january in a jiffy.

My funny, little Ella. What a month we had. It started out with ringing in the new year with our Finnish-Toledo family home for the holidays. Now we've been bitten by the bug to try to make travel to them happen this summer. 

The winter got off to a rather mild start and then blasted us quite nicely the past 3 days. In fact, so much so that it has been the coldest weather on record for our little corner of the world. The three of us have been working from home and are just a tad bit stir crazy. Of course it will be 55 degrees in four short days. When you do the math, that equals about a 70 degree temperature increase from what we've had. 

NOT photographed on the coldest day in history.

The piano lessons continue with our favorite piano teacher, and the homework comes home every night. Thomas does his part to help with the homework by lounging on the kitchen table to catch as much sun as he can. Mavis saves up all her snuggles for anytime after 7pm. She is your girl, Ella, and is happiest sleeping with you - not us. She is also one of the biggest reasons I cannot get you out of bed in the morning. 

Christmas Day 2018!

We have two big weddings coming up in the family as Christian and Libby and Allison and Ryan tie the knots within 5 weeks of each other this fall. Your cousins are so much older than you that they are more like aunts and uncles. In fact, you often have to have me remind you of that. I'm just happy that you'll be old enough to remember both of these celebrations.

You are still such a unique contradiction in so many ways - outspoken yet bashful; independent and yet still under my feet at every turn (or in our bed). All the while, you are funny. You have a fantastic sense of humor - the one trait I so desperately hoped you would have. I promise it will make life so much easier as you continue to grow up. And although I shouldn't be surprised, you adore helping me cook or bake. It is a trade off for me as I've always enjoyed getting lost in a recipe, the solitude, making a huge mess in the kitchen as I measure and stir and stuff. But showing you how to do it for yourself cancels out all that I used to have. It is a different joy with you at my side. You're messy though and I can only think Grandma Donna is looking over us calling us both left-handed cooks because the clean up after we are done is ridiculous.

~H