The Birthday Girl

Miss Maisie celebrated her 4th birthday a week ago. It seems like yesterday I was holding her in my arms...all 7.5 pounds of her. She had a fun day celebrating. She wore her birthday shirt (from Grandmom and Pops) to church.

After church she opened her presents. She loved them all! A new pink ball since the other one had a hole in it, Elefun, a Tom and Jerry movie, a piggy bank and a Zhu Zhu hamster. Good job, mom. :) She now loves to earn a penny to put in her piggy bank.

We had dinner at home with Grandpa. I made grilled chicken legs, cheesy potatoes, and some other things she liked. We then met her cousins and family at a favorite park. They played a little in the splash park, but she spent most of her time climbing and playing. She was in heaven. Maisie wanted a "Minnie" cake. Minnie is my parent's daschund that Maisie loves. I considered my cake a success when she looked at it and said, "Minnie!"

Wearing the birthday hat.

Saturday we celebrated with the local family. She loved this time, too. Family left sweet notes on a place mat for her. She got a bag full of yummies. And she got more fun presents. I loved watching her get excited over each gift. Here are her new goggles.

This outfit came from Aunt P. Doesn't she look trendy? Those are supposed to be skinny jeans.

Maisie had her preschool open house last week. She had fun, and I think she is excited. I am excited for her to have her own thing and to learn a lot.

Maisie tried on this chef hat the other day when we baked. It's a hat my grandma made for me when I was young.

Maisie, you make me smile. Even when you cross your arms in frustration and give me the "umph" sound, you make me smile. I may hide it on the outside, but I am grinning on the inside. You are kind and tender hearted, but there are times you do get "rumpy." I've learned that you need just a few minutes to yourself, and you come back out much happier. You are still my physical touch daughter; the one to grab my hand when we walk. You give me hugs and unprompted, "I love you mommy." That means the world to me. I also love to hear you say, "Jesus loves me." So true, dear one, so true. And my prayer is that you will always love and serve Him with the gifts He has given to you.

You have grown so much this past year. Your vocabulary has exploded; and I'm so glad. You don't always have the correct pronunciation of words, but we think it's cute. I took a video the other night of you saying things. Here's what I heard:

pooth taste

waternelmon

strawberryerry

frincess

the sauce is the boss (you and daddy say that)

You told me your favorite color is pink, food is grapes and animal is penguin.

You are my daughter that will talk to anyone, loves to pretend to sing on stage; you love to play with Little People and trains. You will color for awhile. You enjoy being outside, as long as it's not too hot. You prefer the shade. You are loving the top bunk and enjoy having Sadie as a roommate.

Your big thing right now is to announce vehicles while we drive around town. You will announce, "Mommy's van, Daddy's Mountaineer, Aunt S's van, Grandma's van...." And you are right every time. My ears get tired of it. :) Even Sadie can recognize vehicles correctly.

Maisie, when you say, "Daddy loves me, Mommy loves me, Analise loves me, Sadie loves me," you couldn't be more right. Happy Birthday sweet girl.

