Here's the video of Olivia enjoying her Christmas "snack" of beef tenderloin. Although the video isn't too long, if you could times what you see here by four or five, you might get an idea of how much Olivia ate! As you can see - she takes after her daddy. Gotta love it!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Christmas 2010
What a great way to end the year! We had a wonderful Christmas this year that lasted a solid 4 days filled with lots of family, fun, and, of course, presents! To sum things up...
December 23rd
Cousins Max and Mya arrive - Olivia only naps for 25 minutes as she knows she gets to see them when she wakes up! Snow, Snow, Snow! Appetizers and Presents! Olivia's becomes obsessed with carrying around her Dora backpack and feeding her baby! Gracie enjoys eating much paper, pulling herself up on all the boxes, and climbing on mommy at every possible minute. I open most of Olivia's presents as she just wants to play with Mya and the toys already opened. The kiddos bond with Auntie Tara and her iphone! Olivia and Mya are joined at the hip and confirm that they are sisters at heart. They manage sharing, trading, and playing together without any need for parental intervention the entire two days! Kids in bed by 8:00. It's still snowing! Chris, Beth, Tara, Brian, and I enjoy a few adult beverages, a game, and some laughs!
December 24th
Santa arrives! Mom and Dad learn that one present would probably be sufficient. The kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa Thornton is the biggest hit! Olivia potties a little in her jammies because she doesn't want to stop playing with her kitchen. Olivia has to be prompted to stop playing with one gift and to open another. Fun times at Luther with the cousins racing around the track and riding bikes (no pictures as I forgot my camera). Back to Grandma and Grandpa's for lunch. Olivia and Mya take charge of their own cleanliness and start their own bath after lunch and then stay in the bath for almost 45 minutes. Long naps for everyone. And, it's still snowing. Frantically get ready for church as naps were longer than expected. All kids manage to behave at Children's Mass - Olivia has to be chased down by Uncle Chris after Children's Moment as she has her dad's sense of direction and missed our pew even though we were in the 3rd row! A delicious adult dinner while the older cousins watch Dora and Gracie sleeps. Olivia shocks us all by coming out for a snack and proceeding to eat an adult size portion of beef tenderloin. We all end up sleeping at Pat and Roger's so as to not move the kids in the snowy, cold weather.
December 25th
Late wake up times make for a crazy morning of packing for the trip to Northfield. On the road by 8:45. Christmas with the Thornton family - kid gifts, white-elephant gifts, and family gifts. Olivia has no interest in opening her last presents, just wants to play with the open ones. Both girls illustrate amazing behavior and take wonderful naps. A delicious dinner is enjoyed once again. Bed time for Gracie includes some special (because it's so rare) cuddle time for mommy. Olivia's bedtime doesn't go as smoothly - over-stimulation perhaps! Gracie gives mommy a Christmas present by sleeping through the night (teething issues), but Olivia puts the kabash on it by getting up twice.
December 26th
Olivia starts the morning by finishing opening her gifts. Mom catches some extra z's. Lots of playing with Auntie Thyme. Mommy gets to satisfy her Target-fix. More playing and making a mess of Grandma and Grandpa's house. Baths by 6:30. In the car by 7:00. Gracie asleep by 7:15 with Olivia watching Dora on her new DVD player. Potty stop at 8:00. Home by 9:00. Lights out by 9:30. Mommy dreaming of someday having a clean house without boxes, paper, plastic, and toys everywhere. :)
Wow! Enough said! I love Christmas, but it's also a good thing that it only happens once a year! It took me two whole days to get our living room and family room in order. I've truly enjoyed being a temporary stay-at-home mommy, but because of exactly that, I don't think things will be ever completely put away either. I've decided that it's impossible to have a clean house if your kids are in it all day long! But that's okay, I'll fall back on the old saying: "A messy house is a happy house."
December 23rd
Cousins Max and Mya arrive - Olivia only naps for 25 minutes as she knows she gets to see them when she wakes up! Snow, Snow, Snow! Appetizers and Presents! Olivia's becomes obsessed with carrying around her Dora backpack and feeding her baby! Gracie enjoys eating much paper, pulling herself up on all the boxes, and climbing on mommy at every possible minute. I open most of Olivia's presents as she just wants to play with Mya and the toys already opened. The kiddos bond with Auntie Tara and her iphone! Olivia and Mya are joined at the hip and confirm that they are sisters at heart. They manage sharing, trading, and playing together without any need for parental intervention the entire two days! Kids in bed by 8:00. It's still snowing! Chris, Beth, Tara, Brian, and I enjoy a few adult beverages, a game, and some laughs!
December 24th
Santa arrives! Mom and Dad learn that one present would probably be sufficient. The kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa Thornton is the biggest hit! Olivia potties a little in her jammies because she doesn't want to stop playing with her kitchen. Olivia has to be prompted to stop playing with one gift and to open another. Fun times at Luther with the cousins racing around the track and riding bikes (no pictures as I forgot my camera). Back to Grandma and Grandpa's for lunch. Olivia and Mya take charge of their own cleanliness and start their own bath after lunch and then stay in the bath for almost 45 minutes. Long naps for everyone. And, it's still snowing. Frantically get ready for church as naps were longer than expected. All kids manage to behave at Children's Mass - Olivia has to be chased down by Uncle Chris after Children's Moment as she has her dad's sense of direction and missed our pew even though we were in the 3rd row! A delicious adult dinner while the older cousins watch Dora and Gracie sleeps. Olivia shocks us all by coming out for a snack and proceeding to eat an adult size portion of beef tenderloin. We all end up sleeping at Pat and Roger's so as to not move the kids in the snowy, cold weather.
December 25th
Late wake up times make for a crazy morning of packing for the trip to Northfield. On the road by 8:45. Christmas with the Thornton family - kid gifts, white-elephant gifts, and family gifts. Olivia has no interest in opening her last presents, just wants to play with the open ones. Both girls illustrate amazing behavior and take wonderful naps. A delicious dinner is enjoyed once again. Bed time for Gracie includes some special (because it's so rare) cuddle time for mommy. Olivia's bedtime doesn't go as smoothly - over-stimulation perhaps! Gracie gives mommy a Christmas present by sleeping through the night (teething issues), but Olivia puts the kabash on it by getting up twice.
December 26th
Olivia starts the morning by finishing opening her gifts. Mom catches some extra z's. Lots of playing with Auntie Thyme. Mommy gets to satisfy her Target-fix. More playing and making a mess of Grandma and Grandpa's house. Baths by 6:30. In the car by 7:00. Gracie asleep by 7:15 with Olivia watching Dora on her new DVD player. Potty stop at 8:00. Home by 9:00. Lights out by 9:30. Mommy dreaming of someday having a clean house without boxes, paper, plastic, and toys everywhere. :)
Wow! Enough said! I love Christmas, but it's also a good thing that it only happens once a year! It took me two whole days to get our living room and family room in order. I've truly enjoyed being a temporary stay-at-home mommy, but because of exactly that, I don't think things will be ever completely put away either. I've decided that it's impossible to have a clean house if your kids are in it all day long! But that's okay, I'll fall back on the old saying: "A messy house is a happy house."
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Grace Elizabeth - 10.5 Months
Yes, I've been delinquent in my posts once again.... However, if you knew what my desk looked like at work (organized chaos) and how big my grading pile is, I think you would understand my delinquency. Enough excuses - this post is about Gracie! (FYI - These pictures were all ones I took right around 9 moths - Gracie ate so many leaves during the photo session that she later puked a couple up!) At 10.5 months, here's what Miss Gracie is up to.
1. Pulling herself up from sitting position.
2. Finally figuring out how to go from tummy position to sitting (however this still requires her to have something to pull up on however slightly).
