Now that the Christmas season is officially over, we finally got our tree out the door. We are just like children, aren't we? It's fun to set up all the Christmas decorations, but putting them away is the worst.

Ana asked why we are putting the tree outside ("Where Lucy will get it") and I explained that Christmas time is over, and now we're getting ready to think about what Jesus did for us on the cross. That was met with loads of silence, she has no idea what I was talking about. I'm spending most of my mornings coming up with equally as silencing statements to have on hand when I'm yearning for some quiet.

Toby has finally figured out how to crawl. Which was quickly followed up with climbing up on stuff and doing the stairs. I thought more mobility would mean he would be less frustrated, but it seems to frustrate him more. I think more than being mobile, he just wants to manhandle everything in the room. Being able to crawl just means he's that much closer, but not quite to the goal. It's still fun to watch his little butt twitch across the room though.

Ana turned three last week! We had a wonderful party with friends and cake. On Tuesday we went to the Children's Museum in St. Paul with our friends Sarah (mom), Kaitlyn and Kelsey (little girls). As Sarah commented to me, "Forget about the twos. It's the threes that are kicking my butt." This is true. For one, Ana doesn't stop talking from the moment she wakes up to the moment she finally goes to sleep. Half of what she says is a question, the other half is a demand.

hence the list of statements that result in quiet.

But oh, I love how she is so inquisitive and is learning so much. And her and Toby are the best of friends. They just giggle together constantly, and there is no sweeter sound than that.