We completed a backlog of updates over the weekend (see Oct/Nov 2008 and December 2008 updates below). For historical purposes, we dated them during those months. But we wanted to highlight these additions in case you were interested in late fall happenings on the clan. 

So, on to January 2009.  We're glad the holidays are over, and we can't help but wish winter was too. It's been brutal (probably not as bad as our family in WI have had it, but bad enough). This is our third winter since moving to Boston from California and we still can't get use to the cold (Mommy is probably the biggest wimp of all, despite 28 prior years in these Massachusetts winters!).  Two more snow days this month.  We can't even recall how many we are up to at this point, but we're thinking that school will definitely be extended beyond the schedule June 19 date this year!  

We celebrated Keeley's 6th birthday on January 7th. Our first baby is 6 already!  No big party like last year when she turned five (we can hardly throw one of those every year!), just family and a High School Musical cake at home and cupcakes and cookies at school.

We are so excited that Ainsley has started to say her own name. Now, it's not that she couldn't before, she just wouldn't. She of course, has been talking up a storm for quite some time, but has always refused to say her name...to the point of saying "no like it".  Not once in two years has she even attempted to say it. We started thinking that we might need to change it at some point if she NEVER ends up wanting to say it!!!  We're not sure what the turning point was, but it did happen and now she says it all the time "Ain za lee" with a lisp between the za and lee.  She has been such a trip this month.  Especially when it comes to taking care of her baby dolls.  She plays with them like a five year old would and has the routines (from diaper changing, feeding, washing, etc.) down to a tee.  She also loves when she and Keeley play. She makes Keeley be the baby, crawling around and she pretends to be the Mommy--so cute.  When it's Aidan's turn to play with her, he's the Daddy and while Ainsley strolls her baby around the house in the pink buggy, Aidan fills the blue one up his toys (stealth bomber and figher plans, tools, balls, etc.).  Speaking of blue...when picking out his washclothe during a bath last week, we automatically assumed he wanted a blue clothe (as has been his choice for the last three years...), he suprised us by saying "I cancelled blue". When we asked what he meant, he gave us an annoyed look and said "I cancelled it, I like orange and yellow now".  Apparently, "cancelled" means he no longer likes it.  This month anyway! 

Soon after Keeley got her ear's pierced last summer, Kaelin started begging. We were going to wait until her 5th birthday in April, but she's been such a sweethart and hard worker both at school and at home that we caved in early. She is so proud (see the pics this month).  Of course, as opposed to Keeley's choice of tiny diamonds for her first earnings and piercing, Kaelin chose little gold turtles.  We knew it would be something creature or animal related! 

About a year ago during a dental visit for a cleaning, our dentist told us that Keeley had a couple loose teeth. Well, it's been a full year and she still hasn't actually lost any.  BUT, one of her bottom teeth is coming in behind one of the baby teeth (that hasn't yet fallen out!). We've been wiggling up a storm the past month with no luck yet.  We even visiting the dentist because most of the advice we've been getting is that the baby tooth should be pulled, but our dentist said to hold off another month and see if it falls out on it's own. So, in the meantime, we watch the adult tooth grow and wiggle every night.  Keeley is so ready for the tooth fairy to come and has even started making her presents for when she comes for the first time.  So...this is the start the tooth fairy coming to our house.  80 times probably. Wouldn't be suprised since the kids are so close in age if she makes a stops in a couple of our bedrooms on the same night at some point.  80 times...5 or 10 bucks a pop (we hear it's what she give now--what the heck happend to a quarter???).  Now wouldn't that $400-800 be much better spent somewhere else Miss Tooth Fairy....say, saving for braces??