3. Walking with hand support and just a little behind her push toy.
4. Eating anything and everything put in front of her - she has an amazing appetite despite fact that she's still a peanut - at her 9-month check she was 16 pounds 15 ounces (20th percentile) and 27 inches tall (20th percentile).
5. Drinking out of a sippy cup.
6. Waking herself up at night to stand up in her crib and fuss till we come.
7. Attaching herself to her mommy at every waking moment.
8. Complaining rather loudly when Olivia takes something away from her (or when mommy takes it away too).
9. Eating yummy things like dirty kleenex and food off the floor (sorry, not a perfect house cleaner) and attempting to eat things like socks, shoes, paper, blankets, books, etc... You get the picture - teething!
10. Clapping, kissing, and waving goodbye (although this last is delayed in coming and looks more like "come here" than "see you later").
Physical appearance wise, Gracie has a pretty decent amount of hair that looks like it'll be just slightly, if at all, darker than Olivia's. Her hair in the back (where she was once bald) is now a solid inch long, and in the front, it's long enough that it's in her eyes most of the time. Brian wants me to cut it, but I refuse. Gracie's eyes are still a solid blue though slightly faded and her skin is very creamy and soft except for random dry patches - I'm actually going to make an appointment because I think we've got a little eczema happening.
Overall, Gracie still continues to be a little sweetie. I have many moments where I think she's the easiest kid in the world, but, as of late, I've also had a few moments where I think we're going to be in for it! For instance, Gracie frequently slaps me in the face (Yikes!), throws a royal, back-arching fit when being put in her car-seat, and, most recently, cries hard when being laid down for a nap. I am making a last minute attempt at getting her to "attach" to some comfort item as I think it's really nice that Olivia has something other than me to help her relax and feel good, but I don't have a whole lot of hope that my attempt will work. Sometimes I feel badly because Gracie is not a cuddler - she literally finishes her bottle at night, squirms around in my lap, and then reaches for her crib - but I also think it's nice that I don't spend 45 minutes putting her to bed like Olivia recently requires - more on that in the future!
Gracie favorites include - listening to music, Olivia, dancing, Olivia, jumping, Olivia, playing peek-a-boo with anything but especially the living room sheers, diving off the couch (without any doubt in her mind the mommy or daddy will catch her), playing around in the cupboards (see picture below), putting balls into her toy (understanding cause/effect), Olivia, crawling all over mommy, drinking out of Olivia's sippy cup, looking at herself in the mirror (recently this is the way to stop fussing), Olivia, acting mortally offended if someone takes her out of mommy's arms, taking baths, and dropping things on the floor and watching Olivia pick them up. Did I mention that she loves her sissy too?
Oh, Gracie girl, you are quite the sweetie with a lot of personality. And while I hope you out-grow your obsession with your mommy at some point, I also secretly love that you think you need me so much. And one more thing, even though I might not have another post about you until you turn one, I sure love you to pieces!
1. Pulling herself up from sitting position.
2. Finally figuring out how to go from tummy position to sitting (however this still requires her to have something to pull up on however slightly).
3. Walking with hand support and just a little behind her push toy.
4. Eating anything and everything put in front of her - she has an amazing appetite despite fact that she's still a peanut - at her 9-month check she was 16 pounds 15 ounces (20th percentile) and 27 inches tall (20th percentile).
5. Drinking out of a sippy cup.
6. Waking herself up at night to stand up in her crib and fuss till we come.
7. Attaching herself to her mommy at every waking moment.
8. Complaining rather loudly when Olivia takes something away from her (or when mommy takes it away too).
9. Eating yummy things like dirty kleenex and food off the floor (sorry, not a perfect house cleaner) and attempting to eat things like socks, shoes, paper, blankets, books, etc... You get the picture - teething!
10. Clapping, kissing, and waving goodbye (although this last is delayed in coming and looks more like "come here" than "see you later").
Physical appearance wise, Gracie has a pretty decent amount of hair that looks like it'll be just slightly, if at all, darker than Olivia's. Her hair in the back (where she was once bald) is now a solid inch long, and in the front, it's long enough that it's in her eyes most of the time. Brian wants me to cut it, but I refuse. Gracie's eyes are still a solid blue though slightly faded and her skin is very creamy and soft except for random dry patches - I'm actually going to make an appointment because I think we've got a little eczema happening.
Overall, Gracie still continues to be a little sweetie. I have many moments where I think she's the easiest kid in the world, but, as of late, I've also had a few moments where I think we're going to be in for it! For instance, Gracie frequently slaps me in the face (Yikes!), throws a royal, back-arching fit when being put in her car-seat, and, most recently, cries hard when being laid down for a nap. I am making a last minute attempt at getting her to "attach" to some comfort item as I think it's really nice that Olivia has something other than me to help her relax and feel good, but I don't have a whole lot of hope that my attempt will work. Sometimes I feel badly because Gracie is not a cuddler - she literally finishes her bottle at night, squirms around in my lap, and then reaches for her crib - but I also think it's nice that I don't spend 45 minutes putting her to bed like Olivia recently requires - more on that in the future!
Gracie favorites include - listening to music, Olivia, dancing, Olivia, jumping, Olivia, playing peek-a-boo with anything but especially the living room sheers, diving off the couch (without any doubt in her mind the mommy or daddy will catch her), playing around in the cupboards (see picture below), putting balls into her toy (understanding cause/effect), Olivia, crawling all over mommy, drinking out of Olivia's sippy cup, looking at herself in the mirror (recently this is the way to stop fussing), Olivia, acting mortally offended if someone takes her out of mommy's arms, taking baths, and dropping things on the floor and watching Olivia pick them up. Did I mention that she loves her sissy too?
Oh, Gracie girl, you are quite the sweetie with a lot of personality. And while I hope you out-grow your obsession with your mommy at some point, I also secretly love that you think you need me so much. And one more thing, even though I might not have another post about you until you turn one, I sure love you to pieces!
Turkey Trot 2010
As copied from my sister-in-law's blog, written (as per tradition) by the winner, her husband, Chris...
AP Nov 30, 2010 - Decorah Iowa - There are many Turkey Trot races touted throughout the country over the Thanksgiving holiday, but perhaps none quite as unique as that found in Decorah, Iowa over the last 10 years. Once every year siblings, spouses and children of the Huinker family head to the local high school track and run a mile for bragging rights. No matter the weather, how much was eaten for lunch or whether or not they are pregnant, the race is held. On one occassion, it was even held at two different locations simultaneously since not all could be in the same place at once. As much as certain unnamed family sources informed me they would like to see it end, the willpower of the elder brother forces the tradition on.
2009 saw the resurgance of young Tara Huinker, winning in convincing fashion over a ill-prepared (and in some cases actually physically ill) field. Brian Huinker had won the prior year to take away the throne from multi-consecutive-year-winner Chris Hoden. This year was sure to be either a continuation of the young dominance or a rising up of the old fogies.
Race start time was approximately 11:45am on Sunday, November 28th. Temperature was a very pleasant 45 degrees with sun. In attendance were Chris/Beth/Max/Mya Hoden, Brian/Amanda/Olivia/Grace Huinker, Tara Huinker, Roger/Pat Huinker. And the dog Chloe.
