I Just Can't Wait!

We can't wait to see these munchkins...

And this guy...

and Uncle Layton...

and these guys...

and Aunt Lindie...

and Aunt Haylie...

and Aunt Mallory...

and Aunt Melissa...

and Grandma Bell...

and Grandpa Bell...

and Grandma and Grandpa Bruschke...

and many many more! I have never felt so consumed by any one thought. I have realized just how much I have missed home in the last couple of weeks. As our departure date has slowly become closer I have started to feel so anxious to just be there. It is almost too hard to wait!

Worth the Try

Kinnie was so excited to sit on Santa's lap today and tell him that she wanted a baby doll that opens and closes her eyes, a baby crib and binky. She had to wait all the way until after Andrew's nap. She was very patient but so excited. I was excited that she was excited! After Andrew's nap we got all bundled up and walked down the street to the gardens. I checked in at the desk, my understanding was that it was free but if you wanted pictures and crafts you had to pay $3 per child. I asked if I could just take my own pictures but they didn't allow that. Well I couldn't let Kinnie down now that were there so I might as well pay the money, get the pictures, do the crafts. I got a bit flustered with the situation and ended up paying $6. I didn't even think that I would just do one picture with both kids and Andrew wouldn't be doing any crafts so I really only needed to pay $3. We followed the sign to see Santa Claus, I am expecting a little line but we are the only ones. Andrew appears to be oblivious and Kinnie is terrified. I thought maybe I could still talk her into it and she just needed to see him for a minute, get used to him, wave to him and say hello. Who am I kidding? This is Kinnie, why did I ever think that because she was excited to see Santa she would really sit on his lap and talk to him when the time actually came? She pulled out her nervous moves, rubbing under her nose and putting her finger in her mouth. Honestly, I thought it was a little intimidating how Santa was all set up...or wasn't set up. There weren't any cute decorations, no candy canes, no cute little ladies dressed as elves, not even a big Santa chair. Just a nice old man sitting in a chair across from Santa holding a digital camera. We moved onto the crafts in hopes that I could still talk her into it. She loved the crafts and I loved the cute talkative boy that was telling us that you could go sit on Santa's lap and tell him what you want. I was hoping that would help. After making her paper sack reindeer we walked back towards Santa just to make sure. Nope, not going to do it. I don't think I ever really thought she would do it I just hoped that she would. We spent some time looking at the model trains and fish pond and I tried to take some pictures. We started getting all bundled up for the walk home and who should walk by us? Santa. He said hello and reached out his hand so Kinnie could touch it. He talked to me and said we should try again tomorrow. I was so happy we had that encounter. I figured if anything $6 is my contribution to having a free membership to the gardens, a paper reindeer, and Kinnie being able to touch Santa's white glove.

Nervous fingers in her mouth

A forced, nervous smile

A little more relaxed after the craft

Getting silly

Distracted by the trains

Monkey Boy

I believe it is time for an Andrew update. He is a monkey and he is growing up way too fast. I can't believe he will be going into nursery in a month! When I had Kinnie I finally realized what it meant to have time move so quickly. With Andrew, I feel like time has started going even faster. He is growing up so fast, I guess it has a lot to do with having an older sibling and wanting to keep up with her as much as he can so he does everything in his power to be just like her.

• He loves to lay on Kinnie's bed with her every night while I tell a story or sing a song. Tonight while I told a story he was acting way into it and saying a jaw dropping "ah" when i would finish a part of the story.
  
• He loves to go to the pantry and bring out chips or cereal or crackers, anything he can reach. Sometimes he will get himself a bowl and put some of the food in it (and sometimes he dumps the whole bag out on the floor...stinker).
• He has become so independent/stubborn. He wants to do everything by himself. I can't open a ziploc bag for him until he either gets it or has had a good few minutes to work on it. He gets so mad when I break things into pieces for him or try to help feed him.
• He calls a horse a "go." His favorites are "baby, mama, dada, and here go." When he hands us something or needs help with something he says "here go" over and over and over until we take it or help him.
• He is constantly doing what Kinnie does, it is so cute and I love to hear them laughing and playing. There is of course a lot of crying and not sharing and Andrew has started hitting.
• When he gets really frustrated and wants us to know he is mad he runs off turns around and looks at us and hits his face a few times over. Kind of sad, but kind of cute.
• He has to sit on the potty every night after the bath. He sometimes even acts like he is really trying to go and then he will laugh.

He is such an independent, happy, playful, stubborn, sweet, and lovable little boy.

It Snowed!

The first snowfall began last night around 6 o'clock. Kinnie was so so so excited! She wanted to go out and play in it so bad.

In the morning we got all bundled up to go out and play. Kinnie couldn't wait and Andrew had no idea what we were about to do.

We made a snowman. Kinnie gathered the rocks and sticks. Andrew didn't last very long. His hat (my hat) kept falling in his eyes and was making him sad. He also didn't like falling in the snow.

And of course here are some turkeys that randomly show up every once in awhile. I think we counted 16 at one point.

Halloween 2010

It was fun this year with Andrew being more aware of the holiday. He is so scrumptious in his costume and I was glad he had a lot of opportunities to wear it. Despite being sick with runny noses and coughs they had a good time trick-or-treating. Kinnie had fun this year and Andrew caught on very quickly. Good times, but I am glad it is over. Looking forward to Thanksgiving (and my kids not being sick).

Preschool

Kinnie started preschool on her birthday. No shoes or backpack for the picture because it was at our house the first week. It is a great set up for us and I think Kinnie will really enjoy it. Kinnie has just two other classmates and each week we switch whose house it is at. So last week I taught and then this week and next week she will go to her friends' houses. It is such a great little group and it is fun to be teaching a little bit again. I am so grateful that Kinnie is making new friends and excited for her first little preschool year.

Cute little group! I love this age!

The toy violin finally arrived. I think Kinnie didn't really know how to react. We were waiting for that big gasp or squeal of excitement when she opened it but it was almost like she was speechless. She has had a lot of fun with it. The violin plays music when she bows or touches the strings but she wanted the batteries out so she could "play" what she wanted to play. I kind of wonder if we should have just bought her a real violin. You can get toddler violins pretty cheap, but I guess this will be a good starter violin if she really does continue to show interest in it. She kept saying how glad she was to have a violin. We are glad she likes it!

KINNIE turns 3!

Labor day, the day before her actual birthday. We took Kinnie to the zoo to ride the carousel, pet the goats and ride the steam-engine train.

Andrew had to show Kinnie not to be scared. He loved it, and she eventually did.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KINNIE!
Here are the balloons she wanted all over the floor. She walked down the stairs and said "holy cow!"

She was dying to open presents. We let her open one present in the morning. A new outfit from Grandma and Grandpa Bruschke and a little pig. She wore her new outfit to her first day of preschool! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

We had pizza for dinner, her favorite.

And opened presents.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Bell for the cool glow bracelets, new water color paints....

and Mary Poppins! She has watched it a few times already and as I speak (type).

Happy Birthday to you!

Cake and ice cream.

That night she sat on the couch and watched Mary Poppins with her new dress-up shoes on (or glass slippers as she calls them), all while playing with her new tool box. I love that girl! More on her first day of preschool later and the package that finally arrived! I can't wait for her to open it!