Aria is 7 now!

She had a good birthday--we went out for dinner (all you can eat Chinese). The present she chose was dance lessons, so she started those Wednesday. I also signed up Zadina for a dance class for her age. And Tajir will start guitar lessons with Jeff when Jeff gets home.

Zadina is still not feeling well--she's come down several mornings and gone back to sleep in the big chair or on the couch. This is Sascha poking her to make sure she's still alive--I think Sascha is paying her back for all the poking Zadina did to her when she was younger!

We're doing well. I think we're all ready for spring, though! We are going to Omaha next week--just for the weekend. Then in a few more weeks, our little Buddha turns "one". Then, a few weeks later, I have a birthday. Then Easter with another Omaha trip--and then only a few more weeks until Jeff is here!! We still have our teenager--she's been a good kid. Very helpful. And I've been able to go grocery shopping ALONE a few times. Heaven!!

What else is going one here? We bought our big tv. The old one had degenerated to the point that the picture was in black and red. So we have a 42" plasma now. However, the 3 ton monolith is still in the middle of the floor, because I am not strong enough to drag it down the stairs. We considered throwing it out the window, but it would break Jeff's car. Maintenance is supposed to come some time next week (the soonest they could commit) and haul it out for me. Until then, Zadina's favorite place to sit is on top of the old television.

I also bought two Purdue dressers the other day from "Furniture warehouse" here in Manhattan. I was happy to be supporting an American company--plus they are really well-made and the price was right. And--I ordered my chairs for my dining room. Red leather--ten of 'em! They should be in next week.

It's been a starnge month for weather--some days we've played outside in t-shirts--some days it's 0 degrees with wind chill. We've been taking turns with a flu bug. I got it first--fever and chills and total sinus blockage. All the kids have gotten it to some degree--only Aria has escaped so far. I think this is the first time I've been sick for more than a day since I became a mom. I'm still hacking and coughing, but at least I'm sleeping again and I feel mostly human.

Tajir is a neat kid. He has a twisted sense of humor and a strong sense of fairness. He's not always easy to live with, but he is the most even-tempered of my birth children.

Zadina is getting more verbal--and has a great sense of timing for jokes. She came to dinner naked last night and I asked her to put on some panties. She said, "I'm mad at my panties." What do you say to something like that? So she ate dinner naked.

Sascha is so much fun! I'm so looking forward to Jeff getting home so he can help me appreciate her. She and our little Buddha play so well together!

Jeff has been calling me every few days--he is SO eager to come home. (And we are SO eager to have him here!!!)

I keep busy--still steal a few minutes to read here and there--and get up early or stay up late so I can do my rubber stamping. Mostly I just do "Mom" stuff--that keeps me pretty busy--3 meals a day with clean-up, laundry, general housework, diapers, cuddles--I turn around and another day, another week, another month has flown by. But I'm probably happier than I've ever been. I feel useful and needed.

Speaking of which, it's dinner time and I need to get that on the table!