Chris and Tara broke out to an early lead which they would hold the entire race. Chris hung right behind Tara for 3/4 of a mile, not wanting to let her get too big a lead like she had in the prior race. Chris appeared to contemplate passing her going into the 4th lap, but he showed patience and stayed stride for stride until with an 1/8 of a mile to go, Tara broke into a fast and furious pace. Chris stayed with her stride for stride and took the inside of the track as he moved next to her. Both were close to out of breath when with 40 meters left around the backside of the last turn, Chris found that extra gear and sprinted it out leaving his sister-in-law behind. Another nail-biter and close win for the aging ex-champion. Unofficial times were as follows:
Chris - 7:17
Tara - 7:19
Amanda - 8:17
Brian - 9:01
Beth - 9:06
Max- 15:10
The real surprise of the race was young 3 year-old Max Hoden setting the child bar high for all future siblings and cousins. He moved those little legs faster and longer than anyone thought possible, even saying he wanted to keep going after he had already run 4 laps! With 3 laps down, he turned down assistance from both Uncle Brian and Aunt Tara telling them "I can do this myself" and "No thank-you" when they offered to jog along side him. The only time he stopped was to do his "hands on the knees" like Auntie Tara told him to do if he was tired. Jerry McGuire was seen driving up after the race no doubt scouting future talent.
As for the win, Chris commented "I'm glad I ditched the eliptical machine last year. That thing was a joke for training for a run. It feels good to get my mojo back." Young Tara was discourged but showed great sportsmanship. "Chris is a competitor. I really thought after last year that I had this little race in my hip pocket at least for the next 12 or so years until the kids got older. Looks like I may have to make another call to the Luther cross-country coach for another 1-mile training plan." Amanda was very happy with her time after claiming to not train even a little bit. Those comments were met with question. If true, Amanda could have the potential to shake up the leaderboard in the future. Brian and Beth both had hoped for better finishes and looked forward to another chance. Actually, only Brian was looking forward to another chance. Beth was heard saying "Maybe we don't need to do this race any more? Then again, it did help that it forced me to take Chloe for a few runs to help her lose those 8 pounds the vet told us she was packing".
As far as the 4 littlest competitors in the race...Max Hoden was heard asking people "Did you see me, Did you see me, Did you see me?" for at least an hour after the race. Mya had this to say: "Enough with the "Team Tara" gear. That t-shirt was like 8 sizes too big for me. Next year I'm bringing my own uniform and Max better watch out!" The only thing Olivia had to say was "I'm just mad that my mom wouldn't stop and pick me up as she ran by me on the track. I don't think she has ever blantantly ignored me like that in my entire 2.4 years of life!" 10 month old Gracie Huinker just shook her head in wonder as to why she was woken up from a perfectly good nap to witness that:) Early predictions for turkey trot 2011:
Chris - 7:05
Tara - 7:08
Amanda - 7:50
Brian - 8:00
Beth - 8:30
Max - 14:00
AP Nov 30, 2010 - Decorah Iowa - There are many Turkey Trot races touted throughout the country over the Thanksgiving holiday, but perhaps none quite as unique as that found in Decorah, Iowa over the last 10 years. Once every year siblings, spouses and children of the Huinker family head to the local high school track and run a mile for bragging rights. No matter the weather, how much was eaten for lunch or whether or not they are pregnant, the race is held. On one occassion, it was even held at two different locations simultaneously since not all could be in the same place at once. As much as certain unnamed family sources informed me they would like to see it end, the willpower of the elder brother forces the tradition on.2009 saw the resurgance of young Tara Huinker, winning in convincing fashion over a ill-prepared (and in some cases actually physically ill) field. Brian Huinker had won the prior year to take away the throne from multi-consecutive-year-winner Chris Hoden. This year was sure to be either a continuation of the young dominance or a rising up of the old fogies.
Race start time was approximately 11:45am on Sunday, November 28th. Temperature was a very pleasant 45 degrees with sun. In attendance were Chris/Beth/Max/Mya Hoden, Brian/Amanda/Olivia/Grace Huinker, Tara Huinker, Roger/Pat Huinker. And the dog Chloe.
Chris and Tara broke out to an early lead which they would hold the entire race. Chris hung right behind Tara for 3/4 of a mile, not wanting to let her get too big a lead like she had in the prior race. Chris appeared to contemplate passing her going into the 4th lap, but he showed patience and stayed stride for stride until with an 1/8 of a mile to go, Tara broke into a fast and furious pace. Chris stayed with her stride for stride and took the inside of the track as he moved next to her. Both were close to out of breath when with 40 meters left around the backside of the last turn, Chris found that extra gear and sprinted it out leaving his sister-in-law behind. Another nail-biter and close win for the aging ex-champion. Unofficial times were as follows:
Chris - 7:17
Tara - 7:19
Amanda - 8:17
Brian - 9:01
Beth - 9:06
Max- 15:10
The real surprise of the race was young 3 year-old Max Hoden setting the child bar high for all future siblings and cousins. He moved those little legs faster and longer than anyone thought possible, even saying he wanted to keep going after he had already run 4 laps! With 3 laps down, he turned down assistance from both Uncle Brian and Aunt Tara telling them "I can do this myself" and "No thank-you" when they offered to jog along side him. The only time he stopped was to do his "hands on the knees" like Auntie Tara told him to do if he was tired. Jerry McGuire was seen driving up after the race no doubt scouting future talent.
As for the win, Chris commented "I'm glad I ditched the eliptical machine last year. That thing was a joke for training for a run. It feels good to get my mojo back." Young Tara was discourged but showed great sportsmanship. "Chris is a competitor. I really thought after last year that I had this little race in my hip pocket at least for the next 12 or so years until the kids got older. Looks like I may have to make another call to the Luther cross-country coach for another 1-mile training plan." Amanda was very happy with her time after claiming to not train even a little bit. Those comments were met with question. If true, Amanda could have the potential to shake up the leaderboard in the future. Brian and Beth both had hoped for better finishes and looked forward to another chance. Actually, only Brian was looking forward to another chance. Beth was heard saying "Maybe we don't need to do this race any more? Then again, it did help that it forced me to take Chloe for a few runs to help her lose those 8 pounds the vet told us she was packing".
As far as the 4 littlest competitors in the race...Max Hoden was heard asking people "Did you see me, Did you see me, Did you see me?" for at least an hour after the race. Mya had this to say: "Enough with the "Team Tara" gear. That t-shirt was like 8 sizes too big for me. Next year I'm bringing my own uniform and Max better watch out!" The only thing Olivia had to say was "I'm just mad that my mom wouldn't stop and pick me up as she ran by me on the track. I don't think she has ever blantantly ignored me like that in my entire 2.4 years of life!" 10 month old Gracie Huinker just shook her head in wonder as to why she was woken up from a perfectly good nap to witness that:) Early predictions for turkey trot 2011:
Chris - 7:05
Tara - 7:08
Amanda - 7:50
Brian - 8:00
Beth - 8:30
Max - 14:00
Monday, October 25, 2010
Miss Olivia
Since Gracie gets an update each month, I decided that it's Olivia's turn to get some screen time. Hmmm.... How best to describe Olivia these days???
I think the best phrase to describe her is a sensitive old soul with a silly streak. Olivia can go from shy and extremely hesitant to showing off by jumping off from step number five onto a pile of pillows in a matter of minutes. When she wants attention, she wants it now, and when she wants her mommy, she only wants her mommy. We've had some whining issues as of late, but if you can get her distracted she's good to go. Olivia's got just about the sweetest smile out there, and her right-cheek dimple is cuter by the day. Oh, Livy, we love you so much, and here's just a few reasons why...
* You give the sweetest little kisses
* You love to count - sans the number two (although you can identify things by two)
* You ask to watch "baseball" which really means any type of TV with daddy
* You are very in love with your cousins Max and Mya
* You play make-believe kitchen (Christmas gift perhaps?)
