I like January

Apart from it being my birthday month, I like the newness of January and feeling like I'm standing on the top of a big ball that's about to start rolling out of control as the months go on through December, but for now I can keep up with the momentum and set a nice pace. The pressures of Christmas have died down and things are quiet and peaceful again. There's a little more free time.

I like the word January. I like the people who also have birthdays in January (Elsie, Camden, Minte, my father-in-law, Papo, Uncle Kevin, Breanne, who have I forgotten?). I like the sales. I like how clean the house seems after taking down the decorations (though, I admit, a little empty). I like getting back into a routine that feels more fresh than it did when I left it in December. I like wrapping up the past financial year and getting everything back to 0 (or at least moving on from where we left it at 0 :).

As for Ruthie's developments ... she ate a fly this week. She also locked herself in the closet by pulling open a drawer that slides open against the door that opens into the closet. After many attempts with a wire hanger and trying to reason with her to close the drawer while she was screaming/crying (needless to say, ineffective), I slid a broom under the door and stood it up vertically to push the drawer closed. We were both very relieved.

She's getting pretty comfortable on her feet but not walking. She says 'dada', 'mama', 'night-night', and 'no no' (when you've said it to her first, making it hard to stay serious). She and Sloan have a secret code language that involves much growling and 'ahhhrrr' ing that usually ends up in a wrestling match. She's very cuddly and jumps in your arms and pats your back in excitement when you pick her up after a nap. She's constantly pulling her socks off and doesn't like to get dressed. But she loves to get in the pool, bath or shower and takes her splashing very seriously (sort of hunches over, hangs her tongue out and gets a fast rhythm going with both hands). She's figured out how to blow on my pitch pipe, pluck the strings on Sloan's guitar, beat on her toy drum, and softly tries to sing with me when I put her to bed sometimes. She's bobbing her head thanks to Elsie's example, and still sucking her middle fingers like it's her job.