This was such a great Halloween. The kids were so much fun this year. Liliana dressed up as Esmerelda from Hunchback of Notre Dame. Most people got gypsy (though we did have one pirate comment that Aleea had to correct) one neighbor got Esmerelda. She looked so cute in the wig and all the accessories. She had a great time at the school party on Friday running around with all her friends. She played all kinds of games and got lots of prizes.

Aleea dressed up as Princess Peach. She was so excited for Trick-or-Treating. It was hilarious to watch her. She had a conversation at each house. At one she talked about the flu shot she got this afternoon, at another it was all about her costume. At one house she even said “I love you” as she walked away. The woman at the door was laughing so hard, we were too at the sidewalk. Each house was a new friend to share her life story with. It was so funny.

Kristina sat in the stroller and was content to kick her feet all the way. She didn’t make a sound the whole time and just laid back. She does make the cutest little clown though. When we got home she was so excited about the candy, you would think she knew exactly what was on the floor though she couldn’t have any herself. She seemed to almost swim through the candy. She also had to pick up each one and lick the wrappers.

Definitely one of the best Halloweens ever. The kids were such troopers as we walked around the neighborhood. They never whined about being tired or cold and were just interested in the candy. It was constantly “just those last two houses down there? Please?” Then of course, those houses lead to the next two and so on.

On Wednesday, September 30 Kristina cut her first two teeth. Both bottom center teeth are in. It’s no wonder she was having a hard time, getting two at the same time. I’ll try to get a picture but she is so stubborn, she barely lets us look at all. Dyana only knew they were there due to being able to feel them.

We uploaded a new video of Kristina talking. Head on over to the video page to see it.

So we made it through the first week of school and extracurricular activities.  Lili started school on Tuesday, September 8.  She has Mrs Kravitz this year in second grade.  She really enjoys her class and has found some fast new friends which is good because almost none of her friends from last year are in her class this year.  When I asked her what her favorite thing that happened this week was she talked about the popcicles they had on Friday.  Her favorite part of that?  The riddle that was on the stick.  “What kind of dance do moms do?  The Mambo”  I think she will do well in this class this year.

Aleea started soccer on Wednesday morning.  She goes while Lili is at school.  There are few things cuter than a bunch of 3 and 4 year olds running around on the soccer field.  They do more than just soccer.  This week they were monkeys in the jungle.  They played a lot of listening games.  In one, Aleea’s favorite, they each received a circle.  Once the coach said go everyone ran around, anywhere they wanted.  As soon as he said “Oh no the gorilla’s coming!” they would all drop their circles, jump on top and pretend to be a tree.  They also played red/yellow/green light.  Aleea did really well and at one point even ran back to help her teammate get back up when she fell, twice.  We are so proud of her.

Lili has started karate.  Bushido Kai to be exact.  She goes on Monday Wednesday and Fridays.  She has attended two classes and already is showing great improvement.  They learn a lot of self defense moves as well which makes us very happy.  She gets to spar with more advanced students during her classes from time to time and they teach her a lot as well.  We’re really happy with the dojo she is at and I think it makes a great fit.

The fitness center is renovating their pools so thankfully, swimming doesn’t start till October.  We get a nice slow break till then.

Aleea turned 4 on August 17th.  We had a wonderful family party the day before with an ice cream cake she picked out at Baskin Robbins and presents.  She got a watch, a rolling pin and a Nintendo DS.  It was a fun day full of games and playing.  Then the work began.

The next weekend, we threw her a birthday party.  She wanted a musical theme.  As the kids arrived, they went to a table and decorated homemade drums, rhythm sticks and egg shakers with markers and stickers.

When everyone was there, and had had time to finish their instruments, we played some musical chairs and as each kid got out, we let them play their instruments for the other kids still playing.

Afterward, we played Treasure Hunt.  A sound was played and the kids had to figure out what the sound came from.  Then each item had a type of note on it and a color.  Once they figured out the note and color, they ran to a table to pick up that note, in that color (wood cutouts James made and painted) to form a chain of notes.  It was fun and the older kids enjoyed it while the younger kids played with the toys.

Then Aleea sat on the floor and opened her presents.  She got a Fancy Nancy book and puzzle, a Mermaid Barbie and play kitchen sets (cupcake stand, birthday cake and mixer with cookies also a box of truffles from Haba).  Of course the highlight was a musical card with cats meowing the birthday song.  The kids thought it was so funny and Aleea played it most of the evening after the party as well.

While she opened her presents, we got the cake and ice cream set up.  She had looked online and found a picture of a drum cake with m&m’s on it that she really liked.  So she asked for a drum cake with pink sides.  She liked how it turned out and it was good with yummy ice cream.  When everyone was finished, the kids danced around the room, playing with their instruments and popping balloons.  It was a fun party and she had a great time.  Thank you to everyone who came and played with us.

