a new place to call home

The week of Christmas we moved into our new place. Riding high on pregnancy hormones I completely settled us in within a week. We stayed in town for Christmas, celebrating together as a family, first drinking coffee and opening gifts, then eating bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon. We took a walk in the blustering cold, then decided to stay in and drink hot chocolate for the remainder of the day. It has taken no time at all to feel at home here, we all love it, even our dog Rufus who has a fenced in backyard to rollick around in.

This winter has been unusually cold, even for Missouri. Tomorrow the high is just 5 degrees! I am hoping and praying that this is our last full winter in Missouri. We keep talking about moving when our lease is up - December 2010 - and that would get us out in time to miss the coldest part of the year. Please, oh please.

In baby news, Finn is almost 16 months old. He is walking, using the signs that we've taught him ('more', 'help', 'dog', 'all done', etc). He really tries to communicate, which is so fun and sometimes challenging. He is just beginning to show an interest in imitating words, so he's been saying "ball", and "boo!", and "thank you", which does not sound like "thank you" at all, but it's pretty cute. In other baby news, I'm almost 18 weeks pregnant, at 20 weeks this pregnancy will be half over. It's really flown by this time, with classes and a toddler. In a couple weeks we'll find out if it's a boy or a girl.
Meanwhile, being snowed hasn't been too bad. Scott made his first batch of soap. It just finished curing so we're handing out soap to all our friends. I have to say, it really turned out perfectly.

And this winter hasn't been as sad as others. Maybe it's that we've found a new place to call home, and it suits us rather well. Or perhaps because I have Finn in my life now, and another baby on the way. Though the days are short, and I spend more days inside than outside, I have enjoyed this winter. I have cuddled with my sweet husband under two comforters. I have eaten incredible clementines every day. I have spent lots of time with very good friends. And I have noticed particularly beautiful sunrises.