Sunday, January 31, 2010

P.S. I need some sunshine



We've had a wonderful time this winter season. We've been busy doing about all there is to do here in the winter. Good times! But dang it, when I came across pictures from this balmy September day it hit me! HURRY SPRING! I NEED YOU NOW!

Ice Skating



When my sister Erin was here visiting a few weeks ago we headed downtown to take the little ones for their first shot at ice skating. We thought that having 3 adults to 3 children would be just what it would take to pull off this adventure.



So we were wrong. If we go again anytime soon, we'll know that we need 2 adults for each child.

Not only did we have a good time but our biceps got a nice work out. Whew! The girls did great! If we had had more time they would have been able to go around with just one person helping. Guess we'll have to get Erin back out here for another visit!

All about Annaliese - 2009

(Insert here - Picture of Annaliese)

12/25/2009 - Is loving her new scooter and fur real puppy named Ruffles. Cutie pie.

12/12/2009 - Has been really into tongue twisters this week.

12/01/2009 - This girl loves her cousins. Had a blast playing with Byron's kids for thanksgiving. She and Caden have a very similar sense of humor!

09/30/2009 - Last week I found this in her own writing: "The Lord mad avretheing spashl. He love us vare mush. He mad avrething is for us so we kod have everething we wont. You no God loves you with ol his hort and wil olwas be with you."

09/11/2009 - Today Annaliese went in for her 5 year check up. (A little late but better than never.) She was soooo brave when she had to get FIVE shots! Her reward choice for her bravery was a chocolate bar...Good choice! =) Her height is 41 1/2 lbs. (50%) and weight is 46 1/4 inches (75-90%). There you have it! All is well.

09/10/2009 - We've been trying to help her practice reading...seeing as she is really really ready and is trying to teach herself.

09/10/2009 - Today I received a handmade card that read "Deer Mommy I HAD SO MUSH FUN AT SKOOL TOODA HAW WOD YOU FEL IF I WUS WITH YOU (heart) ANNALiese" Melt me!

09/10/2009 - Started Kindergarten, Loving her teacher.

09/10/2009 - My little dreamer loves to tell stories. Her sisters love to listen...so do I.

09/10/2009 - Loves to draw....still! She can't get enough!

09/10/2009 - Loves playing with her sisters. She is often the leader and tells her sisters what they need to do and of course they play right along. She also still loves to pretend she is an animal...recently SKUNK is a favorite...P.U. Kitten is also a favorite.

07/31/2009 - Miss Fidget! Has such a hard time going to sleep at night. I often have to lay next to her and remind her to keep still so that she can fall asleep! Silly girl.

07/31/2009 - Loves to play with babies. She is so captivated and interested.

07/31/2009 - Loves to make cards for people. She'll find the envelopes and want to mail them off right away. I can hardly keep up.

07/31/2009 - Has figured out how to use the breaks on her bike. Yay! She loves to ride it!

07/31/2009 - Has figured out how to count to 100.

07/29/2009 - Leader of all sorts of play around here. Yesterday she was the leader of the "Fly whacker attackers! Get ready to explore!" Game. She was cracking me up!

06/06/2009 - Last night we went to some friends' house for dinner. They live in a high rise. Annaliese said that she wishes she lived in a department. =) Also today we had the window open in the back room and she climbed out to play on the "valcony."

05/21/2009 - So tenderhearted this one. Kermit has been out of town all week. She cried when he left but kept a stiff upper lip all week. She fought those tears every night with success. When Kermit came home tonight she ran to his arms and let it all go. she was SOOO happy to see her dad. Yes, we do cry when we are happy.

05/19/2009 - "Mom, there's an ant in the house!" "Don't squish him, I want to keep him for my pet." =)

05/15/2009 - Um, she is reading. No kidding. She is amazing.

05/15/2009 - The Doodle Pad is still by far her best toy ever.

05/11/2009 - Today she decided it would be great to have a pet ant.

05/11/2009 - Love the stories she tells and pictures she draws. She has produced volumes!

05/11/2009 - Likes to talk over the fence with the neighbor boy Jake.

05/01/2009 - Loves cutting out shapes and coloring them into pictures. Tells stories with the picutes. LOVES it!

05/01/2009 - Good singer and dancer. "Avrie, Addie.....Mom & Daddy....even Annaliese too!" Very catchy. Kermit caught it on video. Classic!