* When playing make-believe you feed mommy, daddy, and Gracie
* You love your little sissy so much
* You turn your head to the right when talking to Gracie and get right up close just in case she (or anyone else for that matter) hasn't noticed you yet
* You make a great exaggerated "OH" face when something surprises you
* You love Dora the Explorer and participate during her show
* You can get Gracie to laugh like no one else
* You are petrified of cars and trucks and MUST hold my hand when in a parking lot (of course I'm secretly overjoyed about this)
* You love to go shopping
* If we're out of something, you tell me "buy some shopping"
* If a toy isn't working you know it's because it "need new 'batrees'"
* You say "no can" and "mommy do" if you need help
* You like to write and do your best to mimic - lots of little up and down triangles
* You identify the "names" you write - usually being Mommy, Daddy, Gracie, Maggie, Max, and Mya
* Swinging is one of your favorite things and your new trick is to climb (or try to climb) onto your swing by yourself - thank you Cousin Mya for demonstrating this
* You take a bite of your food and then give the rest to Gracie - this may verge on gross on occasion
* Your favorite cereal is Life and you ask for this nearly every morning as of late
* You love to push Gracie in the stroller and work so hard at this you start sweating
* You ask to do "Everybody Sleeping" at night - I got this idea from Grandma Pat - where we go through a great list of everyone we know who's sleeping
* You can sing about 1/2 of the ABC's with me
* Your favorite song is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
* You identify words as "words" but like to read stories yourself
* You call Gracie "Gracilicious" since your favorite book right now is called Pinkalicious
* You're still as obsessed as ever with your thumb and your silkie
* You're pretty terrible at identifying colors but always ask what color everything is
* You can separate by colors
* You like to play "soccer game" on the sunporch with daddy, but this is really a strange game of kick, throw, tackle, and hide
* You absolutely love playing with your dollies
* You often put said dollies in "time-out" despite the fact that you rarely get these at home or daycare
* You love candy - inherited that from mommy I think
* You still won't eat bread except of rare occasion but do like bars, cupcakes (mostly the frosting), etc...
* You haven't had an accident in over a month
* You love to cuddle on the couch
* You still unconsciously pat my back as I pat yours while we sing bedtime songs
Livy, I could probably write another 100 facts down that I love about you. Sometimes, I admit, I sigh in exasperation because of something you're doing or won't do, but every night when I check on you before going to bed, I think to myself that we couldn't ask for anything better than you and Gracie.
Lots of love,
Mommy
I think the best phrase to describe her is a sensitive old soul with a silly streak. Olivia can go from shy and extremely hesitant to showing off by jumping off from step number five onto a pile of pillows in a matter of minutes. When she wants attention, she wants it now, and when she wants her mommy, she only wants her mommy. We've had some whining issues as of late, but if you can get her distracted she's good to go. Olivia's got just about the sweetest smile out there, and her right-cheek dimple is cuter by the day. Oh, Livy, we love you so much, and here's just a few reasons why...
* You give the sweetest little kisses
* You love to count - sans the number two (although you can identify things by two)
* You ask to watch "baseball" which really means any type of TV with daddy
* You are very in love with your cousins Max and Mya
* You play make-believe kitchen (Christmas gift perhaps?)
* When playing make-believe you feed mommy, daddy, and Gracie
* You love your little sissy so much
* You turn your head to the right when talking to Gracie and get right up close just in case she (or anyone else for that matter) hasn't noticed you yet
* You make a great exaggerated "OH" face when something surprises you
* You love Dora the Explorer and participate during her show
* You can get Gracie to laugh like no one else
* You are petrified of cars and trucks and MUST hold my hand when in a parking lot (of course I'm secretly overjoyed about this)
* You love to go shopping
* If we're out of something, you tell me "buy some shopping"
* If a toy isn't working you know it's because it "need new 'batrees'"
* You say "no can" and "mommy do" if you need help
* You like to write and do your best to mimic - lots of little up and down triangles
* You identify the "names" you write - usually being Mommy, Daddy, Gracie, Maggie, Max, and Mya
* Swinging is one of your favorite things and your new trick is to climb (or try to climb) onto your swing by yourself - thank you Cousin Mya for demonstrating this
* You take a bite of your food and then give the rest to Gracie - this may verge on gross on occasion
* Your favorite cereal is Life and you ask for this nearly every morning as of late
* You love to push Gracie in the stroller and work so hard at this you start sweating
* You ask to do "Everybody Sleeping" at night - I got this idea from Grandma Pat - where we go through a great list of everyone we know who's sleeping
* You can sing about 1/2 of the ABC's with me
* Your favorite song is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
* You identify words as "words" but like to read stories yourself
* You call Gracie "Gracilicious" since your favorite book right now is called Pinkalicious
* You're still as obsessed as ever with your thumb and your silkie
* You're pretty terrible at identifying colors but always ask what color everything is
* You can separate by colors
* You like to play "soccer game" on the sunporch with daddy, but this is really a strange game of kick, throw, tackle, and hide
* You absolutely love playing with your dollies
* You often put said dollies in "time-out" despite the fact that you rarely get these at home or daycare
* You love candy - inherited that from mommy I think
* You still won't eat bread except of rare occasion but do like bars, cupcakes (mostly the frosting), etc...
* You haven't had an accident in over a month
* You love to cuddle on the couch
* You still unconsciously pat my back as I pat yours while we sing bedtime songs
Livy, I could probably write another 100 facts down that I love about you. Sometimes, I admit, I sigh in exasperation because of something you're doing or won't do, but every night when I check on you before going to bed, I think to myself that we couldn't ask for anything better than you and Gracie.
Lots of love,
Mommy
Friday, October 22, 2010
Pumpkin...
So, not many of you knew that we were the owners of a little kitty for a few weeks. Little Pumpkin showed up randomly one day while we were out watching the workers put a couple of extra panels on our backyard fence. I made the quick assumption that he was a stay little kitty because of his thinness and willingness to eat everything offered.
After a week of having Pumpkin living in our garage feasting on tuna and relaxing in his cardboard box and on our front porch rocking chair, we made the decision to officially keep him. Now this may surprise you as Brian has always claimed that the only pet we would ever have would be fish, but I actually think Brian liked Pumpkin too (you're probably noticing that I'm using past tense here). So, we took Pumpkin in and had him checked for general health, spade, and de-clawed.
Pumpkin adjusted to life inside very well and we enjoyed many cuddles. The girls loved him - Gracie pretty much went berserk flapping her arms every time he was near and crawling after him forcing him to hide in Olivia's tunnel. Olivia learned to pet nicely and wasn't bothered when Pumpkin would play bite or chase. She even bravely picked him up a couple of times. Pumpkin was a major trooper handling Olivia's desire to pick him up and Gracie's pulling of his fur without batting an eye. He learned to use a litter box overnight and fit in nicely to our family.
Unfortunately we had to put little Pumpkin down this week. I let him outside for a couple hours on Sunday; he came back in without prompting and seemed fine except that he stayed in his little box in our family room at night instead of coming to cuddle with us. I checked on him and he came out and let me pet him for awhile. The next morning, however, I found Pumpkin collapsed in the middle of our family room. He was making very sad meowing noises and could barely move. We got him to the vet where they came to the conclusion that he had eaten poison of some kind - this must have happened when he was outside on Sunday as we don't have anything in the house of course. Poor little kitty was in a lot of physical distress, so we had no other choice.
I was sad to say goodbye to our little kitty. I think I miss him the most. Olivia asks about him every now and then, but then follows up her own question by telling me that Pumpkin is at the doctor. I comfort myself by saying that at least Pumpkin had a happy and comfy life at the end having been plumped up a bit during his time at the Huinker household. Sigh - maybe another kitty sometime...
