Our MK

Spring comes bringing with it both Anna-Kate and Mary-Knowles's birthdays.  First comes Mary-Knowles.  I get so sentimental every time.  This past weekend was no exception.

I used to stroll the mall with these fun two, all.the.time.  It was one of my favorite places when the 3 of us were feeling stir crazy.  I used to stroll the mall day dreaming about when the girls would be old enough to do Build-a-Bear together.  

When we got the invitation to MK's birthday, I was already a little sentimental-y teary.  When this image happened in the first 3 minutes, I just gave in to loving it!

 Happy Birthday Mary-Knowles!  You are loved!

The Back Story

Benjamin turned one.  Then  he got the stomach bug.  Then he had a virus with fevers from 102-104.  Then he had a cold with constant drainage.  Then he was 13.5 months and it was time to take pictures before he was almost 2!  

The weather was chilly and cloudy, but it was time to take pictures before this mama lost her just turned one window!  We took Benjamin for his first haircut that morning.  Then it was time to get started!

We got Benjamin this train as his first birthday present.  We saw it and loved it immediately!  Not a bad photo prop for this happy little man!

We took 4 family pictures.  4.  2 of them were great!  This one is classic family photo.  But, we had 2 great ones.  

So we decided it was time to take some sibling pictures.  You know those sweet sibling pictures where they are happy and smiling at the camera.  

Well, we will have to use our imagination.

Because this is the scene that happened instead

 Toddler meltdown.  "I'm cold."  "No, I want my bear."  

Deep sigh.

Photo shoot over.

Benjamin has discovered a leaf anyway.

Benjamin is One!

Benjamin is One! 

It was time to take Benjamin's one year old pictures!  Here are my favorite pictures from the photo shoot.  My smiling boy did not disappoint!

my favorite sequence...

 

 

 Peek-a-Boo!

My boy!

 Cool men drive trains!

Easy grin

Sweet Family

Happy Family

Precious Words

Because it is Sunday,

because memorizing Scripture is so important to me,

because these two verses are my Grandma Miller's favorites,

because I hope this blog is an encouragement

Proverbs 3:5-6

Just Hanging Out

Benjamin wanted Will's attention one morning.

This was how I found them.  Will checking out something on the computer; Benjamin tuning to Anna-Kate's show.

This is fun, isn't it Dad?

 Just a minute Dad.  I need to see this part.

Photo Dump

Benjamin using his car to practice walking.  He is getting better at holding your hands and walking or pushing this car.  And, he is cruising around the furniture now.  He is such a fast crawler, though, that he is definitely taking his time becoming an official walker.

One Sunday afternoon, I was asked to tutor one of my students.  I let Anna-Kate come with me.  I am hoping this helps her know what I do when I say I leave to go tutor.  She drew and a picture and then declared, "I did my math too!"

Eating out one Saturday, a man walked by and said, "I keep waiting for you baby to sell me stocks."  The next e-trade baby?

Anna-Kate LOVES art at preschool.  I am often told that when the other kids do one picture Anna-Kate does 3.  They have to cut her off at art time.  My favorites are the ones like the top picture.  The paint is sparkly.  She excitedly described it.  "Look!  It's my princess!"

You have your idea of what Heaven might be like; he has his!

Preview of a post I still can't quite bring myself to write....

Cooking at 7:30 in the morning...

Another new favorite activity:  stand at kitchen and throw the contents on the floor

Too Much Fun

After supper last night, we had a fun game of "Simon Says."  

The game ended with Anna-Kate saying to Will, 

"you say, 'Simon says I will throw you."

 

Can not love that sequence more!

And, Benjamin was not left out of the fun

Genius at Work

Benjamin (and Natalie's) favorite discovery in the last week or two is the Magna Doodle that I keep hidden under the couch.  Classy, I know.  

Benjamin gets so proud of himself that he pulls it out on his own.  

Then he sets right to work.

Oh yeah! I just made that!

10 Hours

Anna-Kate hasn't napped more than once in the last 2 months.  She does have a quiet time in her room for about an hour, but not much sleep happens.  She does, however, sleep 12 hours at night.  If she falls asleep at 7:30, I know she will be up between 7:15 and 7:45.  If she falls asleep at 8, she will be be up the next morning by 7:45 to 8:15.  Like clockwork.

