Avery's Snow White Birthday

My friend Lindsay threw an adorable Snow White party for her daughter Avery's 3rd birthday. Complete with two cakes, apples with goodies inside for favors and magic mirrors that the girls painted and decorated themselves. Audrey and Allie both had a great time.

Girls wore their favorite princess costume. Audrey chose Sleeping Beauty.

Sweet Avery

The cakes, opening presents and Audrey painting her magic mirror. 

group picture, Allie eating cake, arts and crafts and "poisonous" apple favors. 

Sarah

Easter 2011

 Easter highlights

two adorable girls 

8 o'clock Easter service at our church with Grandmother & Grandpa 

(a wee bit early for us)

Brunch at our house:  Sausage Egg and Cheese Casserole, Brown Sugar Apple Coffee Cake, Fresh Fruit, Coffee, OJ

gluten free, of course

Finding the hidden Easter baskets

Crocs for both girls, Jesus books, ballet outfit for Auds, pillow pet for Allie, new purses and a little candy

Visit to Uncle Joe and Aunt Lynn's

Big meal that included included a gluten free ham with brown sugar and pineapple, GF scalloped potatoes and Peanut Butter cookies that were so good you never missed the gluten. 

GF Praline Filled  Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting and Spiced Pecans. Mercy it was good, totally worth the extra calories (and extra workouts). I forgot to get a picture of it all put together. It was a three layer cake with icing in between and praline filling in the center.  I did have a near calamity this weekend with both the cake and the coffee cake. I'm in search of new cake pans and a thermometer for my oven.

Easter Egg hunt.  All 6 grandkids got 18 eggs of a different color. Audrey searched for pink eggs (filled with M&M's and jelly beans) and Allie was content to just walk around with her basket on her shoulder. Her orange eggs were filled with raisins, chex mix and a little candy. 

When asked Audrey said her favorite part was the Easter egg hunt. She also said pushing her little cousin Lilah in the stroller (she did this for 45 minutes or more, back and forth on the patio) and playing with Hannah were also "great." 

I'm pretty sure Allie's favorite part of the day was being so entertained by the world around her that she never got bored. Well that, and her Crocs. 

Allie & Audrey
Easter 2011

Our family (Audrey 3, Allie 1)

Easter baskets from the Easter bunny and G&G 

After church with Grandmother and Grandpa

Getting ready to search for eggs with cousins Andy, Ellie, Hannah 

Easter baskets with Grandma 

Wearing the bunny ears that Aunt Lynn gave the girls. 

Sarah

Dyeing Eggs

I'm a party poop-er when it comes to dyeing eggs. I never understood why we did it. I dyed the breakfast staple for years (many more than I truly cared to) growing up. It was our tradition, and my mother did a great job holding on to that for years. Lots of time, stinky vinegar, and then what? I asked around this year to my mommy friends, and no one that I asked knew why we did it either.

To me, it was just an activity connected to the Easter bunny and egg hunts--which now has been replaced by candy filled plastic eggs.

For three and a half years I've held off on this traditional spring time activity. Audrey and I colored icing and decorated cupcakes to look like Easter baskets instead. I figured that could be our tradition.

But this year, I thought Audrey was old enough to actually enjoy this.  I let her pick out the kit at the store. She chose the Glitter Eggs, of course. Not only did we dip and soak the eggs, but then we dipped them again in a solution and then shook them in a bag with glitter. I only hard boiled six, not twelve. Less waste, I figured. I know you can eat them, but no thanks. I prefer my eggs uncolored and my egg salad without glitter.

I'm not sure we'll do it again.

I much prefer the cupcakes myself.

Sarah

A great night at dance

The last few weeks at dance class, when the Mommies and Daddies came in to watch the recital dance, Audrey froze. I saw her doing the dance as I stood outside peeking through the blinds, but once an audience arrived she just stood there, staring back at them. The first week we talked about stage fright and the weeks that followed we talked about how it's ok to be scared, but you still have to do your dance.

