March 6, 2013

Marianne at 18 months old.
And she is such a sweet beauty.  Even in these unedited pictures her eyes glow.  My darling.  I let her play outside today after her nap, and she was thrilled.  Even if all we have is a porch or dirt to play in.  She has a bucket and shovels gravel into it.  She got to draw with chalk on the porch.  The cement trucks around the corner scared her and she came and sat by me.  We had  soda and a sandwich together.

Really she was 18 months old two almost three weeks ago, but we hadn't done our well check or taken any pictures.  And now we have.  So here is the post about her at 18 months old.

Height:  33..25 inches  88 %
Weight   24lbs 13 oz  56%
Head   48.5 cm    93%

And she has seven teeth I think.  She surprised us one day when we had been expecting her front teeth to come in after her two bottom, and all of a sudden she had three or four molars instead, a whole mouth of teeth around 17 months old.  Up until then she only had the two bottoms.

My baby is a giant.  My biggest kids at this age without doubt which is shocking seeing as how she was such a little one at birth.  I don't know that I really knew she was a giant baby until we went to this appointment. Since I have noticed her towering over two year olds and hardly fitting into clothes that are not 2T.  She wears Kate's old clothes I can remember her in at age 3.  She has always been a chubby one though.

Motor skills wise, she is climbing, jumping, getting into everything, running down the street after the neighbours cat, and quick running away from me when I need her to come.  She likes to put things away, like toys into tubs, puzzle into boxes, food into baggies.  She loves to color..... on anything and everything.  We have had to hide every writing utensil we own because she has already colored on most every wall and hard floor surface in the new house in two week.  She likes to dress herself too, and although I dress her, she will attempt to put on a 2nd or 3rd pair of pants through out the day, and not new ones, just over the top of what she is wearing.   She loves pj's.  And always want to puts pj's on, specifically ones from Christmas, or her siblings. She wields a fork or spoon daintily and doesn't really like eating things with her hands, and she knows how to work the iphone swiping her fingers across the screen.

Marianne continues to be a pure delight.  Though she recently has had a hyper streak unmatched by any of our children ever where she just runs and laughs and teases and jumps out of control.  It is her normal happy self over the top.
She loves everyone in our family too.  Every morning when I wake up she still runs to tackle me.  She seems to love her daddy most and hates when he leaves and doesn't let her come with him to work or errands.  And she loves her siblings.  Though she seems to tease most especially Sam more often than I remember teasing happening with other sibling pairs in the past.  Mostly she just takes whatever they are playing with and wait for them to chase her, it is her way of getting them to play rough house with her not her being mean really.  She has finally learned how to run and give a hug or a kiss  and I make her do it for me over and over again all day because it makes us both so happy.

Her words have really been taking off in the last month.  She says more things than I could likely list, but new words this week include pizza, chalk,  bunny, ears, and barbie.  The things she says most though are "more, mine, no, and up"
She thinks both Sam and Kate are called "tate"
For a long time she didn't say so many words because a simple grunt or "no" or "mine" seemed to get the whole family doing whatever she wanted us to do.
She still refuses despite much coaching to say anything that sounds like "I Love You" however. And won't really cuddle except if she wants to sit on your lap and read a book- which she won't let you read, because she likes to control when the pages are turned not you.  She loves to dance and gets lots of attention when she does and only sings three songs, and only a word or two at that. "Happy Birthday, E-I-E-I-O, and Sunbeam"

Currently her favorite things to do are play with blocks, read books, color and go outside.  She gets so excited when I get colors our or say we can go outside she literally  starts hyperventalating.  Whenever anyone is going anywhere she always can tell and runs to get her coat and shoes and says "go".  She just loves to go.  I often reserve errands for when she is napping and Jake listens for her from his office, so she has been home more of her little life than some of the other kids, and so she just loves to "go" anywhere.  I remember a month or so ago, I took just her to the store with me and she just stared wide eyed at everything feeling so lucky to go somewhere just her with me.  Another thing she loves is computers and phones.  Games and movies on the phone or computer get her hyperventalating as well, and if she sees you with a phone, and then you put it away she tries to dig in your pockets and lifts up your shirt trying to get it.

