Easter

"Pinky" had a fun-filled weekend celebrating Easter with family!  Easter-egg hunts, dying eggs, eating sugar cookies, walks to the park, playing with cousins, and snuggling with grandma and grandpa.  What could be better?  The sun even came out to play outside a bit! 

Snuggles with Auntie C!

"Where are the cookies grandma?"

Time for some Easter egg dying with cousins!

1st Easter Egg hunt. Easter-Eve

Grandpa's Girls

Great Grandma with the Easter Egg Hunters

Snuggly bunnies from Great Grandma

4-Generations

Easter morning walk to the park.

Easter Morning at the Park

Easter Morning Sunshine!  Alleluia!

Playing on my new slide!

Found my Easter Basket from mom and dad! 

Easter Afternoon with Cousins

Thanks for coming to visit! 

15 Months

Another month has flown by!  Here are Pinky's "monthly stats":

Height: 31 3/4 inches
Weight: 24.8 pounds

Sleeping patterns:  Bedtime 7:30.  Awake at 7 am - usually needs some help!  Weekends....still sleeping in occasionally!  9 am is the record!  Still taking morning and afternoon naps . . . Sundays usually just one nap, but the last two weeks the 1 nap has lasted almost 4 hours! 

Eating habits: Breakfast; snack; lunch; snack; frozen pea appetizer; dinner.  2% milk or water to drink.  Occasionally a little juice. 

New foods I liked:  Still on a pasta-strike.  LOVES cotton candy.   Tried salmon and LOVED that too!!!  New snack of choice . . . goldfish crackers.  Still loves an appetizer of frozen peas before dinner. 

"Frozen Pea Appetizer" - No one makes them like mommy!

Cotton Candy . . . You gotta try it!

 New discoveries I made:  LOVES her duplo legos!  Can fit them together but prefers to take them apart!  Thinks putting them away when finished is a blast!    New favorite book is "Goodnight Moon", but also love flap-books and button books!  Thinks eating with a spoon is fun.  There's so much to see looking out the window.

Waiting for spring.

My accomplishments:  Can go from floor to stand without any help.  Has taken several steps without help too, but not quite ready to give up the "Pinky-Shuffle".  Loves blowing kisses, giving hugs and kisses, and snuggling with blankets and bears!  Starting to not "need" the pacifier quite so much.  But will take it whenever offered!  Can find ears, eyes, nose, tummy, belly button on self an others! 

Places I went:  Went to visit grandmas and grandpas in March.  Play-date with "Ad-Lib"!  Lincoln School Carnival.  St. Patty's Day Party with Cousins.  To Auntie Carman's to play!

Big girl in my carseat!

"It's not easy being green" 3-17-11

New words:  Signing "please".  Saying:  "thank you",  "hush" (from favorite book . . . "Goodnight Moon"),  "hot", "neigh", "roar", "grandpa".  Her grandma is certain she can also say "delicious" and "banana". 

Look who came to see me!  Thanks for the books!!! 3-15-11

Our little one loves to share hugs and smiles, toys, and kisses.  Come see for yourself if you get the chance!

Over the river and through the woods . . .

My sister, Pinky and I made a quick trip home over the weekend.  The roads were less than desirable the closer we got to my parents'.  In fact I can't really think of a word to accurately describe them, other than treacherous!  Needless to say, we spent plenty of time in the car . . . but it was all worth it!

We spent Saturday afternoon visiting my Gram.  She's recently been in the hospital and we were anxious (to say the least) to get home to see her.  When we got to the nursing home where she lives, we found her sitting with several ladies in the fellowship room waiting to have her nails painted.  Oh, how her eyes lit up when she saw us!  We enjoyed coffee, snacks, and entertainment by Pinky.  But most of all, we enjoyed visiting and reminiscing with our Grandma!  Sure, she repeats herself, and yes, she gets confused . . . but she was very sharp the afternoon of our visit.  And to be honest, it means the most to me that she always remembers who I am when I walk in the door.  She knows that I am her granddaughter, and she is my grandma.  She's never let me down, except for the occasions that she calls my by one of my aunt's name . . .but she's been doing that for years!  Before we left, we were going to "help" her up to her room.  She was up and to the elevator waiting for us to catch up after we collected our things . . . some things never change!

Entertainment by Pinky

Sharing pictures of the kids with grandma.

Making Memories

Look what I can do!

While home, we were also able to celebrate our Great-Aunt Avis's 90th birthday.  What an amazing thing to live to be 90 years old.  She still lives on her own, keeps up two homes, drives, gardens, and bakes.  In fact, she said to my sister over lunch "I just can't shovel like I used to!"  Later that evening, we were out celebrating her birthday with family and friends.  After the meal was over she stood to thank everyone for coming and stated "I'm the oldest one hear, so you better listen!  I have loved my life.  I have been truly blessed.  I hope all of you can live to be 90!"   (Me too!)

I didn't get a picture at the party, but here's Avis and Pinky last February. 
Pinky's grown a little, and Avis just gets better with age! 

If you think I was kidding about the roads . . . or even exaggerating a little . . . check this out:

Made it through most of the drift!  Good thing I brought a shovel! 

You push, I'll shovel . . . works every time! 

The surface of Hwy 50 just north of my parent's place. 

Of course we'll remember the terrible roads and the drifting snow . . . but most of all, we'll remember a day spent with 2 amazing women who have been a part of our lives since the day we were born.  2 women who would do anything for their families . . . No matter how bad the roads are!  :) 

"Defrosting"

It's been a week since our 6 day trip to Sunny Arizona.  While there, we made the rounds visiting friends and family!  While visiting, we enjoyed soaking up the sun, or "defrosting" as I liked to call it!  (It's been a long winter!)

