Holiday doings
I haven't been writing much lately, mostly because I haven't felt like it. Our mild weather has continued, we didn't get much of a cold snap, though there was snow up on the hills on Christmas Day and driving up to Birmingham on Boxing Day we saw a lot of frost.
Boxing Day and the day after we spent with Ian's sister Lyn and her family, along with Ian's parents, one of his aunts, and the brother and son of his brother-in-law. That made 11 of us all together, with 10 of us staying over. Luckily they have quite a big house. The food, as usual, was delicious. Lyn knows how to do Christmas, but with plenty of vegetarian alternatives, as her husband and son are both vegetarians. And we never go without desserts - trifle, chocolate log, Christmas pudding and Christmas cake on Boxing Day, and profiteroles the day after!
Our Christmas Day was very quiet. We tried to go out for a walk but Amelia was too tired and then she slept for 2.5 hours. Then we opened a few gifts and ate the mushroom risotto Ian made (my favourite dish). That was it really. We only gave Amelia one thing - a small keyboard, as she likes music so much. But she was more taken by the gift she got from her aunt and uncle on Boxing Day - a small fold-up stroller so she can push her doll Meimei around. And push she did, making constant circles around various rooms for the next two days.
Tonight Amelia wanted something and she said, "Mama, please, more" which is pretty close to a sentence. (She also still taps her chest when she says "please," using sign language as well.) Unfortunately, she is ill again. She had a virus in mid-December that luckily cleared up by Christmas but on Tuesday she started coughing again and she is back on antibiotics. She wasn't very well this morning, but started to get a bit better this afternoon. That's three times she's been sick in the three months we've been here. And it's not all the fault of day care - the first time was before she started, and this last one didn't start until a week after she'd finished.
That's it for now, I think. Wishing you all a fun New Year. We're not going to London as Amelia is not well, so we will probably do nothing and go to bed at 10.
Comments
Hi, Ian, Marie and Amelia!
Thank you so much for the Christmas card with the photo of Amelia - she is so sweet and from the pictures on your Blog, it looks like she is growing a lot too. We find that Isabella seems to have really sprouted lately.
Christmas was awesome - we had a lot of family get togethers as well as events for school, dance class, etc. Madeline is at an age where everything about Christmas is magical to her - she truly hears the Christmas bell (have you seen Polar Express?) Isabella just copies everything Madeline does so she has fun by association!
If you send me your email address, I will forward a picture of the two girls.
Isabella is home now with Eric since I went back to work in Sept. He is also caring for several other children (brave soul!)so she is enjoying the other kids, too. One little boy she asks about all weekend long until she seems him again on Mondays.
I just love two year olds so am thoroughly enjoying this stage - seeing their minds open up as they learn to communicate is just so exciting. Isabella is understanding so much more and loves to sing and talk. We had her in three sessions of a Music Together program and it has been wonderful for her (Sharlene and Sarah go too but are in another class.) Isabella walks around all day singing songs - she has loved the music of Christmas and will ask me "Mama, sing Deck Halls lalala!" Madeline just thinks that is so funny and is trying to teach her the words to "jingle bells, batman smells, Robin laid an egg..." Oh, the joy of older sisters!
Life is busy but fun!
How is school going for Ian? Sounds like you have found a great preschool program for Amelia - nice for them to be around other kids and for moms to get a break!Are you able to do your work through the internet?
Anyways, take care and have a Happy New Year!
Janice, Eric, Madeline and Isabella
Posted by: Janice | December 31, 2004 01:50 PM