She is a smart one, and mostly obedient.  If she needs to have a diaper change she will go get the diaper and wipes for you.  You often takes her cups and plates from the table and puts them in the sink without us asking or even having taught her that, she has just watched us.  She still goes to sleep like a champ, and will often ask to go to sleep by getting her blankie and laying on the floor with it and sucking her thumb.  She still sleeps with her blankie and her pink baby doll every night and every nap.  Sometimes she will add several other dolls and animals to the mix too.  We lost the pink baby doll for a while and I was beside myself with guilt we had lost her favorite companion.  It was found a week later only after I had searched the house for more than 10 hours, gone to several stores to try to find a replacment, and attempted to find it online for hours.  I was even up at night worried about it.  I bought her a replacement that was a bit different but I thought she still might like, but she did not really care for it.  When it was found a week later she seemed so happy and it has rarely left her side since it was found.  I love that she is such a little mother.  And she is.  She loves playing with babies and dolls.
Another thing she loves.  Baths.  If I mention the word within seconds she has ripping off her clothes and headed for a tub.  She never wants to get out and would happily take 5 baths a day.
She also loves the pantry.  She loves going in and finding something to eat.  We jokingly called her our cereal baby for a while because she would go get a bag of cereal from the cupboard and drag it around the house eating it all day.  She still does that, but has learned that we prefer if she gets a ziplock and puts a few handfuls in.... which she will sometimes do.  Which is good because she often ended up accidentally dumping entire bags of crackers and cereal all over the carpet.  She also loves oatmeal.  It may be her current favorite food.

We call Marianne lots of different things.
Mary, Mer and Maize seem to be the current most popular.
She was a bit concerned her first try at nursery at church, but has since gone without a bit of trouble.
Which is a bit surprising since she seems to always be concerned whenever anyone comes over that I'm going to leaver her or something.

I love my Marianne.  I can't get enough of her big eyes, or her still somewhat dark long locks of hair.  I can't get enough of her chubbiness and her checks.  She giggle and laughs and smiles and delights us all constantly.  Seriously, we have been so lucky to have such a happy beautiful little girl.  My heart explodes with love whenever I peek in on her cuddling with all of her loves and her blankie in her bed asleep.  I say this about so many ages, but she is currently in one of my favorite ages... well she has been since she was 6 months old.  I love all the learning and laughing she does.

March 3, 2013

Jake gave Kate a notebook to write in at church on Sunday morning.  She was so happy about it.  She has been carrying it around and writing in it for two days straight.  She even took it to school and wrote a sentence some time while she was there.  Recently I let her pick out a new book and she picked out a book with chapters.  So her notebook is a series of "chapters"  Although she doesn't fully understand the concept of chapters, and thinks it is a whole new story, partly because the book she picked out is a new story in each chapter.  She writes the chapter number she is on,  and usually has some small illustrations with the stories or decorative circles or flowers on each page..

Here are some excerpts so far from the book Kate is writing.

"1.
I had a pair of puppiees and to cars.  I wont a flowwr seeds.
one day Salee brfdaa was heer.
hse was so hapee
that hse still wanten flower seed

tday was hse had hr brdaa is and then hse had one more presenten it was
flowwr seed.

the end"


More clearly.
(I had a pair of puppies and  a toy car.  I want flower seeds.
One day Sally's birthday was here
She was so happy.
That she still wanted flower seeds.

,Today was she had her birthday and she had one more present.
It was flower seeds!

The End.)

You can see it is about a girl who has puppies and cars but really wants some flowers seeds.  She is so happy but doesn't get the one thing she want most.  Then she finds she has one more present.... and it is flower seeds.


"2.
Kalee and Same.
He lost his toy car
it was a mistre
they look at a stoor
but it wasnt there
they look at the scll
There Kalee fouond the car."

