Monday, December 29, 2008

Pictures from Christmas at Mimi's

I have a date with the washer and some toys that need put together but I wanted to post pictures from yesterday at my mom's house. More details to come soon!!!

Grammy Great opening presents
Aunt Robin and Uncle Beau bought Emma a vanity - complete with make-up, hair dryer, and accessories. Emma's been up for an hour and she's asked me at least 500 times if it's put together yet. I think she likes it.
Hannah
Emma and Hannah. Emma is in love with Hannah.
Annie in her flight suit from Annie and Kurt.
Annie trying to salute.
Annie charming Uncle Dave.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

WELCOME BABY ISABEL ZELLY LENTZ!

Congratulations Stacy and John!
My cousins Stacy and John welcomed their daughter, Isabel "Belle" Zelly Lentz.  Stacy has been on bed rest for quite a while due to Stacy's diabetes and pre-eclampsia.  Belle was born December 26th, weighing in at 7 lbs 3oz and 19 inches long.  She and mom are both on IV antibiotics for an infection but are otherwise doing well.  We couldn't be happier for you guys!

Captain Emma and the Christmas Video

This is part of what Kurt and Annie (Annie's godparents) got the girls for Christmas.  They each have an F-16 Fighting Falcon flight suit, with hot pink name patches.  How absolutely adorable is that?  Annie was sleeping when the box came so we haven't tried her suit on yet.  There will definitely be pictures of that.  


Some Christmas Pix

It's been a crazy couple of days but we had a wonderful holiday.  I tried to keep Emma busy with some projects in the days before Christmas.  She made a gingerbread house, we baked cookies, made a cotton ball Santa and some other artsy-fartsy projects.  We missed Aunt Carolyn thanks to Chicago's uber-snowfall and a case of bronchitis but she's planning to come home for New Year's.  Mimi came and spent the night while Gram and Grandpa came over later in the afternoon.  

Mimi tripped over a toy Christmas Eve and Mommy slipped and fell on the ice in the driveway.  We were both a little sore the next day.  We let Emma open Mimi's presents Christmas Eve because it was too overwhelming to open everything on Christmas Day last year.  Kurt and I were up until 2:30 Christmas Eve (I guess it was actually Christmas morning) wrapping and putting things together.  We decided there were a few things that needed to be removed from the boxes because she wouldn't be able to wait.  The Barbie scooter was simple.  The Barbie RV rolled out of the box.  Then I found the three pages of 9,327 stickers . . . and the worst instructions I have ever seen in my life.  I would have better luck if they were written in Chinese.  An hour and a half later, we were back on track.  If Obama wants to provide jobs for people, applying stickers to children's toys is one I'd love to see filled.  

Emma came downstairs Christmas morning and went straight for the box she thought was her "doll that goes potty," and she was right.  She still wants to play with everything right away so we're trying to teach her to open everything and then we can play with something.  Of course, opening toys is a process in itself.  I'm certain there is some kind of college course that teaches Toy Extraction Without Tantrums (from the child or the parent) - or at least there should be.  Now, she wants to play with everything at the same time.  Annie doesn't understand any of it but she likes it.  She's very good at flashing a smile if she doesn't know what's going on.  She spent about half an hour flirting with Mimi yesterday.  All-in-all, it was a great day.  

Emma and Mommy making a Santa



Emma feeding her Baby Alive - for the third time.  She found it was most efficient to feed baby on the potty.  Why have the rest of us not thought of this?


Emma and Daddy trying out the Barbie scooter.  All the ice and snow have melted (and it's 62) so maybe we can try this outside today.

Annie checking out presents.  She liked the bows best.




Baby needs to eat - again.  

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Ice Storm Updates

On top of all the ice and the trees that are down because of the weight of the ice, we have had 35-45 mph winds since about this time last night. If the ice isn't getting the trees, the wind is. We have been fortunate that almost everything in our neighborhood has been ok; however, there are many, many trees down around us. Our power has been flickering off and on since Friday night and has steadily got worse since last night. The longest we've been without power was for about half an hour this afternoon. Our lines are all underground so it's either repairs or more damage somewhere else along the connection. Kurt has been keeping tabs on power outages in the area and says that have made no improvements since 11 am today, and, in fact, the number of outages is worse. Oh, the temperature is actually -1, without the wind chill. We're staying inside as much as possible. With the sun shining today, it did look like crystal on all the trees.

Emma and I are making cookies for Santa, working on a gingerbread house, and various other arts and crafts projects.

Ice Storm Pictures

Friday, December 19, 2008

12 Days of Christmas . . . in Africa?

I heard this on the radio a couple of weeks ago and have been really taken by these guys. The fact that they're from Indiana has nothing to do with it - really! Enjoy - Straight No Chaser.

Updates and Pictures


Emma bought the Polly Pocket Jumbo Jet with her gift card from Uncle Donnie and Aunt Beth.  She's played with it non-stop since she got it.  
Annie got a couple of toys with her gift card - this train is one of them.  It's so funny to watch Annie chase after it with her Army crawl.