Gallery Link

Summer has flown by so fast I can’t believe it’s almost over already.  Lili finds out who her teacher is on Friday (8-28-09) and school starts the day after Labor Day.  So, what have we done with all this time we had?  When I write it out, it really doesn’t seem like much and yet it feels like we have always been on the go or busy with something.

Not long after Lili finished school, she attended Camp Invention.  Every day for a week she got to go to school and invent, create and play.  She made up her own super hero (complete with cape) and put him into a comic book.  She invented a bug catcher to be used around the house.  She made “landsleds” and pulled them through obstacle courses that the kids made.  She tried taking apart a radio but it didn’t work out to well so instead she took apart a dvd-player.  It was a great week and she learned to really think outside the box.

We took a trip to Utah so the kids could see their cousins and we could bless Kristina.  We drove out about a week before the blessing and spent the week playing.  Grandma and Grandpa bought a big pool and put it in the back yard.  It was a huge success.  The kids loved it and were constantly begging to go out and play in it.

Most of us went camping one night (most of us moms came back to the house with the babies for the night, Becki was the brave one who stayed).

We enjoyed a wonderful 4th of July at Gran’s house and Dyana’s parents came and joined in.  Thank you Becki for planning fun games for the kids to play.  And thanks to James and Jon for the fireworks dance.  It was a highlight of the evening.

We got to surprise Dyana’s Granny and Grandpa at a birthday party for Grandpa.  They didn’t know we were going to be in town but we got a heads up and were able to make it in time.  It was fun to surprise them and see everyone.

We had a fun BBQ and Michelle and Volkmar’s house.  The kids had a great time running around and it was so nice to be able to see every cousin while we were there.

On Sunday, July 5th.  We blessed Kristina at church in the afternoon and then had everyone over to the Conrad’s house for food and visiting.  There were so many people there but we are so happy that we have so many family members and friends that cared enough to come and see us.  We really enjoyed seeing everyone while we were in town.  Thank you all for coming to see us.

After we got back from Utah we bought a new car.  Things were a bit tight with 3 car seats in the back seat of the Hyundai so we got a Ford Flex.  It’s so much fun to drive and there is so much more room for the kids.  We decided to take it on a little trip so we packed up the camping gear and went to Diamond Lake for some camping.  It was a bit much for just one night but the kids had a great time.  We went hiking and make Ebelskivers over an open fire in the morning.  The lake was a bit too cold for swimming but maybe next time.

That’s been our summer in a nutshell but it isn’t over yet.  We still have two weeks left.

Kristina is getting so big.  She is still just a sweetheart.  On 8-12-09 she sat up for the first time.  She is going a little longer each day but it was such a wonderful surprise!  She is also getting up on her knees enough to get her tummy off the floor.  Time to buy those baby gates I guess.

Aleea decided she wanted a “squib” for a pet.  There was a U-Haul truck parked outside our house for a few hours.  It had a picture of a squid on the side.  Aleea was so excited, she asked me what it was.  “It’s a squid” I said.  “Mommy, I want a squib for a pet please?”  She wouldn’t let it go so I finally told her to ask her Daddy.  It was all she would talk about all day.  She’s so funny.  She turns 4 on Monday and is so excited.  She keeps asking “Does my birthday start today?”  I’m not sure how long she thinks birthdays last but she’s willing to draw it out as long as possible.

Lili lost two more teeth.  One (the big front right tooth) on July 30 and the other (the smaller tooth just to the right of the front) on August 2.  She has one big toothless grin but we love it.  She is so excited to get her class assignment on August 28th and start school on September 8.  She got accepted into the school’s TAG program this year and is really curious what that entails.  We are so proud of her.

As a family this summer we took a trip to Utah for 10 days.  It was great getting to see everyone while we were there.  It’s always fun to see all the cousins together and even better when we get all the cousins from both sides of the family.  We also blessed Kristina while we were there.  The dress was incredibly beautiful and everyone was wonderful to come celebrate with us.  Thank you to everyone who came down/up to spend the day with us.

We also tried taking the kids camping.  Lili and Aleea had such a good time.  We had hotdogs and smores and climbed into bed.  Unfortunately, Kristina didn’t want to sleep, she wanted to cry.  It was very unlike her but James and I didn’t sleep as well trying to keep her from waking everyone else.  In the morning, we made Abbelskivers for breakfast.  They worked remarkably well over an open fire.  After we broke camp we got in some wonderful hiking.  It was a really nice weekend.

Please check out our gallery for pictures of our trip to Utah and others.

So today we were running errands and Aleea decided to play her usual game of pretending to be asleep as soon as we pull into the driveway.  Today however, Lili decided to show she was faking it and started poking her in the side.  She did it twice, making Aleea jump but the third time she went to poke her, a little hand came flying up from Aleea’s lap and slapped Lili’s arm.  Lili started laughing and hollered out “What was that?!”  Aleea opened one eye and said “a sleep slap”.  I couldn’t contain it any longer.  Lili thought it was so funny, she kept trying to poke Aleea in the side and we just sat in the driveway for a few extra minutes just to laugh at the situation.