More clearly.
(Kalee and Same- the title perhaps
He -Sam- had lost his toy car.
It was a mystery
They looked at a store
But it wasn't there.
They looked at the school
There Kalee found the car)

This one is a little more clear though it is nice to note that it is a mystery... she loves mysteries, and that the characters are her brother Sammy and our neighbour Calle.

I love how she gets the elements of a story anyway.  Characters, conflict and of course a happy resolution.  She has written a lot in the past, even stories, but they would be more sentences or facts, not characters with problems to solve and answers to the conflicts.

Chapter three is about bugs.  Can't wait to see the finished product.
Remember how Kate has been set on being an astronaut since she was like 18 months old or something insane.  I mean what kid stick with the same occupational dream that long?
I'm always encouraging the dream, and recently  she got a new space book and has been learning about all kinds of new things, like black holes and meteors, and sadly the book has scared her and she thinks she is going to get hurt in space.
So tonight she decided she wanted to be a "book writer" instead.

She really takes her dreams seriously and I love it.


3.
Bugs! Bugs!
And Bugs!
Look there is a flowr and a gee (bee)
Look at the floowrs
look bi the floows
There is a gee (bee)
Buzz Buzz

By Kate

The last in her chapter book.  She tells me it is a rhyme.
I think she means a poem.

February 27, 2013

Today is "Dress Like you Favorite Character from a Book" Day at school.  Kate and I thought and thought about what she could be.  It is pretty tricky to try to think of both a book you like with a character you might be able to look like.  Then smart little her thought of something perfect.  "Pinkalicious"    So today we got ready for school with all the pink clothes we could find layered a top one another, our pink watch, pink hair ribbons, pink shoes, pink nails and lots of pink makeup.

The 2nd picture is of the Get Well Cards her class made her while she was sick and away for a whole week or school.  Two weekends ago Kate's lingering cold (from Jan 29th)  turned worse, and she had a fever again of 103, and she basically has been laying on the couch in my electric blanket for most the month whenever she is home.  With the spiked fever, I guessed that she had pneumonia so we got her into the doc.  Her and I went over.  And they were super concerned for her.  I hadn't really been, she didn't seem that sick to me.  But they sent us over to the hospital for every test imaginable.  After x-rays, blood work, and meeting with a respitoray therapist who did a nasal wash (which sounds kind enough but is basically an  NG tube)  we returned to  paediatricians.  Tests concluded that she did have pneumonia and also influenza B.  She was given an antibiotic shot and we were sent home with a script for more antibiotics.  Amidst the testing, I called Jake and asked him to come lend a hand because I hate doing those kind of things by myself, and I can't go into the x-ray lab pregnant, hold her in my lap for blood draws because I don't have one etc.  He took her home when we were done, and I went to get the script.  Lucky for Kate they happen to have a unicorn that projects stars on your ceiling at the pharmacy, something she has mentioned to me a time or two before.  Despite it being very overpriced it was purchased and brought home for my very brave girl.  I feel so bad for Kate and all the stuff she has to endure with all her illnesses.  As if tummy stuff was not enough, tests and shots for other stuff seems unfair.  She handled it as brave as she could and is such a trooper.  She got to spend the next two days watching movie cuddled up in my heating blanket and watching movies and was all better.    Kate has a great attitude and I'm so grateful she is our oldest.
This morning I woke up to her and Sam cleaning their room without being asked????  I'm not sure what spawned it other than love for me and wanting to be kind.

February 23, 2013

He is four- see him telling me with his fingers!

I'm very broken up that I will no longer be living with a three year old boy.  Because he has officially turned four.  Sam has loved his birthday!  Loved it.  And nothing makes me happier than my children being happy, especially on their own special day.

A little bit about Sam at age Four.