After a week of having Pumpkin living in our garage feasting on tuna and relaxing in his cardboard box and on our front porch rocking chair, we made the decision to officially keep him. Now this may surprise you as Brian has always claimed that the only pet we would ever have would be fish, but I actually think Brian liked Pumpkin too (you're probably noticing that I'm using past tense here). So, we took Pumpkin in and had him checked for general health, spade, and de-clawed.
Pumpkin adjusted to life inside very well and we enjoyed many cuddles. The girls loved him - Gracie pretty much went berserk flapping her arms every time he was near and crawling after him forcing him to hide in Olivia's tunnel. Olivia learned to pet nicely and wasn't bothered when Pumpkin would play bite or chase. She even bravely picked him up a couple of times. Pumpkin was a major trooper handling Olivia's desire to pick him up and Gracie's pulling of his fur without batting an eye. He learned to use a litter box overnight and fit in nicely to our family.
Unfortunately we had to put little Pumpkin down this week. I let him outside for a couple hours on Sunday; he came back in without prompting and seemed fine except that he stayed in his little box in our family room at night instead of coming to cuddle with us. I checked on him and he came out and let me pet him for awhile. The next morning, however, I found Pumpkin collapsed in the middle of our family room. He was making very sad meowing noises and could barely move. We got him to the vet where they came to the conclusion that he had eaten poison of some kind - this must have happened when he was outside on Sunday as we don't have anything in the house of course. Poor little kitty was in a lot of physical distress, so we had no other choice.
I was sad to say goodbye to our little kitty. I think I miss him the most. Olivia asks about him every now and then, but then follows up her own question by telling me that Pumpkin is at the doctor. I comfort myself by saying that at least Pumpkin had a happy and comfy life at the end having been plumped up a bit during his time at the Huinker household. Sigh - maybe another kitty sometime...
Friday, October 15, 2010
The Upstairs
Here are a couple of pictures of our new house - I know some of you are having a hard time picturing us in our new place! These pictures are of the entryway and Olivia's and Grace's room. I definitely need to take a couple from the outside so you can see our great yard. As for the other rooms... I'll take a pictures next time they're actually clean!
Front entry: This front entry looks so much better now than a month ago! Originally it had some not-so-lovely silvery wallpaper gracing the walls. I started stripping the wallpaper but quickly gave up when I found even older wallpaper underneath. Ultimately we ended up hiring someone to finish removing and stripping and painting. Not having to do all this myself was well worth the money in my opinion! Obviously we need an electrician to come fix the light that has been hanging off the ceiling like that for the last 5 weeks (Grandpa Roiger where are you?)!
Gracie's room: This room was originally a very dirty light blue - I think the paint was original to the house (1960s). This paint is the exact yellow that was in her old room at our house. I like this room - it's nice and cozy and has a very large closet. My only wish - new carpet.
Olivia's room: This room was originally a very dirty cream. The previous owners had four boys all of whom slept here (yes, the room is huge!) so I really mean it was dirty. The paint is the same yellow as Grace's room, but I added the pink to help add some variety. Brian's reaction to the pink was "too bad you're going to have to redo that when you put so much work into it," but I think it's grown on him - plus, I like it! We temporarily thought about making this bedroom the master as the closet is very big, but it just didn't feel right having one or both of the girls downstairs without us there too. Upstairs seemed more logical and safer to me. Someday the girls might share this room - it certainly is large enough! Again, my only wish - new carpet.
Front entry: This front entry looks so much better now than a month ago! Originally it had some not-so-lovely silvery wallpaper gracing the walls. I started stripping the wallpaper but quickly gave up when I found even older wallpaper underneath. Ultimately we ended up hiring someone to finish removing and stripping and painting. Not having to do all this myself was well worth the money in my opinion! Obviously we need an electrician to come fix the light that has been hanging off the ceiling like that for the last 5 weeks (Grandpa Roiger where are you?)!
Gracie's room: This room was originally a very dirty light blue - I think the paint was original to the house (1960s). This paint is the exact yellow that was in her old room at our house. I like this room - it's nice and cozy and has a very large closet. My only wish - new carpet.
Olivia's room: This room was originally a very dirty cream. The previous owners had four boys all of whom slept here (yes, the room is huge!) so I really mean it was dirty. The paint is the same yellow as Grace's room, but I added the pink to help add some variety. Brian's reaction to the pink was "too bad you're going to have to redo that when you put so much work into it," but I think it's grown on him - plus, I like it! We temporarily thought about making this bedroom the master as the closet is very big, but it just didn't feel right having one or both of the girls downstairs without us there too. Upstairs seemed more logical and safer to me. Someday the girls might share this room - it certainly is large enough! Again, my only wish - new carpet.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Grace Elizabeth - 8 Months
So lately, I feel as though I'm neglecting my promise to actively blog about our daily lives! Over time, my weekly blog posts have slowly transformed to every other week posts and, more recently, once a month posts.... However, I will prevail, and I've decided that this month is the month to redeem myself. I have lots of things to write about, I just need to take the time to do it!
Okay, enough about that - on to the real topic! This last month just flew by, and now I find myself already a week overdue in writing about Grace now that she's eight months old! Here are ten new facts about Grace....
1. Is a frequent babbler - favorite sounds include baba, yaya, gaga, and dada. When I say mama to her she usually just laughs as though to say - whatever, I'm not trying that one! Grace is a great conversationalist. She loves being talked to and enjoys when you mimic her squawking, growling, ahhhh-ing, and any other type of sound she's making.
2. Has decided that army crawling is better than traditional crawling and really doesn't make much of an effort any more at traditional crawling. Grace does still practice rocking while in her crib, but otherwise, it's just the army crawl. I tried to attach a video of Grace scooting, but it wouldn't work. The video would have been incredibly tardy in appearance as it was from early September when she was just starting her scooting. I will get some new video soon that really shows off her skills!
3. Continues to love her big sister despite the fact that said big sister has been increasingly nasty in the taking-toys-away department. No one can make Gracie laugh like Olivia.
4. Has 3 ad a 1/2 teeth. Her bottom two are fully in (and have been for awhile); her top right tooth is through, but not very far; and, her top left tooth is just starting to break through.
5. Enjoys spending time with both sets of grandparents - and officially had her first over-night. She did get up at 11:30, but then slept till 8:30 in the morning. (Secretly, I think Grandma Pat might have slipped some wine in her bottle.)
6. Isn't sleeping through the night all the time, but is doing fabulous. We've had quite a few nights where she sleeps 7pm - 5am, has a bottle, and then sleeps till 7. This morning she slept straight through till 7.
7. Has become quite the kicker, jumper, and arm waver, but isn't good at standing unassisted yet. Gracie can climb up the back of the couch if you take her socks off to give her some traction and expresses her excitement by kicking and arm-waving at the same time. Gracie sometimes gets annoyed if left behind or on the floor - and is always annoyed when everyone else is eating dinner and she's not.
8. Developmentally Gracie has started to mimic gestures - we get some random arm waving when I try to work on waving, clapping, and "so big." She also can bang to objects together and enjoys doing this frequently.
9. Is losing interest slowly in baby food (especially dinner) but isn't all that interested in big-people food. She's destined to be a permanent peanut.
10. Continues to be an extremely happy and flexible little girl (see video below)!
Careful with this one - it might give you motion sickness!
Okay, enough about that - on to the real topic! This last month just flew by, and now I find myself already a week overdue in writing about Grace now that she's eight months old! Here are ten new facts about Grace....
1. Is a frequent babbler - favorite sounds include baba, yaya, gaga, and dada. When I say mama to her she usually just laughs as though to say - whatever, I'm not trying that one! Grace is a great conversationalist. She loves being talked to and enjoys when you mimic her squawking, growling, ahhhh-ing, and any other type of sound she's making.
