Grace Signing

Grace showing off her sign language skills

snow, snow, and more snow

The digging out has begun and it still hasn't stopped snowing! I think we've shoveled three times now and we're barely keeping on top of it. The temperature has dropped to around zero (before wind chill) and the wind is whipping everything up into clouds that make it hard to see the house across the street. It's actually quite fun. The girls were very disappointed that the birthday party at the roller rink was cancelled today, but we found ways to entertain ourselves at home anyway. Sophie had her first violin lesson this week so we've been practicing standing, holding the instrument and the bow correctly, and doing finger exercises. Lily has been taking piano "lessons" from me, which only works if we play make believe and pretend that I am a piano teacher who has come to her house. I dug out my first piano book, "Teaching Little Fingers How to Play" and we are working on the first song a little bit every day. Grace is doing very well and putting back on all the weight that she lost after surgery. We have started speech therapy and she's saying "Mama, Hi, and Lala" reliably. Other than that, she's still just not interested. She's still learning new signs and using them more than ever.

Dave and I have planned a trip to Colorado during the week that the kids have winter break. Sophie and Grace are going to stay with Dave's parents and Lily is going to have some one-on-one time with Nana and Grandpa Bud. We'll be skiing in Breckenridge for three days and staying with friends in Denver on the way in and out. Needless to say, we're very excited - all five of us - to go on our respective trips and have a change of scenery. Only two more weeks!