January Snow

This has been an awesome year for snow!  Last year we would get some snow and then it would either be too cold to play in it or it would melt.  This year there has been plenty of great snow for playing.  It has really made me realize how fun it is to play in the snow.  To date we have made two snowmen, been ice skating several times, took the kids sledding (which they love!), and Noah's latest obsession has been building an igloo (I think from all of the Kipper and George he watches).  We have several of those snow block/sand castle block makers so it was easier than I thought;)  He and I spent lots of time building his igloo out back last weekend, but have yet to finish it d/t the FREEZING temperatures.  He does remind me everyday though that we have to finish it... maybe this weekend.  Noah is also really good at snowshoeing this year.  He went to the dentist last week and was telling the hygienist how to correctly snowshoe by keeping your legs apart.  

James too has been enjoying the snow, but can't yet snowshoe and isn't allowed near the igloo for fear that he would see it as a big tower of blocks to knock down. The bottom picture is of James's first black eye.  We were at a restaurant and he slipped trying to get into the booth and hit his face on the table.  How this didn't bleed is beyond me, and this is the next morning.  It looked way worse on day #3... we have been extra careful to prevent him from sustaining any other injuries until his one heals.  James has become much more vocal and communicative as of late.  He still isn't saying any more words, but he clearly understands everything you say.  He is very good with his signs and is often so observant that we miss things that he notices, dogs being the best example of this.  It is like he has a special radar for when dogs will be walking by our house, he will run to the window and start "panting".  He is also starting to copy lots of what Noah does.  The cutest thing is "counting".  I am not sure if I can describe it well, but instead of saying "one, two, three, four, etc" he will make a noise that sounds like he thinks he is saying the numbers in the same rhythm.  It makes us laugh in the morning when you can hear him in his crib "counting" to Noah... he usually gets up to about the 6 count.  He does the same thing when looking at books he knows that Noah usually counts things in and will point to what he is counting... cute.