Friday, January 30, 2009

A few new videos

Well, this one is a little old, but I just pulled it off of the camera and had to put it up:


Here is Annie and Riley with two of their new favorite toys from Christmas:


And this is Riley reading Annie a book (first time she has ever seen it):

Thursday, January 29, 2009

A Day In the Life

1. Arrive at school around 5 pm to pick up kids.
2. Pick up big kid first, as instructed each day.
3. Get yelled at by big kid that I am too early- go away because she was finishing an art project.
4. Go to pick up little kid instead. Get a blank look, but finally a smile. Think she is upset because big kid is not there.
5. Pick up big kid, go home.
6. Big kid asks to ride bike. Say it is cold out, but ok.
7. Get little kid all bundled up to go outside and buckled into stroller.
8. Go outside
9. Big kid decides, yeah, it is too cold. Wants to go back in.
10. Go back inside.
11. Attempt to make dinner- put little kid in excersaucer.
12. Little kid cries.
13. Pick up little kid, calm her down. Put her on floor in play gym.
14. Attempt to make dinner
15. Dog licks little kid. Big kids yells and hits dog.
16. Get dog away. Attempt to make dinner
17. Dog licks little kid. Big kid yells at dog some more.
18. Dinner ready.
19. Try to put little kid in high chair. Little kid cries. Big kid eats.
20. Hold little kid on lap. Try to feed pears. Won't eat them. Starts to fuss.
21. Try to nurse little kid while sitting at the table. Little kid does not want to nurse.
22. Try to eat own dinner. Little kid tries to grab spoon.
23. Try to feed little kid again, eats a little.
24. Big kid wants more. Can't put little kid down. Tell big kid to bring plate into kitchen.
25. Put food on plate- dog tries to eat. Big kid yells.
26. Finally finish dinner. Go upstairs. Start running tubs.
27. Little kid on floor in room- starts to cry.
28. Big kid tries to calm down, gets on top of little kid. Yell at big kid to stop.
29. Finish tubs. Tell big kid to take clothes off while I undress little kid.
30. Big kid yells- needs help. Go into room to help big kid, little kid starts to cry.
31. Try to put big kid in tub- has to poop.
32. While big kid poops, pick up little kid and rock- she is not dressed.
33. Little kid pees on me.
34. Put little kid on floor- starts to cry. Change clothes.
33. Big kid done- gets on top of little kid to calm her down.
34. Yell at big kid to get off of little kid.
35. Try to put big kid in bath. Decides she has to pee now.
36. Put big kid in bath.
37. Go back for little kid. Pick her up- she spits up on my new shirt.
38. Bathe kids.
39. Get little kid dressed, get big kid out of tub.
40. Start nursing little kid while big kid gets dressed.
41. Big kid watches movie.
42. Little kid falls asleep.
43. Dad comes home.
44. Big kid goes to bed.
45. Mama goes to bed.
46. It is 7:45pm

Monday, January 26, 2009

riley is here

annie: fufukgukgukgikggugihgi gih ggh gh g

Toofers...

Yes, that is right...we have a tooth!!! On Saturday morning I was getting the girls ready to go to the library and Annie was chewing on my fingers when I felt it...a sharp little point that was definately a tooth. And sure enough, there is a little tip sticking up on the bottom left.

She has been chewing and drooling for a long time, so I am not surprised, but if she hadn't been chewing on my finger, I never would have known it. She never fussed or anything- at least- no more than usual :)

So, we went to the library on Saturday, as I was saying :) Riley picked out a bunch of books, and then we sat on the train and she narrowed it down to just 6 to bring home. We even got one for Annie! Riley is doing so well with reading- a few of the books she picked out are early readers so she spent a long time in her room yesterday afternoon during her quiet time reading them....I love it!!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

History

We had a snow day on Tuesday. We got *maybe* 1/2 an inch of snow- and we had a SNOW DAY! How cool is that. It was also pretty cool because Tuesday was the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States, and I got to watch it from home with Riley! We watched President Obama reach the White House and we talked about him and his family- she even knows his daughter's names. We talked about how he is the first African American president and what that means. I don't know how much she really understands- although they have been talking about presidents all week at her school- but it doesn't matter because it is something I will always remember doing with her. Pretty cool indeed.

