While still incredibly enamored with princesses, Annika still chose Spiderman as her toothbrush at our last toothbrush buying outing.
This last Sunday as we helped celebrate Gramma Pat's 80th birthday, Annika was playing superhero with Colin, one of the other kids at the event. The next day, Annika came and asked me, "What was that girl's name again? That Super Kitty?" I had to think for a moment and then remembered what I had overheard. Ahhh, I thought to myself, and then said aloud, "You mean Cat Woman?" I don't believe Annika knows Cat Woman is a villain. Of course, Annika still likes Darth, too, and Cinderella's stepmother.
Megan is gumming everything in sight which probably means two little teeth will be popping through in the next few weeks. She's not drooling up a storm just yet. She can now hold her own bottle which is fabulous at 5:30 a.m. We have her in the walker now as she wants to sit upright more.
Lauren is still the free spirit. Tonight, just before playing in the park, she put her pants back on. I informed her they were on backwards and she replied, "That's okay. I want them on backwards." Okay.
Tonight, Annika and I had a date night. We had a friend drop us off at the nearby park where they were showing The Last Mimzy (our car is getting its bumper replaced after a slight mishap in Minneapolis). The movie was just scary enough she was willing to crawl on my lap for parts of it. As stresses about the cafe continue to darken my emotional doorstep, I cling to the saying that the joy of the Lord is my strength and count my kids as a major part of that joy--and cling to them for all I'm worth knowing that this stage goes by too quickly.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
How Quickly They Learn
Just overnight, Emily now speaks recognizable English. All of the sudden, this morning, she wanted cereal and said please (pea) and thank you (ta tuu). And when leaving some friends she waved and said bye (baa). So strange how quickly this happens. I’m hoping I got some of her babble on video before that’s gone forever!
Last night, Lauren slept in my bed since Dan is in Canada fishing. At nearly 10 p.m., she begged me to turn out the lights because "my bones are so tired."
Today Lauren was showing me that she could cross her laces, a prerequisite for tying bows. She was pretty much jumping up and down saying, "I'm learning; I'm learning a lot." She loves learning and is more intrinsically motivated than Annika. Lauren practices something many times in order to learn it--whistling for example. She can do it, but Annika can't. Lauren has also taught herself a lot of her letters--she sees them and then just keeps practicing until she gets it. Annika is smart and learns many things quickly, but isn't nearly as persistent.
Lauren’s pronunciation of hippopotamus: o’thomases
Annika’s pronunciation of kaleidoscope: padiscope
Annika’s favorite sodas: root beer and Stripe
Last night, Lauren slept in my bed since Dan is in Canada fishing. At nearly 10 p.m., she begged me to turn out the lights because "my bones are so tired."
Today Lauren was showing me that she could cross her laces, a prerequisite for tying bows. She was pretty much jumping up and down saying, "I'm learning; I'm learning a lot." She loves learning and is more intrinsically motivated than Annika. Lauren practices something many times in order to learn it--whistling for example. She can do it, but Annika can't. Lauren has also taught herself a lot of her letters--she sees them and then just keeps practicing until she gets it. Annika is smart and learns many things quickly, but isn't nearly as persistent.
Lauren’s pronunciation of hippopotamus: o’thomases
Annika’s pronunciation of kaleidoscope: padiscope
Annika’s favorite sodas: root beer and Stripe
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Annika at Disney for starters
From Annika:
I liked the Snow White ride and I liked the merry-go-round. And I like the Winnie the Pooh ride. If they just called him Winnie Pooh, then he would be like Potty-Poo.
I didn't like the plane ride because it made my head feel sore a little. They give me pretzels all the time. I ate some of the pretzels.
I had the root beer float in Disney. I got it from a thing where they make dinner and sundaes--strawberry and a chocolate sundae.
I saw Cinderella, Belle and Ariel, and Sleeping Beauty and Jasmine--I saw all the Princesses. I saw Darth Bader, too and I saw his guards guarding him back [stormtroopers]. And that's all I want to say.
