i'm a bad blogger...

because I don't post very often. I've got a list of reasons why, but I won't go into them. I'll just try to make up for it now.

Addison spent last week being sickly: virus for four days, ear infection, bronchitis. The day she returned to school we found out there was a chicken pox outbreak in her class. As of now, she does not have any indication of them yet. (knock on wood). I have never been so glad that she was absent from school for a week....though the incubation period for chicken pox is 10 to 21 days.

Addison watched the first two and a half seconds of LOST this week. The scene with Juliet buried at the bottom of the Swan sight, below the metal rubble has haunted her since. Addy continues to insist that "the girl at the bottom of that hole needs two band-aids on her checks, and wash her hands and take a shower because she's dirty." Addison is not yet ready for prime time TV. We learned our lesson.

Life with my intern is pretty sweet. I'm afraid now that it will make me lazy. I'm getting paid to work, but I don't really have to do much work anymore. My intern is awesome and I would love it if we could hire her to work at Pace once she is finished with college. She's organized, patient, positive, and not intimidated by my challenging babies.

Addison is reading lots of words, constantly asking "what does this word spell?" and remembering the next time she encounters the word. She loves writing her name. Here are some other things she's recently become accomplished at:
1. Candy Land: she ALWAYS wins, and we aren't just letting her.
2. Bossiness: "Get that for me, Mommy!"
3. Temper Tantrums: "But I WANT THAT BOUNCY BALLY, DADDY!!!!!" With respect to tantrums, age 3 is worse than 2 was.
4. Helping with meals: she loves to stir, mix, pour, carry items to the table. She also sets silverware out for us at most meals.
5. Blessings: We must say a blessing at each meal, per her training at school. She has different prayers for each meal of the day.
6. Imaginative Play: Stuffed animals are REAL, especially a lion puppet named, appropriately, Mr. Lion. They talk to each other, Addison, and us. Addison teaches them what life is all about.
7. Style: Every time we are out shopping, walking, anything, Addison notices what other people are wearing and comments on it. "Mommy, that lady has on pretty brown boots!" or "Mommy, I like that girl's necklace/earrings/purse/shirt/jacket/skirts/etc." She is a little stylista in training, no thanks to me and my blue jeans wearing self.
7a. She refuses to wear anything except cotton stretch pants. NO blue jeans, khakis. Only black or pink stretch pants.

I suppose I should comment on Christmas and New Year's celebrations. Both were awesome and exhausting. This was one of the most fun-packed winter vacations I ever remember having, but so tiring. We went non-stop for two weeks. Addison's birthday celebrations - count them - FOUR! One at school, two family parties, a giant friend party at home. Then Christmas. Then New Year's. Then Matt & Helen's wedding. All wonderful, all fun, all enjoyable. We are still trying to recuperate though! Back to Addison, we were astounded at the amount of STUFF she accumulated between birthday and Christmas. Next year, we will probably only give her one or two presents per event. It was over-whelming and excessive this year. She's a lucky (read: spoiled) little girl...but she totally deserves it. :-)

For kicks, here's a pic from Matt & Helen's wedding. I love my friends. They are the best friends a person could ask for. Wouldn't trade them for the world. Patrick, who I love most dearly, is hiding behind Matt's big head...but this was the only group shot I got all Christmas break, so it's being posted, even without Patrick's smiling face shining for all the world to see.