Yesterday SJ reached the "2 years minus 2 months" mark! She is quite a little busybody these days, as you would expect. This is the exact age LL was when SJ joined us, and I felt sure then that LL comprehended the whole new baby thing pretty well (at least more than AG, then 18 months, did when LL arrived!). So far we haven't done much to try to help SJ understand since we still have 4 more months to go; just last week she first seemed to notice that something was different about my tummy (not that anyone else wouldn't have noticed long before this!) and started saying to me "tummy...'gin!" over and over, as in "I want to see your tummy again!"
Her favorite activities now include using crayons to "coloh-mark!!!" and gathering up lots of "mommy supplies" and baby dolls to take care of. Just this morning she came to the door before our trip to Target, loaded down with a doll, big purse, toy phone, pacifier, cup, bottle, and doll pillow all in her arms and wearing a fancy necklace.
A few more frequently heard words that I forgot on my last list:
"Tank!" (or maybe it sounds more like "denk!")= thank you
"baps"= bath
"messy"
"huck"= hug (we love this one!)
"hite"= hide
"find"
"stuck"
"Hey ____" (a few weeks ago this was followed by "honey" after she overheard someone
use the term of endearment)
"ice pack"- anytime she falls, gets hurt (or even the idea of it) she immediately
starts saying this. Like all her two word phrases, she says the first word completely and clearly, stops, then says the second word.
"dance"- said while spinning in circles. To SJ right now, there' only this one move!
We took this video earlier this month when we discovered this scene in SJ's room at bedtime. As you can tell, even though she's getting older and bigger, she's still our baby! (And she's still pretty easygoing and totally hooked on her thumb and lovie!)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
His Three Daughters
It was a joy to celebrate Father's Day at church and at home with T and the girls. They are so blessed to have him as a Daddy, and I am thankful for such a wonderful partner in this fun, busy, challenging, and special stage of life!
Friday Playdate with Nana and Grandpa
Right after we got home from the fire station we had another fun event...a visit from Nana and Grandpa! The girls were excited to see them and kept them busy the whole few hours they were here.
SJ riding on Nana's back
She also learned how to make Grandpa's watch light up.
Three little sweethearts!
Princess AG dancing with Nana
AG asked me to take a picture of her spinning in her dress up clothes.
SJ riding on Nana's back
She also learned how to make Grandpa's watch light up.
Three little sweethearts!
Princess AG dancing with Nana
AG asked me to take a picture of her spinning in her dress up clothes.
Fired Up for School!
Last week we officially started school here at our house. Our goal is to do most, if not all, of a semester's work before baby brother arrives. Although I've been doing a few things with AG through the last year, this is what I'd consider our real, intentional beginning to homeschooling with both AG and LL, and I am trying hard to discipline myself to get it all done each day. Getting it done is definitely manageable at this point, if I can resist the strong temptation to postpone AG's Math lesson until after I take an afternoon nap! The girls have adjusted to our new morning schedule pretty well. The hardest thing for me is not turning on the TV while they have breakfast like we had been doing...but remembering how much easier it will be to get our reading done before SJ gets out of bed definitely motivates me to jump right into the books. LL is always so eager to do her "school book" (workbook), which other than the reading aloud is really all she is doing right now. AG has a little heavier load but has had a great attitude and enough energy to inspire me to get past my afternoon lull and keep her busy!
We ended our first week with a field trip to the fire station in our neighborhood, arranged by a friend whose 2.5 year old has been asking to go there for a while. We were glad they invited us to go along; it fit right in with our new routine and was a really fun learning experience!
Here's SJ as we were loading up to go to the fire station. LL saw this and called it "the elephant picture"!
LL in the driver's seat of the fire truck!
AG, LL, and S with the kind firemen who showed us around the station and trucks and answered many questions (mostly from me!).
We ended our first week with a field trip to the fire station in our neighborhood, arranged by a friend whose 2.5 year old has been asking to go there for a while. We were glad they invited us to go along; it fit right in with our new routine and was a really fun learning experience!
Here's SJ as we were loading up to go to the fire station. LL saw this and called it "the elephant picture"!
LL in the driver's seat of the fire truck!
AG, LL, and S with the kind firemen who showed us around the station and trucks and answered many questions (mostly from me!).
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Big News
For the last month we've been anticipating today as the day we'd get another detailed view of our baby and hopefully see that all was developing healthily, with a bonus of finding out whether we were going to be meeting a sister or, the almost unimaginable, a brother. So this morning T and I took the girls along to the ultrasound and doctor's appointment, wanting them to be a part of this momentous occasion. I'm not sure exactly what they expected (LL asked questions beforehand like "Mommy, how will they get the TV screen out of your tummy?") but it seemed AG and LL were firm on their hopes: AG for a boy and LL for a girl. SJ seemed pretty oblivious to all that was going on but she did notice and comment on the "soap!" (gel) the sonographer put on my tummy!
We are thankful to report that every little part the sonographer checked appeared to be developing as it should be, indicating that this is a healthy little person. She waited til the end to look for evidence of specifically what type of little person we were seeing...and when she pointed out what we needed to see to know that this is definitely a boy (A BOY!) I think T and I were both sort of shocked! The girls took the news in stride; I think AG seemed a little satisfied that her wishes had been granted but she didn't make too big a deal about it.