**
For Annika's fifth birthday, her Uncle Steve and Aunt Sara (my sister) took her to Disney World. Annika had a blast! After I admonished her about airplane turbulence, ears popping, the possible cost of sodas onboard, seeing the cockpit and getting wings for being a junior pilot, she informed Dan via phone later, "Tell Mommy she was wrong about everything." How soon children get disillusioned. Apparently, pop was still free on this flight, the turbulence wasn't too bad, she didn't need the gum to pop her ears and she didn't get to see the cockpit because "the pilot was on the phone with all the Disney hotels."
She was a trooper and even stayed up until 2:30a.m. one night because those staying on Disney properties have special hours--shorter lines. So the three of them took advantage of Annika's happy and apparently night-owl disposition and hung out at the park late. She was safely returned to us last Sunday (June 29) after her first official plane rides. She liked Darth and came back with a Darth and Mickey t-shirt, a princess cell phone, and a Darth Vader light saber keychain. And Minnie ears.
As for those of use left behind, we hobbled along without Annika. Lauren and I went on a special date to the Art Institute of Chicago and then took the el to meet Annika at the airport.
Recent quotables:
Lauren: “And Sarah Ruhl—she’s a really good human.”
Lauren, on seeing a recent picture of Dan: “That was me when I was a little boy.”
Annika, on what we’re having for dinner : “Peter Pizzas” (pizzas on pitas)
Lauren: “Daddy, can you crack my head bones?” Lauren likes cracking her bones. Usually, it means she’s stretching. I’m not sure what she was asking Daddy to do.
Lauren praying: “And thank you for dreaming. I dream of Diego.”
I liked the Snow White ride and I liked the merry-go-round. And I like the Winnie the Pooh ride. If they just called him Winnie Pooh, then he would be like Potty-Poo.
I didn't like the plane ride because it made my head feel sore a little. They give me pretzels all the time. I ate some of the pretzels.
I had the root beer float in Disney. I got it from a thing where they make dinner and sundaes--strawberry and a chocolate sundae.
I saw Cinderella, Belle and Ariel, and Sleeping Beauty and Jasmine--I saw all the Princesses. I saw Darth Bader, too and I saw his guards guarding him back [stormtroopers]. And that's all I want to say.
**
For Annika's fifth birthday, her Uncle Steve and Aunt Sara (my sister) took her to Disney World. Annika had a blast! After I admonished her about airplane turbulence, ears popping, the possible cost of sodas onboard, seeing the cockpit and getting wings for being a junior pilot, she informed Dan via phone later, "Tell Mommy she was wrong about everything." How soon children get disillusioned. Apparently, pop was still free on this flight, the turbulence wasn't too bad, she didn't need the gum to pop her ears and she didn't get to see the cockpit because "the pilot was on the phone with all the Disney hotels."
She was a trooper and even stayed up until 2:30a.m. one night because those staying on Disney properties have special hours--shorter lines. So the three of them took advantage of Annika's happy and apparently night-owl disposition and hung out at the park late. She was safely returned to us last Sunday (June 29) after her first official plane rides. She liked Darth and came back with a Darth and Mickey t-shirt, a princess cell phone, and a Darth Vader light saber keychain. And Minnie ears.
As for those of use left behind, we hobbled along without Annika. Lauren and I went on a special date to the Art Institute of Chicago and then took the el to meet Annika at the airport.
Recent quotables:
Lauren: “And Sarah Ruhl—she’s a really good human.”
Lauren, on seeing a recent picture of Dan: “That was me when I was a little boy.”
Annika, on what we’re having for dinner : “Peter Pizzas” (pizzas on pitas)
Lauren: “Daddy, can you crack my head bones?” Lauren likes cracking her bones. Usually, it means she’s stretching. I’m not sure what she was asking Daddy to do.
Lauren praying: “And thank you for dreaming. I dream of Diego.”
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