2. Has decided that army crawling is better than traditional crawling and really doesn't make much of an effort any more at traditional crawling. Grace does still practice rocking while in her crib, but otherwise, it's just the army crawl. I tried to attach a video of Grace scooting, but it wouldn't work. The video would have been incredibly tardy in appearance as it was from early September when she was just starting her scooting. I will get some new video soon that really shows off her skills!
3. Continues to love her big sister despite the fact that said big sister has been increasingly nasty in the taking-toys-away department. No one can make Gracie laugh like Olivia.
4. Has 3 ad a 1/2 teeth. Her bottom two are fully in (and have been for awhile); her top right tooth is through, but not very far; and, her top left tooth is just starting to break through.
5. Enjoys spending time with both sets of grandparents - and officially had her first over-night. She did get up at 11:30, but then slept till 8:30 in the morning. (Secretly, I think Grandma Pat might have slipped some wine in her bottle.)
6. Isn't sleeping through the night all the time, but is doing fabulous. We've had quite a few nights where she sleeps 7pm - 5am, has a bottle, and then sleeps till 7. This morning she slept straight through till 7.
7. Has become quite the kicker, jumper, and arm waver, but isn't good at standing unassisted yet. Gracie can climb up the back of the couch if you take her socks off to give her some traction and expresses her excitement by kicking and arm-waving at the same time. Gracie sometimes gets annoyed if left behind or on the floor - and is always annoyed when everyone else is eating dinner and she's not.
8. Developmentally Gracie has started to mimic gestures - we get some random arm waving when I try to work on waving, clapping, and "so big." She also can bang to objects together and enjoys doing this frequently.
9. Is losing interest slowly in baby food (especially dinner) but isn't all that interested in big-people food. She's destined to be a permanent peanut.
10. Continues to be an extremely happy and flexible little girl (see video below)!
Careful with this one - it might give you motion sickness!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Grace Elizabeth - 7 Months
Wow has this last month gone fast! Gracie continues to knock down milestone after milestone while continuing to be the happiest girl on the block at the same time. Our little girl is sure a trooper - adjusting to a new house, mom going back to work, hectic mornings, more baby food, and, just in the last week, formula without a hitch.
Gracie started off her sixth month by mastering sitting. Then, to make mom proud and actually accurate for once in terms of predicting when milestones might happen, Gracie literally started crawling the day she turned 7 months. We do have this on video, but I have yet to attempt downloading from our video camera to my computer - I will put doing so on my blog to-do list! (Also on my blog to-do list are 6 month/2 year pictures along with some pictures of our new house!) Ultimately, I'm not surprised that Gracie is crawling 2 months earlier than Olivia did. Throughout the month Gracie was turning in circles, scooting backwards, and practicing her "super-baby" pose (flailing arms and legs while on belly) in preparation for that first scoot - actually it was more of a full body lunge - forward. Grace is certainly a go-getter and has great desire to play along with her big sissy. Over half the time, Gracie goes nuts when Olivia bounces into the room - kicking her legs, squealing, and now scooting to get closer.
Personality wise, Gracie continues to be incredibly cheerful, fairly flexible, and a mommy's girl (although her favorite sounds are dada and raaaaa - the raaaaa comes from watching Olivia and Brian "play roar" as Olivia likes to say). The picture of Gracie on the couch actually was taken at Slumberland Furniture where Grace and I went to take pictures of some sofa options for Brian to later look at. Grace apparently thought posing on the sofas was one of the coolest things and smiled and squealed with every flash of the camera.
Our schedule has become fairly consistent now. Gracie usually starts her day around 6:30 and ends it around 7:15. In between is a bottle, breakfast, a morning nap, a bottle, lunch, an afternoon nap, a bottle, dinner, and a bath before her bedtime bottle. She's doing better with taking bottles but rarely drinks more than 4 ounces at a time. I sneak in extra ounces by adding formula and cereal to her breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I'm hoping that my prediction (from the sixth month entry) about Gracie sleeping through the night at 8 months proves to be as accurate as the crawling at 7 months was! At some point during the night Grace wakes up for a bottle. Honestly, although I wouldn't mind sleeping through the night, it's okay with me that she's still getting up. Gracie's a peanut - 15.4 ounces (20th percentile), so I'm okay with her taking a few extra ounces in the middle of the night. Plus, now that I'm done nursing, Brian and I can trade off with this responsibility! :)
Lately we've been spending a lot of time with our new neighbors (actually we're their new neighbors) the Gavle's. Maggie, their daughter, is just two weeks younger than Gracie, and it's fun to see how their entertain each other already - Jamie and I have joked that we think sometimes they get sick of us! Olivia loves Maggie too and asks on a very regular basis to go "see Baby Maggie and Jamie." Here's a picture of the girls at the pool. We are so happy to have such great friends living so close by!
I should do another entry sometime soon about Grace and Olivia's relationship. I truly do think their sisterly-bond is as strong as it possibly can be at 7 months and 2 years old. Although I won't pretend that Gracie has never cried because of something Olivia did/took away, I feel like I can also say that Olivia is protective of and extremely loving toward her "sissy." They love seeing each other for the first time in the morning, taking baths together, "talking," and generally playing. Olivia continues to be very helpful with fetching diapers, toys, etc., and, almost always, gladly entertains Gracie when I need a few minutes to get things done. Lately, Olivia has taken to calling Gracie "punkin" and "buggy" (abbreviation for "love bug").
Nothing makes me smile more these days than my two sweet little girls. Life is good.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wordless Wednesday
This picture is taken at our old house, but it still applies sinceLivy still asks to sit in the "applesaucer."
Friday, August 6, 2010
First Haircut
Last week I finally gave in and agreed to get Olivia's hair cut. Even though I do miss her curly little tail, I do have to admit that the trim did her good. Her hair looks a lot thicker and has a bit more curl in it. All we need is a little humidity to get the curls really going!
We decided to let Denny Smock - a family friend - have the honors of Olivia's first haircut down at his barbershop. Denny has, of course, given his own grandchildren their first cuts! Brian needed a haircut, so we all watched Daddy to get Olivia warmed up to the idea. The warming up didn't go perfectly, so I ultimately bribed her with some ice-cream. I wouldn't say Olivia was a fan of the haircut process (I didn't expect her to be), but the ice-cream bribe was a serious help, and I am just pleased that we didn't have a tantrum and that Olivia was quite cooperative. Actually, I may even venture to say that Denny and Olivia were getting along pretty well by the end of her cut - Olivia even gave him some knucks and Denny responded by saying the haircut was on the house. :)
These pictures speak pretty well for themselves....
Uh, mom, I really don't care if you're wearing a cape too....
I'm NOT interested.
Dad, will you stop taking pictures and get me out of here!
I'm seriously not pleased, but I will be a good girl and not fidget.
But don't mind me, I'm just going to pout a bit.
Okay fine, I'm done pouting, but don't expect me to smile....
All I really want it my "ice-ceem."
We decided to let Denny Smock - a family friend - have the honors of Olivia's first haircut down at his barbershop. Denny has, of course, given his own grandchildren their first cuts! Brian needed a haircut, so we all watched Daddy to get Olivia warmed up to the idea. The warming up didn't go perfectly, so I ultimately bribed her with some ice-cream. I wouldn't say Olivia was a fan of the haircut process (I didn't expect her to be), but the ice-cream bribe was a serious help, and I am just pleased that we didn't have a tantrum and that Olivia was quite cooperative. Actually, I may even venture to say that Denny and Olivia were getting along pretty well by the end of her cut - Olivia even gave him some knucks and Denny responded by saying the haircut was on the house. :)
These pictures speak pretty well for themselves....
