I would like to say that 2013 is shaping up to be a great year for us, but we are off to a rough start. Shortly after the new year my dad was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. There are many emotions involved when a family member is labeled with the six-letter "c" word, and I liken it to the grieving process with several different phases that do not seem to progress in any kind of sequential order. After anxiously awaiting test results to determine if my dad's cancer had spread we received the great news that it has not metastasized. So, January started a bit rocky, but we are hoping that it was merely a false start, and that 2013 will still be filled with good health and blessings. Silver linings to my dad's diagnosis include increased family time as well as the realization as to what is truly important in life. Emma has a special bond with my dad - after all, he is the one who coined Emma's most favorite phrase - "squeeze tights" and I think that her "squeeze tights" will be just what my dad needs to kick cancer to the curb.
My dad also has a lot to look forward to this year which I think will help in his recovery. The same week we received the good news that my dad's cancer had not spread, we learned that my brother Mike and my sister-in-law Jenna are expecting a healthy baby boy in May. It will be exciting to have a grandson on earth to help dilute all of the high-pitched fun that comes with having three granddaughters.
Will also had what we thought was his last kidney surgery this month. The surgery went really well and he was back at work the very next day. After the procedure, the doctor was confident that the last of Will's stones was gone. Unfortunately, we found out at his follow up appointment the next week that only half of the last stone is gone. He will have to have another surgery, but not for another six months so his kidney has a chance to heal from the trauma of the last several months. Here is Will below, after being told that his last stone was gone. Just another false start, but we are confident that the sun will not set on 2013 without him being kidney stone free!
Both Lucy and Emma seem to be experiencing a growth spurt this month. At first I thought their insatiable hunger was just their bodies catching up from the lack of calories consumed when they had the flu over the holidays. It has been several weeks since their bout with the flu, and they are still eating like a pair of adolescent boys. Their pickiness has lessened and their shirts and pants seem to have shrunk overnight. Here they are below wearing their "twin" shirts for the last time before I had to retire them into the outgrown clothes bins.
I never enjoy switching out their clothes into the next size. First of all, it is a lot of work. Here are only some of the many clothes bins.
Secondly, I am very sentimental about them getting bigger and it makes me sad to put away all the outfits that I have attached so many great memories to.
I am lucky however, that Emma is in the same clothes that Lucy wore, so at least I get another round of memories to make the daunting task worth it.
It's crazy to me that the shirt Emma is wearing in the below picture is the same shirt Lucy wore on the day she met Emma for the first time in the hospital.
These two have become inseparable, both in good and bad ways. They bring out the best in each other and the worst. When they were taking turns with the flu, it occurred to Will and I that we were no longer the center of their universe. Lucy kept saying, "I'm lonely! I want Emma to play with me." When Lucy was shivering on the couch, Emma kept trying to cheer her up with toys and antics while asking, "Lucy happy now?" The other day I had a doctor appointment and I had no choice but to bring the girls with me. I brought fruit snacks as a treat to distract them while I talked to the doctor. I made a rookie mistake however, when I gave them the fruit snacks before the doctor came in. They inhaled them in under 10 seconds and I was left with only one magna doodle and a couple of crayons to share between them. Amateur! When the doctor walked in, they were still experiencing the afterglow of the fruit snacks, sitting sweetly with their arms around each other. When the doctor commented on how good they were I told him not to be fooled. Seconds later all hell broke lose when one decided to take the magna doodle from the other. Chalk that appointment up to another sweaty lesson learned.
If Lucy can control herself when Emma has something Lucy wants, she can usually convince Emma to give it up. Lucy has learned the fine art of "reverse psychology" and will purposely say the opposite of what she really wants, just to get Emma to want it, freeing up the original object that Lucy desires. Lucy has also become more aware of what others wear this past month and is conscious about what outfit she picks out and how it relates to the days events. When we are out and about, she is fascinated by girls slightly older than her and the outfits that they are wearing. Maybe her growing interest in fashion will replace her obsession with all things potty related. Granted, I did overhear her tell Will that the fireworks at the Fire and Ice Festival our town celebrated last weekend made it sound like the sky was tooting.
Will had two snow days in January which was a bonus for me. The girls enjoyed playing with him and I enjoyed some unexpected "me" time. Here is what I found after I finished an uninterrupted shower: the tallest block tower I ever saw!
Our chickens are doing well despite the cold temperatures we have had in January. The types of chickens we have are all cold-hardy, but I still can't help but feel bad for them on especially cold days. They don't mind the cold so much as the snow however. So, as long as it isn't snowing they seem to do all right. Will also designed a simple water heater with a light bulb, extension cord and a cinder block which has made life a lot easier on us since we no longer have to keep replacing their frozen, ice-block water. Currently we have eleven chickens and are getting 5-7 eggs a day. Between our families and Will's coworkers we never seem to have an "eggsessive" amount of eggs and I have to be careful not to give them all away. I refuse to buy store bought eggs when I have eleven chickens! Granted, we technically only have ten laying chickens, as we found out that a chicken from our newest batch is a he and not a she. The rooster is not fully matured yet, but seems to be friendly enough and hasn't cock-a-doodle-doed yet. We've noticed that despite his somewhat aggressive humping behavior to certain unappreciative hens, he is actually quite protective. When we feed the chickens he always waits to eat until all of the hens have had their fill and is constantly scanning the flock to make sure all is well. If he keeps up his good behavior we will have no problem keeping him. Besides, I think Will likes having another guy around the place.
January definitely had a few surprises but we are still hopeful for a great 2013.
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