New Year 2012

I need to mention some of the pre-Christmas festivities that our family participated in.
There were two family parties (Imlay side, and Jansen side).
A church party, with a theme of: A Cajun Christmas.
A party with friends. Jon and Heather West hosted it this year. We ate a great meal and played Apples to Apples with the Nye's, Oate's, and West's.
We decorated Christmas cookies with my friend Michele, and her family.
We drove through Latyon park, and saw the lights, twice!

Fortunately, Reagan met Santa at Seaworld, when we were in Orlando. Otherwise, she wouldn't have had a chance to visit with the jolly fellow. We didn't run in to him anywhere else during the rest of the season! I actually feel pretty sad that I wasn't able to get a picture of him with Elsa. Those pictures of the kids crying on Santa's lap are always classic! Next year.

Reagan entertained everyone at her pre-school Christmas program.
She didn't sing any of the first three songs, even though she knew them.
She did well when it was her turn to use the mic, to tell everyone her name and what she wanted for Christmas, though.
Reagan: "Hi, my name is Reagan, and I want a bike".
They sang some more songs, and I guess Reagan thought it was a race, because she performed all of the actions one step ahead of the other kids.


They finished up with a little play. Each kid took a turn reciting their line.
Reagan walked up to the microphone and said:
"Hi. My name is Reagan, and I want a bike".
Then, she turned around and started walking back to her seat.
Her teacher reminded her that she needed to say her part. So, Reagan, with fake exasperation; went back to the mic and said her line.
All of the parents chuckled. It was the cutest part of the program.


On to the new year!

Reagan currently feels the need to wear a princess dress over her clothes, all of the time. She also changes which princess she wants to be all day long.
This morning was typical.
When she first woke up she wanted to wear her Rapunzel dress. A short time later, she changed in to her Snow White dress.
She put the Rapunzel dress on Elsa.


Elsa kept tripping on the dress, so Reagan brought up the Tinkerbell dress for Elsa instead.

Reagan is still smart as a whip.
She still has the occasional temper tantrum, but I have found that I am finally able to reason with her, which is nice.
When she gets frustrated she says: "Come On!"- she got that from Nick, I'm sure.
She loves to pretend with her Barbies.
She can sing so many songs, and I love to hear her sing! The most amazing thing is that she can sing on pitch. I need to upload a video of her singing Joy to the World. It is exciting to me, that #1- she knows all of the words. And #2 that she can carry a tune.
She continues to hate having her hair done. But she is more tolerable of it (sometimes).
Her Daddy remains her best sweetheart. And I can manage to convince her to cuddle on my lap occasionally.
I can't believe my child will be 4 years old in the summer of 2012!

Elsa is ever an easy, happy child.
She is so observant. And lately she has been a little copy cat. She imitates everybody and everything. Nick and I laugh at her antics on a daily basis.
Reagan was at preschool earlier this week, when I took Cohen in for his 2 month well-child appointment. I took Elsa with me too. I sat Elsa on a chair in the examining room and gave her my iPhone to play with.
The nurse didn't even realize that Elsa was in the room until halfway through the appointment! And for the first time in my parenting career I had someone say to me: "your children are so well behaved.".
No offense to Reagan, but I wouldn't have garnered this comment if she had been with me. She can't help it, she just has too much energy to ever sit still.
I was at Arctic Circle yesterday for lunch. The girls were playing on the playplace. Since Elsa can walk now she has been tickled pink that she can play with the other kids. When we go to fast food restaurants that have a play ground Reagan's MO is to grab a bite of food from me and then run off to play. She comes back for another bite, after she has finished the first. This is the way she eats her meal. I'm not in love with the way it all goes down, but it gets her to eat.
Anyway, Elsa ran off to play at Arctic Circle. When she came back to the me she started to climb up the high-chair that the patrons before us had left at the table.
I put her in the high chair, and she was content to sit there and eat her lunch.

She speaks/communicates better than Reagan did at this age. She is starting to use small sentences. She says "I Love you" very clearly. She calls Reagan "sister", and Cohen "baby".
She is such a joy.

Cohen is my handsome boy.
Although, I have been thinking that Elsa should have been my last child; because my expectations were set too high, after having her.
Elsa was (and is) an amazing sleeper.
Cohen is a typical newborn. He doesn't sleep as well as Elsa did. I know it will get better, but it was still a shock to my system to deal with a newborn that wakes up twice during the night to eat.
That being said...
He is a very non-demanding infant. He rarely cries. Usually, it's only when he is undressed. The kid doesn't like being naked.
He has started smiling, this past week and it is SO rewarding! I enjoy holding him and talking to him, and getting him to grin at me.

Here are some of his little smiles.

Both of his tear ducts are clogged, so I am repeatedly cleaning his eyes during the day. Reagan had a clogged tear duct when she was born, and it took about 9 months for her to grow out of it. So this time around, I know it is just going to take a little while before it goes away.

I was less than thrilled when I learned I was pregnant with Cohen. But when I look in to his little face nowadays, I can't imagine my life without him.

I'm excited for 2012, and the fun experiences I will get to have with my three charming children, and my funny and handsome husband.
Happy New Year.