It was another busy month (but really when isn't it?).
We had more SNOW DAYS (Liz had to go to school on Presidents Day to make up one of them), some nice mild weather, Drew's annual ski trip with his brother (this time they went to Colorado--first time skiing there for both guys), Liz auditioned for the school play (she's in and she got the part she wanted--Rumpelstiltskin), Valentines, and other fun events.
Emma grew and grew. She mastered sitting up and the army crawl (first one of our kiddos to crawl this way), she started drinking from a sippy cup (well, trying anyway), and was finally able to pick up Cheerios and put them in her mouth (though many still end up on the floor). 
For Valentines Day we decorated with hearts (cut from paint strips during one of the aforementioned snow days), had heart shaped powdered sugar sprinkled on French toast for breakfast, and exchanged love notes in our Valentine mail pouches, and Drew gave everyone flowers. In the evening Drew and I decided to watch, The Importance of Being Ernest, because we had seen the play for our first date. I fell asleep about 15 minutes after we started it.
Drew was out of town for our Girl Scout Thinking Day so I had to schlep all the kids with me. It was not ideal, but we survived. At one point Ellie removed a cup from a display pyramid of cups, thereby toppling half of it, because she "wanted a drink." Fortunately we were able to reassemble everything before the event started. In case it's not obvious, our country was Egypt.
A few of the girls, including Lizzie, came in costume.
One day we burned through a pack of sparklers that Drew and I found whilst reorganizing our under-the-stairs storage. Once I lit the first one, and saw sparks fly out of it, I remembered why we didn't finish using them when we initially bought them. Sparklers are dangerous enough without crazy sparks flying out one end. Also, on the topic of reorganization, Drew and I spent a weekend redoing our laundry room and utility closet (my idea/demand), and they are so lovely to us now that sometimes I just go stand in the laundry room, and look around, and smile.
The little girl's preschool held a Flag Day. I got to watch the girls parade twice around the gym to patriotic music (Ellie adjusted to the volume and uncovered her ears for round two). Then, the kids did the pledge of allegiance and sang a bunch of cute songs. Adorable. They also pledged allegiance to the Christian flag which felt a little weird, but I think is ultimately harmless.
Ellie finally made toilet training progress. She totally gets peeing in the toilet and normally make it there in time. She also has a dry pull-up most mornings. Defecating is an entirely different issue. If she poos, she poos in her panties (she gets upset if we refer to them as underwear). It so gross and so new, since her older sisters (Alaina especially) where exactly opposite. We struggled to find out what would motivate her. Sticker chart? Candies? Plain Pringle chips (that was what motivated Lizzie)? Turns out it's high fives.
Emma started having "playdates." Ahhhh. So cute. I've been friends with this little baby's mother for over twenty years.
