Our Month - Baptism, Gymnastics, AHG

Preface: brace yourself - this is a long one!

Wow, it's been so long that I almost don't know where to begin.  I had no intentions of starting out the year in a blogging drought, but I find it hard to have uninterrupted time to sit at the computer and put my thoughts and pictures together.  I contribute this primarily to a very curious and active 13 month old who is literally into everything.  Since he's been up this morning, he's pulled the tablecloth off the table three times in an attempt to get his brother's yogurt.  He gets into cupboards and pulls out bowls and lids.  A couple of days ago he pulled hard on our knife drawer and busted the child lock and the drawer came wide open.  Thankfully I was standing right there in the kitchen and was able to stop his hand from reaching in the drawer.  Immediately I replaced the broken lock.  Good thing too because as soon as I was done, he tried to open that same drawer again.  He also likes to get into the dirt of the plants I have in the dining room.  I am often finding a dirt trail into the living room.  He likes to pull things out of the garbage can.  Once the garbage gets to about 2/3 full, I have to take it out or he will reach in and pull things out.  He eats whatever he finds on the floor.  I think his favorite thing to chew on is crayons.  He always manages to find one.  We had to put up the gates because he will zip up the stairs in no time. I'm sure I'm missing things too. It really feels non-stop around here! 

We've had some off and on sickness around here.  It hasn't been the normal cycle where everyone gets sick.  We've had various bugs and colds going around, but thankfully none of them have been really bad or long lasting and thankfully it doesn't go through everyone.  One week Big Boy and I had something.  The next week L'il Girl and Baby Girl. This week Big Girl had two days of just laying around with no fever and just some minor cold symptoms.  Now there's some various coughing and sneezing, but nothing major.  Today Daddy's not feeling well.   

We've had some exciting things happen this month.  On January 11, both Big Girl and L'il Girl got baptized.  Big Girl accepted Jesus as her Saviour a while ago, and L'il Girl accepted Jesus as her Saviour back in November.  It is exciting to see their desire to learn more about the Lord and their excitement for the things of the Lord.  Our prayer and desire is that they will live lives that glorify God and that they will seek to live for Him. 

Baby Girl finished her first semester of gymnastics on January 13.  Everyone in her class got a gymnastics medal.  She was so excited about it.  She loves gymnastics and she is really good at it.  I can't believe how strong she is for such a little girl!  

Last Friday night, the older girls got their first award for American Heritage Girls.  It was the Joining Award.  The ceremony was really nice.  It was a lighting ceremony where the girls lit candles and said the AHG creed and oath.  They also recited our troop verse which is Matthew 5:16 - "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Last night we went to the circus.  It was fun, but the best part was seeing the excitement on the kids faces.  Big Girl especially enjoyed it.  She was all smiles and she gave big applause for the different acts. (I'll add circus pics later.  I haven't taken them off my phone yet.)

Here are some pics from this month:

they love their baby brother

working on their Puppetry badge

the cutest Spiderman

This is where the expression "mountain of laundry" must come from.

the morning of the Baptism

our gymnast

the AHG ceremony

this is how he gives kisses :-)

This boy loves his daddy!  He's our first baby that hasn't preferred his mommy over his daddy at such a young age.  Often when I'm holding him, he'll reach for his daddy.

little climber and proud of himself for doing it