such a sweetie sleeping soundly

stories with anna

Me: Anna, tell me a story.
Anna: I don't have any stories mommy.
Me: Hmmm, how about you tell me a story about a duck?
Anna: OK!

Once upon a time there was a duck. His name was Rainy. He loooved to eat leaves. And he loooved to drink water. One day he climbed a tree. He climbed the tree and got some leaves. He brought them home and fed them to his mommy, his daddy and to his self. The end!

Once upon a time there was another duck. His name was Rainy too! (she laughs) He loooved to eat grass! One day he climbed a tree to eat some...some...some...grass. The grass growed up to the tree. He climbed the tree and ate some grass. And then he went home to his mommy and daddy. The end!

And that's all the stories for today mommy.

backyard bbqs

It was a beautiful Memorial Day weekend here this past weekend and we enjoyed it by spending every possible moment outdoors. Saturday we were fortunate to be invited over to our friends Jim & Allison's house for an afternoon barbeque. Since Emmett's arrival, and the imminent arrival of baby B, our weekly get togethers with Allison and Tyler have been put on hold. So, Saturday brought about a very happy and exciting reunion for Anna and Tyler. They danced, played, laughed, went the park, ran, and giggled some more. It was so fun to watch the two of them interact.

Meanwhile we adults enjoyed some time to catch up, and Emmett some fun cuddle time watching the big kids. Thanks for having us over Jim & Allison!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing
Sunday we had some neighbor friends over to BBQ at our house and we enjoyed some sunshine in the backyard, while the kids swang and played. Monday we relaxed around the house, planted some flowers and had a lazy day. Wouldn't it be nice if ALL weekends were 3 days!?

first foods

What's this business? I don't think I like it!!!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

four months

Four months ago right this minute we were in labor & delivery with you. We had been there a long time by now - probably close to 5 hours, with nothing really happening until right about now. I remember this is about when my contractions started to really pick up and I opted for the epidural. Then, for the next 3 hours I relaxed and read a book while you worked your way into this world.

Four months later you are a healthy and happy little boy. Although you are not that little! We had your 4 month check-up this afternoon and you are 15lbs 3oz (55th percentile) and 26.5 inches long (95th percentile). Your noggin is growing too...just over 17 inches (90th percentile).

After talking with the pediatrician we received the green light to start you on some solid foods in addition to breast milk. We'll start with some rice cereal later this week to see how that goes. After a month of sleeping through the night, for the past week or so you have been waking up a few times each night, often very hungry...despite eating well during the day. Maybe some "solid" foods will help. We'll see!

Other than that, nothing big to report. You are healthy, happy and I have found that when I get you out on your own without your big sis around you really come out of your shell and don't stop talking! It's pretty fun to see that side of you.

You are grabbing at toys, you are attached to your blue bear shown in this picture and to a musical horse I have attached to your car seat. You enjoy the outdoors, being held and being talked to / smiled at. You have very strong legs and want to "stand up" whenever you can. Laying on your back you lift your bottom off the floor, push with your heels and scoot. You're always in a new place in your crib when I go to get you. You still smile often and continue to display an easy-going demeanor. Despite being laid on, pulled-on, sang to, rocked not so gently and more by your big sister - you continue to adore her and light up when she is near. Soon you will be paying her back as you are catching up to her in size very quickly. She better look out!

We return to the cardiologist in late June / early July to have another check of your heart but other than that it's smooth sailing for now!

changing tides

It's been awhile since I last posted, so I tried to make amends by posting a number of times this morning. Since I had written last it seems that the tides have changed once again. Many of the behavior issues that we had been having have faded into the background - and the good and fun moments are outnumbering the challenging ones once again. I am sure the tides will change again, and again, and again, but for now we are enjoying life with 2 smiling children. I mean just look at this one....you can't help but smile back.

Emmett is growing so quickly - he gets heavier and longer by the day. His 4 month check up is on Wednesday and I am very interested to see how he measures. He is trying hard to roll over, and I coaxed his first giggles out of him this week. What a sweet, sweet sound. When I lean over him with my hair tickling his face and give him kisses on his neck he lets his giggles out. It makes me want 4 more children!

Our house has also been taken over with princes, princesses, kings and queens as Anna has entered the wild world of make-believe. We have afternoon tea sometimes with her animals, or her baby Lucy. Sometimes I find her pouring a cup for Emmett.

We chase pirates away on her playset in the backyard, attacking them with water balloons (all pretend) and then "drive the ship to safetyland" as Anna says.

Then we get out her paper doll princes and princesses with her paperdoll castle, or her magnet set with the castle scene and come up with elaborate stories about Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Aurora and Jasmine. You can be certain that as soon as the first one ends, it will be followed by a quick "another story please" before you can catch your breath.

There are elephants, sloths, giraffes and baby jaguars in trouble hidden all over our house. When called to help with the rescue team Anna grabs her flashlight and scampers about finding, rescuing and celebrating.

It is wild, this world of make believe. But it is FUN.

mother's day

My favorite...bottom right. Really? HA!

sweet rewards

Anna can now be seen around the neighborhood on her new set of wheels. She is still getting the hang of it, but with time I am sure she will be flying all over the sidewalks.

This scooter was a hard-earned reward for Anna. Anna has sunk into the habit of eating only a small handful of foods. She will eat any fruit, and most carbs, like most kids...but we were having a hard time getting her to even taste new foods. Fed up with preparing one of the kid staples for dinner every night for her (chicken nuggets, PB&J, mac & cheese, etc) we decided we were going to have to be firm about having her at least taste new things.

