Blessed

Last Sunday, Valentine's Day, my mommy friends threw a surprise going away party for our family. I was completely surprised. I thought it was a three year old birthday party.

Once the shock wore off, I was so touched.

I met these wonderful women when Katie was just a few weeks old. We have watched our beautiful children grow from babies to toddlers and now preschoolers. We have watched them learn to crawl then walk, and babble then talk together. We have watched several of them go through the transition of only child to big sister/big brother. We have watched the children laugh together and certainly cry together... We have commiserated with each other through the terrible twos and cheered each other on as each child is conquering a new feat.

For all of you who have friends like this, you know they are irreplaceable. It has been a beautiful experience for me and the last three years would not have been the same without each one of them.

Thank you for the wonderful send off. I will miss all of you.

(This isn't even the WHOLE group. One mommy is missing and 3 children)

Hugs

Just a cute picture of Katie and Andrew.

Have a great week!

All Done

We started teaching Andrew sign language about a month ago. Today he did his first sign, "All Done." It sort of looks like praise the Lord, but I will take it.

We started sign language with Katie when she was 10 months old and she did her first sign, "baby" when she was 13 months old (coincidently, the same age as Andrew now). Katie was a little later than some in talking so signing really helped with her frustration to communicate with us. (Her first word, "Tuck" was at 15 months old). Some of Katie's other first signs included: eat, more, all done, and milk. Hopefully Andrew will learn those and more in the near future to eliminate some of the screaming we have been experiencing lately (end of video).

Darn pants!

Katie was watching Barney yesterday morning. Andrew was bugging her. To deter him from bugging her, I built a barricade. Or, so I thought.

Next time I know, pants is the answer to stopping Andrew.

I think he is saying "up" in the first video. What a monkey!

Happy Valentine's Day... a little late

Valentine's Day sure has changed since kids. We didn't even discuss going out to dinner. Instead, we ordered a planned out Valentine's meal for two from a local market.

We started with shrimp cocktail and an assortment of cheeses from Holland, France and England. Then, we had bacon wrapped fillet with baked potatoes and green beans. Ned cooked and prepared the fillet perfectly.... yum. For dessert, fresh cannoli.

Sure, we didn't eat until 9:30pm, but the candlelight dinner with no one whining or climbing on me was perfect. And, I got to eat in my sweats!...so romantic, I know.

Andrew sporting his Snoopy Valentine's shirt
from cousin Charlie. Thanks!

Katie had flowers delivered from Grandma and Pop.

She also got a single rose from her sweetheart, Daddy.

You can't see it, but Katie's shirt says "Hug Me".
I asked her to smile, this is what I got.
She said she was posing. To be three...

Picaso

I think it was about the same age that I painted with Katie for the first time. Andrew was able to hold the brush and mark the paper all by himself. He wanted to dip the paintbrush himself but I did that for him. Whenever he does something new, he watches Katie intently and then does it himself . He really enjoyed his first painting experience. So did I.

We ended when he decided to try his creativity on his face! He had a bath immediately after.

No smock for Andrew, just stripped down to his onesie

Wanting to dip the brush

Grandma and Katie supervising

Snow

NH winter = snow. Lots and lots of snow. When accumulations are abound we don't get 1-2 inches. No, we get 6-10 inches...each time. And, it doesn't melt. Nope. Not until March if we are luckyl. Literally.

Katie isn't a snow bunny by any means. She says it is too cold. I tend to agree with her. Andrew hasn't experienced the snow (until today). Mainly because Katie isn't interested. That is what happens with second children...they tag along.

Today I convinced Katie to venture out into the snow and "paint." I read in a magazine recently to put food coloring in bottles and "paint" the snow. It was a hit and Katie didn't have to go beyond our back deck.

Andrew, however, immediately went off the deck and was determined to walk in the snow. It was tough, but he managed to get pretty far into the yard...with many falls.

Katie painting" the snow with food coloring

Andrew walking through the snow...on a mission

Just for fun... Katie March 2008. Age 2yrs 3 months.
Andrew is wearing the same snowsuit and hat in the picture above. Age 1 yr.