Too cool for Preschool!

Marie is cool. She'll tell you herself!


And she likes to boogie down! Here she is dancing along to Justin Roberts on youtube. It looks like she's getting tired towards the end but she pushes on and makes it through.



This is the video she is watching and rocking out to. Puppy lovers everywhere will enjoy!

18 Months!

Marie had her 18month check up last week and is doing great! She was 16lbs 10oz and 29in so she is an all around shrimp but she's a healthy shrimp. We think she is just the most fun little person around. She is smart- she has a lot to say, and I think she is really intelligible for her age, she is really good about following directions and I know she understands what is going on, and she is the best puzzle worker we've ever had. She is sweet and gives hugs and kisses freely, if one of the older kids is crying, she'll go up and pat them to try and make them feel better, she takes excellent care of her babies, and she will usually share with us when asked. She's not so good at sharing with outsiders, but she is getting better. And she is spunky! She delights in getting into just a little trouble, and will usually wait until she catches someone's eye before doing what she isn't supposed to be doing. With other kids, she seems to want to be a leader. Or is it a bully? She just knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go for it. If a strange toddler takes her toy- she will go get it back! If someone pushes her, she'll push back and then come point them out to me and tell me about it. I guess we should work on getting her to tell me before she pushes back! She is fearless on the playground and persistent about doing what she wants. If she falls, she gets up and tries again. If she can't do it at first, she tries until she makes it work. At her first class at the baby gym, the other sweet girls were sitting nicely for circle time, and my Marie was running with the boys and telling them what to do. She also has some pretty good talent on the balance beam! Her personality is so different from the other 3 kids and it is definitely a change, but we all love her so much and are having so much fun with her.

Some pictures from this month:

Marie singing along with Laurie Berkner- "Marie has a duck on her head, Marie has a duck on her head, Marie has a duck on her he-ee--aaaddd!!! And she keeps it there all day!"
At the zoo on Valentine's Day. She loved the zoo! She liked crawling around on the statues but I think the pandas were her favorite.


And Marie just being cute!

Xander's first teeth!

Xander's first teeth are- gone! He finally lost his first baby teeth. I'm a little sad because I remember when they first came in. They were actually pulled by the dentist on Friday because his adult teeth were growing in behind his baby teeth and weren't loosening them at all. We had no idea! I was very surprised to see that one of them was almost completely in and Xander had never mentioned a new tooth growing in his mouth behind his other tooth. And it is growing far back in his mouth. And there's really no room for it up front even if his tongue manages to push it up by itself. I foresee some orthodontist's child going to college because of Xander's teeth.

Xander was very good for the dentist and very proud of his first lost teeth. He didn't complain much about the procedure or about being sore afterwards so I think it all went well. Here's the last picture of Xander with perfect front bottom teeth- ignore the crazy eyes! And the after shot.

Pigs are Flying

I'm sure that somewhere tonight pigs are flying. Maybe even a flock of pigs. Because, at dinner tonight, Greta said, "I love green drops." And green drops=peas. Shhh! Don't tell her! I couldn't believe it. She doesn't just tolerate them. She didn't just choke them down. She loves green drops. And she ate them all!!! And I gave her a lot too instead of the 2 token peas I usually put on their plates. She even ate them before she ate her apples. Grace ate hers too but she didn't like it and she was bribed with the promise of an extra biscuit. But I'm happy with that.

Why you didn't get a Christmas card

So it's February and I still feel guilty for not sending Christmas cards. Again. I really had planned on doing it this year and we wanted to send a picture card. So we waited and waited for nobody to be sick so we could take a picture. Maybe we waited too long. And when the picture taking weekend came, things just did not go well. 

First we tried Santa. Santa pictures are always fun, right? Except Marie had tried her best to run away and would not sit with him at all. She was trying to get out of my arms and far away from the crazy people in red suits. Grace and Greta were less than thrilled (keep your hands down! keep your hands down!!), and what was up with Mrs. Claus??? And it's a shame because Xander was looking good!

Pose number #2. When you smile, look at the camera! Look. At. The Camera!!!! Is that so hard? Yes. So very, very, hard.



No Bunny Ears Please!


So, after many failures, we went back to the Square for more on location attempts. And again. Look at the camera. Smile. Keep the baby in place!! And, most importantly- blurry=bad.



Back to the house again; where we found that even with one asleep, we can't follow the hold still, smile, look at the camera, and don't look stupid rules for group pictures!


We took over 175 pictures and got nothing we were happy sending out! And have you seen those pictures of the Duggars or John and Kate plus 8 and all their kids looking at the camera, holding still, smiling, and not looking stupid? How do they do it? Eventually Jon gave up and took this picture but by then it was too late to get the cards for Christmas and we just gave up.

Next year. Next year, we'll start taking pictures in Sept and you'll get your cards.

Better Late than Never

Here's a few random pictures we have been sitting on for a while.

Grace and Greta made some super cute Thanksgiving things in Pre-K. Yes, I said Thanksgiving....and they've been sitting in the house waiting for someone to takea picture for months. And then the pictures sat here on my computer or in the camera for another month! 

They made these little shirts by dyeing them in coffee and they decorated the bracelets and headdresses themselves. 

More recently, Greta made herself beautiful while nobody was paying attention.



Marie has been very much into puzzles and is getting really good at them. She can do the little ones easily and can even pick put together these she got for Christmas all by herself now! She's also a good little climber now. She takes after her dad! And looks like him too.





"Marie, where are your cheeks?"

"Cheeeeeeks!"

And Xander has been hiding from the camera as usual.