Visit to Chicago

We always have so much fun on our visits to Chicago.  We are definitely always sure to see Great Grandma Helen.  The kids loved visiting her at her new place, eating icecream and popcorn.  They were so good sitting and waiting (a long time) for their dinner.  So fun!  Thanks for letting us visit Grammie Helen.

One of Max's favorite things to do is go to Fair Oaks Farm.  It is sort of like a diary museum all about cows and how they operate the farm to be self sustaining.  It really is a neat place.  Allie LOVES cows...from a distance.  She is not quite so fond of them up close.  We were lucky enough to get to see a baby be born that day.  Acutally they have several baby's born there a day.  The whole process is a bit gross, and when I asked Max if he wanted to leave he said no.  He said it was kind of gross, but really cool to see.  So funny and grown up!

 You can see how much fun they had...I am not sure we were even out of the parking lot.

 All the Grandbabies on Grammies bed for a photo shoot!  I don't think Molly is really enjoying herself.

Last Day of Preschool

Today was the last day of preschool with next Wednesday being the closing program.  Here is a comparison of Max from the last day to the first day.

He looks so grown up to me in that top picture.  Still a chubby boy in the bottom one.  Always a silly kid

We have Piggies

I almost fogot!  Allie loves having a pony tail in her hair lately.  She's such a goof.  Well, this morning Mommy got piggies in it!

So cute!

Oh...yes, that is a bandaid.  She fell several weeks ago and got a scrape...literally a scrape!  She has picked at it, and dug at it until it is a hole.  So... no we keep a bandaid on it so it will hopefully clear up soon.

Mother's Day Observance

Today was the Mother's Day observance at Max's preschool.  It was such a nice day.  I was actually the mom helper in the class today so I got to be there for the whole class.  Every time I am in the class Max's teacher and her aid always tell me how funny Max is.  I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing ;)

The kids made banana muffins for their mom's and they also had some fruit for everyone to enjoy.  It was just wonderful.  The kids also sang songs and had gifts for the moms.  One of our gifts was this short survey the kids answered.  When Mrs. Messick handed Max his survey he announced "Mommy I drew you with one eye"...why thanks buddy, I didn't know I was a cyclops.  Later, when i asked him why he drew me with one eye and he said he ran out of room.  Here were the results of Max's little survey:

My mom is 20 years old.
My mom's favorite color is pink.
My mom always says "Can you please get your pajamas on?"
My mom is very good at knitting.
I love my mom because she helps me finger knit.

Field Trip to the Farm

Today was Max's last field trip for this year's preschool.  We went to the farm up at the local high school.  The high schools here in Harford County have what they call a Magnet Program.  Which means, each school has a specialty.  The high school nearest our house has an agriculture program, so they have their own farm.  I was actually suprised at how much they had at the school.  Two sheep, two alpacas, two bunnies, two cows...no it's not Noah's Ark...they do have three horses and some chicks.  We learned a lot on the trip and got to pet the animals and feel some of their fur that had just been sheared off. 

This was the biggest horse I had ever seen.  I think his head was bigger than some of the kids.

I love this picture of Max with Ernie Alpaca.  He wouldn't go any closer to it, especially since the teacher that lead our tour said they spit.  I think it's hilarious that Ernie is looking over Max's shoulder posing. 

 This boy LOVES tractors!!!

 Welcome to the farm Good Shepherd Lutheran!

The Easter Story...by a 4 year old

Here's Max telling us all the Easter Story using the eggs they used in preschool this year.

Happy Easter!

The Easter Bunny came!  He brought some great loot!

Sissy was pleased as punch with her new squeezy toys...although she doesn't like when they squirt her. Hee hee!

 They loved looking through every thing they got..I think Allie has her mouth fully of jelly beans.

This was the first attempt at a picture of them in their Sunday Best, but the sun was too bright for brother's eyes and he wouldn't sit still.

Much better after church and after the egg hunt at Grammies!

Indiana Visit and an update on Allie

A month ago we went to Indiana to visit our favorite people!  I didn't get many pictures because, of course, my camera was full (usually it's because my battery is dead).  Here are a couple that did seem to capture quite a bit of all that we did that week.

Allie and Max on the airplane:

 Ella and Allie with their Valentines from Grammie and Pop:

 Allie pushing her baby (Ella) on the tractor:

OK, this needs a little explanation.  My Grandma recently moved to a independent living facility and has her own beautiful apartment.  This is her bed.  She's 90 and she gets into this bed.  I couldn't believe how tall the bed was and had Max stand next to it as a reference.  It just seemed so funny to me.  I think I would have a hard time getting in that bed.

