Updates

A few updates on the Peterson family. Some cute pictures will follow (maybe in a day, maybe in a month, but I'll get to it eventually).

Sally:

Has stopped napping and hates going to bed at night. Every night she screams after we put her in bed until she is exhausted and can scream and cry no more (for about 10 minutes on average). She is getting good at trying to stall at bedtime and getting Mommy to go back in her room once she’s been put down.

Has four new canine teeth with which to chew, and is having a hard time adjusting to them (which we hope is part of the reason why she doesn’t want to go to bed at night). She chews on her fingers during the day, and pulled a vampire act on Neal tonight (which got her sent to the corner).

Loves to sing, and is really good at it. She can sing several songs by herself, including “I Am a Child of God”, “Do Re Me “ (from The Sound of Music), “Old MacDonald”, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. She can carry a tune very well on her own. I sing to her a lot and often make up my own songs. She is starting to get creative herself and make up her own lyrics to songs.

Love to dance. I play Primary songs for her on the piano, and she twirls/runs around the rug while giggling and grinning from ear to ear.

Is obsessed with pajamas. She wants to wear only pajamas, and thankfully she has several outfits that resemble pajamas enough for her to want to wear them. Getting her dressed is becoming a struggle.

Is a great talker. I can have “normal” conversations with her (in which she responds appropriately to questions, offers unique ideas and suggestions, and asks appropriate questions).
Is into names. Whenever we see someone new, she asks me their name. She isn’t satisfied when she asks her friends’ parents’ names and I respond with “Brother ____” or “Sister ____”. She asks me the names of her friends’ houses. She knows the names of everyone in her Nursery class.

Is very sweet and caring. When I told her the other day tha I had a headache, she got me a pillow and blanket and told me to lie down. She then kissed my head, and said "Feel better, Mommy!"

Has tantrums, but none that are terrible. She will usually calm down after just a few short minutes and can somewhat be reasoned with.

Likes to talk about her baby brother and being a big sister.

Loves to play hide and seek with daddy.

Emily:

Is struggling to get work done during normal daytime hours due to Sally’s nap boycott. Hence, more work for the company is done after Sally has gone to sleep.

Is enjoying her Thursday evenings away from home with the Mormon Chorale (a local regional church choir). Is loving singing more often, getting to accompany the choir at times, and letting Neal have some daddy-daughter time.

Is getting bigger all of the time, and is often told how large she looks.

Is always hungry.

Enjoyed making (and eating AND sharing) festive Halloween treats with Sally: pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, pecan pie bars, pumpkin shaped sugar cookies, and caramel apples.

Misses Neal, and is just starting to realize how unpleasant the intern year of residency is for the whole family, but is trying to make the best of it.

Neal:

Works a lot and often gets the short end of the stick at work.

Is busy with church when not at work—EQ meetings (weekly), moving people in/out of the ward, home teaching (his own, and coordinating his district), etc.

Still makes time to run and play basketball.

Is a great daddy and has a special ability to get Sally to snap out of a bad mood.