Sadie Lady

I can't believe Sadie is at the stage and age that she is. Where has the time gone? She's at the fun stage where she wants to do things, "Me do it mommy." Which translates into mad she can't do it and mad if I have to help her. She is talking up a storm. She can repeat most any word she hears, and she is speaking in short sentences. It's so nice we can communicate! She is loving her new bed and bedroom. She knows to come out quietly, so that's a blessing. She doesn't usually wake up Maisie. (Something we are all thankful for. :)) She still doesn't eat much for breakfast, but she usually makes up for it at lunch. Like Maisie, she loves fruit! However, she is also my best veggie eater. This summer she has enjoyed cut up cucumbers from the garden. She loves to play whatever her sisters are playing, and she likes to help me around the house.
She makes me laugh the way she mimics her sisters, and it's funny hearing things come from her mouth that the older two were never saying at this age. "That's not fair." "I like to move it, move it." She does a nice job of saying please, and I love hearing her unprompted, "Thank you, mommy."
A couple of nights she has woken up dry, so I've put her on the potty, and she's gone! One morning she wore panties around the house, and I learned she can hold it for quite awhile. One of these days when it's quiet and calm around here, I hope to train her. As encouraging as her sisters can be, it can be a little overwhelming when they are both in the bathroom waiting for Sadie to go. She is sitting longer to watch movies. I must admit, that is nice! She still loves wipes; she'll still ask for one when we are in the van, and she will clean her feet with it. Sadie just breaks my heart every time I go somewhere without her. She gets so sad, has alligator tears pouring out of her eyes, and asks me not to leave. It's so good to come home and find her excited to have me back.
A couple of weeks ago I got home shortly after she was in bed. I went to check on her (she was asleep) and I found her covered in blood. There was blood everywhere! I got Brandon, and we took her into the bathroom to clean her up. The source was a spot on her cheek that she'd had for quite some time, but she has picked it. It wouldn't stop bleeding. Finally after about five attempts of Brandon super gluing it, it stopped bleeding. She didn't put up a fight at all the entire time. The next afternoon it began bleeding again. I took her into the clinic. Though we were a walk in, I walked right back to the doctor's rooms. (You know you've been there several time when the nurses greet you by name.) Again, it would not stop bleeding. After my peds contacted a couple of other doctors, we decided it was a pyogenic granuloma. Basically it's blood vessels at the surface, and that's why it takes to long to stop bleeding. After an hour, it finally stopped bleeding. My doc put some silver nitrate on it to keep if from opening again. This was a temporary fix. We are scheduled to see a plastic surgeon next month for a more permanent fix. Sure enough, it's coming back, so I am glad we are able to see him. Two days later, Sadie came down with a fever and a icky looking throat. I took her back to the clinic, and they tested her for strep. Negative. It was a viral thing that looked a lot like strep. By Sunday afternoon, she was back to normal. Needless to say, she and I had gotten plenty of QT at the doctor. She again did awesome each visit. The only thing she doesn't like is needles. If I tell her there are no shots, then she never cries. I think she is such a fighter, just like she was a fighter in the womb and NICU. Nothing phases her anymore. Sadie, we all love you!

Sadie caught this cricket all on her own!

Sadie is ready to play Wii Dance

Coming out from the bushes

And she's off!

Analise was really excited to start school after she had been to her open house. I was really excited about her teacher. There were four teachers that she could have had. I prayed in faith that the Lord would give Analise just who she needed. And then I would pray, "But Lord my mother's heart says I would like..." Finally the postcard came in the mail with the announcement. It was the one my mother's heart wanted! I got tears in my eyes; tears of gratitude.
Monday morning Analise was up before her alarm went off; I wasn't too surprised. She got herself all ready, tied her own shoes (yeah!) and was super excited. About 10 minutes before we would have left, one of the teachers from her school (who lives across the street) came over to let me know she'd locked her keys and everything in the car. She made a couple of calls, and then we took her to school. The Lord knew Analise needed to be up early and ready so we could help out this way. Analise enjoyed the perk of going in the teacher's door. It was kind of anti climatic for me. We left in a hurry and didn't do the official drop off. But that's okay. I knew she was ready to go back. I was ready for a schedule again. And taking her to 1st grade was SO much easier than taking her to kindergarten!
After a great first day, Analise got sick with the same thing Sadie had. So, she had to miss day 2 and 3 of school. Such a bummer!

Analise, I am excited for you and another year of learning. You've enjoyed the first week, and I know you are trying your hardest. We talked about giving God glory and honor with our best efforts. He has given you gifts; how you use those gifts is your gift back to Him. I pray you make good, Godly decisions; that you are a lady of character (sometimes choosing the hard right over the easier wrong); that you continue to encourage those around you, and that you know you can talk to me about anything. The first note from your teacher said, "Analise is a great role model." Way to shine your light for Jesus, Analise! I'll always love you babe!

Time Keeps Moving

The last couple of weeks have flown by! We tried to make the last week of summer vacation as fun as possible.

We spent a couple afternoons swimming at our cousin's pool. All three girls got in and played. And they all loved it! I kicked back in a chair, under a tree and visited with my sister in law. Life was good.

We went to the fun center one morning with friends so they could play together.

We took two of the boys with us to the Children's Museum.

We celebrated two birthdays with family. Unfortunately, Brandon and Sadie stayed home because Sadie had a fever; she had a virus that looked just like strep. The girls and I had fun but missed the other two.