Height:  37.25 inches  3%
Weight: 32.8lbs  22%

It has been a busy year for our family and for Sam, and he has taken it all in stride.  He started the year with lots of tummy problems, and he was such a trooper, allowing lots of tests, spending time at the doctors and obeying his mother always asking "does this have sugar in it?"  because he knew he couldn't eat it.  Sometimes he still asks even though he is allowed sugar now out of habbit.  He made the moves without much trouble and has been so very helpful to me while I've been sick and pregnant.  He also mostly got over his obsession with only wearing certain kinds of clothes and rarely throws fits when getting dressed.  He spends a lot of time alone with me while Kate is at school and M is taking her nap, and we love it.  We cuddle up and look up stuff on the computer, practice letters, or watch movies or run errands just the two of us.  This fall we planted some bulbs in a planter together and he remembers the project all the time and reminds me or asks me about our flowers, that just the two of us did.  Sam loves projects and because he does he gets a lot of special alone time with Dad too.  He loves getting his tools he got for Christmas out to help Dad build shelves, hang something or work on the car.  He really is our helpful guy.

The biggest milestone he made this year was completing potty training in the early fall.  He also learned to ride a bike without training wheels in the fall too.  He has started to learn to read and come a very long way in school knowledge like letters, numbers, shapes.  He has learned so much this year.  Another milestone of course was going to Primary.  Sam is a sunbeam!  We love hearing about what he learns.  Sam has always had a special spirit but as he becomes more vocal we become more aware of it.  He is always asking questions that surprise us about heaven and Jesus.  He always has such sweet prayers, thanking Heavenly Father for Jesus, asking for blessings for others, and often just telling Heavenly Father something from his day, the other day in a prayer he added "and I am turning 4 soon."  I love when he tells his Heavenly Father what is going on and on his mind.

Sam is a really good sibling too.  Although he and Marianne annoy each other sometimes, he can be really sweet.  Just today at the store he kept seeing things he though she would like and asking if we could get something for her.  Of course Sam and Kate still play all the time as well and Sam is happy to have Kate direct him in the play.  He has been mostly good about letting her play with all the Legos he got for his birthday.

Sam is a planner and a worker.  He is constantly... and I mean constantly talking about when he grows up and what he wants to do.  He wants to be a worker (builder he means) and tow truck driver, a regular truck driver, a fireman and a farmer, and sometimes a pilot too.  He is always telling us about the apples he will grow on his farm, the dog he will have as a fireman and the truck he will drive as a worker.He likes a lot of tractors and vehicle but excavators have quickly made it to his favorite of all time.  A truck is not a truck to Sam, he can name you about 12 different kinds of trucks and tractors.  Just yesterday he told us he might just drive his tractor in the sky and scoop up the moon and put it in our backyard.  Just today he told me about how when he is a worker with a wife he is going to scoop all the pirates and throw them in the dump. He often includes his parents, siblings, grandparents and friends in his future plans.

Sam is usually also the first person to wake up each morning.  He comes in my room, finds a pillow I keep for him beside my bed and lays down, but never without asking "can I sleep here mom?"  When I say yes, he usually catches a few minutes of sleep on the floor beside my bed.  He spends as much of day driving vehicles around the living room and kitchen as doing anything else. And sometimes when I really look at Sam like when he fell asleep on my lap at church a few weeks ago, I can't believe how handsome and adorable he is.

Sam always says " I know that"  all the time in response to everything.  and "awesome!"
Sam's fav. color is" Blue"
Sam's fav food is "hamburgers and Samwiches and hotdogs and eggs"
Sam's fav toy  is his new transformer he says
Sam's fav thing to do is "projects with Mom" and "work with Dad"
Also he thinks his name is Samurai.  Mostly because we always just call him Sam.  And he knows he has a longer name.  But he often forgets Samuel and thinks Samurai (another nickname) is his real name.

Sam is an incredible boy.  Although I don't want him to grow up one more day, I can't wait to see all  that he becomes.  He is such a great combination of sweetness and boyness, helpful and spiritual, obedient and fun. He is all that I could have ever dreamed up in a son.

