Ok, wow. I'm way behind. Here we go.

Brighton is just so awesome I couldn't even tell you. We all love him so much. He is such a joy to have around. He is ALWAYS smiling. Just about always happy. He brings me no grief. He loves to be around us. He loves when I sing to him. He loves to be read to. I'll just read book after book and he's way into it. He LOVES Scarlet. Oh man, he just loves to watch her and play with her. I can just see in his eyes he wants to do what she's doing, all the time. The only thing this boy struggles with is going to sleep on his own. As soon as we've got it down, he gets sick and then we have to start all over again. His being able to sit has been awesome. We can just sit him anywhere and he'll entertain himself with toys for a good 20 minutes. It's awesome! It's so much easier to keep him involved with whatever's going on. I've been trying really hard to keep him involved, if possible, instead of putting him on a blanket with toys all the time. He lights up when I come in the room. Greg had to point it out to me. I just thought it was like that with everyone, but Greg's always saying, "Oh my gosh, he just loves you!" I think he's gonna bring me some major separation anxiety, unfortunately. Greg will be holding him, trying to rock him to sleep and Brighton's just crying for 10 minutes. I finally come over and as soon as he's in my arms- silence. I don't even SAY anything and he just senses me. It's CRAZY. It's not the most convenient thing in the world, but I gotta say I love that he loves me. We tried to give him a bottle this week, for the first time, and it was a bust. He just wasn't into it. He sucked maybe 1/2 an ounce, over a half hour???? I would LIKE to have more freedom, but I honestly don't feel that bound and really hate pumping so I don't even care. I think next time I'll pump and feed with a bottle, right away so that it's not an issue and Greg and I can get out for a date (or I can get out for more than an hour or two). With so many issues with breastfeeding Scarlet and pumping with thrush for 3 months, I just had so many horrid memories attached to it, I just kept putting it off. But now that breastfeeding is a breeze and I'm not afraid of it not working out in the future, I don't think I'll have a problem trying a bottle next time. Oh yes, a few more details . . . Brighton often sleeps with his eyes a little open, he snores and when he gets excited or smiles he opens his mouth SUPER WIDE. I love it. I think he's gonna be a good eater. I can tell he really wants to eat whatever we are. He just stares at it longingly. One more month and we'll try some solids.

Scarlet and I have started doing crafts and it's been a big hit. We both like doing it. I've been wanting to do it for MONTHS, but the task always seemed a bit daunting and it was so much easier than I ever thought it would be.

Brighton's little fist gets a death grip on anything it touches, including hair. Scarlet has been a major trooper and hasn't gotten mad at him once. Honestly, she won't even say anything and just waits for him to release his grip. A COUPLE times she's yelled, "Mommy! Help!"

They are buds and truly love each other. Scarlet asks for Brighton when he's sleeping and is always playing with him and snuggling him despite the hair pulling. It is really sweet to watch.

Oh yeah, he's officially sleeping through the night. Yes!!! Just when I thought it would never happen, it did. 3 nights in a row. And then a couple more later that week.

What is the latest with Scarlet? The usual, I suppose. Treatment is going awesome. She still definitely has pain in her knees, but she keeps getting better and better. A month or two ago she started playing on her own. A first for the last 9 months. It happened when Rebecca was visiting. She would just go into her room and start playing with toys. Greg and I were totally freaking out, because she hadn't done this since before she got sick. And now it's just normal! YEA! As of the last week or so she has just gotten so SILLY and FUN!!!! I forgot she used to be this way! As the treatment progresses, more and more of her is returning. It makes me sad that I forgot this part of her, but it's been so long since we've seen it!

She is such a good big sister. I was out one night and Greg had to put the kids down, himself. When he was about to sing to her, she heard Brighton crying and told Greg to go take care of Brighton. So he left without a song! So sweet! She usually is quite the staller and she just wanted Brighton to be ok. When she's feeling well, she really is a good girl. She listens and obeys. She'll throw things away when I ask her to. Oh yeah, she can open the fridge now. At first I was not happy about it, but now she can open it and grab a bag of cucumbers/grapes and get herself a little snack, when I'm nursing. It's the best! She is the WORST with water! Oh man. Whether it's a sippy, bottle with a straw or cup- she makes a MESS and can't stop playing with it all over the house. I mean what am I supposed to do, not give her water? We're working on it. Her latest thrill is playing Hide and Seek. She LOVES it. She also is always singing and changing the words to songs. It's pretty cute to hear her.

