da zoo

Here are some pictures from our trip to the zoo with Kathy, Connor & Abigail.


buddies.




He really had her cracking up!




What a funny boy.




which is wild?




wow, ducks are fascinating.











checking out the lizards - Connor's favorite!



We tried getting Connor to hold Addy's hand butt she wouldn't hold his hand - Connor wasn't too thrilled to have putt forth all that effort just to get shut down.



But, it wasn't personal. Adeline just LOVED having Connor around. Here she is running toward him.


John Michael & Abigail were so laid back! I didn't get any pictures of Abigail but here's John Michael's highlight:

Mid-zoo diaper change:



Don't worry Mom, I had him snuggled up and warm right away!



We wanted to go to the zoo again yesterday due to our unseasonably warm weather but it ended up raining. Its unlikely we'll get another warm day being tthat they are forecasting for this weekend but we're grateful we got to go when we did!

Thanks to Michelle T. who lent us her double stroller to make our trip a bit easier!

4 and 20

Well, isn't that a funny title... hehe

My kids are 4 months old and 20 months old and growing like weeds!

John Michael went in for his 4 month check-up today and he was a hefty 18 pounds and 27 inches! (Watch out Anna Kate - we already blew past Sadie!)


While we were there I had Addy measured and weighed too. She was 32 pounds and 33 inches. I was so confused when they told me she was 2 feet 9 inches. I thought, she isn't big enough to be measured in feet!!

Both of them had shots and did surprisingly well. Addy didn't even cry for her flu shot and John Michael didn't cry for his first shot. But when they poked him for a second time he let us know how much he didn't like it! However, as soon as I picked him up he stopped crying and was fine.

John Michael had his first bottle recently. Johnny gave it to him. (Yes, I realize that I'm way late with doing these things. I don't know what my problem is!) It ts nice to know that we can leave him behind for a feeding if we'd like to.



We definitely spoil him more than we did Addy (sorry sweetie). He gets held a lot and we don't let him cry for too long. I knew that I would probably be more lenient with baby #2 and it turns out I am!! I think you begin to realize that they aren't small for so long and so you want to enjoy them as babies more rather than let them be. He's still on a decent schedule and sleeping through the night so I don't think our extra attention is throwing him off (and clearly he's growing just fine!).


Adeline is at that cute stage where she will repeat (or attempt to repeat) just about anything we say. She says Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, cookie, etc. but her favorite saying right now is still "I don't know!" She's more and more active and interested in what's going on around here.

In a continued effort to do more "things" with her we attempted baking cookies recently.

Apparently she misunderstood what a cookie cutter was.


As I was teaching her to put sprinkles on the cookies she decided to try to flip them over.
And when I went to get the camera she took matters into her own hands.


Apparently Mommy didn't use enough sprinkles.

So, after removing the mound of chocolate sprinkles as best as I could we finished up and putt the cookies in the oven to bake.

I forgot how much longer cookies take to bake when you watch them!



Testing the fruits of her labor.

Success!

silly bows, forced affection & grateful hearts

I got this bow in the Target dollar section a while ago. I thought it was so cute but everyone who sees it just thinks its silly... Apparently Addy thinks so too. haha



Addy is learning the letter "A." She knows that A is for Addy and apple. So, now when we point to the letter A she says "A!" and when we ask her what its for she says Addy or Apple and sometimes she says "Ajai!" She is also learning the letters B, C & D but isn't quite as quick to point them out correctly. We aren't pressing it but I thought it would be a fun and educational way to interact with her throughout the day. I got the idea from Shannon's sister, Kristie, who is/was a teacher. She's given me lots of fun, educational ideas to do with the Adster. She still doesn't have colors and shapes mastered either so we have plenty to keep us busy!!

Meanwhile she is keeping herself busy by digging out her own snacks. Who can argue with a kid who wants to snack on Special K?



Most of you are familiar with Addy's affection for Lucy, a Gund stuffed lamb. Well, I've been campaigning for John Michael to have that same affection for "Wrigley." My mom bought Wrigley and his twin brothers at a Steiff outlet store in Germany when she lived there. So, I'm strongly encouraging John Michael to love Wrigley the same way Addy loves Lucy. We aren't there yet but I won't give up easily!!



And finally, we can't help but reflect on this past year with grateful hearts. It was this time last year when we discovered and announced we were pregnant with John Michael. It was definitely a surprise being that Addy was only seven months old at the time... but as we enjoy this precious addition to our family we cannot help but recognize the beauty and the kindness of our Lord's sovereign plan. We all just adore John Michael, especially Adeline who greets him with kisses and snuggles and as of today discovered how to put his paci in properly! So, we thank the Lord this week, not only for our son but for our daughter, our marriage, our families, our church and above all... our salvation... freely given to us through faith in the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus. Because of him we have hope for the days to come!

its so fun having a brother/sister

sweet kiddos




playing with John Michael




reading to John Michael:



bathtime! (not so great of a pic of Addy but what do you do!?



well, we're off to the zoo today to see the animals and hang out with our dear friends Kathy, Connor & Abigail! Have a great day.