Happy Birthday Sam.

Feb 21, 2013

We celebrated Sam's birthday today.
More than a month ago he decided on a Lego Helicopter birthday.  A Lego Helicopter Birthday.  And it was mom's job to make that happen of course.
The invitation went out and the planning begun.  Except Sam called the invitations "tickets" and expected everyone to bring and present the ticket to get into the party.  Well of course right.   We have never thrown a kid birthday at our house  If our kids (who are all still very young) have had friends involved it has been because we invited them to come somewhere.  This year, we are doing the real at home all out kind of birthday.  What fun!  Sam and Kate both helped in the prep work and the decorating we started two days before.



Yesterday in excitment over his big day I found Sam in the living room, looking at this decoration we made chanting "S.A.M... S.A.M" over and over again.

Sam reminded me that last year his room was decorated when he woke up.  He asked if his room could have balloons in it and if Dad would come in and say "It is your birthday Sam!" to wake him up.  Sam woke up early though, discovered the decor and couldn't go back to sleep he was too excited for the day. 

Here is Sam this morning laying on the rug.  He is so anxious and excited for his birthday I think he might explode.  He is dreaming of his presents.  He has been talking about a big helicopter he saw at the store a week or so ago.  Don't worry, it came- and tonight- when he was suppose to be trying to sleep he came out and asked me "who gave me that talking helicopter?"  When I reminded him it was from Dad and I he told me it was his favorite toy.

 Why does he have to actually look so old too.

 We made some sweet Lego figure masks.  Everyone that came over today had to take a picture with Sam with one.  They were so fun.

Sam helped me make the cake yesterday.  But the LEGO helicopter was added as a surprise after he went to bed.  The bottom is lego candy which Kate and I found when she helped me get things for his birthday.  You could actually build with them.

Gift bags for our guests.  We invited 7 kids, but from only four families- It ended up being the perfect amount of kids.

We had kind of an all day party.  We celebrated at lunch as a family.  Grandma and Grandpa Anderson dropped by with a balloon and present and Sam got to open his gifts from us as well.  We let him blow out candles and eat his big cake.  We made these cupcakes for the kid party.

That is a four our out of Paper Lego's in the back.  It was Sam's favorite decoration he told me.

 Grandma and Grandpa in their LEGO masks.

 Kate picked out this Star Wars mask, then picked out a Lego Star Wars bag to match.  It was a challenge to get her to pick something at the store.  This was like the 8th thing she picked, the first 7 were all things that were way too expensive or more something she would like than him.

  That big helicopter with lights and sounds he had been eyeing.  Really we got off easy this year as far as gifts go.  All he wanted was Legos and helicopters.  Does he think you only get gifts that match the theme of your birthday which is why he picked both Legos and helicopters

 Sam was anxious to "do the cake"  After the candles and cake he said "now I'm four"  I think he thinks you don't turn the new age until the candles are blown.   Little does he know we are celebrating two days early because it was a good day to have a birthday party.  I like the idea you turn the new age with the candles.

 Licking the frosting of the helicopter so he can play with it.

 Party time starts.  While we waited for everyone to arrive, each kid colored their own Lego figure.  They were more into it than I though they would be actually.  Especially Kate and Marianne our girls.  They each colored four more or so before bed tonight.

 Lego masks with friends.

 Sam plays a Lego memory game on my computer.  He wanted to play it at his party, so we made a big version and played.  We had some very well behaved kids for the most part who would sit and take turns playing the game.

upc

 Sam blew out candles on a cupcake and then we ate cupcakes with our friends.  Sam told me the cupcakes were his favorite part of the party.  He did seem to enjoy when all the kids were looking at him and singing to him, I think he felt special to be the center of attention.   There was also pizza, building with blocks, and a balloon pirate game the kids made up when they were waiting for me to get the cupcakes ready.

 Sam's sisters were great sports to enjoy the day and not be jealous.