04/16/2009 - This is true for all the girls but especially Annaliese...She LOVES the movie "Milo and Otis" - just LOVES it! They sing the song and play Milo and Otis all day. Kermit even made them a little play set using their little tiny animal toys. He made them a dock and a wooden box that Milo can drift down the river in. =)

04/15/2009 - Is doing so great in school. She just loves it. She loves her teacher and loves her friends. She is so over being shy.

03/23/2004 - She is doing so great with her spelling. She makes signs and posts them all over the house. She loves to read the phonics books that she got from Grandma!

03/21/2009 - Has been sick! Poor little thing has been up all night with a fever!

03/20/2009 - Earlier this week I took the girls to the little park. There we met almost 4 year old Owen. He was all boy and was showing off big time for my girls...you know like crashing the cars, pretending to fall to get them to laugh, etc. Well on our way home from the park I hear "Mom, what do you think will happen to Owen and to Annaliese? Do you think that we will grow up and fall in love? Get married? Who knows what's going to happen!" Later that night she told Kermit about Owen. Kermit told her that she was young to be thinking about getting married. She needs to have lots of boy friends before she decides who she will marry. She says "I already have lots of boy friends at school. None of them like to hug me. I wonder if Owen would like to hug me. Who knows what will happen." =)

03/19/2009 - (Actually 3/20) Last night Kermit and I had a date night. Our baby sitter reports to us that Annaliese was crying before bed which is very unusual. (Later in the night she was up w/ a fever...explains the crying.) Michele told us she was trying so hard not to laugh as Annaliese cried and told her that she really loves, no likes Owen so much. (Avrie pops her head out of bed to explain that they met him at the park.) Maybe they will get married. Just then she stoped crying and said, "who knows what will happen." Just like that stopped crying, "who knows." A funny story and preview into the years ahead when we have 3 teenage girls in the house.

02/25/2009- Annaliese has decided she can only eat brown food...ya know like chocolate milk, brownies and cookies. I like that.

02/24/2009 - Today I took Annaliese into Marshalls with me. I was trying on all sorts of weird stuff. I just cracked up when Annaliese told me very seriously that I looked posh! Thanks Annaliese! I bought the posh skirt on clearance for $7.

02/17/2009 - Had a wonderful birthday! This girl loves her new talking telescope! Learning to read and doing great!

02/08/2009 - We are busy planning her OUTER SPACE birthday extravaganza. She is thrilled with the theme!

02/06/2009 - Annaliese told me that she wishes she were a firefly....because she could stay out all night and sleep all day. We are definitely related!

02/02/2009 - Likes to make name cards for the family for dinner time. She knows how to spell everyone's name.

01/19/2009 - This girl is so helpful! She's entering the stage where she likes to make sandwiches all by herself. She also recently discovered she can work the DVD player so she likes to be in charge of movie time.

01/14/2009 - Is at school for the first time this year...she is finally feelilng better...FINALLY! She was nervous to go but then received a really warm welcome from all her friends and waved to me good-bye. Sweet, sweet girl.

01/12/2009 - Has been such a good little helper! She loves to help her sisters with things like feeding them snacks. She also likes to help me around hte kitchen.

01/12/2009 - Has been SICK! Before Christmas she had pneumonia. She was healthy for Christmas (just a lingering cough) then for New years sick again! I finally took her to the Dr....double ear infection! Poor kid. Being sick is miserable.

All about Addie - 2009


12/25/2009 - Loving her new scooter. She has picked up on it very fast. I think in the spring there will be no stopping her!

12/22/2009 - at the CSO Welcome Yule intermission the girls danced in the ball room to the music being played there. Addie stole the show with her graceful moves. I think we may have some dance talent in the family! No kidding and she's not shy about it either! Guess it's time to find a ballet class for these girls!

11/18/2009 - Tells everyone that they are now four. =) Loves her Cinderella costume and barbie doll with sparkly horse. She is just a happy girl!

09/21/2009 - Loves being silly. Her new favorite silly walk is feet straight out...what a goof!

09/14/2009 - Who knew that the toy of the year would be a laundry basket. Good thing we have five of them. Yes, it's true Addie has turned her sisters into laundry basket players. =) You can put a pillow in them and sleep in them, you can hide under them, you can put them upside down and pretend they are a table, the list goes on...an oh the fun!

09/14/2009 - She is always wrapping up a "present" for me. I get multiple items a day presented to me wrapped in dishtowels, or washcloths, or blankets, or napkins, etc. She just has a giving heart I guess.

