what we're up to

It's been awhile since I posted about the everyday stuff.  So here's a glimpse at the little stuff that's been going on recently :)

Ryan and Abby had firetruck day at preschool on Tuesday.  They loved it!  Freddy the Firetruck came to visit.  For those of you that were at the 4th of July parade in Woodstock a few years ago, I think we've already met Freddy.  Remember the little robot firetruck that scooted around and talked?  We could see the human following a few yards behind him?  Based on Ryan and Abby's descriptions, I think that's what they saw at preschool.  It was a cold and rainy day so they couldn't go outside and Freddy fit in the gym.  Freddy was asleep when all the kids came in and they woke him up.  He talked to them and according to Ryan someone asked him if he could spray water and so he squirted them.  They talked about Freddy all afternoon!  Ryan and Abby also demonstrated stop, drop, and roll for me.  And Ryan explained 9-1-1 and was very surprised that I knew the number too.  Then on Wednesday the big firetruck came and Ryan's class got to go outside to see it [Abby doesn't go on Wednesdays].  Ryan's been very excited about firetrucks all week.  Today he noticed a fire hydrant while we were driving to the doctor.  We had fun pointing out fire hydrants the rest of the way there.  And back.  And to lunch.  And to Publix to fill Chloe's prescription.  And back home.  I had no idea there were so many fire hydrants!  And I suppose it's nice to know that there is one right next door in our neighbor's front yard.

Abby started her sports tykes class on Wednesday morning.  It's the same class that Ryan and his buddy Asher took two years ago with Coach Laura.  She Loved it!!  A few months ago Abby went to a bring a friend day at her friend Olivia's dance class.  She did great and looked so cute in her tutu.  When I asked her if she had fun she said "Yes!"  When I asked her if she wanted to do dance with Olivia she said "No!"  And she has stuck to that.  She's had it in her head that she wants to play soccer, presumably since that's what Ryan does.  So I gave up my dreams of a cute girly girl in a tutu and signed her up for the sports class :)  Instead she's the cute girly girl in pink shorts and pigtails!  Obviously I don't really care what she plays as long as she's having fun.  And realistically I think she's too young for most of the dance classes anyways.  So sports tykes it is!  They started with basketball this week and fortunately Abby didn't skip a beat.  Apparently "soccer" is just any sport.  She did great, she walked right into that gym without any hesitation [Mommys don't go in, we wait in the lobby right outside].  There were three little boys in there with her, although Coach Laura said there were three more kids signed up including another girl.  Abby really enjoyed it and is very excited to go again next week which is good news considering it's a 12week class! 

Chloe's hanging out and doing her thing.  Although at her age, her thing seems to be tagging along to whatever Brother and Sister's thing is :)  She's still practicing her sitting up skills, but she'll get there soon enough.  While she's not an all-star on the physical abilities curve, she's a great eater, best of all three I'd say.  She loves all sorts of food and opens her mouth wide for more bites.  She also has a great laugh.  I can usually get her to laugh by kissing her neck.  And last week she laughed out loud at Auntie Sarah's new dog Eva.  Eva was super sweet and really great with Chloe.  Chloe also laughed at Ryan several times over the weekend.  We went hiking at Sawnee Mountain on Sunday and Ryan was hopping around the trail and jumping off small rocks.  Chloe was so cute laughing at him, I loved it!  Unfortunately I feel like she's been under the weather a lot; I suppose that's what happens when you have older siblings in preschool.  Today she was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection and ear ache, poor baby :(  But I'm glad to have some antibiotics for her, hopefully that will knock out some of the congestion and junk that's been lingering around for awhile. 

It's cold and overcast today.  I am ready for spring and usually I'm super excited to get to March.  But the highs are hovering around 40 the next few days and that's just not my idea of a nice day!  Guess we'll be hibernating this weekend!  Happy March 1st and here's to spring coming soon :) 

on the road again

Last week was our Winter Break and the kids were off from preschool.  Feeling adventurous I decided to drive the kids to see my sister in Rocky Mount, NC.  It was great to see her and Brian, but driving that far by myself with three kids was a bit crazy :)  It rained all the way there.  All the way.  Hours and hours of rain.  And on the way home, I went thirty plus miles down the highway in the wrong direction ... and then had to turn around and backtrack.  There went an hour plus.  Oops.  Add in lots of "are we there yet?" and "I have to go potty" and it was quite a trip! 

But it was good to be there and see Aunt Lolly and Uncle Brian.  We enjoyed a cook-out and meeting some of their friends.  And Lolly taught us how to play yahtzee, Ryan had a great time with that!  And of course we hit up a Chickfila playplace [and Walmart, but Chloe kicked her shoe off while we were shopping and Mommy was very sad about not being able to find it.  Loved those shoes.  And they were new, I actually bought something new just for Chloe!]. 

We also visited with Auntie Sarah and Maxim on the way to and from.  Hooray for a good halfway stopping point!  [we love seeing you guys too, hope you don't feel used :)].  We enjoyed playing outside on a rare sunny day and running around the McDonald's playplace. 

