The New Year

Took a day trip to see the zoo lights.

 Clara had been saying she wanted to ride the panda bear like a week prior.

 And yes, we weren't bundled up for style, it was COLD.

 Two beautiful ladies.

Fun shot in front of the waterfall with turtles swimming around in the lake below.

 We walked from the bottom all the way to the top of the path to the beginning and started back right when the sun was going down.

 And the lights started turning on.

 Aut in front of the elephant house, which was actually closed, bummer. Could've gotten a little warm.

 Whoo hoo! Made it home and took a warm bath. Clara and James really loves splashing around.

Heading to the park for a little exercise.

 And of course, there was a little bit of ice that Clara just loved.

 Mommy was attempting to grab Clara who was screaming and laughing.

 Ah ha! Gotcha!!

 Giggle giggle.

 Try and catch me!!

Good, burning off that energy.

Keep running!!

Hurry! Mommy is chasing me!!

 Oooo, have to cross the ice again. Yeaaaa.

 wheeeeeeeeeee!

 Careful... the ice is thin over here.

 Whew, made it!

 "Can we try it again?" she kept asking.

Clara thought the pine cones were really cool, until she tried to take one and found out that they're "really pokey."

 She loves to run everywhere, at least until she gets tired and wants to be carried.

 Slowing.....down.....

   In for James CT scan on Monday Jan 13th for pre-op for surgery on Jan 23rd.

 He's so inquisitive.

 And loves it when it's lunch time, or snack time, or dinner time.

 Clara keeping busy drawing.

And James stretching his legs and eyeing a water bottle.

Heading to our other appointment with James Neurosurgeon, Dr Keating.

Home again and Clara finding out what mommy was doing, and James wondering what the commotion was.

 Fresh laundry is to Clara like catnip is to cats.

 Makes her bonkers.

 Luckily, mommy had Supergirl's cape in the laundry. Now, she can resist the evil temptation of fresh laundry in a basket.

 James was practicing trying his hand at a homemade drum set.

 Love my snacks....oh wait, that's my binky.

 Finally...a smile.

 She loves to be busy, especially when there's a bunch of buttons and beads involved.

James pulls himself up to get a closer look at whats on TV, or what Clara is doing on the other side of the fence.

 An ant's-eye view of what Clara is doing.

 Yep, just checking this door here. Yep, looks good.

 Ok, notice how the floor is relatively clean? Yeah, give me about 15 seconds and I'll let you see everything in this here kitchen's doors and drawers out here on the floor.

 Come on!! Where's the food??

 Taught myself how to play the piano.

 So what'd you think?

 Ha, there's that bright light... I'm gonna getcha now!

 Hey, I found this piece.

 Oh wait, the one I want is over there.

There it is...sorry big sis.

 Almost got it....

 Ok, just like riding a bike...

 Mmmm, hope it's tuned.

 Streeeetch!

 Tippy toe tippy toe

 Ha, sounded good?

 I love crawling.

 Lots and lots to choose from....

 Need to stand first to see everything.

 Ok, what're we have here....

 mmmm...think I found what I was looking for.

 Yep, been looking for this.

 Ooo, yeah, this doesn't go here. Gotta put this on the floor.

 Oh, and this one up here, yep, that goes on the floor as well.

 Yep, and all that is in there, goes on the floor.

 See? so much easier to see everything when it's out on the floor.

Clara's incredible tower building skills.

And even more impressive is her wrecking ball technique.

 Works like a charm.

 Helping mommy cut holes in walls. You know, you can never have too many holes in walls or too much practice doing it.

 So of course, Clara wanted a go at it. She was pretty good until she got distracted by her cartoon on the TV.

 Waking up in the morning and coming downstairs.

 Getting to take some time and paint a little.

 See this? right here, do you know what this is?

Well, it started to snow about 10 am and didn't really stop until about 11 pm. Got about 3 - 4 inches. Hopefully the last snow of the year.

 Nice and quiet though, and you could easily tell when someone had come to your house.

And the front shot at about 9:30pm Jan 21st. We leave tomorrow to stay in a hotel a couple miles from the hospital where James will have his surgery on the 23rd. Hopefully the roads are ok.