The last two nights Anna-Kate has slept from 8:15 to 6.  I know I am blessed with a late sleeper.  The last two mornings have reminded me not to take that fact for granted.  Her mood is quite different on 10 hours of sleep compared to her normal 12.  Today, coming home from Walmart at 12:30, this 10 min catnap apparently could not be avoided! 

**Footnote:  this sweet image of my sleeping sweet one doesn't quite push out the memory of the 20 min tantrum endured this morning at 7:35.

Guess that Age

On Friday, Will and I did the final walk through our soon-to-be new house.  Will looked at the yard and all the things on his honey-do list, while I went around memorizing closets and picking out which room would belong to which kid.  We both got really excited about this home, despite the many projects that we see around each corner!

I found this particular gem and couldn't wait 'til mid-April to show you this glimpse into the home!  This is the bathroom that will be the kids.  

Before you guess what age our home is, check out this close up!  Ignore the toothpaste or... ahem, gunk that the close up reveals.  Do take in that wall paper.  In all its awesomeness.  Do you notice the little strip of it that still remains between the door frame and cabinet, revealing that the drawer-liner was in fact the wallpaper for the room?  

Ready to guess?

And...

do you have it?

If you said, home built in

1978,

you are right!

Love this little gem of originality that the seller is leaving us!

The buzz around here...

...can you tell...

...we're getting ready to move! (mid-April) 

Much more to come on that, but until then

what do you think of one of my ideas for our new kitchen's design?

Interesting note: we had a showing on our anniversary (romantic, right).  The next morning it was from that showing that we got our offer!  Probably our most expensive anniversary gift ever!

Anna-Kate, lately

Anna-Kate, my smart, empathetic, cautious girl.  Before I have to give in and believe that her (sshhh) 4th birthday is coming up in less than 3 months, I am going to enjoy my 3 year old.  And, there are some things I just don't want to forget:

Anna-Kate is in that fun and cute stage where she wants to be helpful.  She loves helping Natalie.  When Natalie drops something, she will get off her chair to pick it up for her.  This is worth  noting because she does not like to get off her chair to get something she herself dropped.  She loves to help me sweep or dust.  She enjoys setting the table. And, she really enjoys helping me cook!

The above has the big qualifier; she loves to be helpful when it doesn't interrupt a show she is watching or a plan she decided was the best plan.  A great helpful heart when she is the mood to help!

Anna-Kate is quite cautious still.  She takes her time to warm up.  When she walks into preschool, her eyes find what she wants to do, but she waits to be invited rather than just jumping in.  She quite obviously loves her class and her classmates but she needs some warm up time.  I have enjoyed watching my cautious girl really embrace dance class.  She tries everything.   

Anna-Kate is becoming a fun companion.  I enjoy taking her on shopping trips or just talking with her.  She is experimenting with such big person phrases like, "if you say so..." and  "Well, actually..." and "I didn't realize that..." and "I probably think ..." and Oh my! I think we forgot..." and ... This day she said, "I feel like such a princess when I wear this outfit!"  What?!  My girlie girl!

Anna-Kate loves playing with tiny things.  Why are tiny things so interesting?  She has really gotten into the phrase, "for my birthday I want that."  Haha!  She points out things that have "jewels" on them or tiny versions of things (like, Barbie who is holding a tiny hair dryer).  

She plays with animals more than baby dolls.  She lets  the animals be her pets or her students.  She puts them in their sleeping spots or comforts them when they are upset.  

Anna-Kate is really into jewelry right now.  She loves to feel grown up walking around with me and pointing out what she likes.  She loves to read books.  She tells stories with enthusiasm and great entertainment!  She accepts a gift or a surprise like you just gave her the moon, every time!  It makes it too easy to want to find ways to surprise her.  

She LOVES her daddy!  Everyday she goes upstairs while he switches shoes and gets settled in at home, and many days she tries to steal my first hug position when he gets home from work.

Anna-Kate, I can already tell I am going to miss "toddler Anna-Kate" but I am really enjoying these glimpses of kid you show us!