I hope that you had a great day and that your tummies are as full as ours are! I took some pictures of our day but I left my camera at mom's house so I'll post them tomorrow. I do have some video for you to enjoy - EasternStar is walking! It's a Thanksgiving miracle!!!
Enjoy!
P.S. For those of you that aren't grandparents......this is 3 minutes of her walking back and forth ..... just in case you get bored you won't miss anything at the end..... 8 )
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Fly on the wall
If you were a fly on the wall in our house, here are a few of the things that you might have overheard recently:
- Did you just lick your sister's butt??
- Why is there oatmeal stuck to the wall way over here?
- Stop combing your hair with your chicken nugget.
Or my favorite, an exchange between Stranger and TinyDancer:
- Stop making that sound. (She was using a straw to make that annoying sound - you know - when you pull it up and push it down really fast)
- I don't want to. I like it.
- Well I don't. Please stop.
- Well, just pretend that you can't hear it.
- Did you just lick your sister's butt??
- Why is there oatmeal stuck to the wall way over here?
- Stop combing your hair with your chicken nugget.
Or my favorite, an exchange between Stranger and TinyDancer:
- Stop making that sound. (She was using a straw to make that annoying sound - you know - when you pull it up and push it down really fast)
- I don't want to. I like it.
- Well I don't. Please stop.
- Well, just pretend that you can't hear it.
A message for Granny!
The real thank you note will be sent soon, but the girls couldn't wait to give this message to their Granny.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
PT Evaluation
Last week, EasternStar went for her physical therapy evaluation. It went well, despite the fact that she hated every minute of it! 8 ) Her basic diagnosis is muscle weakness, muscle incoordination, and difficulty walking. This is moslty stemming from a lack of strength and flexibility in her legs - specifically her hips. So, our goal over the next few weeks/months is to increase her flexibility in her hips by doing stretches and to increase the strength of her leg muscles. We think the cause is from how she learned to sit - she likes to sit with her legs wide open - almost in the splits!
She hates, hates, hates doing her stretches! But, we blew up on of our exercise balls, and she likes sitting on it and using her core to hold her up while I roll the ball around. We use the ball to help with some of her stretches and we are having "fun" trying to get her comfy laying on her belly.
As far as walking goes, she is getting more comfortable walking and holding on to just one of our hands, but she leans forward really far - almost as if she is bent in half and walking forward.
She is very curious and I think that once she has the flexibility and can get her body to move the way she wants it to, she will be off! She loves to go up and down steps, and in fact started climbing the stairs (on Strangers watch!) yesterday afternoon. We have two steps and then a landing and then the rest of the staircase. It takes her a while, but she can get herself up the steps and onto the landing! Of course, she refuses to go up stairs the way most babies do - on their knees. She insits on bending over and putting both hands on the ground then then - with a straight leg - putting her foot up on the next step. She almost leans over, almost totally to the ground on the opposite side trying to get a leg up.
We are going weekly to phsical therapy for now and taking it one week at a time.
As far as adjusting goes, I think she is settling in very nicely. She no longer wants to be held *all* of the time (although she still has her moments like all babies do!). She is exploring the house and she LOVES TinyDancer's baby collection. She picks up the babies and puts them on her shoulder and pats their backs. So cute! She still hasn't found the dogs food bowl or water dish - so thankful for that! She is always thirsty so I'm sure once she finds the, she'll be there a lot! 8 )
She is sleeping great - at least I think so! She doesn't cry or make any noise when she wakes up - she just sits in her crib and plays with her feet or her blankets. I checked on her one night at midnight and she was just kicking her legs in the air and sucking her thumb. I was like "What are you doing? I put you to bed 5 hours ago!" But, eventually she went back to sleep, so we'll take it! We rock her to sleep for a few minutes before we put her down and everytime she gives me this look like "This is more for you than for me - I don't need to be rocked!". But, I like rocking her and singing to her, so we keep doing it. Everytime I ask her if she is ready for bed she laughs and smiles and then she laughs as I put her in her bed.
She's learned to blow kisses - but only to me or TinyDancer. She blows me kisses after I tuck her in and while she is eating. Speaking of eating, that is the only area where we are struggling. 8 ) She is a junk food junkie! And picky like all toddlers. She will only eat Jennie-O turkey italian style meatballs. Not homemade meatballs. And not any other brand of meatballs. Only Jennie-O. And she will only eat chicken if it is in the form of a chicken nugget - fried. Luckily we are getting creative with hiding fruits and vegetables in the homemade versions of food that she will eat. (As a side note - anyone know how you can hide something healthy in a rice krispie treat? If so - do share!!) One of our neighbors gave her a rice krispie treat and now, just like oatmeal and yogurt, she MUST have a rice krispie treat every day. (Thanks Jen!)