Trying to imagine both possible gender scenarios ahead of time, I expected to be very happy with either outcome, as did T. In unique ways, as with every child and every family pattern, we see God work out His plan with great care and wisdom. We are excited and looking forward to the additional dimension this little guy will bring to our family and home! As I've said before, and now know to be true, his coming will rock our pink, sparkly, princessy world...and I trust it will be in the very best way.
Last week...19 weeks along!
We are thankful to report that every little part the sonographer checked appeared to be developing as it should be, indicating that this is a healthy little person. She waited til the end to look for evidence of specifically what type of little person we were seeing...and when she pointed out what we needed to see to know that this is definitely a boy (A BOY!) I think T and I were both sort of shocked! The girls took the news in stride; I think AG seemed a little satisfied that her wishes had been granted but she didn't make too big a deal about it.
Trying to imagine both possible gender scenarios ahead of time, I expected to be very happy with either outcome, as did T. In unique ways, as with every child and every family pattern, we see God work out His plan with great care and wisdom. We are excited and looking forward to the additional dimension this little guy will bring to our family and home! As I've said before, and now know to be true, his coming will rock our pink, sparkly, princessy world...and I trust it will be in the very best way.
Last week...19 weeks along!
Just Playing
This week the real heat and humidity have shown up, and they're forecasting nothing but the same for at least the next week. We've ventured outside some anyway, and here's what the girls have been doing.
After church Sunday, SJ spent a little time doing one of her favorite outdoor activities: picking "leaps" off the bushes. She always pulls leaves or grass and then walks around chanting, "leaps, leaps, leaps..."
LL and AG have been throwing the frisbee with T, who is excited to recognize that they have some potential to become pretty good throwing partners! They also like it and are better than their mom at keeping it inside the backyard fence. :)
AG flying high on the teeter totter
Sometimes she just looks like such a big girl!
SJ camped out at the bottom of the slide with at least three baby dolls and an assortment of baby supplies. She is at that point where she doesn't want to walk out the door without some collection of items, usually dolls, purses, books, and baby-care stuff.
SJ is such a little character with her array of facial expressions and blossoming sense of humor. She's been talking for a long time and is now taking on lots of multiple word phrases with great zeal. Here are a few things we hear from her the most:
"Lala" and "Gace"- How she says her sisters' names
"coloh-mark"- always together when she talks about crayons, coloring, writing, etc.
"baby-hungy"- time to feed a doll, just "hungy" or "sack" when SJ wants a snack
"stinky bottom"- you know what this means... Wonder if we could avoid having two in diapers this time???
"funny!"- she says this alot whenever she thinks anything is silly
"bet"- her bed, which she loves
"Fella"- originally her name for Cinderella, but works for any princess now
"gone-gone"- letting us know she's out of food or drink
"ooops!"- this one is funny to me because I think I, and the girls, tend to say "uh-
oh" so I don't know where she got oops!
After church Sunday, SJ spent a little time doing one of her favorite outdoor activities: picking "leaps" off the bushes. She always pulls leaves or grass and then walks around chanting, "leaps, leaps, leaps..."
LL and AG have been throwing the frisbee with T, who is excited to recognize that they have some potential to become pretty good throwing partners! They also like it and are better than their mom at keeping it inside the backyard fence. :)
AG flying high on the teeter totter
Sometimes she just looks like such a big girl!
SJ camped out at the bottom of the slide with at least three baby dolls and an assortment of baby supplies. She is at that point where she doesn't want to walk out the door without some collection of items, usually dolls, purses, books, and baby-care stuff.
SJ is such a little character with her array of facial expressions and blossoming sense of humor. She's been talking for a long time and is now taking on lots of multiple word phrases with great zeal. Here are a few things we hear from her the most:
"Lala" and "Gace"- How she says her sisters' names
"coloh-mark"- always together when she talks about crayons, coloring, writing, etc.
"baby-hungy"- time to feed a doll, just "hungy" or "sack" when SJ wants a snack
"stinky bottom"- you know what this means... Wonder if we could avoid having two in diapers this time???
"funny!"- she says this alot whenever she thinks anything is silly
"bet"- her bed, which she loves
"Fella"- originally her name for Cinderella, but works for any princess now
"gone-gone"- letting us know she's out of food or drink
"ooops!"- this one is funny to me because I think I, and the girls, tend to say "uh-
oh" so I don't know where she got oops!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Adventures with Grandparents: Part 2
After leaving Gran and PopPop's, we met T's parents in his mom's hometown (which just happens to be 10 miles away) for lunch and a busy and fun afternoon. We went to see T's cousin play in a little league baseball game and then to a really great park which the girls loved! Nana's sister, Aunt Betsy, joined us and we all had lots of fun.
T and Grandpa helped the girls navigate on this tricky climb!
Nana was faithful to catch the girls at the end of the slide and keep up with them all over the park!
After plenty of playing, we cooled off with fountain drinks at the local drive-in. The girls had their first slushies, and SJ had fun playing around with Nana!
