January began wonderfully.
NewYears Eve was spent unwinding from our holiday adventures.
Meaning, we both fell asleep on the couch watching Property Brothers and House Hunters International.
But ... I happened to wake up 5 minutes before midnight, so we saw Ryan Seacrest and that horrible Mylie usher in the new year.
Mark doesn't remember it, but he did stir enough to kiss me before I turned off the t.v.
Yes, our month started off with a bang!
And it continued that way.
Mac had his first basketball class.
He told me, "Mom, I think basketball is my other favorite sport. With baseball too." But honestly, that boy loves anything he can score and/or time.
Every Saturday we would get to practice a bit early. Mac would pick up a basketball, and methodically work his way from one end of the court to the other; dribble, shoot, other side. Dribble, shoot, other side. When the kids would practice dribbling around the outside of the court, Mac was the ONLY child who not only refused to cut corners, but clung to every line.
Gotta do it right, I guess.
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| Waiting for his first basketball game to start. Wish I could show you the crouching, wide-armed wiggle that counts as his defensive stance |
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| Miss Belen was always bugged she couldn't go play with them, and I had to pull out all the stops every Saturday to keep her with me. But whenever anything close to downtime happened, you can bet she was out there weaving between players, following lines, and kicking any basketball that dared come near her. |
The season ended with a mini trophy ceramony. Mac was
thrilled.
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| "Mom, this is my first trophy and I love it. I'm going to get SO many of these, cause I practice so much." |
He liked basketball before, but this heated this love to an almost baseball-esque passion. We have since taped a basketball court in his room, and he is constantly asking me to keep his score (we're currently at 1,527), shoot so he can practice blocking my shot, or making up games in which he is always the Jazz, there's always 10 seconds on the clock, and he often gets fouled. "Stop the clock Mom, there's three seconds left. I made that shot, but that guy bumped me so I get one more 'three'-throw. Made it! So now that's three points. Write it down, Mom."
He's four. What ever happened to heroes, fighting bad guys; you know, playing pretend? All our pretend involves numbers.
Besides playing referee/teammate/scorekeeper, I was able to go out on a ladies' night with some of my cousins on the Thomas side.
I can't believe how many live in the Salt Lake Valley. We caught up on each others lives over pedicures and Olive Garden ... and though the food was as bleh as I remember, I
loved it.
January also marked the opening of Holladay's new fire station. The place was open for tours to the public all day, and Belle was in love.
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| "Wee-ooo wee-oooo weeeeee-oooooo!" |
Mac thought it was alright, but was ready to go after a bit. Belle screamed and hollered and clung to the door frame for dear life when I told her we needed to leave.
Her ability to spot fire trucks/ambulances has intensified dramatically since then. In fact, at a parking lot the other day she suddenly began sprinting ahead of me. Mac and I raced to catch her, eventually seeing what she was running toward: a parked ambulance. She began climbing up and pulling on the door handle just as the two paramedics came out of the store (luckily not in the process of saving anyone). She saw them in their gear and asked, "Belle drive? Ambulance?" They gave her stickers and showed her the back of the truck while Mac hid behind my legs.
Again, she was sad to leave.
But coming home to a pond-ful of ducks always helps.
It's been such a warm winter (compared to how I remember winters in Logan growing up), that we've actually been able to spend plenty of time outside. We've been reading, playing basketball, drawing baseball diamonds in the sand and then playing games, admiring all of our neighbors' dogs, and feeding ducks.
Though mild, the crisp wintery air inspired Mac to discover the joy of warm clothes fresh out of the dryer. It is now our favorite way fight off that playing-outside-so-long-I-forgot-I-was-cold chill.
And we have had
loads of family time. Drop-ins from my family as they've had various things to do in Salt Lake. Babysitting trade-offs with cousins. Going out to eat, Sunday dinners ... and cousin Todd's birthday party.
Finally, between working
at the office, working
on the office, and networking
around the office, we've had a good share of quality time at home with this handsome devil:
Why he instigated random sleepover nights is beyond me, but the kids are in heaven.
Judging by the way this month of 31 one days has flown by .... the year is going to be over before I know it. We'll be sure to make it a good one.
