Friday, December 26, 2008

This is the link to the first set of Christmas pictures. Santa gave the girls a tent with multiple compartments and 35 red, blue, green, and yellow balls. They played with it for half an hour before they noticed anything else under the tree. The last three pictures are the ones after Santa left all the gifts under the tree and in the stockings.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8QYs3Ldo5at0k

Friday, December 19, 2008

Monday morning at breakfast, Emma Rose told me this story: When I was a little girl, there was a tent. There was a big tent and a little tent. I hid in the big tent. When the man came, he said "You look yummy in there." Weird.

She is also telling "jokes." Monday night, we had a series of jokes that dealt with most anything she saw going on around her. For example, "I had a spoon on my head." Hysterical, dramatic laughing followed. Then, "Do you get it?" This continued for about 5 minutes. John and I couldn't stop laughing at her. She got the giggles and couldn't stop laughing herself!

Anabelle is now mirroring most of what Emma Rose does, especially at dinner. When Emma Rose turns her face to the ceiling to laugh, Anabelle does it. When Emma Rose squeals with laughter, Anabelle does it. Emma Rose can also get Anabelle to say most all of her words and some new ones. It's wonderful to watch them interacting!

Tuesday night, John and I started getting Emma Rose thinking more about Santa. We asked her what whe was going to ask Santa for. She said, "I'm going to ask him for a camera for Anabelle." We teared up pretty good. Wednesday night, Santa (aka Pops) made a personal call to her. She was not shy, and she asked Santa for a Woody toy (from Toy Story), a giraffe, and some wind up toys. Santa also made sure to ask her to leave cookies and milk for him on Christmas Eve. She told him that she and and Mommy would make them for him! (I was very touched that she remembered me.) She also asked for toys for Anabelle. The camera was still on the list. She does not really like it when Anabelle plays with her camera! A selfless or selfish request??

Thursday night at bed time, Emma Rose told me we "needed to talk." Her face turned thoughtful, and she told me her heart was broken. I asked why, and she said she loved me, Daddy, and Anabelle so much. After assuring her we loved her, too, I asked her if her heart was still broken. She said, "a little." Then she told me her heart was broken when Anabelle fell down the stairs (3 weeks ago). She came in our bedroom after we had tucked her in and, with a sweet smile, told me both of her hearts were put together again.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Anabelle had her 15th month check-up yesterday. She had stranger anxiety with the nurse and doctor, so when they were examining her, it was cry fest. Emma Rose was able to participate, too. After the doctor measured Anabelle, he said, "Wow! She had a growth spurt!" She grew two and half inches in 3 months! Her height is 32.75 inches and puts her in the 97th percentile for her age. She weighs 22 pounds and 13 ounces, which is the 47th percentile. The measurements are similar to Emma Rose's measurements at that age! Anabelle also had one immunization and her second dose of the flu shot. She did well and only cried for about 5 minutes!

Emma Rose also got a flu shot, which is why she participated in cry fest. She cried for the 5 to 10 minutes before the nurse came in with the injection and for about 10 to 15 minutes afterward. On the way out of the office, I heard the lady at the desk tell one of the other moms, "She just had a surprise flu shot." The mom sighed and probably was telling her child there would be no suprise shots. Once Emma Rose caught her breath, she asked Daddy, "Can I have my milk shake now?" A milk shake is now standard bribe number one. Standard bribe number two is gum.

The girls did well last night after the flu shots. They had some Motrin and a bath before bed. They actually had two baths. For the second bath night in a row, Anabelle has pooped in the tub. Daddy has some almost inappropriate language and his face turns red. Then he gets the girls out of the tub, scoops out the poop with the cat litter scoop, scrubs the contaminated area with a bleach cleaner, and refills the tub. I hold the Little Pooper and talk with Emma Rose about the poop in the tub before they get back in to be decontaminated. Last night, I asked Anabelle several times, "Did you poop in the tub?" She makes a very serious expression and emphatically shakes her head no. This is about the fifth time she's pooped during a bath. I sure am glad Daddy is home! :)

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Play Date with Laurin and Nicki

This past Saturday, Nicki and Laurin came over for a visit. Emma Rose and Laurin had a great time playing kitchen and tea party in Emma Rose's room. They also played this disturbing game in which they would put a plastic banana in their mouths and spit it back and forth at one another. The giggling between the spitting was tremendous, so we just couldn't stop the game. Eventually, they gave their attention to other toys that weren't used as mouth projectiles. Whew!! The girls got into a funny face making mood. Laurin had some really cute faces for sad, angry, and happy. Emma Rose had the same exact face for any emotion requested.






















Anabelle also played in Emma Rose's room while the "big girls" played. She mostly did her own thing, and she had fun just hanging out with us. Hobie perched on Emma Rose's bed under the purple cozy blanket and eventually fell asleep on his back.










Later that night, Emma Rose and Anabelle had a bath. They both love bath night. Lately, Emma Rose asks more than once every day if tonight is bath night. She's very disappointed if we say no. When Anabelle sees us filling the tub with water, she does everything she can to get in. She's even tried to throw a leg up and hoist herself over. She's much too small to achieve the desired results, so she starts bouncing up and down and says, "Me! Me! Me!" They love to splash. The rainbow water stains on the wall are proof of such.








On this particular bath night, Anabelle was a little gassy. (It's baby gas, so it's still cute.) She thinks it's very funny to toot. She stood up in the bath and gave us a present. It was LOUD. Emma Rose's reaction to this gift was hilarious! She made her 'That's Really Stinky' face.

Monday, December 8, 2008

We spent Thanksgiving in Tennessee with John's family and had a great time. When it was time to leave, Emma Rose didn't want to go! I think one of her favorite things to do was play with the trains at Sugar's and Pops' house. She also enjoyed seeing her cousin Julian. They even watched the movie Cars Saturday night while Daddy and Pops went to the UT/UK game. At Grammy's house, Anabelle had her first tater-tats, and Emma Rose played with Shadow and Cody, Grammy's doggies.
























Anabelle also started singing the hot dog song from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She sings in a little falsetto-like voice and nods her head up and down while she says, "Hot dog. Hot dog. Hot dog."

On Monday, December 1st, we had a little excitment in Canton. We had snow! Emma Rose loved when it snowed last year, and she was just as excited again. The snow didn't stick to the ground, and it was as if it never happened when we woke up Tuesday morning. It's still freezing!












To make the most of what little hair Anabelle has, I've started to give her a mohawk with the hair dryer after the girls take a bath. It only fluffs up for a while, and by the next morning, she looks slightly bald again. It's fun while it lasts!