Siblings!

I love how different Andy and Katie can be.  They also are similar in many ways...like their size.  They both are wearing 4T clothing...even though they are 2 years apart.  I had to laugh when Kyle told me about his conversations with both of them as he dropped them off at preschool.

Andy:

"Daddy, I only am going to be friends with people who don't make fun of me."  Poor guy - we're still not sure what it means, although he claims he is a "big boy" and is ready for Kindergarten.  He wants to hang out with the kids he was in class with last year (when he was the youngest in the class - instead of the younger kids that are in his class now).  We think the older boys are calling him a "baby" for being in the younger class.

Katie:

As Kyle was driving by some of the spring trees, he said "Katie, aren't those trees beautiful?" Katie's response, "Yes, daddy, JUST LIKE ME."

Oh boy!

I can't wait to see what Abi's personality is going to be like.

Easter

Easter Day was beautiful.  We had a relaxing day at home after discovering what the Easter Bunny left at each door and then we headed over to our park to participate in a community egg hunt.  Then we headed to the Brady's and Amber's "new" house for a fun afternoon with the Anderson family and cousins.  Amber outdid herself and had such great a great set-up for all of the kids.  They were in heaven!

Checking out the Easter baskets

Happy 1st Easter Abigail!

Abi and Manning - about one month apart

 All of the older cousins

An attempt at a family picture

Nothing like ending the day by running naked under the hose!

 Happy girls!

New Toys

It's amazing how "new toys" or toys at other people's houses always are such a big hit - especially at first.  Miss Marta, Katie's preschool teacher sold all of her preschool toys - and we got some great ones.  The kids were entertained and giddy over their new prizes - it was like Christmas!

A new princess tent - and new animals to play with!

A new baby swing (just like Abi's) and some babies to fill it with.  Although, Andy likes to give his monkeys a ride.

A day in the mountains

We had the BEST day in the mountains as a family.  The weather was beautiful Easter weekend - almost in the 70s, so the kids were warm and we all had fun.  It made Kyle and me realize that we need to get up to the mountains more often - and we look forward to when everyone is old enough to ski.  For now, sledding and just being in the mountains was a blast.

Andy was so excited that when he reached the snow, he layed down in the middle of the pathway and started making snow angels.  It was as if he'd never seen the snow.

Katie, of course, had to follow.

Katie could have made and thrown snow balls all day

Andy loved the tubing

Katie screamed the whole way down

She was much happier on the little hill we found for our own sleds

She was much happier on the little hill we found for our own sleds

Both were very proud that they went down the hill on skis, just like mommy and daddy. I have to say, it made me pretty darn excited too.

Puddle Jumpers Preschool

Katie's preschool ended on  the last day of March.  Luckily we are heading to Palm Desert for one week this month, but I panicked when I heard the program was going to end early.  Katie loves preschool, playing with other kids, and I enjoy a little break...I mean one on one time with Abi : )

Puddle Jumpers has been a great fit for Katie this year.  Marta is wonderful, and I don't know who is going to miss her more, Katie or me!  She was so supportive of me and my many crazy states of pregnancy and post-delivery.

Here are a few pictures from the last day.  Katie was very proud of her preschool diploma and was showing it off to Abi.

Katie and the boys

Henry, Clay, Katie, 

Victoria, Sebastian

Happy Birthday Bets!

We had fun celebration Betsy's 35th.  Betsy loves her birthday, so it makes it fun to celebrate her big day.  I feel so fortunate to have you as a sister, Bets.  I don't know what I'd do without you!

One of my favorite memories from her 35th year - was cheering her on while she rocked the Portland Marathon.  Only Bets - raising the roof while in the thick of the race.