Uh, mom, I really don't care if you're wearing a cape too....I'm NOT interested.
Dad, will you stop taking pictures and get me out of here!
I'm seriously not pleased, but I will be a good girl and not fidget.But don't mind me, I'm just going to pout a bit.
Okay fine, I'm done pouting, but don't expect me to smile....All I really want it my "ice-ceem."
Monday, August 2, 2010
Grace Elizabeth - 6 Months
It's absolutely crazy to think that Grace is already half a year old! It never ceases to amaze me how much babies change during that first year of life....
Grace's 5 1/2 month pictures have been ordered (along with Olivia's 2 year pictures), so I will hopefully be sending those out soon. Grace will have a 6 month appointment sometime soon too, so we'll get to see where she's at in the statistic department.
In the last month it's really hit me that Gracie isn't a bitty baby any more. Lately (actually starting about two weeks ago) she's a rolling machine, using this skill to bring anything and everything to her mouth. During this past month Grace has gotten a little more aggressive with reaching too and sometimes surprises me with the things she manages to get her hands on. Gracie's drooling a whole bunch again, but so far no sign of any more teeth which is okay with me. Hopefully the teeth stay away for a bit because nights have taken a great turn with Gracie only getting up once instead of twice. I'm happy because we didn't have to battle to get this accomplished, Grace just did it on her own. I can handle once a night, but I was concerned with the twice a night deal with school starting just around the corner.
Favorite toys include anything that squeaks, rattles, or lights up. And, of course, Olivia is really Grace's favorite "toy." Gracie has got to be one of the happiest most easy-going babies out there. Her laughter comes easily and she's quick to smile at pretty much anyone who makes any effort towards entertaining her. I seriously appreciate that Gracie entertains herself well and is equally entertained by Olivia. Their sisterly bond is pretty amazing. The only thing Gracie gets a little sassy about is bedtime - but in this sense I don't mind because she wants to go to bed! Bedtime for Grace isn't ever much later than 7:30. Mornings start for us around 6-6:30. I'd love for it to be later, but this wake-up time is actually perfect for when school starts, so I shouldn't complain. Plus, it's hard not to be happy to pick up Grace in the morning with her wide smiles and happy squeals.
Besides the rolling all over the place, other signs of growing up are....
* Starting baby foods: So far we've done (in order) plain cereal, bananas, green beans, applesauce, squash, and peas. Grace has done great with foods and shows major interest in the entire eating process - once again, I attribute this to Olivia. The only downsides are that I don't feel like Grace is nursing as well and that she has dirty diapers non-stop! Right now, in terms of baby food meals, Gracie is having breakfast and dinner. We're still working on adjusting the nursing/eating schedule to accommodate these meals, so I don't think I'll try lunch for a while yet. You'd think I'd know exactly what I'm doing this second time around, but apparently not. I also need to try out the sippy cut soon, but I think I'll wait until I stop nursing (which will be when school starts).
* Beginning sitting: Gacie is getting better at sitting. I'm not going to claim that she can do this yet, but we're getting there. So far the longest sit without assist has maybe been 1 minute.... Like I said, we're working on it. At least Gracie doesn't seem to mind the falling over onto her face thing.
* Growing some hair: If you didn't see it for yourself, Gracie's bald spot was pretty incredible. It started out fairly typical (just the spot from lying on her back), but then it kept growing! However, the baldness literally stopped progressing at her ears making her completely bald in the back with three inch long hair in the front. Rather interesting... Now though, the bald spot is on it's way out. This new hair has some serious catching up to do, but I have faith!
* Making lots of sounds: Many of you know about Gracie's classic squawk. Now, to accompany this we have lots of various chocking/coughing noises, a softer squawk, and bababa/dadada. Of course the dada is my favorite.
* General understanding: Gracie has also developed a bit of a whine that she now uses to indicate displeasure if something is taken away. She's realized that she can get my attention by acting like something's wrong and clearly enjoys seeing these attention-getting sounds work. She also seems to understand that her laughter is contagious.
How lucky we are to have two such happy kids! I can't wait to see what the next six months of Gracie's life brings. My predictions: Crawling - 7 months, Sleeping through the night (am I trying to jinx myself?) - 8 months, Walking - 11 months. We'll see how close I am!
Grace's 5 1/2 month pictures have been ordered (along with Olivia's 2 year pictures), so I will hopefully be sending those out soon. Grace will have a 6 month appointment sometime soon too, so we'll get to see where she's at in the statistic department.
In the last month it's really hit me that Gracie isn't a bitty baby any more. Lately (actually starting about two weeks ago) she's a rolling machine, using this skill to bring anything and everything to her mouth. During this past month Grace has gotten a little more aggressive with reaching too and sometimes surprises me with the things she manages to get her hands on. Gracie's drooling a whole bunch again, but so far no sign of any more teeth which is okay with me. Hopefully the teeth stay away for a bit because nights have taken a great turn with Gracie only getting up once instead of twice. I'm happy because we didn't have to battle to get this accomplished, Grace just did it on her own. I can handle once a night, but I was concerned with the twice a night deal with school starting just around the corner.
Favorite toys include anything that squeaks, rattles, or lights up. And, of course, Olivia is really Grace's favorite "toy." Gracie has got to be one of the happiest most easy-going babies out there. Her laughter comes easily and she's quick to smile at pretty much anyone who makes any effort towards entertaining her. I seriously appreciate that Gracie entertains herself well and is equally entertained by Olivia. Their sisterly bond is pretty amazing. The only thing Gracie gets a little sassy about is bedtime - but in this sense I don't mind because she wants to go to bed! Bedtime for Grace isn't ever much later than 7:30. Mornings start for us around 6-6:30. I'd love for it to be later, but this wake-up time is actually perfect for when school starts, so I shouldn't complain. Plus, it's hard not to be happy to pick up Grace in the morning with her wide smiles and happy squeals.
Besides the rolling all over the place, other signs of growing up are....
* Starting baby foods: So far we've done (in order) plain cereal, bananas, green beans, applesauce, squash, and peas. Grace has done great with foods and shows major interest in the entire eating process - once again, I attribute this to Olivia. The only downsides are that I don't feel like Grace is nursing as well and that she has dirty diapers non-stop! Right now, in terms of baby food meals, Gracie is having breakfast and dinner. We're still working on adjusting the nursing/eating schedule to accommodate these meals, so I don't think I'll try lunch for a while yet. You'd think I'd know exactly what I'm doing this second time around, but apparently not. I also need to try out the sippy cut soon, but I think I'll wait until I stop nursing (which will be when school starts).
* Beginning sitting: Gacie is getting better at sitting. I'm not going to claim that she can do this yet, but we're getting there. So far the longest sit without assist has maybe been 1 minute.... Like I said, we're working on it. At least Gracie doesn't seem to mind the falling over onto her face thing.
* Growing some hair: If you didn't see it for yourself, Gracie's bald spot was pretty incredible. It started out fairly typical (just the spot from lying on her back), but then it kept growing! However, the baldness literally stopped progressing at her ears making her completely bald in the back with three inch long hair in the front. Rather interesting... Now though, the bald spot is on it's way out. This new hair has some serious catching up to do, but I have faith!
* Making lots of sounds: Many of you know about Gracie's classic squawk. Now, to accompany this we have lots of various chocking/coughing noises, a softer squawk, and bababa/dadada. Of course the dada is my favorite.
* General understanding: Gracie has also developed a bit of a whine that she now uses to indicate displeasure if something is taken away. She's realized that she can get my attention by acting like something's wrong and clearly enjoys seeing these attention-getting sounds work. She also seems to understand that her laughter is contagious.
