The Longest Month EVER

Is it just me or was this past January the LONGEST month ever?!!!!  I'm not kidding.  We started the month off in Arizona....we were there for 6 days of January...and then we came back and by the end of the month, it felt like it had been an eternity since we'd been in Arizona.  And not for sentimental reasons.  It just felt like an insanely long month.  Ugh.

And now, the shortest month of the year is here...and we are full swing into the new school calendar semester.  Dave is busy, I am tired, Jeffery is amazing, and Jakob is....well, Jakob is not giving me any sleep but I'm not going to dwell on that.  :)

It has been an insanely cold month.  Don't know if you've been watching the weather reports for the nation but with Polar Vortexes and Named Winter Storms...we've been in a pretty consistent chill for most of the month.  One morning, we woke up to 5 degrees.  5 DEGREES!!!!!  And the wind chill was making it feel like it was -9 degrees.  Now, my family in the midwest may laugh heartily at me but please remember that Richmond is considered part of the "South" and 5 degrees is abnormal to say the least.  

Along with the cold came, thankfully, some snow.  Jeffery was very excited to go and play in it and Jakob was....well, Jakob was indifferent.....

Jakob's first snow!

The Pedersen boys out in the snow

....until Dave put some snow on his nose.  :)  HA HA HA!!!!!!

As Jeffery would YELL, "BE HAPPY, Ya-Oh".

As a result of the arctic freeze, we have spent a good deal of time indoors.  :(  Maybe that is why this month has felt to be an eternity.  Jeffery has been a good sport about this though.  Seriously.  I must give credit where credit is due.  Aside from the fact that he will not sit still through church (I have to bribe him with Crackers to even be quiet) and the fact that he talks our heads off until our ears ring (no joke)....he is one of the best behaved little 2.5 year olds I know.  And guess who is watching everything Jeffery does?!  Yep.  Jakob.  They are starting to become 2 peas in a pod and it warms my heart to see Jakob light up when Jeffery comes near.....or Jeffery take such good care of little Jakob.

The Brothers Pedersen

Of course, Jeffery still rules the kid roost around here.  He is currently obsessed with Thomas the Train (big surprise there), having us tell him secrets, watching "Dinosaur Train" in his Jeffery Chair, and singing all sorts of songs...his favorite being "Twinkle Twinkle"....or "Crinkle Crinkle" as he is calling it.  :)

Secrets with daddy

Lounging back, watching "Dinosaur Train"

My big piece of news isn't really that exciting except to me but I have to share.  My mother has passed on to me the manger my Grandpa Sell made.  Growing up, this manger would sit on a table next to the Christmas Tree and every night during Advent, my sister and I would sit down and recount the day's good deeds...if there were any.  For each good deed that we did without being asked to do so, we got to put a piece of straw into the manger.  The goal was to have a manger full of straw by Christmas so that the baby Jesus would be comfortable.  Some years were better than others.  :)  This little tradition has made such an impression on me and I was actually going to ask my dad to make me a replica so I can start doing this with Jeffery next year.  Little did I know I was going to get the real thing!  He likes his little rituals.  This past Advent, he was very excited every morning after breakfast to help me open the new window/door on our Advent Calendar.  I think that is one of the best things about having children.  Passing on...or even creating new....traditions that make the season or holiday even more memorable.

So, here's hoping that February doesn't drag on like January did.  Here's hoping Jakob starts giving me some sleep.  Here's hoping that potty training Jeffery (which we're starting next week) goes smoothly.  Here's hoping that moving Jeffery into his new room and new bed isn't a catastrophe.  Hmmmmm.  With those things coming up in the month, February may very well feel longer than January did.   Bleh!