-14 wind chill......Mexico can't come soon enough!

So much LOVE!
Piano girl!
Addison and her friend Will playing the piano.....concert time!!!

February 11.....and bitter cold!!! I guess we were bound to get hit with it at some point! It has been an unbelievably warm Winter until TODAY! It is cold enough that we headed out to breakfast and then to Mall of America for 3 1/2 hours today. We actually had a lot of fun, and Addison seemed to enjoy watching the musicians and waterfalls, seeing a large stuffed dog, and riding the escalator! Oh, the thrills of a toddler! :-)

We have had a busy couple of weeks!

Addison had a bad cold and came down with ear infections. Luckily, after ten days of Amoxicillin we are in the clear!

Addison is talking quite a bit now.....I think I counted over 20 words the other day! She is also really in to finger plays that go with songs and nursery rhymes! Some of her favorites are twinkle, twinkle little star, baa baa black sheep, and the itsy bitsy spider! She LOVES to try all of these repetitively! She has also become quite the monkey the last couple of weeks.....climbing on EVERYTHING! She climbs up on to the chairs at our table, including in to her high chair, multiple times each day. We have had a couple little falls which have resulted in tears, but it doesn't seem to slow her down! Other highlights in Addison's development have been learning how to scoop dog food (much to mom's dismay!).....and practicing naming family members in photographs!

We no longer have a baby....Addison is officially a part of the toddler room at daycare! After a couple weeks of transitioning, February 8 was her first day with the "big kids." She sleeps on a cot at nap time and gets to go outside everyday now! She seems to be doing really well in her new classroom, and loves to be around the older children. She is by far the youngest and most petite child in her class, but it doesn't seem to hold her back!!

We started our new semester of music classes at McPhail and Addison still seems to enjoy each one! There are lots of new children in the class and Addison is no longer the youngest which is nice! Last week we played with feathers and sang out birds which she loved.

We had a fun play date last week with Addison's friends Will and Levi. We made some special valentines for Opa/Jojo and Nana/Papa. Can't wait for them to receive these!

Noah and I are leaving on vacation Tuesday morning early.....so Annie will be spending the night Monday night and then caring for Addison Tuesday morning-Sunday evening. We are excited for our get away and know that Wally and Addie are in excellent hands! We are so grateful to have such a trustworthy and loving friend and babysitter!

Tomorrow we are looking forward to Addison getting to see her cousin Victoria, who now lives only a few miles away. The girls had such a great time together over Thanksgiving.