Andy Man

Andy seems to be growing up so quickly as well.  I think the fact that he will be in all day Pre-K next year makes me sad as I know I will miss my buddy.   Andy is quite the chatter box too these days.  He likes to explain things from start to finish without interruption.  He asks a lot of questions - why things work the way they do, why things exist, how things work...and he won't stop asking until he gets to the bottom of things or gets an answer he likes. He absorbs things - loves to "research" and learn about things.  He is starting to sound out letters to read words and gets proud of himself when things start to click.  He LOVES his baby sister.  It warms my heart to see how much he cares for her.  And he and Katie are buddies.  Most of the time they play well together and he's always asking her to do things with him.  He prefers playing with one close buddy instead of playing in a big group.  He loves his "big monkey" and "little monkey" and instead of just being his loveys, they have become his "friends."  We often have to give his monkeys a snack too, etc.  When Andy sleeps at night, he gets completely under the covers...so often when I check on the kids after they've fallen asleep, I have to dig him out of the covers because he is covered in sweat.  He likes to wear anything Husky related and prefers cozy clothes to anything.  The combination of clothes he picks out is humorous at times, but I pretty much can count on a Husky shirt if one is clean.  He still prefers playing with cars over anything else, but has gotten more into art (anything except coloring).  He loves doing projects with his daddy and he looks forward to weekend time with him.

Some of my favorite Andyisms these days:

-Can you inside out my underoos?
-"Speaking of..."
-"Actually..."

Katie Girl

Katie oh Katie.  She is so full of personality - it feels like it is bursting out of her these days.  She's really into princesses and ballerinas.  Her favorite characters are "Sophia the first" and Dora.  She is really good at playing make-believe and I love eavesdropping on her conversations with herself.  I laugh when she disciplines/encourages/coaches her animals/dolls/cars like I talk to her.  She is very into dressing herself...or pretty much doing anything herself.  She has a lot of confidence and a lot of sass and can shake her booty like the best of them.  When she puts on a dress or a shirt that she likes, she'll walk into the room and proclaim, "I SO beautiful!"  She carries her lambies and boo everywhere and is very ticklish. She is quite the daddy's girl right now, but wants to do everything that I am doing.  We recently painted our toes together.  I should have chosen a different color, because she started crying because she thought her toes were bleeding.  She falls down or gets tackled (by her brother) pretty often, but she's really tough.  She loves when she gets a chance to wear a bandaid (especially princess bandaids).  At her recent dentist appointment, it was pretty much confirmed that we will be having to get a check up with the orthodontist...unless we can get her to stop sucking her thumb by the time she's 4.  I highly doubt that is possible - she loves that right thumb of hers.  She is good at telling us when she needs something.  For example, when she's had about enough of me spending time with Abi, she'll look right at me and say, "I want mommy time."  She will tell us her tummy hurts when she isn't feeling quite right and she will tell us when she's tired and wants to go nigh nigh.  I hope she continues to be direct and open as she gets older!

She is quite the little chatter box, and I love the little saying she uses when mixing up words.
-Mommy, where you are?  (instead of where are you?)
-I SO hungry
-No, I do it!
-When Kyle says, "Are you my princess?" she responses "FOREVER!"

Abi Update

We had Abi's weight check this week.  I felt as though there was a lot of pressure on me as I have been working so hard to get Abi to gain weight over the past 3 weeks.  Around the clock (literally) I am pumping, or feeding, or thinking about what I am putting in my mouth/reading labels/trying to find new recipes/snacks/or prepare so I get enough calories to give Abi enough nutrients.  Deep breath.

Abi gained 12 ounces and grew 1/2 inch in 21 days.  It's not the big growth spurt Dr. Allen was hoping for, but he was pleased with the growth.  We're not sure if it's the pumping and feeding by bottle or the change in diet, but her growth definitely took a curve shift, which is good news.  Dr. Allen feels strongly that Abi has a dairy and soy protein intolerance, something she eventually will outgrow.  For now, I am instructed to keep this schedule up as breast milk is the best thing we can give her.  We can introduce solids if we want to, but it would be "just for fun" as at this age she isn't mature enough to eat/digest solids and have it pack on the calories.

Overall, we are thankful for her growth and pray that her intolerance is the only issue we are facing.  Grow girl grow!!!  I was very relieved after the appointment as it has been a very physically and emotionally draining 3 weeks, but it all served a positive purpose.

Abi's stats as of 3/27/13

Weight:  10 lbs, 4 ounces (still not on the charts)

Height:  23 1/2 inches - 10% (woo hoo!)

Head:  38 1/2 cm (same)

Happy, Silly girl : )

 Sitting in her bumbo - with her brother who LOVES her