Majoring in Genius: 2016

Wow. This is just pitiful. Those of you who care should really just follow me on instagram. Because this just is really hard to do.

Well, I'm just going to put up a few pictures, and then tell you that we're going on vacation. On Monday. For like, a month. And we're driving. (!!!!!!!!!!!)

Here are my children. And a little commentary.

I'm actually not sure. Maybe this is Josh? Nope. It's Spiderman. Nevermind.

This kid is, like, 7 months old now.

Twin lovin'.

This is a really flattering picture of my sister who came to visit.

The hooligans are 3!! (With a pretty cool pirate ship cake!)

Stomp rocket at the park!

He tolerates us so well.

Yes, some of those pictures have us in winter coats. And then there were a couple of days when we were in shorts, out sweating in 85 degrees. Because we live in the Midwest, and it can't make up its mind. But that's okay. We're having fun.

See you after I get some vacation pics!

There goes another of my new year's resolutions. FAIL.

So Christmas happened, and it was adorable. The festivities were pretty modest, but we definitely had fun. And a lot of good food. Because I'm awesome. But the kids were great.

And Katie's birthday happened, which was also adorable. We didn't have a friend party this year, but I made a point of making her a fancy cake that she totally loved.

No, I did not make the Joy doll out of fondant. Just the memories.

I can't think of much to say, but I want to get a blog post out there so you know we're still alive.

I thought I'd just give current standings on each of my kids. Here we go.

Katie, age 5

Can write her full name
Can sound out most words and figure out how to spell phonetically
Has grown 2 whole inches since September
Wants Rapunzel hair and to learn to ride her skateboard
Is fascinated with zombies
Is WAY too much like her mom for anybody's comfort
IS GETTING REGISTERED FOR KINDERGARTEN *hyperventilating*

Josh, age 2.75

REALLY wants to learn how to potty, but can't seem to get the hang of it
Has also grown 2 whole inches since September
Loves to snuggle his Mama again (he had a phase where he didn't need me, but now he does again)
Loves Jake and the Neverland Pirates and pretending to be a robot
Wears size 11 shoes already
Is probably heavier than Katie by now. Maybe I should check. He probably is.
Loves to steal people's food and then hide under the kitchen table with it
Only eats MEAT. Sorry, CHICKEN. (because all meat is chicken, apparently)

Peter, age 2.75

Has complete control of the whole going-potty thing, but has no motivation to give up his diapers
Says really mature and intelligent things but in this incredibly high, squeaky voice that makes everybody roll over laughing
Has ALSO grown 2 inches since September. I guess those Flintstones vitamins are working.
Has perfected the sad, pitiful, give-me-everything-I-want-because-I'm-cute face
Follows his big sister EVERYWHERE
Spends 80% of every day pretending to be a puppy instead of a human
Refuses to eat meat. Or, you know, anything that isn't cheese or peanut butter. Or chocolate.

Andy, age 4 months

Is starting to be okay with people who are not mum. (He's decided Dad makes the cut, finally.)
Loves to talk and squeak and sing songs
Has this manly little chortle when you tickle him
Is TOTALLY TEETHING ALREADY! WHAT THE GUACAMOLE IS THIS ABOUT?!?!?!?!
Thinks his siblings are HILARIOUS.
Mostly sleeps through the night. You know, until he started TEETHING. The little booger.
Weighed (are you ready for this?) 15 lbs, 13 oz at his last doctor's visit (Feb 3). And 26.25" long. Holy guacamole.
Holds the record for most thigh rolls, probably ever.
Can totally roll front to back, has rolled back to front a couple times but doesn't do it consistently yet.
Thinks he's a big kid and wants to stand up all the time.

I still can't believe that my kids are so big. Mostly I'm still having a nervous breakdown because we took Katie's pre-registration form to her school this week. She's on their list now. There's no turning back. She's going to school! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In other news, Mike has decided that he definitely wants to be an ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctor). He lucked out and got to do a rotation with an ENT in December, and fell totally in love with that specialty (which was already the top of his list). So now I get to spend all summer writing essays about why he so desperately wants to be an ENT and go to each specific ENT residency program next year. *sigh*

Me? Well, I'm still not losing weight. No matter how hard I try to motivate myself. But at least I'm not gaining either . . . Andy takes care of that.

I'm also totally de-junking my house, little by little. See, in earlier times I was a bit of a sentimental pack rat. But now I just feel like we have so much junk. I wish my kids would, like, feed themselves or something so I could actually accomplish anything. Alas.

Now for a picture dump. I'm making a goal to write on here more often and maybe next time I'll have words in my brain. Happy Valentine's!