We have tried this a few times, and each time it ends in war at the dinner table. We ask only that she take one bite and if she doesn't like it she doesn't have to eat it. But even this was too tall a task for Anna. One night we went so far as to tell her that she could not leave the table until she tasted one bite. (It was spaghetti that night, by the way...very kid friendly wouldn't you think?!). Many tears and a lot of frustration later, she put one bite of sauce in her mouth and cried even harder. We let up for a few days, exhausted.

Then, one evening Anna and I were on a walk and two of her girl friends were out riding their scooters. Anna was entranced. She rode one of their extras and would not stop talking about it.

The next week I bought the scooter and showed it to Anna. Then, made a sticker chart letting her know that she could earn it. For each new food she tried she would get one sticker. If she proceeded to finish her serving of the new food (or adult food) she would get two stickers.

Since then she has tried - AND LIKED! - chicken fajitas, applesauce, pork roast, spaghetti with italian sausage, calzones, ribs, Special K cereal, and she even licked a piece of cauliflower (major progress). Nearly every time she has tasted something, she has finished her portion. And, each afternoon she asks me what we are going to have for dinner - if I say "hmmm, Anna, I'm not sure quite yet" she will respond with "maybe we could try something new mommy!"

So, she's enjoying her new wheels and we are halfway through our next chart - working our way toward an ice cream cone at Cold Stone. Yum Yum!

bedtime antics

Up until recently, Anna has always gone to bed with ease. She may play in her room quietly (or not so quietly) for awhile before falling asleep, but eventually she would find her way to her bed and fall into a deep sleep without any intervention on Steve or I's part. As Anna is getting older, this is changing. It's always pretty amusing to see what excuse Anna will come up with each night in order to get one of us to come back into her room "one more time" before she falls asleep. She often requests water, more love, another hug or kiss, another story, a kleenex, or will want to show you the "cute" bug that is sitting on the screen of her window.

Earlier this week we realized just how desperate Anna must have been to get our attention when she peeked her head outside her door and the following ensued:

Anna: Mommy, mommy, THANK YOU for painting my room! It's pink, and it has a white thing. It's so pretty!
(Please note this room was painted a year ago and she moved into it last June/July)
Me: Oh thank you Anna, I'm glad you like it, now get back into your bed and go to sleep please.

Door shuts, then opens again 30 seconds later

Anna: Mommy, and there's letters on the wall and everything!

Door shuts, then opens again 30 seconds later

Anna: Beautiful mommy! And you got me a chair, a pretty chair! Oh, thank you!

Notice how at age 3 she even knows how to butter her mother up. Beautiful mommy. Now that takes the cake.

little rascal

age two and a half

Age two and a half is filled with contradictions. One moment we are happy and bubbly, the next a puddle of tears soaking up the floor. One moment we are confident and self-assured, the next fearful of every new thing. In one turn we are polite and courteous, in another demanding and bossy. One moment we express feelings with words, the next we are screaming at the top of our lungs and just can't....stop....crying. Age two and a half is like a rollercoaster - with very high highs, and very fast and dramatic descents.

To say that the past month has been difficult would be an understatement. Paired with the typical highs and lows that accompany age 2 and a half, Anna's world has been tipped upside down with the addition of her baby brother. While she loves him dearly, she has also learned that she must share attention, toys, time, people and more with this little man. This part is not so easy.

At age two and a half I fully expect to have to remind Anna to use her manners, to slow down and stop running, to use her inside voice, to stop jumping, to speak nicely to her friends, to listen, and more. I even expect that I will have to do this repeatedly throughout the day, every day. Perhaps I didn't expect to need to do it quite so many times each day, but even that I can take in stride most of the time.

What I don't have a strategy for is the unexpected. What do you do when your daughter screams in the backyard of a neighbor's home on the very top of her lungs "YOU GET BAAAACK HEEEERE MOOOOMMY!" when I start to walk away after several calm attempts to get her to come home? What do you do when the response to asking your daughter to do something (several times calmly) is met with "NO, I won't do it! Not EVER!"?

I don't know where she is learning to talk this way. We do not talk that way in our home, nor do our friends. Is this just her exerting her independence? Or is this overt disrespect? Perhaps both. Regardless, I am at a loss.

It's not as if every moment is like this...there are many good and fun moments too. Watching her learn to ride her trike, and celebrating her triumphs with her. Answering her fun questions like "Is that outer space mommy (pointing to the sky)? Can I go there?", "How does that work? Why?" and "Tell me about God mommy". Singing silly songs and dancing around the room. Hugs and kisses galore. There are many, many of these moments too.

But it's those others that are wearing me out. While I am handling those moments the best that I can, I don't feel like what I am doing is working. I know that perhaps this is normal - that testing limits, exerting independence and beginning to understand and test authority are indeed stages that children go through. I just want to make sure that when she comes out on the other end of this that she understands what is acceptable behavior and what is not, and how to channel her emotions into positive things.

Any suggestions? Any good books? All you moms & dads out there, I would love your ideas...

do you see what i see?

Uncle Matt - Age 8 months

I see a lot of Uncle Matt in little Emmett...do you? They definitely share the same smile - check out this video of Emmett from today and you will see this same smile show up a few times (or at least I think so)!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

got milk?