Hat Happy

 I've gotten a little crafty lately, starting with a hat and blanket combo that I made for a math teacher at school who is due in March with a baby girl.  An internet search for a newborn hat led me to a website (allicrafts) that had hat patterns with ear flaps.  They were the cutest things ever!  And she had patterns for all sizes, preemie up to toddler.  After the first baby hat, I progressed on to a hat for Brooklyn, then one for Jason.  Recently, I made one for Britton and one for Emily (her favorite color is yellow.....try finding a yellow hat!).  She picked out the yarn herself and I'm proud to say that I finished it in one night.  And the next day she told everyone at school "My mommy made this for me!"

Saturday at the VMFA

 On the recommendation of a math teacher at my school, Timmy and I headed out today to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond.  There was an artist, Dale Chuhilly, who had an exhibit of blown glass sculptures that runs through Feb. 10th.  We convinced the grandparents to watch Emily and Jason (something about priceless glass sculptures and Emily just don't mix) and we took Garrett and Caroline because they seemed excited to go.  Caroline ended up being the resident photographer for us and took most of these pictures.  It was going to cost over $70 for the 4 of us to get tickets, so Timmy and I sprung for the family membership, which gets us free tickets to the exhibits for a year, plus money off at the restaurant and gift shop.  Score!
I'm not going to muddy up this post with a bunch of comments after every photo.  Just enjoy the displays and realize that these pics don't give the glass justice.  It was just gorgeous!

 Love the little glass nautilus!

 Glass squid!

 Neon light sculpture.  It literally hurt your eyes to look at it for more than a few seconds.

 I love you, little glass sting ray!

Snow Day!

 So let me get this straight:  last week they predicted we would get 5-8 inches of snow, and we didn't even get a flake.  This week, no one says anything about snow (I heard "possibilities of wintry mix by the end of the week") and I wake up to a winter wonderland on Thursday morning.  At least 4 inches of snow!  Can't say that I minded the snow day home from school, but when you're home with all four kids all day, I wouldn't call it a "day off". 
I think that our visit to PA last month got everyone excited for some snowy weather.  Emily was foaming at the mouth to get outside into the stuff, and Garrett and Caroline were eager to get into the snow gear and take her outside.  Which was all fine and dandy with me, because I preferred to stay inside with Jason next to the fire.

 When you grow up in Virginia Beach, you do things like sled using Boogie boards.

 Bring on the hot chocolate and a bag or two of mini marshmallows.

Jason: 3 Months Old

 No official stats, unless "heavy" is a weight.  At this point, I don't even know why I still put him in a carrier car seat since he weighs a ton!  It's just easier to carry him around over my shoulder.  We had a few episodes of gas and spitting up this month, but that seems to have gone away.   Overall, he is just a happy, easy going boy!  
Jason likes to talk and be talked to, especially by nice ladies.  He is very quick to smile, laugh, and coo.  He likes to catnap throughout the day (up for 2 hours, sleep for 1 hr, repeat) but he's a champ at night, going 12 hours with only one feeding in the middle.  His nighttime routine is as easy as it gets:  20 minutes in the bath, in pjs, on with the swaddler, 2 minutes of rocking in the glider and it's down for the night.

 Jason likes:  tub time; smiling and talking to people; being entertained; his paci; mommy time
Jason dislikes:  shots; being cold after the bath; having bubbles in his tummy