The time wasn't all open though - we weren't just sitting around the house all day! I tried to make each day have a theme or a little adventure in the morning. So one day we went to the Children's Museum, one day we went to the zoo, one day we had to run what felt like a million errands but each morning we had a plan so I didn't feel too badly when James would wake up after his nap and we would enjoy the time together at home playing with his new toys and cooking dinner.
We have been having crazy weather - on New Year's Day it was -2 and last Friday (when we went to the zoo) it was 50! Doug was off on New Year's Day and we actually braved the weather and went outside to play in the small accumulation of snow that had fallen overnight.
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| James in his new jacket and snow boots - he was very excited to wear these new items - we've been waiting for SNOW! |
James gets so excited when snow is on the ground! Unfortunately this year, we've not had a lot of snow - it's snowed twice so far and both times it's been scant. We've yet to experience a big snow that's allowed for any playing or sledding! It's so crazy because all fall the news was that this year's winter storms were going to be very strong and that there would be LOTS of snow. I suppose I should be careful what I wish for ... we still have the rest of January, February and March to experience!
Over the course of his break, James would talk about Toni and Mary non-stop. We would pretend to be them and have class, or we'd talk about what they would say in class and at one point, James even wrote them a letter telling them how much he missed them and his friends and school. It made me so happy to know that he enjoys school so much.
James has been pretending a lot - he has such a vivid imagination. James plays with his cash register a lot and 'takes our orders' for dinner or deli orders and then delivers them to us. Mike Mike and Liddy gave him a receipt book and he uses it to jot down or orders :) It's a lot of fun. He's also been building a lot lately. Chris and Gerilyn gave him a hard hat and lots of other cool construction stuff so we've got tons of buildings going up around our house :)
And the trains. Oh my gosh the trains. James has been entertaining himself for huge amounts of time with his trains. He loves them. Drives them around, picks people up, delivers food to the grocery store, takes packages across the country - he just has adventures all day long. He's got some in the main room and some in his own room and I will tell you - it's amazing to sit back and just watch him immerse himself in his trains.
I feel like James is growing up so much. We went out to walk to the drug store and James just looked up at me and said, "Mom? We go river first?" and of course I said yes, and he just smiled and said, "yeah, that's a great plan." He says that a lot lately - he'll list out what we're doing or a suggestion of what to do and then say, "that's a great plan." He also says, "just be case" instead of "just in case" which makes me smile every time he says it. It's so cute. James also answered the phone all by himself the other day when I was in the laundry room and I couldn't get the phone and asked him to answer it. I wasn't sure if he would do it but he grabbed a phone, pressed the speakerphone button and said, "Hello!" Luckily it was Doug calling (!!) but we both were really proud that he did it all by himself.
James is also getting more vocal about music too - we are really lucky to have a fantastic radio station in Chicago - 93XRT - it's not fancy shmancy satellite or xm or whatever - it's just basic radio - but they play WONDERFUL music. This morning on the way to school we heard the Kinks, Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, The Beatles, Talking Heads, James Brown and Florence and the Machine. Anyway, I'm trying to help James understand that I can't get the radio to replay a song again for him. I told him once that I could download a song for him if he really liked it and now he asks me "Mom download pease!" He has a list of songs he would like downloaded for his enjoyment :) We heard Elvis' version of Tutti Fruiti on Friday (they did a Friday artist feature of he and David Bowie because their bdays were Sun) and he sings it ALL.THE.TIME! It's hilarious to hear him say, "Tutti Fruiti aw Rudi" all throughout the house. That's obviously on his wish list and so are some songs by Michael Franti and Spearhead and My Morning Jacket. We'll see what Mom can do during nap time :)
Even though we're only 9 days into the new year, I feel like it has flown by. I wonder if this is how the whole year will feel - with me constantly feeling like the days are going by faster than I want them too. A lot of people always do resolutions and then by February it's a cause long forgotten. Each year I just like to sit and think about all the things that I look forward to happening during the upcoming year. Birthdays being celebrated, milestones being reached, family gathering together, holiday celebrations, goals being achieved and I know it sounds hokey, but most of all I just look forward to spending quality time with my little family. Days that are spent with the family together, when we let the day guide the activities, when we're cooking food, when we're all laughing and really and truly being with one another are my favorites. I hope 2012 is filled with these kinds of days.
That looks and sounds like we are all in for a fast year. I am up to my ears and feel the same way! xo
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