Here's a picture of my adorable Grandma Helen.  She is such a beautiful, kind lady and I'm so glad my kids know her.  Allie wasn't so sure about the new surroundings so she wouldn't participate, but Max loves to get in on the action.

Pop's Daycare...they are all playing so nice!  We couldn't believe he could get all three of them to sit nicely at the table and not fight with each other.

Tyler's Tender is a cute train themed restaurant that has a working train inside.  The train brought our food (Allie pointed at the train and so sadly whispered "Fry Fries" as it went by her with someone elses food.)  She wasn't so thrilled with the train ride. 

Also, I just realized I didn't update on how Allie is doing with her walking.  Infants and Toddlers came out and said she had no confidence in her feet and ankles.  She has hyper mobility in her joints and her ankle bone nearly touches the ground when she's standing.  She has small feet for her size and they still have that baby puffiness to them.  So she's just scared that her feet and ankles are not going to hold her up.  They recommended that we buy insoles for her shoes and see how that helps.  They told us it wouldn't be an immediate fix, but it would possibly give her the confidence she needed to let go.  She's been cruising the furniture since about October, but just would never let go.  Well we ordered the inserts, they came very quick and a week and two days later, she was walking!  Unbelievable!  We were in Indiana and Poppa Legs kept working with her.  He finally got her to stand by herself in the middle of the room.  Then all the sudden she just stood by herself.  The night before we were to come back home she stood up in the middle of the room (for I think the 2nd or 3rd time).  I looked at my mom and asked if she thought she would be walking by the end of the week.  Grammie no sooner said "I don't think so" and Allie took 5 steps across the room to throw herself on my bed that was on the floor!  Funny all this happened while in her feety jammies, not in her new Stride Rites or her insoles that Grammie got her.  Such a stinker!

Quickie update

Allie is still NOT walking.  This is a sore spot with all of us.  It is so frustrating and upsetting.  We can't figure out why she just won't let go of anything.  Sure, she walks around the furniture and she will push things around, she just won't let go.  She will even walk holding one of our fingers, so we are not holding her up so much, but she just won't let go.  It think all of us have had dreams that she is walking, but no luck.  Infants and Toddlers is coming in February to evaluate her, hopefully we will be able to call and cancel that appointment.  She will pee pee on the potty a couple times a day, if we are home and she has the chance.  This all got started because she stood up in the tub and told daddy she had to go, he put her on the potty and she went.  So we are working on it.  She has been BINK FREE for two days (hopefully Grammy won't give in today).  This is amazing because I feel like she is getting all her teeth at once, but it needed to happen.  Her face is really rashy all around her mouth and we are guessing it is because of that bink.
Max has been doing really well.  He is just a really funny kid, still, always and hopefully forever will be.  There are definitely moments with him.  For instance, he HATES dinner and fights us about it nearly every night.  The problem is, if we just let him not eat, he gets up in the middle of the night crying that his tummy hurts.  Oh the joys of parenting!  He got a Kidz Bop CD for Christmas and knows every word to every song.  He remembers everything and tells us all the time he is an elephant.  He loves school and next year will be going three days, all day.  I think he will strive in that environment and do great things. 

We went to the aquarium yesterday.  I was pointing out different fish to Max and tell him their names and asking him if he could find them in the tanks.  When we were nearly through, he said "Mommy, how do you know about all these fish?"  I hated to tell him their pictures and their names were right above their tanks.  I think all of our favorite was seeing Calypso the three finned sea turtle and of course the dolphin show.

Merry Christmas.

These were the treats that were left for Santa, Annie and Elfie (our two elfs that came to visit through the month of December). 

You can barely see it, but there is also a key there.  See, we have no fireplace, but we have an ornament that has this little poem attached:

Our stockings hang upon a wall. 

We have no fireplace at all!

You see the problem is quite clear.

Santa, how will you get in here?

We heard a legend.  Is it true?

Of magic only you can do.

We'll leave out this special key,

and mark it "Santa" so you can see. 

Your magic makes the key fit right,

so you can get inside that night.

Thank you Santa, here's our key.

The milk and cookies are on me!

Well, they must have been Nice!  Santa came and left quite the stash of loot!  This is the scene when the kidlets arose!

Here's Allie's

  and Max's

They were pretty happy with all their loot.  It took Momma at least 30 minutes to get all the packaging off, but it was worth it!