A Smith Story: Happy New Year!

So I have a bunch of random pictures that I wanted to put on here of the kids. I guess I should do a little update on everyone too.

Nate- He finally passed his BOC (Board of Certification) Exam! He found out the day after his birthday. I guess 4th time was a charm. Now he is an official certified Athletic Trainer. For those of you who don't know what that is let me explain. You know how when you watch a sporting event and a player gets hurt a guy runs out on the field to look at them.....that is the athletic trainer. He hasn't found a job yet but it is the middle of the school year. A lot of jobs should be opening up come springtime. For now he is still working graveyards at the group home for troubled teenage boys.

Nancy- I started working part-time at Kohls and am really enjoying it. Getting a break from the kids and having some adult conversation every once and a while is nice. I like the people I work with too which is a bonus. Due to my job, I have to work some Sundays so I just recently got released from working in the nursery at church. I had been there almost 2 years so I was ok with being released. I am still really into reading and am always looking for another book to read. I am trying to stay sane with having 2 toddlers but most days it's not too bad.

Rob (3)- He started preschool this year and is loving it. He qualified for the preschool through early intervention, where he was getting his speech therapy from. Well, he is doing so well in class that this week they are going to move him into the public preschool and see how he does. He will go for 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon instead of 1 1/2 in the morning. He is still really into trains and cars. He has gotten into Mickey Mouse also but only on DVD since we don't have cable. His favorite movie at the moment in Polar Express. We watch it all the time. He likes to walk around yelling "tickets, tickets" and "all aboard". He also finds "tickets" around the house. He also loves legos. Not the big duplo ones but the regular little ones. His speech has gotten a lot better especially since we got rid of the binky during the day. We haven't started potty training yet. He won't even sit on the potty with his clothes on. The doctor said it was ok to wait so I am not too worried about it. He loves to play with his sister and calls her Boo. He started going to Sunbeams this year at church and he is still not quite too sure about it. He misses nursery and always asks to go there instead but he stays in his class. He likes to strip down to his diaper every day. He usually waits until the evening to do it. I have no idea why he likes to do this, but he thinks it's funny. I am constantly amazing at the things he does and says.

Bella (2)- She is our little fireball. She definitely acts her age and gender. She can be big drama at times, but she also can be the cutest little thing ever. She has started to talk a lot more. After not wanting her binky unless she was tired, now she wants it all the time. She calls it "mine." If she is walking around screaming/ saying "mine" then we know she wants her binky. She wanted to be like her brother, so now they both sleep in the queen size bed in their room. Rob sleeps at the top of the bed and Bella at the foot. They don't really move around all that much so they don't bug each other. We took down Bella's crib but left up Rob's toddler bed just in case. She is always wanting to be like her big brother. They play so well together and have so much fun. She is kind of lost when he goes to school and now that she is without him in nursery. Her hair is still really curly and has the red tint to it. She LOVES her baby dolls. She has about 9 of them now and knows every one of them. She likes to have them naked but also likes to have us dress them up for her. She loves to hold them right up to her face and she "talks" to them. It is so cute. Everywhere we go, a baby (or 2) has to go with us. She, like her brother, likes to get naked too, although she likes to take it a step further and take her diaper off too. She does some pretty funny and cute things.

I think that is pretty much all of the updates for us. I'm sure there is probably something I forgot but oh well. We are looking forward to having my parents come for a visit at the beginning of Feb. We are also way excited to go back to Chicago for Peter's wedding and a family reunion. We didn't get cards sent out this year due to the fact that I worked sooooo much so this is kind of our card. We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and is having a great new year.