This guy is so special.  Really.  I couldn't want anything more than for all his dreams to come true.  Everyday, but especially this day.  He is my favorite boy in the world.
Happy Lego Helicopter Birthday to my Sweetheart!

Feb 17, 2013

 Kate thinks it is too bright outside.  Yes the sun is out.  She likes her Valentine's clothes I've picked out.  And shows me that it is perfect because her tights have a heart on the bum.

 I picked out Sam's clothes today.  It was just the plaid shirt and sweater.  But he insisted he wear a tie to church.  So he picked out that red one to "match" and also insisted he tuck in his shirt.  Remember when we couldn't get him in a collared shirt last year.  He's got church clothes down now.  Because it is his birthday this week, he came out of primary with tons of goodies.  A mirror with a picture of Jesus on it that he sang primary songs into until he fell asleep in his bed last night.  And a coupon to collect a bag of treats from the bishop.  Which he did.   And was completely over the top excited about.

   Marianne is obsessed with a cat that lives across the street.  She is pointing at it now, and will not look at me for any of the pictures from here because she is trying to get the cat to come to her.  This week when I let her outside to play, in a matter of ten minutes she was covered in mud and snow and puddles because she chased the cat all over the street.

My crew for church on Sunday.
Dressed in red and pink for Valentine's.
We all went to church- first time nobody was sick in three weeks I think.
Marianne went to nursery for the first time.  Say it is not so.  She is 18 months old.
We even managed to go to choir practice and make cookies as a family yesterday.  The girls spent the morning feeding Cola a bag of cheerios and squealing in delight about it for a good 30 minutes.  Nobody had to leave a class or sacrament meeting because of a disruptive kid (except to get Kate a drink because she couldn't stop coughing).  And grandma had us over for dinner.
Sometimes Sundays are my least favorite days. And sometimes they are my favorite days.

Feb 14, 2013

Valentine's Day.
Some how Valentine's Day has crossed over officially.  From a day of romantic love to a holiday with our kids.  Considering it is difficult for me to get off the couch I am feeling so pregnant, I put a lot of effort into making the day fun for everyone.    I decorated the house with balloons and streamers and cut out hearts the night before. Jake rounded up pink sprinkle doughnuts and a treat bag for each kid the night before.  In the morning we exchanged gifts and we let the kids go at the goodies all morning.  It meant a serious sugar crash before 10 am which was not the best.  But we got a great photo of everyone smiling at the fire place just before Kate headed to school.  Then Sam and I headed out to deliver some Valentine's he had made.  He was feeling left out when Kate was making her school Valentine's so he used some of her left overs to make a few for friends.  The kids had been looking forward to Valentine's Day so much.  I told Jake "I feel like they think every holiday is such a big deal, they talk about it for weeks, and make plans"  He tells me "well that is because you always deliver"  Have I spun myself into a lifetime of high expectations for each holiday... it looks like it.  At least I enjoy it normally.

 Each child received and invitation to a Ball to  be held in our living room that evening.  Both Kate and Sam seemed pleased.

When Kate arrived home from school, we got ready.  They picked out perfect outfits I thought.  Then we had a fancy dinner.  Home made heart shape chicken roll pies.  Red Jello.  Asparagus and sparkling cider.  Then after the dance begun.  I had spent the afternoon hanging up the only christmas lights I could find- which happened to be multi colored and red streamers.  I announced each child into the room with a trumpet sound.  They didn't really get that part.

 I started to dance with sam, and Jake with Kate.  But soon after Kate insisted Sam was more her size. It worked out great.  The two of them danced together- which meant I only had to share Jake with M once in a while.... who wanted to dance with books in her hand, and then not dance at all just read books on the couch, but got it together for some serious moved towards the end to our delight.

 We finished the evening with individual strawberry shortcake parfaits that were beautiful if I don't say so myself.  And watching Beauty and the Beast all cuddled up in my electric blanket.  When Jake went to the store for kid Valentine's he almost came home with their own electric blankets, it may have been wise since they are obsessed with mine.