Last night, I expected nothing more than her standing on her yellow line.  Instead of sitting right in front of her, I sat down the wall a bit. I got out my iphone ready to tape another performance in which she stood there like a frightened soldier. To my surprise she did the whole thing (well, as much as any 3 year old can!) She actually looked like she was having fun! She turned, she curtsied, she chassed, and she jumped--by far her favorite part. There's hope for the recital! My phone was dangerously low on battery but I did get all one minute and thirty seconds of the dance recorded!

It's been a good week for Auds. She did more in swim than she's ever done too, including jumping to the instructor from the side of the pool!

A few weeks ago I took some impromptu pictures of her in her outfit. She had her street shoes on as we were ready to walk out the door. We'll do a real photo shoot soon.

Sarah

Allie's First Swim Lesson

Allie loves the water. These are a few pictures taken from her first swim lesson, a Daddy and Me class. 

Sarah

Little Miss Sassy Pants

If you want to tick off my daughter, break apart her food and then serve it to her. Nothing makes her stick out that bottom lip, let out an irritated scream and throw her food on the floor, than food that was picked apart first. 

Twice this week, (and a dozen or more to date) I tried breaking apart her food, to keep her from choking. In disgust she promptly threw the food on the floor. Her nonverbal response made her feelings clear. I've known for awhile she doesn't like me to feed her or piece apart her food. But she's stepped it up a notch. Half of her grilled cheese landed on the floor this week, along with a chocolate cupcake we were having for a friends birthday at gymnastics. Oh my, what a scene we made. 

I was trying to keep the chocolate iced chocolate cupcake (with sprinkles) from complete annihilation. 

Within 30 seconds she had icing in-between her fingers and up her nose. When I broke a piece apart for her she threw it on the floor. I watched as the tiny cake crumbled into hundreds of pieces. (It's one thing when it's at your own house, and totally another when it's at a business. It's also one thing if it's accidental). Allie put a nice exclamation mark on this bad judgement call. I knew the entire time it was not a great idea to eat the cupcake(s) there, before lunch, with the other kids, instead of taking it home to destroy enjoy. Regardless, the point was that she deliberately threw part of her cupcake on the floor when I tried to help her eat it. 

She has to have her food just like everyone else. If not, it will for sure, end up on the floor. Audrey likes her cereal in a bowl with milk. So if I try to give Allie some dry cereal (even for a minute) on her tray she will point and whimper until hers is in a bowl with milk. 

Whatever the food is, if you break off a piece for whatever reason, she gets mad and won't eat it. She wants the whole thing. 

With every passing day, Allie is making Audrey appear like the calm, low maintenance child. 

Oh dear. 

Sarah

Just because

Just because we had a cute frilly headband. 

Sarah

Ugh

It never ends. If I had back the money that has been wasted on Cheerios, Little Cheddar Bunnies & Fish, and puffs of any kind, I could hire that nanny! Do you see the two snack traps in the picture? Yeah, those don't work if your child can take the lids off!

Sarah

Swim lessons take 2

Audrey's second swim lesson went SO MUCH BETTER than the first one. She actually got in the water! Hooray! I did get her goggles, but she didn't want to wear them. Daddy got in the water with Allie during Audrey's lesson. Our fearless baby was a little apprehensive about the water at first. When I asked Audrey her favorite part of the lesson, she said her teacher! She thinks she's really nice! Which is good, because at first Audrey wasn't participating. Then I walked over and told the teacher she had full permission from me to just take her from the ledge into the water. She did, and just as I thought, Audrey warmed up in no time. 

Sarah

fist bump

I don't remember how it started but one day in the van when Jeremy wanted to give Audrey a high five but couldn't reach, he said, "fist bump" and they each made a fist and hit them together. A bond was formed. Now, every time she does something worthy of praise, they bump fists.

One day at the kitchen table as Audrey and Jeremy were celebrating greatness Allie, from her high chair made a fist and held it up. Seriously the cutest thing ever. Now whenever anybody says "fist bump", Allie does it too.





Sarah

a mess i never thought I'd have to clean up

We were wrapping up dinner and Audrey was using the potty. Nothing out of the ordinary. Until, she emerged pant-less from the bathroom. She slowly and shyly emerged, leaving wet tracks behind her. Audrey has been potty trained for awhile and it's rare she has an accident this huge. She made eye contact with me but veered towards Jeremy.

 Jeremy: "Audrey why don't you have on pants? Did you get pee on them? "

Audrey: (nods)

Jeremy: Why?

Audrey:  "I was trying to potty like you do Daddy."

If I'd known the mess that waited for me in the bathroom,  I wouldn't have laughed as hard as I did. And then it occured to me the splatter noise I heard while she was in there. Now it all made sense. Jeremy tried not to laugh but I couldn't help it. Maybe it was the 3 hours of interrupted sleep I had last night,  but the fact that my three year old girl just tried to pee while standing and successfully hit her target  cracked me up.

My laughter was short lived, as I walked to the bathroom and saw the lake of urine covering my floor. Curious myself as how she attempted this I asked her.

Audrey: "I just stood there and peed, but the pee got on my panties and then on my pants."

Me: "Did you get any in the toilet?"

Audrey: "A little"

She just couldn't understand why it didn't work. Without going into anatomical differences we had a simple yet precise conversation on our way to the bathtub, on how girls always have to sit down when they potty. My husband was gracious enough to clean the bathroom. (He hates giving baths, and he must, because frankly, I'd pick bath anyday over mopping up urine)

So that is what you missed at dinner this evening. Having two girls, that is a mess I never thought I'd have to clean up.


Sarah

Their new spot

the view from here must be great because this is where I find them all the time

Sarah

Audrey's First Swim Lesson

Audrey started swim lessons last Thursday (March 31). As you can tell by the pictures, she was less than thrilled. Halfway through the 20 minute class she turns around and tells me that she just wants to go swim. (?!) At this point she hadn't even gotten wet, because she wouldn't let the teacher take her off the side of the pool . She had asked earlier if we were going to go to a water park....

The teacher finally just grabbed her off the ledge (with my permission) and held her in the water for a minute. She didn't freak out, but she was still dry from the chest up. The rest of her class floated and kicked with their noodles and jumped to the instructor. After class was over Jeremy got in the water with her for a few minutes. When they were exiting the pool Allie got a huge smile on her face thinking it was her turn.  She wasn't too happy when she realized we were leaving.  Allie is taking lessons too, but hers are on a different day. 

Audrey said later she was afraid to get water in her eyes, so we bought goggles. And she kept wanting me (and my fully clothed self) to take her into the water that day. Well,  let's hope the goggles do the trick. 

kicking 

Looking at the other kids in her class perform the exercises.
She looks too excited for words.

Sarah

I miss my naps.

you know the great thing about college?

naps.

I don't miss weekend homework, the exams, or the papers but when I do an all nighter like i did last night, I miss my uninterrupted afternoon nap. No screaming children to wake your slumber after 5 minutes. A nap whenever I want. In the peace and quiet of my little cozy bed. Just me, the covers and complete restfulness.

I had a sick kid this week.

I am sure glad I took advantage of naps in college. Last night I had 3 hours of interrupted sleep. If I'd realized then how dead tired I'd be with a 15 month old that never sleeps and then gets the stomach flu I would have slept  more.


Sarah

Allie's 15 month check-up

Allie went to for her 15 month check-up yesterday. Here are her stats:

Length: 31 1/2" (85%)

Weight: 26 lbs 13 oz (93%)

Head Circ: 18 1/4 " (75%)

I put this headband in her hair to keep her hair out of her eyes.
It was so cute, I had to grab a quick picture. 

Physical Development:

Allie walks, runs and is quite the monkey! She climbs on everything! She's mastered going up the stairs by herself but still needs help coming back down. She likes to sit and scoot down each step. While I was talking to the doctor, Allie, while standing up, put on her green frog rain boots all by herself without falling over. The doctor was quite impressed with her fine motor skills.