We headed back to our house tired but happy after a wonderful day!
T and Grandpa helped the girls navigate on this tricky climb!
Nana was faithful to catch the girls at the end of the slide and keep up with them all over the park!
After plenty of playing, we cooled off with fountain drinks at the local drive-in. The girls had their first slushies, and SJ had fun playing around with Nana!
We headed back to our house tired but happy after a wonderful day!
Adventures with Grandparents: Part 1
As I mentioned in the previous post, last week I took AG and LL to spend two nights with Gran and PopPop. This was the first time they've stayed away from home without us there, and it was a great success!
SJ and I hung around for a few hours before we headed back home. I think this picture of them all on the porch swing captures so much of their current personalities...
One more shot before parting...everyone was full of anticipation of all the fun to be had over the next 48 hours!
During their stay, the girls enjoyed trips to the library, a picnic in the woods, picking blueberries and making blueberry pancakes, playing on the swingset and in the toy princess kitchen, getting ice cream, eating out at a Mexican restaurant, visiting the turtles that live in G and PP's yard, watching trains, and helping PP catch a possum in the cage trap.
T, SJ, and I went back to pick up AG and LL on Saturday. The girls were most excited to be reunited with their little sister!
SJ has become a champ at hugging. She wraps her arms all the way around our necks and sometimes even pats our heads or backs. She treated PopPop and Gran to hugs as we left that day, and I think they liked it. :)
Thanks, Gran and PopPop, for all the fun and taking good care of the girls on their first "sleepover"!
SJ and I hung around for a few hours before we headed back home. I think this picture of them all on the porch swing captures so much of their current personalities...
One more shot before parting...everyone was full of anticipation of all the fun to be had over the next 48 hours!
During their stay, the girls enjoyed trips to the library, a picnic in the woods, picking blueberries and making blueberry pancakes, playing on the swingset and in the toy princess kitchen, getting ice cream, eating out at a Mexican restaurant, visiting the turtles that live in G and PP's yard, watching trains, and helping PP catch a possum in the cage trap.
T, SJ, and I went back to pick up AG and LL on Saturday. The girls were most excited to be reunited with their little sister!
SJ has become a champ at hugging. She wraps her arms all the way around our necks and sometimes even pats our heads or backs. She treated PopPop and Gran to hugs as we left that day, and I think they liked it. :)
Thanks, Gran and PopPop, for all the fun and taking good care of the girls on their first "sleepover"!
"Yummy!"
This is how SJ describes tasty foods, and a few weekends ago we had something especially yummy...beignets! After living here almost 3 years, we finally looked into where to get them and found a great spot to which I'm sure we'll be returning! They had great cafe au lait and served beignet fingers, which were perfect for the girls.
As usual, SJ kept eating until we ran out of food! She has a great appetite!
Sweet hugs after our sweet breakfast...
Just the girls
Last Thursday I took the girls to my hometown for their first overnight stay at Gran and PopPop's. On the way, we stopped to meet one of my oldest and closest friends and her daughter for lunch. It is so special and sort of surreal to get to spend time together with our kids! My girls have lots of fun H's sweet girl, 7 year old A.
Could we have even imagined this when we were in high school? :)
As usual, SJ kept eating until we ran out of food! She has a great appetite!
Sweet hugs after our sweet breakfast...
Just the girls
Last Thursday I took the girls to my hometown for their first overnight stay at Gran and PopPop's. On the way, we stopped to meet one of my oldest and closest friends and her daughter for lunch. It is so special and sort of surreal to get to spend time together with our kids! My girls have lots of fun H's sweet girl, 7 year old A.
Could we have even imagined this when we were in high school? :)
Sliding into Summer
It's been a busy few weeks here, with no sign of a break in the fun and activities we have planned anytime soon, but I am finally going to take a chance to catch up on a few posts. Here's what we've been up to the last few weeks, in a nutshell (and a few photos!).
We celebrated the Memorial Day weekend with another family here at home, cooking out and watersliding. Our girls love to play with these kids!
SJ joined AG and LL at the table for lunch for the first time...
There's been plenty of backyard playtime. SJ is becoming quite a little "mama" to the dolls...
AG has been working on learning to brake with her Daddy as coach. Look at that concentration!
They all like to help water the only thing growing in our little container garden...swiss chard! Actually, I guess it's not too bad a turnout since we only planted this and a packet of flower seeds. SJ unfortunately got to our flower seedlings in their pots and they will not be making a comeback. We are looking forward to cooking up our first harvest soon!
We celebrated the Memorial Day weekend with another family here at home, cooking out and watersliding. Our girls love to play with these kids!
SJ joined AG and LL at the table for lunch for the first time...
There's been plenty of backyard playtime. SJ is becoming quite a little "mama" to the dolls...
AG has been working on learning to brake with her Daddy as coach. Look at that concentration!
They all like to help water the only thing growing in our little container garden...swiss chard! Actually, I guess it's not too bad a turnout since we only planted this and a packet of flower seeds. SJ unfortunately got to our flower seedlings in their pots and they will not be making a comeback. We are looking forward to cooking up our first harvest soon!
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