Speaking of the little turkey, she has learned to stick out her tongue and make the PBBBBT! sound - and I hear her doing that now!
She hates, hates, hates doing her stretches! But, we blew up on of our exercise balls, and she likes sitting on it and using her core to hold her up while I roll the ball around. We use the ball to help with some of her stretches and we are having "fun" trying to get her comfy laying on her belly.
As far as walking goes, she is getting more comfortable walking and holding on to just one of our hands, but she leans forward really far - almost as if she is bent in half and walking forward.
She is very curious and I think that once she has the flexibility and can get her body to move the way she wants it to, she will be off! She loves to go up and down steps, and in fact started climbing the stairs (on Strangers watch!) yesterday afternoon. We have two steps and then a landing and then the rest of the staircase. It takes her a while, but she can get herself up the steps and onto the landing! Of course, she refuses to go up stairs the way most babies do - on their knees. She insits on bending over and putting both hands on the ground then then - with a straight leg - putting her foot up on the next step. She almost leans over, almost totally to the ground on the opposite side trying to get a leg up.
We are going weekly to phsical therapy for now and taking it one week at a time.
As far as adjusting goes, I think she is settling in very nicely. She no longer wants to be held *all* of the time (although she still has her moments like all babies do!). She is exploring the house and she LOVES TinyDancer's baby collection. She picks up the babies and puts them on her shoulder and pats their backs. So cute! She still hasn't found the dogs food bowl or water dish - so thankful for that! She is always thirsty so I'm sure once she finds the, she'll be there a lot! 8 )
She is sleeping great - at least I think so! She doesn't cry or make any noise when she wakes up - she just sits in her crib and plays with her feet or her blankets. I checked on her one night at midnight and she was just kicking her legs in the air and sucking her thumb. I was like "What are you doing? I put you to bed 5 hours ago!" But, eventually she went back to sleep, so we'll take it! We rock her to sleep for a few minutes before we put her down and everytime she gives me this look like "This is more for you than for me - I don't need to be rocked!". But, I like rocking her and singing to her, so we keep doing it. Everytime I ask her if she is ready for bed she laughs and smiles and then she laughs as I put her in her bed.
She's learned to blow kisses - but only to me or TinyDancer. She blows me kisses after I tuck her in and while she is eating. Speaking of eating, that is the only area where we are struggling. 8 ) She is a junk food junkie! And picky like all toddlers. She will only eat Jennie-O turkey italian style meatballs. Not homemade meatballs. And not any other brand of meatballs. Only Jennie-O. And she will only eat chicken if it is in the form of a chicken nugget - fried. Luckily we are getting creative with hiding fruits and vegetables in the homemade versions of food that she will eat. (As a side note - anyone know how you can hide something healthy in a rice krispie treat? If so - do share!!) One of our neighbors gave her a rice krispie treat and now, just like oatmeal and yogurt, she MUST have a rice krispie treat every day. (Thanks Jen!)
Speaking of the little turkey, she has learned to stick out her tongue and make the PBBBBT! sound - and I hear her doing that now!
Video is fixed
The video from my post below is fixed! I had uploaded it to youtube at first but youtube won't share a private video with blogger. So, after blogger and I duked it out for a few hours, we finally got it uploaded through blogger.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Proud momma moment
On Monday night, TinyDancer had her first group recital of the year. She takes 30 minutes of private violin lessons a week and has a 1 hour group class that consists of 30 minutes of "music and movement" and 30 minutes of violin playing. The class is made of up of beginner players from age 3 - 7. Her class performed four songs - a Bow poem, the E string concerto, the Monkey song, and a new (for them) song called the Open String Blues - all of which are relatively easy for her. The bow poem, E string concerto and the Monkey song are songs that she has been playing since last spring. She is currently working on a song called the Twinkle (as in Twinkle, twinkle little star). The song has several variations and then the twinkle, twinkle theme. She is pretty good at a few of the variations and is working on the last 2. Her teacher suggested right before the concert that she could play with the "big kids" during the concert when they played the Twinkle. We thought that she'd do just the first part and maybe the theme. But she played all of the parts and did quite well! Stranger was able to get some video. TinyDancer is right in front - concentrating so hard! The quality isn't that great so you can't see the GIANT smile that she has at the end. Enjoy!
Funny things that you overhear......
I love listening to TinyDancer and her friends play. They have such awesome imaginations and it is interesting to hear their take on how life works.
On Saturday, TinyDancer was outside playing with her friend C. One minute they were playing on the teeter totter and the next minute, they were gone. I found them in our shed blowing up beach balls. Because there were going to the beach of course! I managed to persuade them that even though the sun was shining, it was much too cold to put on their bathing suits - which they insisted that they needed to make their trip more "realistic". 8 ) I was banished from the yard for that. As I sat in my neighbor's yard reading, I looked up to hear "Get back here! The sharks are going to get you! The sharks are going to get you! Get back on shore!" being shouted to one girl as she ran to get a beach ball that was blowing away.