I keep trying to convince her she wants to pee in the potty, but she's not interested.

Waiting for "cheese rolls" to come out- her absolute favorite food on the planet. They are completely void of nutrition.

"I want cheese rolls! I want cheese rolls!" She has trouble comprehending that we have to take the time to bake them.

 Greg has been incredible. He literally gets home and plays with the kids until bedtime. He's an amazing father and Scarlet loves him so much. He is definitely her favorite.

We bought an IPAD. Scarlet loves it and will say, "I want IPAD!!!!"

About a month ago Greg does this.

I would have NEVER put him in there! But he was totally stable and we just pushed him around everywhere! He was soooo excited to be in there. He was so cute.

Scarlet has REALLY been having a hard time sleeping on her own. It's been quite horrible.

Christmas Eve Greg was a champ and tried to fix our dishwasher. It was DISGUSTING in there. And after all the time (9 months), it still leaks. I put in a work order over a week ago now, and even called THIS MORNING AGAIN and STILL no one has come. I hate this place so much. I can't wait to leave.

 I made the Chef Brad turkey and it turned out amazing, of course. The whole day seemed to be work, work, work for Greg and I, but it was nice to get a lot accomplished. We had a nice meal and read out of the Bible, sang carols and christmas hymns, read The Night Before Christmas and Greg broke out his guitar. I thought Scarlet was going to be more into it, but she wasn't. The whole holiday was quite different this year- mainly because of Scarlet's diet. I never realized QUITE how often sugar is involved in the Christmas Holiday. Honestly, you would think we were celebrating sugar. It was different, not having sweets around. We made some fudge last minute and someone gave us a cookie mix in a jar and I made those, but that was it! And I overcooked the fudge and it was horribly dry! My sister in law Laurel sent us some creamy fudge wrapped in her baby's diaper. How clever is that? Absolutely hilarious. I just have to do that to somebody, now. It was also weird, because we were all alone. I didn't think it would bother me at all, but when the official celebration came, I got sorta sad. It just didn't feel like Christmas. As the day passed, so did the sad feelings, but none the less it would have been nice to be with family! Better get used to it, right? I doubt anyone's making it out to Kyrgyzstan for the holidays!

Christmas morning . . .

I thought she was gonna be all excited and rush to the tree, but she was quite calm about it all.

Brighton was there for the whole thing and just watched.

Scarlet definitely understood the concept of presents this year. She loves presents.

One of the biggest hits, this year, was the play house. Mom made it and Scarlet LOVES it. She played in it half the day. 

 The other big hit was all her play food from Shannon and Pat and Randy. She played with this the other half of the day.
 

Christmas day was pretty mellow. We ate left overs, Greg called a bunch of family and later we went for a walk and it was FREEZING!!! It has been ICY COLD lately. It snowed Christmas Eve and the day AFTER Christmas, but not the day of. Every time we'd get ready to go out and play it would start raining. Bummer. 

Brighton got this bath ring for Christmas. AWESOME!!!!

Made bread for the first time, since Scarlet was diagnosed. It didn't rise very well. This happened when we first moved here. I had to adjust the recipe, but I didn't write it down and it's been so long I couldn't remember what I did differently. Oh well. Still tastes good.

After being sick for so long, we haven't gone outside in awhile. Finally bundled us all up and it is FREEZING outside!!!! But they never complained. Granted, they had a fleece blanket on top of them, as well. I gotta say, I have the cutest kids.

My cupboards are now falling off. Yes, really can't wait to leave this hell hole.