09/14/2009 - I think this is the girl that is responsible for the pillow piles that we get in our house. Loves to put all pillows in the house into a pile and jump into them. Also she likes to like up pillows in a line and just lay on them.

09/10/2009 - Still likes to be held...always. When we go to the park we now take the wagon so that she can ride...and not ask to be held for the walk home. Love that wagon! Love that girl too! I've been using it for after school too! Love it!

09/10/2009 - Started preschool! She loves her teacher and loves going to class! LOVES her uniform and her backpack. She is very outgoing and tells her teacher that she loves her and gives her hugs and kisses.

09/10/2009 - Of the three Addie is still my best sleeper. First to sleep at night. If we have quiet time she she will nap every now and then (the others never nap). She takes after me. I love sleep too.

09/10/2009 - Loves to draw! We got stacks of old stationary from Kermit's office and we draw and draw and draw all day. She is sooo good! I'm starting to not be able to tell if Annaliese or Addie made a drawing. She is so good! Both of them are.

09/10/2009 - Loves pretending she is a baby. Her sisters like to pretend that they are the mom so it works out well.

09/10/2009 - Learned to write her name ADDIE. Just like that! She often points to letters and asks what letter they are...she is getting there! Way to go Addie!

09/10/2009 - Has been walking around with her feet straight out for some strange reason. She is a goofy girl sometimes. Happy and sweet and goofy.

07/31/2009 - Still my snugglebunny.

07/31/2009 - Loves to ride her tricycle.

07/31/2009 - Likes to walk around and clap her hands loudly...by cupping her hands. New skill.

07/31/2009 - I love her little skipping. She has it half down and it is adorable to watch.

07/31/2009 - Dress ups are still this one's favorite. I still have to hide my church shoes otherwise I'll find them all over the house with the dress ups. Her drawings continue to get better and better!

07/25/2009 - She did so great in the pool! She figured out how to doggy paddle with her life vest on and had a blast!

07/15/2009 - Often complains that her tummy hurts. I can't tell if she is for real or just looking for attention.

06/06/2009 - Such a graceful little girl. I love it when she dances. She also makes me smile when after dressing herself in what she thinks is a gorgeous outfit she poses for me. Very cute.

06/06/2009 - Okay this night time routine of 3am wake up calls has been going on for awhile now. Last night was the FIRST night she hasn't gotten us up and out of bed in weeks.

05/21/2009 - All week addie has been waking at 3am calling for me..."because she needs to tell me something." All week I have been lecturing her at 3am why it is important to not wake me up in the night to just wait until morning to tell me something. I told her last night that if she called for me I would ignore her. Sure enough she still tried and tried. "Mother...I LOVE YOU...MOTHER....I LOVE YOU...MOTHER...sob, sob...I LOVE YOU!" So hard to ignore, but I did. Finally she did it. She climbed out of her crib all by herself and walked into my room (Kerm is out of town this week) "mom, I need to tell you something" she says to my face. Oh my, oh my. No wonder I'm tired.

05/18/2009 - Likes to tell about her dreams. Sometimes they are identical to the dreams Annaliese has. Hmm. =)

05/18/2009 - Has started to write her letters. Such a good little artist too.

05/15/2009 - She is little miss social. She is NOT shy and loves to bat her lashes to impresses those she doesn't know yet. Love this girl!

05/15/2009 - Melts me every day. I love it when she says, "Mom, I love you." It's so cute when I cuddle her and ask her if she knows i love her. She'll say sweetly, "nyeah."

05/11/2009 - Sh cracks me up when she is "cries". She'll whine and tell me what the problem is (somebody isn't sharing, tummy hurts, etc.) then very dramatically sniffs two sad sniffs for effect. It works every time! =)

05/11/2009 - Is big into doing tricks on the couch...usually a somersault. She is so flexible though she could join circe de soile. She's a good dancer too!

04/15/2009 - So sweet. so sweet. so sweet. Loves Kangaroo class at OTS. Loves her teacher! Is taking a break from speech therapy until fall. She calls her therapist "my lisa".

04/15/2009 - Can climb into her crib all by herself. Can't climb out but that is okay with me. =) Now that she can do it herself she will not allow anybody to help her. Cute girl!

04/01/2009 - We're working to break her habit of licking her lips. She can't help herself. Very cute but ouch those lips need some lip balm. =)

04/01/2009 - Have I ever mentioned how much Addie and her sisters love to play doggies? These girls are obsessed with dogs and play puppy dogs all day. They LOVE it!