Our flights went smoothly coming and going.  Pinky was the Super Trooper traveling!  She didn't seem to notice a thing during take off or landing . . . I'm sure the pacifier helped a little.  I guess we have a little traveler on our hands!  Of course, Pinky had to get to know everyone around us before she could settle in.  On our flight from MSP to Phoenix, the retired school teacher seated next to us put down her crocheting to hold Pinky for a while.  Pinky even had a stewardess bringing her juice on a flight beverages weren't served.  What a little charmer!  Maybe next time we can see if she can get us bumped up to first class. 

Ready to leave on her first flight! 

Our first night 2 nights we stayed with "Uncle Bunk".  We enjoyed strolling the neighborhood; dining on an outdoor patio; blowing bubbles in the back yard; Cory got to take a spin in Bunxvet; and  I even got a quick run in . . . outside . . . in shorts and a t-shirt!  Of course we also took in a Cubs game complete with hotdogs, snowcones, and icecream!  Cory was so excited to have Pinky in her Cubs hat and t-shirt!!! 

bunxvet

Go, Cubs, Go!

1st Cubs Game!

Nights 3-4 were spent with Cory's college roommate and his family.  Cory and Mike enjoyed another Cubs game and a local brewery while Jen and I took the kids to the zoo.  Pinky loved all of the animals and watching all of the people!  While with our friends, we also enjoyed a sunny afternoon in the pool and dining at Oregano's . . . home to the best dessert EVER!  Of course drinking our coffee by the pool every morning wasn't so bad either! 

Cubs vs. White Sox

Phoenix Zoo

Splish Splash!

"Pinky Shuffle"

Our last day/night were spent with Great-Uncle Lee.  We relaxed on the patio and enjoyed splashing in the pool one more time.  Uncle Lee had stocked up on everything we could possibly need . . . Merlot, chocolate, and 2%! 

One last dip!

Pool-Side!

Hanging with the family our last night in town!

The sun was bright and warm.  Our hosts generously drove us around town and kept us fed and comfortable.  Flights were on time and uneventful.  What else could we have asked for?

Fresh picked lemons!  Tasty!

Look what I found!

Months 13 and 14

I've been trying to figure out a way to "document" all of the little things "Pinky" has been up to . . . her baby book only goes through 12 months . . . But she continues to learn and grow and change every day.  Why not "docu-blog" them? 

Months 13 and 14

I love to snuggle ~ 13 months

Sleeping Patterns:  Sleeping through the night, 7ish to 7ish.  Sleeping in on the weekends sometimes too!  Still taking 2 naps a day.  No more night time bottle. (It was harder on mommy than "Pinky" to give them up!)

Eating Habits:  LOVES to eat!  Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, snack, dinner!   

New foods I liked:  hotdogs, sorbet (Cubs Game); peanut butter sandwiches; pineapple.  Favorite treat is frozen peas!  Gobbles them up!

The end of the bottles ~ 13 months

New discoveries I made:  Still love anything with buttons!  Love to empty drawers and baskets.  Discovering function and imitating new things every day!  (Look out mom and dad)  Love to play with toys, especially shape sorters and ring stackers.  Like to knock over block towers!  Enjoys reading good books!

Love a good book ~ 14 months

My Accomplishments: Perfected the Pinky "shuffle".  She still isn't walking . . . but it will come!  1st tooth came at 13 months and 2nd tooth came a month later!  Can drink through a straw.

New baby babbles:  The new words keep coming!  She can successfully tell you what a cow, dog, sheep and bear say!  The snake is hit and miss!  She can also say:  more, all done, amen, ball, bear, bye-bye, grandpa, dad.
Grandma K. insists she also can say delicious and banana!
Signs: more, all done, milk. 

Old habits: Loves her nuk and anything snuggly - blankets, stuffed animals, and her babies.  LOVES to eat!

Yummy! ~ 14 months

New places I have been: 1st Bison BB game.  1st plane ride, destination Phoenix - Cubs Spring Training; Phoenix Zoo, visits with friends and family! 

Go Bison! ~14 months



Snuggled in for the ride! ~14 months

 Size:  18 month clothes.  24ish pounds.  30ish inches.  Size 4 diapers.  Size 3-4 shoes.

Such a big girl!  Definitely the light of our lives!  The adventure continues. . . .

Play Dates

We've had several play dates in the last few weeks.  What fun to get together with our friends!  We are so blessed that there are so many little friends for Pinky to grow up with! 

It's interesting to watch Pinky "interact" (or maybe it's "react") to other kids in our home.  Of course she's used to her cousins coming over to play . . . but not so much kids her own age.  Already, she demonstrates the "need" to play with a particular toy AFTER someone else has chosen it is their own entertainment!  Obviously we need to work on sharing!  HA!  It's also funny to see her reaction when I pick up someone that isn't her.   (She doesn't think it's quite so funny!)

Needless to say, it's been wonderful to have company!  Fun to see all of her new toys being played with!  Books being read.  Fun to see all of her little friends growing like weeds, just like she is!  Not to mention how fun it is for me to spend time with their awesome moms!  :)


We love books!

Do you want a piece of cake?

Fellow co-workers and our 3 girls born in 2010!  And the "big kids"! 

Sharing some bling!

They sure are cute, but gone are the days
we could get them all to sit nicely for a picture!

Are you sure you have to go home? 

Sledding with my cousins!