Thanks to Aunt Lolly and Auntie Sarah for offering us room and board and food and fun! 

The girls at Aunt Lolly's

Welcome to SC - the kids were looking right into the sun
I didn't take any pictures with Sarah and Maxim, sorry guys!

1,049 miles by myself in four days is a long way!! 
Hopefully next time it will be to Tampa - the beach, Disney, and of yeah Aunt Lolly & Uncle Brian too :)
 

another Abby funny

Yesterday while driving to church Ryan said something to Abby, I'm honestly not even sure what.  But apparently she didn't like it and from the backseat we heard: "Don't talk to me like that.  You're not my father.  Mommy's my father!"

I couldn't make this stuff up

Emergency post!  Just now Ryan and Abby are playing in the living room while I've got the kitchen table covered in a plastic tablecloth and lots of paint.  Abby says to Ryan: "Something smells like poop."  Ryan tells her we don't talk like that unless we are in the bathroom.  I reinforce this by telling Abby, Ryan's right we only talk like that if when we are going potty.  Without a word, she gets up, walks to the bathroom, and I hear her whisper: "poop."  She then comes back and sits down on the living room floor as if nothing happened.  I almost bit my lip trying not to laugh.

V-day 2013

On Valentine's day morning I surprised the kids with a breakfast trip to Chick-fil-a.  We feasted on heart-shaped biscuits, along with smoothies we had made at home, while we drove to preschool.  Abby wore her pink Hello Kitty PJ's in honor of pajama day.  The afternoon was a quick blur as we ate lunch super fast in order to get Chloe to her six month checkup [Dr. Bowman was awesome enough to check Abby out too since she'd been coughing all week and had had a bout with pink eye.  Fortunately, while congested, she was infection free!].  For dinner I cut heart shaped pieces of cheeses and lunch meats for grilled cheese and chili.  And afterwards we had a pink-lemonade pie with strawberries, yum!  While we don't really believe in the Hallmark version of the holiday, it was certainly fun celebrating with the kids and talking about love all day. 

we love you!

 

preparing for Valentine's day

We've had fun with Valentine's day this year [and it's not even here yet!].  We've never really been all that into the holiday, but the kids are enjoying it and it's always nice to have something fun to look forward to during the blah winter months :)  So we've embraced it this year, why not?  We even took some cute pictures and mailed out photo cards to the extended family.  As I was addressing the envelopes, Ryan asked if he could color on the back.  I agreed and this is what he did:

 



I love it!  It's great see him learning and being so excited about it.  We've also made Valentine's for their friends at school [Mommy was pretty excited about how those came out :)].

"I'm glad you're in my SCHOOL!"  Abby Loves goldfish.  And Ryan wanted a card with a car, so we decided on "I never TIRE of our friendship!"  More Valentine's day fun coming tomorrow!  Think heart shaped cheeses and pink lemonade pie :)

I needed that!

Yesterday afternoon.
Ryan and Daddy hanging with Nana.
Chloe taking a three hour nap.
I had Abby all to myself!!

We spent most of the time outside drawing all over the driveway with chalk.  Nearly 60 degrees in the sun with my Sweet Girl was just what this Mama needed!  We also played out back a little, sliding and swinging.  We then shared nachos before Chloe awoke and we met our boys at church for a night of worship.

Obviously I love Chloe dearly and I love that I have two daughters to be sisters and best friends for life.  But the baby stage can be hard sometimes and I really don't want Abby to get lost in middle-child-ness.  I was missing my Abby time and I am grateful for the perfect afternoon! 

I love you Princess! 
[I not a Princess, I an Abby!]

And night of worship was pretty awesome too.  The turnout was surprisingly small, but I enjoyed the more intimate setting and having the kids with us.  I heard Abby singing several times, although I'm not sure what words she was saying since I can't imagine she knew any of the songs.  I also love that she prayed out loud during our individual prayer time.  I can't recall exactly what she said, but we'd occasionally hear her say Dear God or Jesus or other appropriate words and phrases.  More childlike faith, awesome :)

the mysterious Poppy

Tuesday morning after dropping Ryan off at preschool, the girls and I headed to Kroger.  I hadn't quite finished my grocery list so we were sitting in the car while I copied ingredients from my recipes.  [ahhh, confined kids :)].  As we are sitting there, a truck pulls in next to us driven by an older gentleman.  I scribbled Abby's conversation down on my grocery list:

"That looks like Poppy!"
who's Poppy?
"I don't know."
about ten seconds later:
"I don't know who is Poppy."
I mumble something along the lines of you're the one who said he looks like Poppy and went back to my grocery list.

The man sits in his car a minute or so before getting out of his truck and walking in between our cars to the store.  As he passes Abby's window, she says again:

"That looks like Poppy!"

I didn't even bother to ask this time.  Most likely this is just the randomness that is two year old Abby, but if you have any insight into who Poppy might be, let me know!

I have two daughters :)

From Abby this morning:  "Chloe wants to wear the same thing I am wearing."  Mommy loves to match her girls and fortunately they are okay with that!