03/23/2009 - This girl loves to draw. She is so good at it. Have I mentioned that before? She likes to play guessing games with her sisters. She will draw a picture and give them hints to have them guess what she has drawn. She'll usually say..."It starts with the letter A" even though she drew a house or something. She also loves to look at books and pretend she is reading. That's how it all starts though. She'll get those letters and sounds down!

03/05/2009 - This morning we were awakened to Addie singing ,"I think we have a wug. I think we have a wug. I think we have a wug." Addie, what's a wug? "A wug is on the floor." Why are you singing about a rug? "um......um......um.......because we have a wug."

02/25/2009 - Whenever Kermit or I have to leave Addie will always say, "Wait, wait, wait! I need a hug and a kiss!" She gets her hug and kiss then she says, "And another hug...(hug) and another kiss...(kiss)." There have been times she just keeps asking for more and more. We are suckers for it big time.

02/25/2009 - This girl can draw so well!

02/25/2009 - "Mom, I love to go to the potty!" Words we love to hear! She's done potty training! Good girl Ad!

02/16/2009 - I love how she says "Mom, I think I'm a little bit of sad." MELT me!

02/10/2009 - Both she and Avrie LOVE to play like they are puppies! So cute! Often Annaliese will be the master.

02/10/2009 - 3 nights in a row with a dry diaper! 3 nights in a row I was awakened by a little three year old announcing she needs to go the the bathroom at 2am.

02/02/2009 - Potty Training Complete! 5 Stars for Addie! Good Job!

01/19/2009 - First day of Sunbeams! I was spying on her class and I overheard her tell her teacher, "Guess what....I have a rash." Oh dear, where? "On my bum." Oh that sometimes happens. Avrie says..."She has a diaper rash." Teacher says..."Anyway....let's sing a song." Um, TMI?

01/17/2009 - We'll have to watch out for the antibiotic called Cefdinir....Major Rash Alert for Addie. I will say this, her pneumonia is gone.

01/16/2009 - This girl is amazing! Potty training is going GREAT! Yesterday she was with her speech therapist and stopped in the middle of her lesson to use the potty...on her own! Today we were running errands and she told me in two different stores that she needed to use the potty. We found the potty and she took care of business! WOW! I am so proud of her!

01/13/2009 - Potty Training...slow but sure. We'll get there.

01/09/2009 - Pneumonia....AGAIN! That cough is nasty. She's at least feeling okay.

All about Avrie -2009


12/25/2009 - Loving her new scooter! Loves her set of horses too! Loves reading with Dad "Black Beauty" She likes to pretend she is Ginger the horse.

11/30/2009 - Loves to draw pictures on her doodle pad at night and leave them in the hall way for daddy to see when he comes up to bed. Cute girl!

11/18/2009 - My big four year old is loving her ballet costume and ballet slippers. Loves the barbie and horse gift too.

09/29/2009 - Avrie has learned to skip and it is the cutest darn skip I've ever seen! Almost like she skips side to side with huge hops. So cute!

09/21/2009 - Has decided that she would like to start sleeping on a big girl bed. Time to buy some bed rails so she doesn't wiggle off the bed...b/c she does wiggle!

09/14/2009 - Have I ever mentioned that this girl (and addie too) loves to change her clothes and often. If she had her way she would be seen in 10 different outfits per day. She still thinks that jeans are for boys..but is less resistant when we insist. After all you can't take a hike in a dress.

09/14/2009 - At night for story time this girl is always snuggled into my right side....and she always make sure that my arm is around her. I can't just hold the book open, I must have my arm around her and hold the book open. =) I do love it.

09/10/2009 - Started Preschool! Loving it! She told me the first day...the day that parents stayed in the classroom for the entire class. "mom, I'm not afraid. Could you please go away." =) Every day since at drop off she says, the same.

09/10/2009 - Of the three I've noticed that Avrie loves the outdoors the most. She loves the sand box. She makes sand cakes and pies and serves them up to anybody she can. She loves playing in the playhouse in the backyard. She is first out the door when we go on walks. She just loves it.

09/10/2009 - loves climbing on the castle at the park. Loves the swings and want to reach the leaves in the trees.

09/10/2009 - I can add one more food to her list of food that she will eat...energy bars. Kid Cliff...not bad if I do say so myself.