And yesterday, TinyDancer was playing with the same friend and they decided to have a "Fall Party". Into our house they went for paper, tape, scissors, streamers, and who knows what else. They made invitations and decorated the neighbor's garage for the party with streamers and paper towels. Don't ask me why - but TinyDancer loves to put a piece of tape on a paper towel and hang it up. They asked for something - or maybe I suggested something - but the word "Maybe" was used. As they continued decorating I overheard C telling TinyDancer:
'Whenever my mom says "Maybe", she really means no'
'Since my mom said "Maybe" and your mom said "Maybe", that is two "Maybes". If one "Maybe" is usually no then two "Maybes" will definately be no. That is what maybe means. It means no but they don't tell you that.'
hee hee hee
Good times!
On Saturday, TinyDancer was outside playing with her friend C. One minute they were playing on the teeter totter and the next minute, they were gone. I found them in our shed blowing up beach balls. Because there were going to the beach of course! I managed to persuade them that even though the sun was shining, it was much too cold to put on their bathing suits - which they insisted that they needed to make their trip more "realistic". 8 ) I was banished from the yard for that. As I sat in my neighbor's yard reading, I looked up to hear "Get back here! The sharks are going to get you! The sharks are going to get you! Get back on shore!" being shouted to one girl as she ran to get a beach ball that was blowing away.
And yesterday, TinyDancer was playing with the same friend and they decided to have a "Fall Party". Into our house they went for paper, tape, scissors, streamers, and who knows what else. They made invitations and decorated the neighbor's garage for the party with streamers and paper towels. Don't ask me why - but TinyDancer loves to put a piece of tape on a paper towel and hang it up. They asked for something - or maybe I suggested something - but the word "Maybe" was used. As they continued decorating I overheard C telling TinyDancer:
'Whenever my mom says "Maybe", she really means no'
'Since my mom said "Maybe" and your mom said "Maybe", that is two "Maybes". If one "Maybe" is usually no then two "Maybes" will definately be no. That is what maybe means. It means no but they don't tell you that.'
hee hee hee
Good times!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Heaven Day
Happy Heaven Day sweet SleepingAngel!
We miss you.
I hope that you like the flowers that we left at your special spot.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy
Mommy and Daddy
Here is one of our favorite photos - one of her first from the day she was born:
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October 19, 2007
And one of her last, holding onto a leaf - a present from TinyDancer - and sporting her white gangsta hat:
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November 2, 2007
Vote!
Do you ever have those moments where you do something and then you think "Wow! I AM a grownup!" I just did - I voted!
Stranger and I (well......me actually) .... printed out a sample ballot and researched the candidates and the issues. We've done that for the presidential races before, but never for a mayor, city council, or school board race before. It's funny what growing up, buying a house, and having kids does to you.
Usually, when the girls are screaming and the house is a wreck, I look around and think "Wow! There really should be some sort of responsible adult here to deal with this." Not today! 8 )
Did you vote yet?
Stranger and I (well......me actually) .... printed out a sample ballot and researched the candidates and the issues. We've done that for the presidential races before, but never for a mayor, city council, or school board race before. It's funny what growing up, buying a house, and having kids does to you.
Usually, when the girls are screaming and the house is a wreck, I look around and think "Wow! There really should be some sort of responsible adult here to deal with this." Not today! 8 )
Did you vote yet?
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Happy Belated Halloween!
As promised, here are some pictures of the girls from last night. First, our pumpkin:
Thanks Grandpa for your excellent carving skills!
When it was time to leave, TinyDancer was still refusing to bear any weight on her foot, so she got to ride in a princess carriage complete with a blanket on the bottom to keep her bottom warm and a pillow behind her back:
Thanks Grandpa for your excellent carving skills!When it was time to leave, TinyDancer was still refusing to bear any weight on her foot, so she got to ride in a princess carriage complete with a blanket on the bottom to keep her bottom warm and a pillow behind her back:
Here is the best shot that I have of the girls - it was kind of hectic outside last night with all of the excitement of eating outside and getting ready to leave. We had dinner outside with our awesome neighbors and all of the kids (10 in all!) went trick or treating together with the dads.
I think my neighbor got some better shots of the girls - and her camera is much better anyway. Maybe I can get a copy of some of the shots that she has. Here they are, a princess with a dress that lights up (TinyDancer) and a strawberry (EasternStar) (and you can see Thumbelina in the background):
A few weeks ago, I took the girls to get their pictures taken in their costumes. I'm sure this is some sort of co.pyright in.fringement, but here is the free Halloween card sample that they gave us. (Thanks Picture People!)
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