Should We Build an Ark?

There's just something not right about going to sleep listening to rain and waking up to rain, knowing that it's been raining all night - two nights in a row! Yes, we've had over 36 hours of near constant rain. It started raining on Monday evening and didn't stop until this morning. We were driving home from school yesterday with all 3 kids in the car and I asked Katherine - "should we build an ark with all this rain"? She answered "The car can be our ark! You are Noah and we are the animals!". That's kind of what it has felt like! We are glad for the rain that will help the grass and trees and flowers to grow, but enough already!!

"Baby"proofing

All my kids have been late crawlers - Elizabeth was the earliest at 10 months. Due to his size (he wears 24month/2T clothes at 13 months) and lack of desire (he hated being on his tummy until he was about 9 months old), Christopher started crawling this month - army crawling. Until this morning, he's pretty much stay within a 2 room area. Well, this morning while I was taking a quick shower he crawled across the entire house - from our tv/family room through the breakfast room and kitchen , office and into our living room. The fact that this entire area has wood floor made it pretty easy form him to move himself along, but this is the first time he's made it that far! So, the gate went up on the stairs immediately (I'm not sure he could pull himself up on the stairs, but I'm not going to wait to find out!) and I'll be spending the day looking for things he could get into and cleaning them up or removing them. He's much more curious than I remember my girls being and likes to take things out of my kitchn cabinets instead of just opening and closing them and also likes to pull things off of shelves and the coffee table. My "baby" is not a baby anymore.

Snow Day

Well, just as they predicted. Although we had our doubts. School was cancelled and at 8:00 it still wasn't snowing at our house. It finally started around 10:30 (although it started much earlier in other areas of St. Louis) and we ended up with about 6 inches here at home. Other areas got as much as 12 inches. It fell hard and fast and I shoveled the driveway 3 times before John got home at 1:30, then he shoveled again after the snow stopped. A fun afternoon for the girls. They went on a "snow walk" with dad twice and just enjoyed getting outside and playing in it. Here are some pics, as promised. Has the past month been crazy, or what???

If You Don't Like the Weather....

They always say in St. Louis, if you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes. Well, that describes what's going on right now. Yesterday it was 78 degrees and we got out and enjoyed the taste of spring. Well, last night it rained, a cold front came through, and right now (8:30 am) it's 36 degrees and raining. It's supposed to change over to rain/sleet/snow this afternoon, then tomorrow we are supposed to get heavy snow. Not just snow, but HEAVY snow. The are forcasting 6+ inches. We'll see what unfolds. I enjoy the snow, but am really looking forward to spring and putting away the heavy coats, hats, and mittens. So, expect some snow pictures by weeks end!

Fifty-Nifty United States

Katherine has always loved puzzles and especially loves her United States puzzle. She has learned so many of the states by sight and now something new. I found a website with games involving the United States and she's in love. http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm There are games involving identifying the states themselves - "Find Missouri" and then clicks on Missouri - and also capitals. This is what she's become so fascinated by and really good at! She says "I don't know very many", but I tell her she knows so many more than I did when I was 5 years old! She probably consistently knows at least 30! This has just come from playing the game a few times each day for maybe 3 or 4 days - I'm telling you, she's a sponge!!! Anyway, had to brag on my girl just a bit - you mom's will understand and forgive me.

Cuddle time

Both the girls (especially Katherine) love cuddling on the couch and John loves cuddle time with the girls, too. Here's a couple of pictures from the last month of each of them with Daddy.

My Big Boy

For some reason over the past week or so I've really felt like Christopher is turning into a little boy. He's finally starting to really move (not fast yet, but I'm sure that won't be long) and just looks so much older than he really is, I think. Anyway, I've taken some pictures of him over the last few days that I wanted to share.