Brandon and I wanted to take Analise out for an afternoon treat. He was planning on meeting us at TCBY, but something came up at work, so it was just Analise and I. We went to a local coffee shop and got slushies. We sat in the back and had some good heart to heart. I wanted to take the opportunity to really connect and pour into her before another school year started. It was lots of fun! Brandon then took Analise out for lunch the next day. I will admit...she was more excited about her time with dad then she was with me.

We had Analise's back to school open house. We met her teacher, saw her classroom, and then we went back down to her Kdg. room to see last year's teacher. Thanks to Grandma, the other two didn't have to come.

Sadie and I spent an hour at the clinic. (more to come later)

And just like that, summer vacation comes to a close. :(

Odds and Ends

Since I am behind in my posting, this will be short and simple. However, I do want to remember these things from the last couple of weeks.

Sunday after we got back from our trip, we went to the county fair for the afternoon. Grandma likes to take the grand kids for the kid's day. The girls always look forward to it. I left Sadie at home to nap, so I only had two girls and no stroller! Maisie hadn't been there for a couple of years, so it was all kind of new to her. First ride...the roller coaster. Her big cousin, B, was her buddy all day in taking care of her and riding rides with her. Such a nice young, man!

After the fun and rides, we enjoyed a treat. The girls shared a slushy and looked cute drinking it.

Maisie finally got the cup to herself. She looks pretty content.

The girls and I have enjoyed the garden this year. Analise is still my biggest helper. The other two tend to pick things that aren't ready to be picked. Analise tomato plant she planted from seed this spring has already produced its first red tomato. I planted two cucumber plants for the first time, and cucumbers are coming out my ears! We have shared many to friends, family and neighbors. Last week I made several batches of salsa. I took a couple recipes and created my own from them. We'll be enjoying salsa for quite some time. Yum!

Last week I took a few days to do the big room switcharoo. It was one of those tasks that if my mom had been in town, I would have sent the girls to her place, and I could have finished in one day. That's just not reality, so it took time over several days. For the most part, I am finished. It felt great to glean closets, give things to others, put things in storage and move clothes to new/different drawers.

As you can tell, Maisie is thrilled to have the top bunk. It was time for her to have her own little private area. She's done awesome up there!

Sadie is just as thrilled to sleep in the same room as Maisie. Thankfully she doesn't talk to Maisie like I thought she might. It's worked out well!

And now my oldest daughter has a room to call her own. It was so nice for me to put her bigger clothes in bigger drawers. She doesn't have to squish them into shared drawers. Oh, and a closet for her own things! I bought a tote for her closet and call it her "treasure box." She is my little pack rat and keeps everything. I believe gifts is her second love language, so she doesn't part with much. Now it's nice to have those treasures in a tote instead of collecting on her headboard, like before.

Last Friday night we took the girls to a favorite state park to roast hot dogs and marshmallows. The weather was nice, the girls had fun playing, and they all picked the black part off their hot dogs. :) They just don't know a good thing when they have it. It was a fun family evening.

The girls patiently waiting for their dinner.

After we got home, Brandon got out his tent for him and Analise to camp in and set it up in the backyard. She was so excited! The other two didn't seem to mind too much. Analise and Brandon got settled in after 9:30 and looked at I Spy books for awhile. Analise slept all night long. She told Brandon her ears sleep when she sleeps; that's why she didn't hear every sound her daddy did. Thankfully one of them got a good night's rest!

The girls in their Cozy Coupe :)

Jet tub fun

My last vacation post, I promise. One of the things all three girls like best while there is taking a bath in Grandmom's jet tub. I'm sure this doesn't surprise anyone. The first night we didn't have a lot of bubbles, but we had great soap! It came out of a can and looked like whipped cream. We all laughed and laughed at the things they did with it.
This was the first time Sadie joined in on the action, and she was elated.

I couldn't resist posting this one....sorry!

The second time I put in a little too much soap, I think. Look at all those bubbles!

Day 7: Pack in the Fun

The week flew by, and this was our last day of having fun. Mom, Analise, Maisie and I went to pick blueberries. Unfortunately for us, the season was early this year, so we missed it. We went back to the field and tried, but all we found were tiny berries. At least we tried, and the girls had fun.

