Snow Babies

Well, winter never showed up last year, but it's doing a good job of reminding us this year just exactly how this season works in Cleveland.  We never got above freezing last week and had a fair dose of snow.  It was too cold to go out and play in it much; the picture from the previous post was on the daily foray from the car to the house. Finally, Sunday was just the right combination of snow, sunshine and manageable temperatures to test out the snow pants.  Still too cold to build a snowman, as the snow was all powdery, but there was still lots of fun to be had, romping through the undisturbed plain of the front yard. We made snowballs, knocked icecicles off of the gutter, piled up snow and build castle blocks out of buckets.  There were also snow angels.  As soon as the word was mentioned, the girls dropped to the snow and flapped their arms and legs.  Of course.  That's how you make  a snow angel.  Except, I'm pretty certain that I've never taught them this necessary life skill.  Are snow angels innate?

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

The View From Here

We've been pleasantly busy and blogger's been refusing to let me upload pictures. There are worse reasons for a blogging absence, right? Last weeked we were on the run every day, Lake Farmpark, Papa's birthday, and the Ohio RV expo.  The IX center has a massive Ferris Wheel that goes right out through the ceiling.  The girls were enthralled. Nana and I were dizzy. 

We had a great time celebrating Papa's birthday and painting in the basement.  The girls are getting better and more patient with their artwork and really taking pride in the finished products. Yesterday Naomi drew a rocket ship that actually looks lke a rocket ship! At least to me.  I asked Amanda what she thought it was and she guessed "fish on a stick."  We've decied to put it in the museum of modern art.

Speaking of museums, we've been to the Natural History Museum twice in the last few weeks.  It's funny; some of the exhibits haven't changed a whit since I went in elementary school.  The informational blurbs are actually written on a typewriter. But they have added and changed lots of things, too.  The planetarium is delightful and they have a show just for the preschool set with Big Bird and Elmo showing us around the nighttime sky.  An interactive discovery center in the basement  has lots of things to touch and sort and learn about.  Today there was a helpful table of Case Western students to teach Lillian about polymers.  She was thrilled. Mostly because they demonstration involved a string of beads. To your right is Naomi, the Dinosaur Ballerina.

And, saving the best for last:

 Perhaps you can't tell from the photos, but no one is wearing a diaper in any of these pictures!! We are unofficially/officially potty trained!!

Baby Birds

The girls spent about 40 minutes tonight in this giant box, pretending it was a nest.  They chirped and tweeted and made worms out of playdough.  They flapped their wings and hid in the nesting. This first photo is Naomi feeding baby bird Lillian some milk.

Lillian, arranging her nest materials

Tweet! Tweet!

Happy New Year!

Here is the dance party at our Second Anual Rockin' New Toddler's Eve Party.  We won't be able to call it that next year, but New Preschooler's Eve just doesn't have the same ring to it.  I hope you all had an equally festive time.  Here's to a grand new year with all the adventures it holds.  (2013 is the fifth calendar year the girls have seen!!)