Keeping up with Alette and Abria: February 2012

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Valentine's!

I am not sure why my girls were so excited about Valentine's Day. They don't go to school or watch tv, and we hadn't talked about it alot. Nonetheless, they were busy planning decorations, activities and cards. So we made a special dinner together, they decorated and got dressed up. It was pretty low-key but they were so happy! No one ate a lot of the grilled cheese as we had brownies, ice-cream, whipped cream and strawberries waiting. Everyone stuffed themselves silly and after a brief sugar rush, the girls crashed in bed. Perfect.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Funny Stories, Thanks to Grandma

Andy's mom is wonderful. Two stories to illustrate:

1. Grandma's exercise program:
I go running almost every morning. Last week in the van, Abria asked how far I went, to which I responded '5 miles'. She then said 'Last time I was at Grandma's, we went running too.' I said 'I think you mean, you guys took a walk'. 'No, no', she responded. 'Grandma and I ran and ran and we did 8 miles, not just 5'.

2. Grandma is the believable teacher:
Again in the van, Alette proceeded to tell me about a very large ball that the chinese people had built to prevent their country from being attacked. It was so large in fact, that it could be seen from space. I gently said 'I think you mean wall, not ball'. To which she responded 'No Mommy, that doesn't make any sense, and besides, Grandma told me it was a ball'.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

My 6 Year Old

Although I think she is extraordinary, according to the medical world, she is perfectly average. Alette just had her 6 year well-child visit and checked in at 46 1/2 lbs and 46 3/4 inches (50th and 75th percentiles). Those proportions have stayed the same since she was born. Her doctor encouraged her to try some veggies (no kidding), which she promised to do (yeah right). I was replaced as the source of comfort during the shot as she wanted Abria to hold her hand....The nurse told her to count to 5 and of course, gave her the shot on 2. To which Alette angrily replied, 'hey, you didn't let me get all the way to 5'. I offered to have the nurse give her another shot to make up for it. Alette got her lollipop treat, Abria got one for being encouraging, and hopefully, we don't see the doctor for another year.

Recent Words of Wisdom

18months

At 18months, Abria weighs a whopping 28 1/2 lbs and is 34" tall. She is a bundle of energy-she loves dancing and clapping to music, scribbling (unfortunatley not always on paper), chasing her sister, and playing with her toys. She's using more and more words but still communicates primarily by pointing and making the sign for 'more'. She's had a continual cold for the past few weeks, I've never used so much tissue in my life. Morning naps are a thing of the past :( but thankfully she is still taking a long afternoon nap.

Okay, it's not a REAL gingerbread house...

Our attempts at a gingerbread house was a fiasco this year. We mixed the dough, rolled it out, cut the patterns, put it together...only to have it fall apart. So we put it together again....only to have it fall apart again. I even tried to use duct tape and the glue gun. Finally we ditched it. I was determined to have a house for Alette to decorate so we built a cardboard house, then 'glued' on graham crackers with icing. So far it is till standing although the candy decorations are slowly disappearing.

Abria

Our last dr. appointment was not fun. Abria had a major fever and was feeling rather rotten. So the immunizations were put off a week...nothing like procrastinating the awful stuff. She's dropped to the 90th percentile for weight (although with her puffy winter fleece on-below-she looks huge!) and is off the chart for height. Not a huge suprise with a 6ft. tall mom! She loves her books, turning on and off the lights, climbing onto tables, and petting the cat. She's walking....abit. She's still pretty convinced that walking should only be done when holding onto someone's hand.

Abria

Politics According to a 3year Old

I was listening to B.Obama on NPR last week and decided to further Alette's awareness of politics by engaging her in discussion. This is how it went:
me: Alette, Barak Obama was on the radio, he's going to be our new president. Isn't that good?
alette: Obama's good?
me: yes, he is. Mommy and Daddy like him a lot. We think he's good.
alette: he listens to God?
me: I think so. We're excited that he's going to be the president.
alette: I want duck for president.
I think we have a ways to go before she's up to speed on her political saviness. Who can blame her for wanting a fun loving, mischevious duck for president though?

Introducing Abria Hope

During pregnancy I prayed for a quick delivery and a nonfussy eater. Abria came into this world on Friday, July 18 at 9:00pm, half an hour after we arrived at the hospital. With a full head of dark hair, and a voracious appetite, she behaved nothing like her older sister. Abria's now nearly 18lbs, and is a happy, content baby. She loves chewing on her hands, squealing, shrieking, and taking baths. We are still waiting for her to sleep through the night! She doesn't always need to get fed, but seems to delight in babbling and squealing at all hours. Somehow her big drooly smile makes it all worthwhile.