Allie loves shoes, and loves to put anyone's on and tromp down the hall. So this skill she has more or less mastered. If we go to the shoe department she'll point to her shoes and then reach out of the cart and point, as if to say, "I want to try those on!" She recently grew out of all Audrey's hand-me down shoes (size 12-18 months) and I took her to get new ones, size 18-24 or 5.5--6. For some reason, none of Audrey's from this age made it.

She is wearing size 18-24 months--3T depending on the store.

Eating:

She was ok'd to move from whole milk to 2% or skim. He suggested healthy foods, which we do already, and skim milk. Allie has always been an independent eater. She never let me feed her with a spoon, so all her foods, even early on had to be something she could pick up on her own. So by now, she has gotten pretty good at feeding herself with silverware and doesn't even make a mess when eating cereal with milk. (except when she deliberately throws the bowl on the floor). Instead of saying or signing "all done" she just starts throwing her food onto the floor. She still takes a "bottle" at night but drinks out of a sippy cup during the day.

Language:

The doctor said he'd be happy with 4 words, verbal or non verbal. Between her vocal &  signing words she has well over four. Her newest, most favorite word to say is "uh, oh!" Other words she uses frequently: Ma (milk) Mo (more), Mum (mom), Da, Da, Da (Baby & Daddy). She signs: please, up, clean-up and "more".  When words and signing don't work, she points or just walks and shows us what she wants.

Allie is my clingy child. She is always hanging on my leg or pushing me back from the kitchen counter so I can pick her up.

Sleeping: (or in her case, waking in the middle of the night)

Her doctor did confirm after looking in her mouth  that she's getting some molars and that he doesn't think her waking at night is anything physical, just learned behavior. We agreed that she will eventually grow out of it. He did like my night light idea but cautioned us from moving her too quickly into a big girl bed. (We moved Audrey around 16 months) With her adventurous spirit, he fears she would just be all over the room.

He asked if we were going to have any more kids. I laughed and said, "Not unless this one starts sleeping through the night!" I do like that our doctor has kids close in age to Audrey and Allie. 

Vaccines:
She got three shots, all in her legs: Hib, Dtap and Chickenpox. She cried, and Audrey stood at the end of the exam table and rubbed her head and said, "It's ok Al, it's ok."  It was so precious, in the midst of all the screams.

Allie loves to help me unload the dishwasher. Silverware is her favorite. Once she hears that door open I can hear her feet scrambling towards me. So cute.

She is lost without her sister. She loves to play with Audrey, or follow her around, or take her toys and run (which really aggravates Auds)!

Allie loves to be outside and will go get her hat and coat and shoes and then stand at the sliding door and point at the swings. I'm sure it's confusing to her how one day we can go out and play and the next we can't because it's too cold.

She loves books and runs to get one when I say, "time to read books!" She loves to be read to while on my lap. And if Audrey is on my lap she climbs and pushes until there's enough room for her.

She is a very happy and sweet baby. "Mellow" was the word the nursery worker at church described her as last Sunday. She always does such a good job sharing her toys with other kids they tell me. I have noticed the occasional tantrum from her and a high pitched scream when she's mad that was demonstrated by her older sister.

Here she is walking away with Audrey's pencil box.
Always taking her sisters things. 

She is a joy everyday.

Sarah

It finally feels like Spring

After a short visit from Grandmother and Grandpa, we played outside (in the wind) on the neighbors trampoline, on our swing set and with any other outdoor toy we could break in for the season. So happy to be playing outside again! 

Allie playing a song with Grandmother

windy day. 

we found her on the ground taking off her shoes wanting to get back on the trampoline

"but please guys, I want to jump too" she's watching Audrey

Daddy with his girls. Now, if this picture doesn't say anything about the girls' personalities,
I'm not sure what will. 

Sarah

Blindsided by Tangled

 IT FINALLY CAME.
(the day after we went out and bought it)

 Tangled, Disney's version of the Rapunzel fairy tale is my daughters new favorite movie. (Sorry Buzz and Woody).

