April (March) showers bring May flowers

 



 A few new Jack quotes, "Never fear!Super Jack is here!" is one of my favorites. The other day, I laid down with him before bed and he put his arm around me and said, "Don't worry, mama, I'll keep you safe and sound!" Melted my heart. Makes me think that he is going to be in to doing good and helping to save the world when he grows up. But then he pushes Anna over to steal a toy and makes her cry....

Annalee is starting to figure out words. Her favorite is still "No" but she is getting used to saying "Please" when she wants something. She still cries when she doesn't get her way, but she is starting to figure out how to ask for what she wants, which is making life a little easier. "Me" is a big one too.

It is currently raining outside, and, though I heard it is snowing up north, it still makes me feel a little gloomy. I long for spring to be here and to have the whole backyard to play in when we get home after work and daycare. My kids need fresh air and I need the freedom of knowing that they are getting as much time outside as they need. I am tired of Caillou, though I don't think Jack will ever be, and I am tired of all the winter sickness that is still going around. Sunday promises to be a beautiful day, so I hope to get out for some kind of walk and let the kids run off some of their pent up energy.

As I have resorted to writing about the weather, I think I will sign off. I wish you all a wonderful evening. Good night.
Laura

Look who is a big girl!

Annalee is finally facing forward! For all those of you who think that kids should be facing the back until they are 2, I agree with you...to a point. This little girl was crunched in that car seat, with her knees about up to her chin. I felt she was uncomfortable and cranky each time we folded her into the car. Yesterday morning, when we were on our way home from daycare and she was forward-facing, I could tell how different she felt about the ride. Though this pic does not show it, she was smiley, watching the world go by, not getting dizzy from sitting backwards while being propelled forwards. My family can attest to my distaste for sitting backwards in a car (really, doing anything other than sitting in the front seat, looking out). I get carsick at the mere thought, so to be able to give my little girl the freedom to face the world head on was a great feeling. Also, Jack can no longer reach over and steal things from her poor little hands.

The kids are heading to visit their Grandma Jodie this weekend. I am going to stay back and do some much needed spring cleaning and sleep. I am so appreciative of weekends where I can just be. I would love to go out with them to Wisconsin, but to have a kid-free weekend is such a luxury that I am excited to cross things off our to-do list and be a better mom when they all come home.

Today, I am heading home a little early, picking the kids up from daycare and my friend Lindsay is bringing her little ones over for a play date while she and her husband have a meeting with their money person. Four kids in the house! M & K are right around the same age as Jack & Annalee, and they have a great time when we are together. I hope my kids shortened naps won't keep them from playing themselves out and giving Ryan and I a calm night!

Here's crossing our fingers that I get some cute photos of the bunch and remember to post them in the coming days.

Have a great day!

We have had a long, busy winter, tucked indoors. With the snow finally melting, we have been trying to get out more frequently. We took the kids for a walk at the park on Saturday. Jack insisted on pushing the stroller nearly the entire walk, whether Annalee was in it or not. Side note - we will no longer be bringing a stroller places, rather just the child back pack as pushing with a near 3-year-old walking in front of you, demanding he do it by himself is completely annoying! Annalee wanted to walk, for the most part, so we didn't get too far with her little legs, but at least they got some fresh air. I am so looking forward to opening all the windows in the house and getting things aired out. I am not looking forward to cleaning up the yard after having so many dogs out there all winter! I wonder if Ryan would let us hire out that job!?!

Jack has an amazing imagination that makes us all laugh pretty regularly. He will crash a car into another toy and then the two toys will have a conversation, along with an apology for causing the crash in the first place. He tells stories like it is his job. We get to hear them and he tells other tall tales to his daycare friends. They often involve me bonking my head and Super Jackie saving the day. When we are just sitting around he will come up to us with his hands on his hips and his arms jutted out and say, "Oh no! You are stuck in the mud! Never fear, Super Jack is here! I will save you and bring you to my house." And then he carts us off to his house. He is typically wearing a cape for all of these interactions. The boy is just a riot. We are so lucky!

Annalee is starting to make up her own language. She babbles at us constantly and is always prying our attention away from her brother to make us look and converse with her. The struggles of a little sister with an annoying older brother are many, poor kid! She knows how to say Please, Momma, Dada, Yes, No (this one is her favorite), Jack, and a whole lot of other little words that I don't know yet what they mean. She loves trucks, as they make up the majority of our toys. She has two baby dolls that she carts around with her wherever she goes, though. She, in following after her mother and brother, loves her nummy. Maybe not as much as we love ours, but she giggles whenever you give it to her and she pulls it along after her whenever it is in the living room.

So, there is my much awaited update. I will keep trying to get to this blog, but I make no guarantees! I do love coming back here, though, and looking through old posts. It is funny how much I forget that I have written down. I hope my kids can appreciate my words when they get older.

Love to all who have stuck with this blog.  Laura