Emma got this teddy bear for her performance last weekend and she sings "Let It Snow".  Emma decided one night this week that she needed to have a picnic with bear.  
Here are some pictures from the ice storm that came last night.  









One of my spruce trees out front fell over and the wreath blew off the door.  They are both frozen to the ground.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Tickle Me Annie

I was drying Annie's legs after her bath last night and she thought it was pretty funny.



Monday, December 15, 2008

Absent Embrace

Liz Monnier is the Artistic Director of the Fort Wayne Dance Collective.  I danced and taught for Liz for almost 10 years and I love her choreography.  Here's a link to a piece she previewed at Nuts 'n' Crackers last weekend, dedicated to our military and their families.  This was from dress rehearsal on Wednesday.  ABSENT EMBRACE

Playtime Video



These are the sweetest laughs in the world!



Here is some video of Emma playing and Annie watching Emma play.  Annie thinks Emma is the poo!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Emma is finally officially and completely potty trained. No more sleeping panties at night and poopies go in the potty. I was dressing Annie the Tuesday night and Emma started freaking because she had to go potty. I told her to go sit on the potty and I'd be in when I was done. Emma started screaming like someone was beating her because she had poopied in the potty. That's all it took because she's been doing it ever since. She did have a tinkle accident later that night and thought Santa wouldn't come but a letter from the big guy took care of that.

Friday night we took the girls to see Santa at Jefferson Pointe.  Kurt and I decided that the downside to having a smart kid is that we're going to have to work to keep Santa around.  Emma kept asking all afternoon if we were going to the North Pole.  Then, when we got to Santa's cottage, she kept asking where the reindeer were.  While we were eating dinner, she kept asking why Santa's sleigh was not at his cottage.  It was heartbreaking because she was so disturbed about the sleigh and the reindeer.  Kurt even told her that Santa's sleigh was in the parking lot like our car was and she didn't buy it.  Anyway, she did sit on Santa's lap this year (sans screaming) and told Santa that she wants a doll that goes potty and that she has learned to poop in the potty.  Annie just stared at Santa in utter disbelief the whole time.  Emma asks us every night if Santa will visit.  She's so excited for Christmas.  

Annie has a new habit - picking at teeth with her fingernail.
Jefferson Pointe has a play area in the food court so we can't get out of there without playing.
Annie had the greatest time watching Emma.  Annie's belly laughs are hysterical.

"Do you believe this, sis?"


Shock and awe.

Emma's performance went really well last night.  Kurt and I took her for ice cream after she was done.  It didn't occur to me that in 33 years, I have never attended a recital or concert like this and been in the audience.  I've always been on stage.  I was more anxious sitting in the audience than I've ever been on stage.  It was awful.  But Emma did a great job and even took two bows which the audience loved.  Three of the moms working back stage told me how darling Emma is during dress rehearsal.  I hope she does as well this afternoon.

Annie had her first OT appointment on Thursday.  She did really well with a "stranger" but was not too fond of all the work.  Lis, Annie's OT, is working with core strengthening and it really fatigues Annie.  Lis said we're getting all the right toys and have been doing everything correctly but Annie needs to work on her core strength and upper body strength.  Annie is a really smart little girl and misses nothing but she has some muscle tone issues, just like she has with the oral motor and strength.  Annie's doing really well with eating.  She is working on Stage 3 foods but we have to grind them up.  She can't handle the mixed texture foods that have a whole pea or carrot in them.  She does great with pasta dinners that have been ground up.  She's trying to chew but doesn't quite have it yet.  She's also trying to hold her own bottle but still struggles with larger bottles.  She's really making some good progress but has a way to go.  

My asthma is finally under control.  I had a check-up two weeks ago.  I did have three doctors in the same day ask me, "You aren't having any more kids, are you?".  It's one thing to decide not to have any more kids but it's completely another when someone says you can't.  The concern is that given the past losses and complications with asthma, especially with Annie, it's too much of a risk for me and another baby.  My allergist told me I have the record for the most number of steroids given to a pregnant woman.  The student who was following her was looking through my breathing tests and said she'd never seen anything that bad.  "I've read about it, though."  I understand the risks but it's still a slap in the face.  I can't be too upset, though.  I have the two most darling girls.  

Annie will be waking up soon.  More updates, pictures, and videos coming soon!


Thursday, December 11, 2008

Emma's Dress Rehearsal

Ok, I finally figured out how to post Emma's video from dress rehearsal.  Click here to watch it!    

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Saturday Snow Day

Kurt and I spent the afternoon cleaning up the garage.  Emma took the opportunity to try out her snow gear while we worked - Annie was inside with a sitter.


Emma helping decorate the tree.



Annie playing.  She's constantly on the move now.
Emma dropped her piggy bank and it split in two.  We got a new one but she insisted that it had to be pink.  The princess piggy bank with tutu and tiara was right up her alley.