Josh Josh Josh

Dear January,

The weather outside has been awesome!  We have taken advantage of this beautiful weather.  It has definitely helped ease the tensions of my relationships with my children.  Potty training Josh is taking it's toll so it's nice that we can go outside and play to let off some stress.
We have started swim lessons for both Abby and Josh.  Josh is in soccer as well.  He really likes soccer a lot and tries really hard.  Swimming is not his favorite.

Today was his first day and he struggled.  The swim teacher is really strict and wanted me to leave for parts of it.  Which was hard because he was crying.  The whole time.  I could tell that he was scared and having a hard time.

But the teacher just saw another difficult child.  I made excuses, all the ones he was using except the most critical one, that he doesn't know how or cannot breathe through his nose.  I got the impression that this would not have mattered to the veteran teacher.

 Part of me liked seeing him pushed hard, with a no excuses kind of rigidity.  Other parts of me nearly  jumped into the pool to save my baby boy from a bad experience.  Part of me thinks this is good for him and he will reap the rewards of hard work and other parts of me think that he will be forever scarred and will never enjoy swimming because of a militant teacher.

In the end he said he liked it.  I'm not sure he will feel that way next week.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth

A New Year 2012

Dear 2012,

I have been looking forward to this year since early of last year.  2011 is safely behind me now.  I tied up a few hanging strands right there at the end of 2011 and have resolved to leave much of that year in the past.

I am also going to take the first part of the year to decide on my resolutions.  Honestly I am unsure if 2012 will be easier than 2011.  I hope so!  2011 left me broken and tired.  Maybe stronger, but I don't want to find out.  I really extra don't want to find out.

2012 is already weird because it is so temporary.  Everything here is just for a little while now.  My last full year in Ohio is already gone.  I believe that I had my last Christmas and New Years here since I plan on traveling to Texas for the holidays this year.  Much of this impermanence will determine how much resolving I can do.

Much of this year will be spent having fun!  I can tell already since it started with a party.  This winter is already 100 times better than last year.   All the snow melted off and we defrosted with an awesomely sunny (seriously more sun that July) 50' day.  Ohio has taught me not to waste days like this.

Josh and I began by jumping on the trampoline.  We jumped on each other's shadows, spelled his name with chalk and played "Buzzy Lightyear to the rescue!".  When Isabelle woke up we took a walk/bike ride to the bike park.  We played 3 year old hide and go seek, taking turns hiding behind different trees.  We all jumped off the stump a few dozen times and stood on the rocks.  We played ready set go! and took turns on the radio flyer.  Isabelle is finally old enough to have a good time.  And we did.  I feel so glad for this break from winter, before it really sets in. I just hope we get to thaw out like this every couple of weeks.


Sincerely

A girl born in November