Maisie was in heaven....fruit to be picked and eaten.
After lunch we went golfing. Analise could hardly wait to drive the cart. And I always look forward to golfing with my dad. He taught me how to play, and he is still kind enough to give me tips. And trust me, I need them. :) The weather was beautiful, and they playing was fun.

Brandon let Analise drive some on her own, and she actually did a nice job. She drove with both feet, but at least she didn't damage anything. :)

One of the girls' favorite things to play while there is body art crayons. One time this week all three girls were drawing on my feet and legs. I let them because it felt good. On Friday, Analise drew a big heart on Sadie's face. Later, Brandon wrote on her forehead a common phrase we hear from Sadie: "Where did mommy go?" Now when we ask her that question, she'll answer with, "I don't know."

To wrap up the fun day, we let Maisie open her birthday gifts from Grandmom and Pops. Needless to say, she was trilled. She loved them all. THANK YOU!

I was so sad going to bed that night, knowing I would be leaving in the morning. I know going into a vacation that the time goes fast. This week seemed to go exceptionally fast. I felt like I blinked, and it was over. I guess time really does fly when you are having fun.

Saturday morning we left close to our goal of 9:00. Things went well until we hit the big city...it was one frustration after another, and we lost a couple of hours. Once on the other side I drove for awhile, and then we stopped for a quick dinner and kept moving. We got home at 11:00, but it felt like midnight on our biological watches. All I can say is that I am thankful for daughters who travel well, a DVD player and an Ipod. There were a few times we would take song requests, crank the music and dance in our seats. It was good for all of us. Something else we enjoyed doing along the trip was Mad Libs. That would get the girls laughing, and we'd all be in better moods after those. Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful time away with family and friends. I'd do it all over again if I could.

Day 6: Zoo Day

It was a beautiful day for the zoo, and we all enjoyed it! One of the highlights for me was seeing friends from high school and college; friends I haven't seen for 10 years! If my dad hadn't mentioned something, I would have walked by and miss the sweet moment. We had our picture taken, but I won't post it. It was so good to see H and C!

I LOVED the giraffes! Analise and I were close enough to feel him breath on us, nibble on us and lick us with his tongue.

Isn't it sweet?

All the girls enjoyed the sea lion show.

We took time to feed the geese from our hands. Even Sadie did it!

Maisie and Sadie loved brushing the goats. Analise eventually joined them.

Only Maisie would go in here....

After naps, we went to my favorite Mexican place for an early dinner. We then joined Uncle D. at the driving range. The girls putted with him before we hit balls. Lots of fun!

After the girls were quickly showered, I went over to my friend K's house for some drinks and great conversation. How can three hours seem like 20 minutes? Loved it all, K!

Day 5: Date Day. Woo-hoo!

Who can turn down a free day with the husband? I sure can't! What makes it even better is knowing that the grandparents are the ones encouraging you to do it. When my mom says, "It's a win-win. We get the girls, and you get time by yourselves...." I enjoy it to the fullest.
We left around 9:00. Our first half of the day was spent at a state park 40 minutes away. It has several small lakes that are connected by streams and channels. So we rented a canoe for 2+ hours. The weather was beautiful, and we felt like the only ones in nature. I enjoyed the time, but I enjoyed even more hearing Brandon say more than once, "This is so much fun." It truly was relaxing for him, and I am so thankful.
My favorite part of the canoeing was this channel where we were covered in trees. So peaceful!

One of the lakes we canoed through

One of the lakes was completely covered in a moss. It made for some interesting rowing! I put this picture up to show the contrast of regular water next to the moss.

Me and my man...

We canoed about 6 miles and enjoyed every minute of it.

After we left there we stopped for lunch, headed home to change (freshen up) and took off again. We headed to the mall so we could also be productive on our date. Brandon needed some things, and there was no better opportunity than now. Shopping with three girls just isn't the same. I have a sense it never will be. :) After the mall we went to Dick's, ate supper at Chili's and then hit Kohl's. The funniest part of the day was when Brandon tried on jeans. I won't say too much because I don't think he would want everyone to know. I will say three words: teal skinny jeans. 'Nuff said.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for loving the girls while Brandon and I enjoyed some QT together. The day went fast, I never once worried about the girls, and it's something I wish we could do more often. The girls loved their donut date, playing at the splash park, watching "Charlotte's Web" during an afternoon rain shower, and spending time with you!