The Warm Weather is "all gone"

We, though a bit uncooperatively, took advantage of what was probably our last mild day of fall to take some pictures of the kiddos in the leaves.

"Sure Mommy, I'll pose for pictures. Which face do you want me to make? The curious/bored one or the happy, smiley one? Well, turns out you don'tt get to pick. I'm going to stare at the camera like its an alien the whole time. Sound good?"






"You thought this would be fun... why????"



"Please don't make me sit in this."



"I'm done. Pick me up please"



Though this next picture looks deceptively carefree the truth was she was WAY done at this point.



Hey, these leaf things are kind of cool after all!



Sadly, this was the cutest of the ones I got of them together. :(



Goodbye Fall. We enjoyed knowing you for the week or so you were here.

Crafts & Cuties

Recently it hit me that Adeline can only read so many books, have so many snack times and watch so many Elmo videos before her brain begins to deteriorate! With the cold outdoor weather and a young baby we aren't bundling up much and venturing out for chilly play dates. SO, in an effort to be a good mom and to spend some quality time with Addy I'm on the hunt for some good craft ideas for a 19 month old. If you have any I'd love to hear them! Here are some of our efforts so far:

The Orange Poster:



For this project we got a posterboard and cut out "orange" things from a magazine. She thought this was great fun... until I tried doing it again with the color blue. She was was like, "Mom, didn't we already do this but with a different color?" Of course she doesn't talk but that was the look she gave me as she walked away from my craft center. :( We'll try again in a couple of days.


The Pilgrim Dress



A friend of mine suggested that she isn't too young to begin Thanksgiving tradition crafts. So, we started with a pilgrim dress made out of a paper bag. On the bag we cut outt things that had to do with Native American Indians and talked about pilgrims and Indians. I'm pretty sure she didn't understand but she did enoy pointing out the Indian girl and her horse and her teepee, etc. She did not, however, like wearing the dress. A few days later she ripped all of tthe pieces off of the dress and we threw it away. :(

And finally:

America's newest snack... Play-Doh.





You faithful blog readers are definitely not surprised to see that Addy attempted to eat the Play-doh! That pretty much describes that experience... yah.

John Michael isn't doing many crafts these days. Unless of course you include sucking his fingers, sucking his thumb, sucking his paci and learning how to roll over :) As a matter of fact that has been my mission as of late... trying to keep the little guy from sucking his finger by constantly removing it and inserting tthe paci. Its usually successful but some days I think I might end up with a finger sucker after all! But, he sure is a CUTIE!! Check out these smiles!





MY FAVORITE!!

A Tribute to TuTu

Everyone should have a TuTu in their life.... and I don't mean the little outfit that ballerinas wear. TuTu means "grandma" in Hawaiian though I doubt there is a grandma in Hawaii better than mine!

TuTu comes to my house faithfully every Thursday to sit with the kids while I go to the grocery store, run errands or do whatever it is that I need to get done around the house. Then, she buys me and Addy lunch and sometimes stays the afternoon while I continue to run errands! And she doesn't come empty handed either. A visit from TuTu means a package of diapers, a stack of coupons, pajamas for the kids, new books or toys or special snacks for Adeline.

As if this weren't enough TuTu has babysat for us and served us countless other times. She came and picked up Addy from DD & Beth's wedding and brought her home so that we could stay late with Johnny's family, she stayed late so that we could go to a play. She helped me pack for our trip to Florida, she has searched out special items for me at the store, you name it!! I couln't list all the ways she's helped and blessed us

What makes TuTu's help so special though is that my children adore her. Addy often asks for TuTu to come over and her face lights up when she arrives. She loves pulling her around the house to her toys or her animal crackers and most of all she loves crawling up in her lap to read books with her. Its doubtful that she loves many people as much as she loves her TuTu.

This kind of practical help is one of the many ways I see God caring for me in this busy season of life. He has blessed me with an incredible family (on both sides!) and I can't be more grateful for the way all of them love me and my children (whether through gifts, babysitting or time spent together!) Thanks TuTu for being such an example to all of us of a loving woman who will lay her life down to care for her family. I'm the recipient of your love and care!!

The pictures you see below are pictures of TuTu caring for us throughout the years. I included one of TuTu and me to show you tthat this incredible love and care didn't begin with the birth of MY children! She's been this way as long as anyone can remember!!

First are pictures of TuTu visit last week when she took the kiddos on a wagon ride (she also bought them the wagon last year and even made a soft cushion with a removable, washable cover to sit inside of it - - isn't she incredible?).

TuTu visiting Addy right after she was born



TuTu visiting John Michael right after he was born

TuTu enjoying a picture book of Addy

TuTu playing with John Michael

TuTu & I at my sister's shower

Rocking John Michael to sleep (she has a knack for it!)

Rocking Addy to sleep

Playing with Addy

Playing with ME!


Me & my TuTu


We love you TuTu!