How lucky we are to have two such happy kids! I can't wait to see what the next six months of Gracie's life brings. My predictions: Crawling - 7 months, Sleeping through the night (am I trying to jinx myself?) - 8 months, Walking - 11 months. We'll see how close I am!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Favorite Things...
To add to Olivia's two-year old post, here's a list of some of my favorite things (or things I think are most funny, odd, etc...) about her right now...* Loves singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Wheels on the Bus" with hand motions
* Has no fear of water what-so-ever
* Asks for Gracie upon waking
* Is a great cuddler - especially in the mornings
* Is speaking in short sentences
* Loves to be naked (see below)
* Says she's "cold" when she wants to be wrapped up in her blanket
* Randomly kisses me on the cheek and lips
* Understands sharing - although isn't always good at it
* Shares her silkie to comfort others
* Knows she makes Gracie happy and entertains her just because she likes to
* Is learning (sort of) her colors because of her love for "freezie-pops"
* Snags my freezie so she can finish the juice from both hers and mine
* Always identifies everything as pink when asked
* Counts sporadically - one, two, one & eight, nine, ten
* Asks to sing "abacee" aka the ABCs frequently
* Is Little Miss Helpful
* Enjoys cleaning with mommy
* Loves watering the plants and has her own watering can
* Can finally have a ponytail - although it's rather pathetic
* Is potty-trained (with exceptions of course)
* Congratulates herself after going potty with "Good job Biva!"
* Has gotten over her fear of bugs and now squishes ants with her fingers
* Has slowly, but surely, become a social butterfly
* Sometimes tells me that "mommy pretty"
* Loves the word "silly"
* Is an excellent dancer and enjoys music
* Can finally say her name - "Biva Huinker" - but when asked what her name is sometimes responds "Two" and/or "Happy Birthday" (clearly we worked on those two responses a lot!)
* Plays with her babies non-stop
* Is starting to play make-believe (mostly involving her babies)
* Likes to do everything "self"
* Spontaneously says she needs a time-out even though she's only gotten three of these from me (apparently they made an impact)
* Has a renewed love for books and will read by herself at times
* Loves swinging but wants me to carry her across the sand to the swings at the park so she doesn't get sand in her shoes
* Has made great strides in the running, climbing, jumping, etc... department
* Loves washing her hands and wants to do this constantly when playing with chalk
* Says "nite-nite mommy" and "love you" every night as I'm leaving the room
I'm sure I will think of more things to add to this list the moment I officially post it, but I think it's a good start at recording all that's happening at this point in Olivia's life!
Happy 2nd Birthday Olivia!
Last weekend Olivia entered the world of two year olds in grand fashion. Here's a run down of all that happened...
On Thursday (the 8th) we had Olivia's 2-year check. Olivia weighed in at 25 pounds 13 ounces and was 33 inches tall. Both these measurements put her in the 30th percentile, so we still have a peanut on our hands. Otherwise, we were congratulated on having Olivia potty trained (more on that another time) and were informed that she's just perfect - not that we didn't already know this!
Despite this pout, Olivia had a blast playing out in the yard!
We had a great time at my parent's house for the remainder of the weekend.... On Thursday Olivia got to hang out a bunch with her Auntie Thyme. They had a fantastic time together as you can tell from the pictures! The sprinkler was a great hit, and I wish I had recorded all the giggles that accompanied the many trips through the water! I absolutely love watching Thyme and Olivia play together - really, if you consider their ages, they could be sisters. Olivia very clearly adores Thyme. She mimicks her both in voice and action, and since getting to spend a solid weekend following Thyme around, Olivia asks about her frequently. It will be fun to watch them grow together - and, I look forward to seeing if they look alike - I'm seeing more resemblance as Olivia gets older!
On Friday morning, Mark, Brian, Thyme, Olivia, Grace, and I headed up to the Minnesota Zoo. The girls did great and Olivia was fairly adventurous. For as much as a trooper as Gracie was, I think next time we'll have to leave her home at grandma's. I felt bad for her in the heat and her nap schedule was all messed up. Grace, however, was amazing and hardly made a fuss. Olivia seemed to enjoy seeing all the animals - if I had to decide, I'd say that the fish, leapord (once she realized it couldn't come through the glass - see picture below), and the prairie dogs were her favorite. Next time we'll have to try to visit "The Farm" again, but we bi-passed it as we had just visited the fair and seen all the farm animals the day before. After the zoo we hit up Noodles before heading home. Surprisingly, Olivia stayed up in the car, but she crashed for 2.5 hours when we got home.
Olivia was just a bit intimidated by the "big kitty."
After nap we took a trip over to the neighbor's pool. Olivia continues to be quite the water animal, and, if Grace's kicking arms and legs are any indication, she will be too!
Later in the evening more relatives came over for gift opening and cake. Looking at these pictures, you might be wondering why Olivia has a Fourth of July birthday cake.... Well, let's just say it was a great deal at Dairy Queen (we had to go for the ice-cream cake since Olivia still will have nothing to do with breads - even in sweetened form). I wasn't too please when Brian came out with a non-birthday cake, but I guess it'll make for a good story in the future and Olivia obviously didn't mind!
Olivia didn't want to go to bed after all the festivities which I guess means she had a fun day and didn't want it to end! I enjoyed getting some extra cuddles at bed time. I can't believe how quickly two years have flown by. I've pretty much forgotten what life without kids is like, and I can't imagine what life would be like without Olivia. Not a day goes by that she doesn't bring a smile to our faces and laughter to those around her. You are one of a kind Olivia, and we love you for it!!!
On Thursday (the 8th) we had Olivia's 2-year check. Olivia weighed in at 25 pounds 13 ounces and was 33 inches tall. Both these measurements put her in the 30th percentile, so we still have a peanut on our hands. Otherwise, we were congratulated on having Olivia potty trained (more on that another time) and were informed that she's just perfect - not that we didn't already know this!
Despite this pout, Olivia had a blast playing out in the yard!
On Friday morning, Mark, Brian, Thyme, Olivia, Grace, and I headed up to the Minnesota Zoo. The girls did great and Olivia was fairly adventurous. For as much as a trooper as Gracie was, I think next time we'll have to leave her home at grandma's. I felt bad for her in the heat and her nap schedule was all messed up. Grace, however, was amazing and hardly made a fuss. Olivia seemed to enjoy seeing all the animals - if I had to decide, I'd say that the fish, leapord (once she realized it couldn't come through the glass - see picture below), and the prairie dogs were her favorite. Next time we'll have to try to visit "The Farm" again, but we bi-passed it as we had just visited the fair and seen all the farm animals the day before. After the zoo we hit up Noodles before heading home. Surprisingly, Olivia stayed up in the car, but she crashed for 2.5 hours when we got home.
Olivia was just a bit intimidated by the "big kitty."After nap we took a trip over to the neighbor's pool. Olivia continues to be quite the water animal, and, if Grace's kicking arms and legs are any indication, she will be too!
Later in the evening more relatives came over for gift opening and cake. Looking at these pictures, you might be wondering why Olivia has a Fourth of July birthday cake.... Well, let's just say it was a great deal at Dairy Queen (we had to go for the ice-cream cake since Olivia still will have nothing to do with breads - even in sweetened form). I wasn't too please when Brian came out with a non-birthday cake, but I guess it'll make for a good story in the future and Olivia obviously didn't mind!
Olivia didn't want to go to bed after all the festivities which I guess means she had a fun day and didn't want it to end! I enjoyed getting some extra cuddles at bed time. I can't believe how quickly two years have flown by. I've pretty much forgotten what life without kids is like, and I can't imagine what life would be like without Olivia. Not a day goes by that she doesn't bring a smile to our faces and laughter to those around her. You are one of a kind Olivia, and we love you for it!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