Lili this week is at Camp Invention.  They take things apart (for her it’s my old boombox from my high school years) and put them back together in a different way, inventing machines.  It’s sparked some conversations around the house including this one the other day.

James:  Aleea, if you could make your own machine what would it do?

Aleea:  It would spank people when they were bad.

James:  What would it look like?

Aleea:  Like a bum.

James:  Your machine would spank people’s bums with a bum?

Aleea:  yeah

James:  What would you do with your machine after you make it?

Aleea:  I would give it to Kate.

James:  What would Kate do with it?

Aleea:  Spank Giancarlo.

We were laughing so hard, It was so cute.  Annie, we’ll try to get that made for you as soon as possible.  Wouldn’t want Kate to miss out being able to spank Giancarlo with a machine.

Well, let’s start with the youngest and move up from there shall we?

Kristina is growing so much and yet is so tiny.  She is 5 months today.  At her doctor’s appointment earlier today she weighed in at 12 lbs 13 3/4 oz (12th percentile) and measured 24 1/2 inches long (25th percentile).  She is so close to rolling over  (she gets to her side everytime), she will have it any day now.  She started eating rice cereal on May 8th.  There has been some issues with her insurance (all worked out now thankfully) so incase she had allergic reactions, we waited on the fun tasty foods till June 12th.  She is one of the happiest babies I know, always grins and giggles for anyone who will give her a smile.

Aleea is such a funny girl.  The other day, while she had the flu, she told me that she was doing better.  That her flu was “evaporating” (such a big word for a 3-yr old) and that what was left was “hiding in my knee but it’s ok, my white soldiers will find it and kill it so I don’t have to throw up again”.  It was so cute it made us all laugh.  She was just happy she wasn’t going to throw up again.

Liliana is getting used to staying up late and playing all day.  Now that school is out, she seems more bored than ever.  At least next week starts camp invention.  She is so excited to get to see some of her friends.  There are 5 from her class that will be attending and her teacher from last year is one of the camp leaders.  She is using her time to read for the library summer program. Back on April 23rd, she celebrated her birthday at school along with Chisel and Ethan. They had a fun party with pizza, cupcakes and the favorite, liquid nitrogen ice cream. She also was in the spring play. She played an alien named Kwoot who crashed on earth looking for fuel for their ship so they could get to a wedding. It was so cute!

Dyana’s thumb is getting better, it isn’t as sore and she’s getting used to using it again.  The bandages have come off and though it isn’t pretty, it should heal just fine.

Check out the gallery, there are many new pictures uploaded and I’ll add some videos when they are uploaded as well.

We had a fun time this Easter. On Saturday the girls colored eggs and drew on them and painted them and stamped them and everything else you can do to hard boiled eggs. James and I tried dying the eggs with old ties. It was interesting and didn’t work out quite as well as we had hoped but they were still really cool. We have a few ideas on how to make them better. If we come up with a fool proof method, I’ll put it here. Saturday night Lili and Aleea both asked if we would leave a letter for the Easter Bunny asking him to hide their baskets and toys as well as their eggs.

Sunday morning Lili got up around 7, came and woke James and I up. It was then I noticed Aleea had come and joined us sometime during the night. Not sure how I missed her climbing into bed but she still asked Lili if the Easter Bunny had come during the night so she must have been pretty out of it on her way to our bed. They started by searching for their candy-filled eggs. After some success, they tired of it and moved on to looking for their baskets and toys. Aleea found her basket first and was so excited. Lili kept finding Aleea’s toys and was really nice to give her little hints to help her out. After a while, Lili found her basket in the dryer.

Kristina got a Jumperoo and didn’t take long figuring out how to make the lights and music work. She is still a few inches too short for it so we found a box that was just the right height. She got the hang of kicking pretty quickly and really enjoyed it. I think she will enjoy it more when she starts playing with the toys on it. She isn’t quite to the point of grabbing things yet. It’s mostly by accident so far.

Lili got a water toy that will be much more fun when it’s warmer. Unfortunately it’s still too cold to go play out in the sprinklers. She also got a DS game that we have all been hooked on throughout the day, a “stained glass” coloring book and a purple earring holder shaped like a butterfly. She spent a bit of time today tracking down all her earrings to hang on it.

Aleea got some Littlest Pet Shop and My Little Pony dolls and a bubble machine that seemed to be an instant hit, even before it was opened and turned on. We took it out on the balcony and the girls ran around popping bubbles for half and hour or so. It worked really well and the girls were so funny. The rest of the day was spent playing, eating and talking to family. It was a really nice relaxing day. Below are some videos from the day and a link to the gallery pics. Happy Easter everyone!

Gallery Link