except for the massive amounts of icing (see below)!

I think he approves.

Hanging out in the living room.  Sometimes the kids like to use the extra car seat as a seat.  William wanted to join Eliana in the fun, so he wheeled over the toy stroller and sat in that. Strange way to have fun :)

Playing in the snow

Is it too warm outside to post some old photos of playing in the snow?  The mild winter meant that we didn't get too many days to pull on snow pants and pull out the sled.  But there were a few.  William got to try out the sled for the first time, and he loved it!  Unlike Eliana, who cried the first time we tried to take her in the sled.  He wanted to be pulled all over the yard in the sled - he would just lay back and munch on some snow while I took him up and down and around the yard.  Lazy kid!  He also liked playing soccer in the snow.  All bundled up in his snow pants and boots, he had a really hard time walking (maybe that's why he just wanted to be pulled around).  Whenever he would fall down, which was often, he would just lay there in the snow until I picked him up and put him back on his feet. 

Getting ready

Eliana really wanted to build a snowman but the snow was too powdery.  Will fell down chasing his soccer ball, but I'm too busy taking pictures to help him up.

Cuties!  Until recently, Eliana has been praying for more snow even though it has been 40+ degrees outside (actually today it was 64!).  She loves winter!  Unfortunately for her, I think too many other people around here have been praying for warm weather. 

Life of a working mother

Last night I helped out with a church function.  By the time I got got home, it was quite late and I could barely keep my eyes open.  In my head, I ran through all the chores I had left to do but knew they had to wait.  Right then, I needed sleep.
Today I had to work a 12 hour shift in the NICU starting at 7am, so I set my alarm for 5 in order to do all these chores that I couldn't complete the night before.  I folded a load of laundry, picked up the toys in the living room, washed all the dishes from dinner the night before, swept the kitchen floor, stuffed inserts in William's cloth diapers, and packed Eliana's lunch and backpack for school.  Plus I managed to get myself ready for work and only clocked in one minute late.  As I reflected on my morning, I realized that I had accomplished more in an hour and a half before I came to work than I sometimes do in an entire day.  Certainly I had done more before work than most people had who were working alongside of me.  What would motivate me to do that?  Why would I choose to have kids when I have to get up extra early just to pack a lunch box for school? Or stuff diapers? Or fold their laundry?  I thought of my carefree days before kids.  If I didn't feel like finishing some chores around the house, I could just wait until my next day off.  No one was counting on me to finish those.
So is it worth it?  If you ask, would I have rather slept in than wash dishes? Of course!  I'm chronically sleep deprived.  But if you ask, would I rather sleep than have Eliana and William? Absolutely not.  They are worth ever minute of missed sleep.  They are worth ever early alarm clock. Eliana continues to grow and mature before my eyes.  She has these thoughts that actually make sense (that seems like a really strange thing to say - but I mean she has started to reason like a little person instead of just saying silly nonsense of toddlerhood).  We were talking about Adele's birthday party and she was telling me all about the food she would like to have at the party.  She said she wanted pizza just like her birthday party, plus hummus and carrots because they are her favorite foods.  I realized that we were really having a conversation with a back and forth exchange of ideas.  She is a little person with her own ideas and opinions.  Then she told me about a song they sang in preschool today about a pickle looking for a hairbrush.  She started laughing because "Pickles don't have hair!!"  I once read that jokes are a sign of a well developed sense of language and cognition.  William finds a game of peek-a-boo funny, but Eliana can understand the joke behind a hairy pickle.  Where has my baby gone?  It is moments like these that make the long days and short nights worth it.  I get to watch my children grow up and be a part of the development of their personalities and character.  I get to pull them into my lap and wrap my arms around them while I kiss their hair.  I get follow them on secret adventures in the backyard balancing on tree roots.  So yes, I get up extra early before work.  Not to do my hair or put on my makeup; but rather, to fold little boy pjs and little girl socks.  It's worth every sacrifice.