New Years we went to bed early. Oh yes and I was sick. There is always someone sick in this house. It reminds me of Belgium. I was always sick then. I've been thinking a lot about my New Years Resolution. The last few years I haven't had specific goals, but THEMES for the year. And I have to say it works well for me. 2 years ago it was to be ACTIVE and it was my most active year yet. Last year- I have no idea what it was. Everything got pushed to the side when Scarlet got Lyme Disease, and that was just two short months after the new year.

This year has been a little crazy. It started off really good. I was pregnant with Brighton, Scarlet was her bright, happy self and Greg was finishing up being a police officer (a job, which started horrible and turned out to be great, in the end). First week of March we moved to Virginia for Greg's new job. Greg loves his new job. It has been a really great change for all of us. But also in March, Scarlet got bit by a tick and got Lyme Disease which turned our world upside down. Her health declined quickly and dramatically. Within 2 months of her bite, she suffered EXTREME FATIGUE and intense pain in her joints. Particularly her elbows and knees. She was a little toddler who never wanted to go outside, would literally cry and beg for "home" at the pool or playground. Play dates made her a wreck. It took us two months to get her diagnosed and two more months to get in with a doctor who would treat her. Immediately treatment worked. Almost ever single month, we've seen incredible changes in her, seeing more and more of who she used to be. Which attests more and more to how truly sick she was. I hate to think how sick she would be, by now (10 months later) if we didn't catch it when we did. We were so blessed to find a doctor who would treat her, and treat her well. I was so blessed to have a sister who told me Scarlet was showing signs of lyme and to get her tested. I've truly been prepared to radically change our diet. We've been so blessed through it all. And then there's Brighton! Having a baby always shakes things up a bit! But he's been such a joy in the family. We're so glad to have him.

Through all of this I have been amazed at how the Lord can prepare us for everything in our life! I feel like I was really listening this year and I'm glad I was, 'cause otherwise life would have been so much more difficult than it had to be. Every time I look back on my life I see the Lord's hand, guiding me. He was there, through every difficulty, and I often didn't realize it at the time. It's really shown me that I need never fear. He knows all my trials and will prepare me for every single one. And when I face a new one, I know he'll provide a way to make it through!

SO! My THEME for the year is a little strange . . . it's an attitude that trickles out into everything else-

ACCEPTANCE and ACTION

Let me explain. Acceptance. First of all, I've been thinking about this and trying to apply it the last few months, anyway. But I definitely want it to be the theme, this year. Acceptance. Whatever my life is, whatever my circumstance . . . I need to accept it. When the kids don't sleep and I get robbed of their naps and whatever peace I had planned for those two hours- I need to accept it and move on. Instead of being ticked and really annoyed I want to take a breath and think, "Ok, this is how today is going to go. That's ok. Where do we go now?" And be happy and play with them or do something fun for all of us instead of feeling like my day was just ruined. Same with Scarlet sleeping with us and Greg and I having no time together. This can apply to many aspects of my life. These are just a couple specifics.

Now ACTION. I sort of mentioned it above. Like after accepting the naps just weren't gonna happen that day I decided to DO something. Not to linger on the negative. So when I look at my baby flab and feel frustrated- I need to just accept that's the way my body is and then if I'm still not happy with it I need to ACT and work out or eat less sweets. Whatever my life is, IS WHAT IT IS and I need to stop fretting about the things that sometimes stink.

The last year has been really hard with Scarlet's lyme. She'll be doing so well and out of nowhere- BAM!!! She is in a lot of pain and it's like my world crumbles and I think, "Is she gonna be sick forever? I hate this!" And I immediately sink into this depression and I just am at a stand still. I waste  hours staring at the computer screen or tv and am just a lop, because I can't get out of my hole of swirling stress.

I really don't want this year to repeat that. This week we've definitely had some days like that and I feel myself being pulled down into that temporary hole and I just tell myself, "No! Don't feel that way! Things are getting better! Don't give into the horrible feelings!!!" And I can't help but feel sad for a good 15 minutes, and then I take a breather and make myself move on. I've really been working on it the last few months and feel like I've been doing a lot better!

Acceptance and action. For when something for my calling doesn't work out, or I make big exciting day plans that fail, or I overcook dinner or WHATEVER doesn't turn out in life. This is my goal- to accept and act.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!