I brought the girls to school on Tuesday around 11am, since their school was not closed, and they watched the days events on TV. She saw the parade, and they even stood and sang the National Anthem with everyone around the country...and later that day when I picked her up she told me all about it, and how she put her hand over her heart just like President Obama and they sang the song together....she got to participate in history and for that, I am so thankful for the awesome school she attends. Pretty cool indeed.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Riley

The girls and I had a nice day today- we were off for the holiday, and Todd didn't have to go in until 10, so we all had breakfast together, and then Todd went off to work. After Annie's nap, we all bundled up and headed out to the library. But, apparently the library was closed for the holiday, too, so we went to Barnes and Noble instead. Riley got a new Tinker Belle book and I picked up a few things from Halloween and Christmas for next year. Then we went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. And then we spent the afternoon playing with all of the new Christmas toys :)

I promised an update on Riley...she has really been growing up before our eyes. She is reading now- every day I get an update from her and her teacher about the books she has read. And she reads to Annie all of the time, too. She is very much into Tinkerbelle right now- she has lots of books and toys and clothes and even a Tinkerbelle phone, which was her favorite Christmas present.

They are learning all about penguins at school and every day she tells me new things about penguins. She loves telling people how baby penguins eat, and the fact that the mother or father penguin regurgitates food for the babies....she even knows that word and what it means!! I learned the other day that she can count to 20 in French now- so that makes 4 languages that she can count in!!

Todd told me that I needed to get this down, too....when she sits on her feet at the dinner table so she can be up high, her feet fall asleep and instead of calling it "pins and needles" she calls it "thorns and briars"....so cute!

It is so hard to believe that in a few weeks she will be 5!!! We are having her party this year at Pump It Up....took a long time to decide where she wanted it, but it came down to that or Chuck E Cheese, and so we decided just to go with Pump It Up....she will have a great time!!

So, that is my Riley update....we are waiting for the big snow storm- really hope we get some so she can use her new boots and go out and play in it- even if it is just an inch!!!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Happy Five Months, Annie

Today my baby is 5 months old...how did that happen? Seems like just yesterday I was complaining, over and over on this blog how uncomfortable I was and how I wish this baby would just come out already...and here she is, 5 months later....and it feels like she has always been a part of our lives.

Of course, last night I might have written a different story when she was up EVERY.HOUR....will save that for another post, since this is supposed to be a happy day :)

I had them start her on some solids at school today...she has been eating a little bit at home, when she is in a good mood and will sit in her highchair. She ate all of her cereal and some squash and they said she was so happy...maybe she has just been hungry??? We will see what happens tonight....

I realize I have neglected updaing on Riley lately...will give you the run down on her tomorrow if I get a chance....

Later!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Crankiness

Last week was a rough week. Annie started her new school, and did really well in all ways...except one. For those of you who know us IRL, or read this blog consistently, you can probably guess which way that was....yup- that's right. SLEEPING!!!

I was worried about her napping at the new school, and I was right. It is really just one big room, and Annie is such a little busy-body lately, I guess she decided there was too much going on for her to nap...silly adults, napping is for babies!

So, a sleepless Annie makes a very cranky, tired Annie at the end of the day. With the exception of one day last week, I had a very fussy baby at dinner time who didn't want to eat, who only wanted to be held and who could barely wait to get into bed. Of course, this didn't translate into her sleeping better at night- in fact, it made it worse. So, cranky baby+not eating+not sleeping at night= one super tired, cranky mama!!!!

Fortunately, she did ok with naps this weekend, and I am told she slept better today at school, so maybe it will just take some time to get used to a new place, a new crib, new teachers and a new routine. That is a lot for a little person to take in.

And she was much, much happier tonight....I felt like I had my happy baby back once again....

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Annie goes to college

Annie started her new school on Monday...she is now officially a college student! Well, not really...but she does go to Riley's school and it is on a college campus. Same thing, right?

She did well on her first day. She didn't sleep much, but I kind of expected that. The baby room is just one big room, so all of the cribs are in the room, and she is used to sleeping separately. But other than that, they said she did great. Riley saw her in the afternoon when they rode by on the Baby Buggy (a great big red contraption that they strap the babies into and wheel them around). And of course, being the great big sister that she is, Riley demanded that we both drop Annie off in the morning and pick her up together in the afternoon!

Yesterday she had a better sleeping day- she napped for an hour in the morning and off and on in the afternoon. And it was rainy, so they visited Riley in her classroom twice, which Riley really got a kick out of!

AND....guess who slept 6.STRAIGHT.HOURS last night......if you guessed Annie, you would be totally correct!!!!!!!!! She went to sleep at 7:30, woke at 1:30 to nurse and slept through until 6am!!!! Of course, 6 is a little earlier than usual, so I put her back down to sleep until 7 and then she didn't want to wake up....but she did SO GOOD!!!!! It probably helped that I filled her totally up last night- she nursed, then she ate 1/2 jar of sweet potatoes (which she LOVED, BTW) and then I gave her a bottle....

SOOOOO hoping she does that again tonight.....

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Annie's new trick

Annie's new trick is blowing raspberries. She does it all of the time....we have tried to get it on video, but every time the camera goes on, she stops. Here are the best two attempts:













And here she is in her new toy....I had Todd drag the excersaucer out of the attic. She likes it so far: