Happy New Year everybody.

Jonathan, Anna, and Lydia had a pretty good Christmas.  And there was certainly no shortage of presents to be opened.  All three of the kids were really good at opening the presents.  They all needed some help with Christmas cards.  But I think Lydia enjoys presents the most.  After opening the presents was done each day (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and once Lisa's brother Eric arrived last Sunday), Lydia would look at Daddy and ask "presents?".

One theme emerged as far as the toys.  Their speech therapist gave them each a little present the week before Christmas.  The girls both got a little Mrs. Potato Head.  Then Aunt Sue had sent a large clear plastic Mr. Potato Head that contains several Mr. Potato Heads.  Then Santa also delivered a Mr. Potato Head.

The one big item that Santa delivered for them was a play kitchen.  It has a burner on the stove top that lights up and makes boiling water sounds when the pot is put on it and makes sizzling sounds when the fry pan is on it.  It has a working under-counter light, the microwave buttons make sounds, and there is a toy phone on the side.  Lydia has some very short conversation on the toy phone.  She picks it up and says "Hello.  Bye." and quickly hangs it back up.

Jonathan got a remote control trash truck.  But Anna is actually the one that has figured out how to work the remote the best.  Jonathan really likes to pretend to cook on the play kitchen.  Daddy did catch a picture of Anna putting her bunnies face down into the pot while it was on the burner.  We're surprised that as much as she loves that bunny that she would try to make rabbit soup! 

Lydia has been having another spurt of learning new words.  One night Jonathan was being bad during supper.  Daddy told Jonathan to stop what he was doing or he would get in trouble.  And Lydia repeats "trouble".  She said the word several times.  Jonathan is never as vocal or loud as the girls.  But although the girls have been saying "Thank You" for some time, Jonathan started saying it in a personalized form.  He'll say "Thank You, Daddy" or "Thank You, Momma".    Anna is still not always clear in her annunciation, except when she cannot find her bunny.  Daddy had to hide it from her one night so it could be washed, and she is very clear with her "what happened", "where'd it go", "where is it", etc.

Eating is still a challenge.  Jonathan is started to like some meats.  He will eat some chicken nuggets.  He seems to like ham too.  He tried some hamburger with Daddy the other day, but didn't come back for any seconds so maybe he doesn't quite like that yet.  Jonathan and Lydia will come up and take a bite of pizza from Mommy or Daddy.  Lydia really likes tater tots.  But Anna just refuses to even try most things.  Daddy is unsure, but she might have eaten one piece of ham one day.  But she won't even try the junk food like potato chips.  The doctors have been saying that she's continuing to gain weight so not to worry.  But its hard to watch her not eat if we make something the other two might eat.

Hopefully Daddy will be able to add some additional photos to the Christmas set and put up a separate December set sometime this weekend.  Daddy's company decided to let everyone have Friday, Jan 2nd off since they knew a lot of people would want off anyways and would appreciate the company giving everyone another 4 day weekend (the company also gave everyone Friday, Dec. 26th off too).

Mommy had to work in the evening on Christmas Day, and will work on New Years Day and on Friday the 2nd.  Because of having to work in the evening on Christmas Day, we had a nice ham dinner on Christmas Eve and then just planned to make a big breakfast on Christmas Day after the presents were open.  It was quick to make, and the cleanup wasn't too involved either.