We pre-ordered Tangled so we'd have it on or before it came out on March 29th. Movies always come out on Tuesdays. On Friday we still didn't have it. After two calls to Disney to indeed make sure they sent it, they apologize, and agree to refund our money once we send it back to them (assuming it ever comes). So on Friday afternoon we go to the store and buy the movie. Audrey was super pumped.  It came in the mail the next day.

Figures.

Patience is a virtue, one I've been working my whole life to obtain. Now more than ever I believe God can use our children to transform us.

When I set out to write this entry, I was going to post a picture of Audrey with her long awaited movie, tell the story and be done. When I sat down to write, I was blindsided with the gut wrenching truth that I had missed an opportunity to demonstrate patience to my daughter. I was too busy trying to figure out where the movie was to teach her that waiting is a part of life. Sometimes life gets in the way and  requires us to wait. That's a big lesson and instead of showing her that it was going to be ok, that it would come eventually, that it's just a movie, and in the big picture it doesn't even matter, I demonstrated how to complain and impatiently wait. Bummer.

All week my children heard me babble about "What's the point of pre-ordering if it's not going to show up until after you can buy it in stores." Everyday Audrey and I would walk down to the mailbox in hopes that her movie would be there, and for a week I had to console a disappointed three year old. She didn't whine or cry but she'd ask "Why isn't it here yet?" I'd tell her I was disappointed too and we'd move on. I was getting tired of waiting. I was what you'd call, impatient. (And a little irritated.) It was indeed just a movie.

Earlier in the week, I had attempted to call the company and got a recording explaining there had been a problem but if we'd gotten a shipping notice (which we had) then it was coming. I should have dropped it at that.

But I didn't.

I just had to call the company and inquire and then go out and buy it. Was it the wrong thing to do? No. But it could have been the perfect lesson in patience. And I missed it. How did I not see that at the time?

I heard an educator once say, always look for the teaching lessons in the everyday. And sometimes you have to step back and actually look instead of just going about your day, your routine, your to-do list.

I trust there will be more opportunities to demonstrate patience to my child. (I fear, maybe, too many)

In the meantime, we now have two copies of this movie. Because they would only refund it if we refused it.  My darling husband forgot that detail and opened the package it while I was out Saturday morning.

Just another reason why waiting patiently would have paid off.

A little story:

As I'm talking with the nice lady on the phone, I of course am sitting on the floor with one kid crawling all over me and the other sitting next to me, pretending to play with her dolls but listening intently. When I hang up, I start to read Allie a book. Then, without moving, Audrey, laying on her belly picks up a purple Easter egg from the floor in front of her and holds it up to her ear.

She says: "Yes, Hello. We don't have our Tangled movie, and Bitty really wants her movie so we need to know if we should go buy it or (and then she started mumbling some gibberish I didn't understand).............thank you."

My favorite part was that an Easter egg became a phone.

All in all, the situation worked out fine. Although I don't think we'll ever pre-order again. Audrey's favorite new color is purple (the color of Rapunzel's dress). She wears her hair in braids and refuses to get her hair cut, so it can be long like Rapunzel's. And I am singing the songs from the movie, ALL THE TIME, even now in my sleep. (What I'm getting of it) I just wished I would have demonstrated patience. My daughter clearly showed by the purple egg phone conversation that she hangs on every word I say. (gulp)

Sarah

too funny not to jot down

All out of the mouth of my darling three year old this week:

At the check-out line at Target Audrey says very matter of fact-ly and quite loud, "I was just pickin' the boogers out of my nose Mom.  Cause I do not like it when they are in there. " Me, the lady in front of me and the other shoppers all heard it. I laughed and continued to unload the cart. I dared not ask where the boogers were now.

Green snot as invaded our house again. You know, the thick, sticky, sludgy kind? When asked by my friend if she needed a Kleenex, Audrey responded. " That's ok. My tongue is long enough to reach my nose." Gross. Ick. Bleh.

During Allie's doctor appointment this week Audrey said as I was taking Allie's diaper off so she could be weighed, "Now everyone can see her vag.....(I'll let you finish it)." Luckily the nurse found it amusing, so the embarrassing factor was lessened.






Sarah