Well in the last two weeks, we celebrated Emily, Megan and my birthdays. We figured it'd be easier to do it all at once so Emily could open presents when she saw me and Megan opening them. Don't worry--Emily will still get some more chocolatey yumminess in a few days. Nothing like a good sugar-high to ring in a new year.
Because of Martin Luther King's birthday being celebrated tomorrow, Annika has been having a lot of discussions about why MLK had such an impact on history. It's probably the first time she's ever had a discussion about race or skin color. It's so amazing to see the color-blindness kids have. I've enjoyed that about her. I'm hoping that having the discussion on equal rights for all people doesn't "color" her thinking or the way she treats other people.
Lauren has met the new upstairs neighbors. A family of five is above us now. They have two daughters (ages 2 and 11) and one son (8). They've found a creative living arrangement for all in a two-bedroom apartment. Lauren was invited to play with the 2-year-old for awhile the other afternoon. She has informed them all about our political views, her illnesses (artichokes) and my birthday (I'm 106, but look great for my age, I was told). The neighbors can't wait to have her over again. I think I can.
Emily is still into everything. Annika and Lauren got nail polish for Christmas in their stocking. Emily was able to open one of the bottles. She very carefully painted her toenails and toes. I should have taken a picture, but didn't. I marched her to the bathroom and removed it all. So, later on, she found a permanent black marker and colored her toenails. I gave up. They're still goth.She is getting really good at helping--she's a natural at it. She's good at picking up, getting her own juice, putting on her own socks and shoes. She's getting better at managing her temper and saying please. Many of her words are becoming more recognizable to me and Dan. It's still amazing to compare her to Megan--both girls being aged 1 still--and see the difference 354 days makes.
Megan is zipping around the house in her little car. Her legs are getting stronger and her balance is getting better. She is moving her legs on her own for walking. She also has the army crawl down finally. She waves and is starting to really get the hang of "mamamama" and "da-ddy." We're trying to savor it all as we go through these stages one last time.Dan's interviews for a pastoral position went well--just the first step. He starts an intensive class on Tuesday so we won't be seeing him much this week.
As for the cafe, we're still working on that one step at a time. The equipment auction is February 7. After that we'll get more of an idea on how much we owe the bank.
My Uncle Brian is in the hospital with some cancerous tumors that are bleeding. Please pray for him and his family.
Cute Kid Quotes:
I don't think I've added these yet, although some are a couple months old...
“Papa and Grandma[Jud and Yvonne] are going to have a baby. It’s a girl. Her name is going to be Leslie,” Lauren informed us today (12/1/08). I asked her how she knew because even I didn’t know this. “I just know it.”
She also told us recently that if we called Emily a toddler again she was going to live somewhere else. Originally it was with her cousin Raegan. Now it’s with her brother and sister, Bootee and Quince who live in Shigan. She plans to get there on a plane with me and daddy.
Lauren has also been sick lately, she tells us. When Dan had kidney stones, Lauren also had “rocks in my tummy.” Now she is sick with artichokes. Lauren tells me she got artichokes when I mailed them to her. She opened the envelope and they went into her mouth. Artichokes apparently are green stickers. She knows she’s going to get rid of one soon—I’m not sure how she can tell, though. Her explanation has more “Lauren words” which I don’t understand.
1/17/09
Lauren today drew a picture of a bee-con. A bee-con is “a strange animal, like a black and blue moose.”
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