09/10/2009 - Can I celebrate the fact that not only are we fully potty trained but pull -ups are now optional at night time! Way to go Avrie!

09/10/2009 - At night she loves to draw on her doodle pad. Lately she has been drawing pictures for us and leaving them in the door way for us. She calls us up and tells us to look at the card she made. So cute! She is really getting good at drawing too! REALLY GOOD! She colors in the lines well too!

08/15/2009 - Was so captivated and interested in bugs on our trip to MA this summer. Her most quotable quote of the summer "Remember when there was a little tiny mosquito and I took care of it? And it had BIG EYES!" Love this cute girl!

07/31/2009 - This girl is GROWING UP! She has matured on so many levels. She is sooo helpful and sweet. She is melting me these days. Unbelievable! She is has been less clingy and outgoing socially too. She is going to be ready to start preschool!

07/31/2009 - Loves to race and loves to win! Working on the socially acceptable way to loose. =)

07/28/2009 - Avrie was curious why we need to take baths. It was explained that back in the olden days people did not bathe much and often became sick from being so dirty. Avrie says, "good thing we live in the latter days."

07/25/2009 - LOVED swimming at the indoor swimming pool! She loved doggy paddling around in her life jacket. This girl is fearless and a little fish~!

07/20/2009 - Avrie asked today "Mom, do little kids have a butt?" Yes, of course. Ha ha! =) An hour or so later..."Mom, where's my butt?"

07/01/2009 - This girl is potty trained! A month ago I thought for sure she'd be starting preschool in pull ups.

06/06/2009 - Is obsessed with being a girl. She only wears clothes that she thinks are girl clothes. Even though every single girl we know wears jeans...they are not girl clothes to her. Dresses, headbands, maryjanes are girl...everything else..boy and unacceptable to wear.

05/19/2009 - Loves headbands. Must wear one at all times. Loves her silver maryjane shoes. Must wear them at ALL times. I don't let her wear them to bed so she just sleeps with them next to her.

05/18/2009 - Still my pickiest eater but she has added Craisins to her list of edible food.

05/16/2009 - I love her little "prrrs" or prayers she gives. Last night's was especially funny..."Thank you that we can play guns and shoot each other. Thank you for the yummy food mommy made for us. Please bless us to go on a long trip so that we can watch a movie in the car. Thank you for the gospel. In the name…." Good news: today we took a long trip to the Indiana State dunes...they watched Dumbo. =)

05/15/2009 - Likes to run "SUPER FAST!"

05/15/2009 - Has gone from being 0% interested in Potty Training to about 50% interested. Hey, we'll take it.

05/11/2009 - Wow...this week Avrie has decided she loves to change outfits every hour....that's a lot of outfits in a day. I had to get organized and put things up out of reach to keep her outfit changes to 3 a day.

04/20/2009 - I love it when she sings "thumpin up n down in my little wed wagon....won't you be my garlin." Makes me smile every time.

02/25/2009 - This girl is under the weather. Snuggles from my Avrie all day. That's the kind of sick I like.

02/25/2009 - 5% interested in potty training. 95% interested in using diapers.

02/17/2009 - Loves to "ice skate" in the house...uses tupperware lids to "glide" around the room.

02/16/2009 - Where are those books? I've found she will respond better to puppets talking to her than me for some reason...she likes the attention and the play.

02/10/2009 - Unfortunately I need to pull out my parenting books again. Avrie is busy testing her parents limits this week.

02/10/2009 - Giving up naps these days...maybe there is a correlation?

02/02/2009 - This girl has been so pleasant lately! Just happy almost all day. Love her. Potty training has come to a halt. Last night as I was changing her diaper I told her that next time she should tell mom so that poops can go in the toilet. She said, "No, poops go in diapers." Okay we'll give it a rest.

01/19/2009 - She likes to wear her "Skeleton" jammies. Sometimes she'll call them "Stellikan". Funny girl.

01/19/2009 - Marshmellows! This is what she will work for! Potty training coming along slow but sure. Likes those marshmallows.

01/14/2009 - Miss Independent! You can't even TRY to help her. If you do she'll stop you and say, "No! I'm LEARNING!" =)

01/13/2009 - Potty Training...slow going but we'll get there. Discovered that she will work for marshmallows.

01/10/2009 - Pink Eye. Yuck! She does NOT like those drops!

01/09/2009 - Got her first haircut this week. We kept it long but she just needed her ends (baby hair) trimmed. I was a little sad...but I must admit she needed it! Looks cute!