Photo-a-day, Part II.

January 10. We left the tree up longer this year so we could have our celebration with Mom and Bob, but the next day I went into a de-Christmasing frenzy and took all of the ornaments off, put them in boxes, hauled that tree right on out to the driveway, and vacuumed up the needles. Done!

January 11. Sometimes when we get home from school, there is a bit of snow to shovel, and of course I have Fisher to help out with that. He did not get the memo about not playing in the snow, that we were just going to shovel the driveway, and by the time we got inside his pants and school shoes, as he calls them, were full of snow. This is the pile of snow on one side of our driveway. January 12. We got to the library this Wednesday afternoon, I think we ended up with 38 items in our bag, and the kids could not wait to get their shoes off, hands washed so they could just dump the bag and check out all the treasures.

January 13. Happy thirty-four years to me! The best part of this day was having Mom and Bob to join our celebration: crockpot carnitas tacos with all the fixins, and then a hot-milk sponge cake with fresh whipped cream, raspberry sauce and white chocolate to end the day! I haven't spent a birthday with Mom since I turned seventeen (yay, Acapulco!), and I hope this is the beginning of a new tradition.

January 14. I can't take enough pictures of them sleeping, and really it's mostly him sleeping now, since she doesn't nap anymore. This particular day, I turned the lights on and the water off, opened the windows and still he slept. So I had plenty of time to run for my camera.

January 15. Hair washing day! I only wash my hair once a week, and it's followed by blow-drying. It is a lot of work, hence the once-a-week. So here's what it looks like that day and for a few days after. Then the grease comes to stay until it's washed again, so the ponytails and buns come out.

January 16. Yay, date night! I'm hoping to get used to date nights with Mom and Bob living closer. We actually got to go to dinner and a movie tonight! We had a quick but yummy meal at Orchid and then saw True Grit. The secret is a good, quick restaurant in the same parking lot as the theater. We'll have to seek out more of those.

January 17. We started potty training December 27, and here we are twenty-two days later and you are potty trained. I'm kind of amazed, very proud. I'm so glad Daddy believed you were ready and pushed you and had the strength to keep on going when I wanted to throw in the towel. And I'm actually glad it's winter, because I don't feel like we can't go out in case you have to pee and I can't find a potty. We're home anyway, it being arctic and all. It's good timing all around.

January 18. You asked me to take this picture of you and your fairies, Silvermist and Natalie. You got a whole set of these fairies from Nana and Pappi and you've played with them everyday since, telling the best stories. You truly believe in fairies, and you know which other kids do, and who doesn't. You're hoping these fairies will invite more to stay with us this summer.

January 19. Thirty-four months. You are why I do not wish winter away, because at its tail end, you celebrate another birthday, and though I am happy that you grow stronger and bigger and smarter, I am your mother and mothers in their true hearts wish to keep their babies as, yes, babies. I love you at thirty-four months like I loved you at four months or four days or four hours: fiercely, completely.

January 20. You sleep like a crazy person, so I'm not sure why I'm surprised each morning when you get out of bed, that your hair looks like this. Every night at ten, we go in and kiss you guys and every night we find you completely beneath the covers. When we pull back the covers, your a sweaty mess, your wet hair plastered to your face. When we wake you in the morning, you are in turtle position, your whole head under the pillow. I know you'll kill me one day for this, but I just wanted you to see for yourself, since you surely won't believe me, what you look like when you wake up in the morning, beautiful girl!

January 21. Good morning, fifteen below. We hibernated all day, and then met Daddy at his work for a movie tonight (Shrek the 4), which everyone enjoyed. At some point you bottom out and that's it for winter, just a slow climb up to the 30s and then it's spring (two months!) and daylight and we're making our summer list. It's just a matter of time.