Merry Christmas and Happy 2012

Wow where did the past month go? It seems like we just celebrated Sara's birthday and fast forwarded to the holidays. We had a fantastic Christmas. Santa brought way to much as always but the kids had a great time and it was so wonderful to have two little smiling faces Christmas morning. Evan received his first video game a Mobi-Go by Vtech and he is very proud that he plays one game by himself. the other games he hasn't mastered yet. I wasn't sure he would even like it but last time I went to a moms group at Fisher Price we were the only family without any type of video game and I figured a little exposure wouldn't hurt him. The games include number and shape sequences, finding the missing letter in words and following directions (left/right/up/down). He still prefers his toys and puzzles. Sara received the Loving Family dollhouse (paid for by our modeling gift certificates). Both the kids love it and play very well together.
We finished 2 - 500+ puzzles over break and last night did a 300 piece puzzle. He does well but the pieces are so small. He has mastered the 100 and 150 piece puzzles he has on his own. The frustrating thing was we did one of the manger scene and it was missing 3 pieces. Out of the 50+ puzzles we have we have never lost a piece. I checked out the website and it must be common because they will send a replacement puzzle.
Sara has been obsessed with watching Frosty the Snowman and the Polar Express. The Polar Express is not a favorite of anyone except Sara. Evan has fallin in love with Kung Fu Panda, again not one of my favorites.
Today was supposed to be my first day back at school but Evan has had a fever/cough the past few days and although he seemed better he burst into tears when I said he was going to the sitters. One more day home will hopefully cure us. Tomorrow he goes to my Mom's and preschool, we may be skipping preschool. Hopefully Sara will make her preschool class and my mom can have a break. Sara's class is 2 hours a week and she is the youngest but most independent in the class. Sometimes I think that means stubborn too!
We are debating what to do next year with Evan, our choices include 1/2 day prek at the public school district I teach in, the catholic school, or a nursery school that meets 3 days a week. I am leaning towards the nursery school. The public school worries me since he is so advanced I think he won't be challenged enough. Even now he isn't challenged with curriculum but loves playing, songs, games. The socialization is great for him and he is very outgoing at school Sara will move up to Evan's class if I can completly potty train her. She has zero interest, I even bought a princess potty for her and she will sit on it but won't go. There have been many mornings/naps she has woken up completly dry. Maybe we'll try hard core when I have my February break.
It is January in Buffalo and we still haven't had any real snow. December was green and there is a dusting on the grass. This weekend its supposed to be 40's again. I'm loving winter but wishing I was the plow guy collecting $400 per house and not having to plow. Oh well I'm thankful when he does plow multiple times a day.
Sara is talking more and more, and the few words Evan mispronounced he now corrects himself on, breakfast, girl, and cheez-its. Sara tried telling me snowflake this morning and I struggled to figure out what she was saying. She puts multiple words together but loves to wake up and say Momma Home, Daddy home. She loves to be home with us, I guess tomorrow its back to the grind until Martin Luther King day. Hopefully we can stay healthy.