Merry Christmas

Lillie and Sophie on Christmas eve in their new jammies.

This year we added a new Christmas tradition. Jack, our elf on the shelf, came to watch over Lillie and Sophie. Every night, he would fly back to the north pole to report to Santa if they were good or bad that day. Each Morning, Jack would appear in a new location. This morning he was having a tea party with Snuggles and Cuddles. Other mornings, we found him fishing for goldfish crackers in the toilet, zip lining into the living room, turning the milk green, or finding Christmas movies to watch or books to read. On Christmas eve, Jack caught a ride back to the north pole on Santa's sleigh. We won't see him until the next Christmas season.

Lillie and her classmates sang a few songs to the parents at the end of their Christmas party.

And then there is Sophie. She is only 22 months old, but in her short life has dealt with acid reflux, ear infections, and strep throat infections. Three days before Christmas she had her tonsils and adenoids removed. She has had a cold for the past 3 weeks, but the Doctors were not overly worried. But as a result of the anesthesia with the cold, she developed strider which is like croup. She had to stay in the hospital overnight and have 3 breathing treatments. She is doing better now. She is really fussy and she gets to watch a lot of "Blue's Clues," her favorite TV program. During this episode of Blue's Clues, Steve and the animated dog Blue were playing make believe with a box. She pushed an empty box by the front door into the living room, and crawled in it.

She is starting to say a few more words and phrases. She can even identify the letter "S" on the refrigerator.

Christmas Nativity

Tonight, Lillie was in the Church Nativity play. She was a lamb with her friend, Katie. Lillie and Katie were in the stable with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. The girls were captivated by the real, live baby that was being held by Mary.

Almost the entire cast is in this picture. Lillie is under the angel's wing on the left. It was a great play and we can't wait for it next year.

Visit from Grandma and Grandpa

Grandpa and Grandma came to visit last week. We went to the Air Zoo. An indoor Air and Space museum with lots of airplanes and space items. It even has small rides and simulators. Lillie was tall enough to ride some of the rides by herself and Brian went upside down in the flight simulators.
On Wednesday, Lillie had a snow day from school. Grandpa and Lillie made a snowman and went sledding. They also went to the wassaling with us on Thursday. (see previous post) On Friday, we went to the MSU Dairy farm where the cows are milked by robots. We also went to the MSU bird sanctuary to feed the birds. Some of the swans ate from our hands.

Saturday, we went a restaurant with a bull ride. Grandpa didn't want to ride, but Lillie went for a short ride. It just spun around slowly.

Lillie and Sophie got to open a few Christmas gifts from Grandma and Grandpa too.

Wassaling 2011

Richland area businesses host a wassaling event. First, we went to visit Santa. As you can tell, Sophie was not happy, but Lillie enjoyed telling Santa their wish list. Then we went to Library to listen to the high school band and choir.

After listening to the band and choir, we went to see the real, live reindeer. They were about the size of a pony and they had really long antlers.

Beth, Sophie and Lillie by the reindeer.

Last, we went to visit Lillie's Preschool, Jack and Jill. Lillie and Sophie got to make an anteler hat, by using their hands as a pattern. Lillie is pictured with her teacher, Mrs. Hoard.

A quick trip to Chicago

Brian worked in Chicago last week. At the end of the week, we joined him to visit some of the girls' favorite places. First, we went to the American Girl Store. Lillie took her doll, Julie, with us to the store.Lillie is wearing her new American Girl sweatshirt in the historical girl section of the store. (side note: Lillie and I have read all of the "Julie" series and "Julie" mystery series. She wants to read the Molly ones next. Julie's story is from the 1970's and Molly's story is from the 1940's.)

Next, we ate at the American Girl Cafe, where we discovered that Sophie likes to cross her arms like Brian.

After lunch, we did some shopping at the American Girl Store and the Disney Store. Next, we went back to our hotel room for some rest and nap time.

For dinner, We took a cab (per Lillie's request) to eat at the Rainforest cafe. When we walked in, there was a robotic snake hanging from the ceiling. Brian suggested that Lillie pet it and she started screaming. The rainforest cafe had a lot of salt water aquariums and robotic animals. Their mascot, the red-eyed tree frog, even came around to see the kids. Sophie still does not like full sized characters. She kept an eye on him the entire time she was eating.

It was not hard to get a good smile out of Lillie that day. The next day we stopped at the outlet mall on our way home.

Little Swimmers and Cupcake makers

Last week, Lillie and Sophie started swim lessons. First, Brian and Sophie had their class. Sophie loved playing in the water.
Then Lillie had her lesson. She is pictured her kicking with the other kids in the water.

Monday, Lillie and Sophie helped me make cupcakes. Lillie learned how to crack eggs by herself.

And of course, we had to try the cupcakes. This is the first time that Sophie has had cake since her birthday. She loved every bite.

Happy Halloween!

On Sunday, we carved the girls' pumpkins. I transferred the pattern to the pumpkins with a pumpkin knife and Brian cleaned up the designs with his Dremel tool. Sophie picked out the Blues Clues pattern and Lillie picked out Rapunzel.
This month has been a busy month for Halloween festivities. We celebrated Halloween at a playgroup Halloween party, at Zoo Boo, at the library story time, Preschool and trick or treating last night in our neighborhood. Lille dressed up as Rapunzel and Sophie dressed up as Minnie Mouse.

Pumpkin Patch, Baby Gates and M&M's

Last weekend was busy. Gull Lake High School had their homecoming parade in Richland. We went to see the floats, band, and football players. They threw out candy and Sophie got to try her first sucker.
After visiting Gull Meadow farms with Lillie's Preschool class, we had to go back to pick out our pumpkins with Brian. Lillie and Sophie rode the apple train, bounced on the inflatable pillows, and went down the slides.
It was such a nice day, that we wore shorts to the pumpkin patch.

The next day, Lillie was invited to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. She had a great time playing the games with some of her preschool friends.

Lillie has learned how to count to 100, by tens and Sophie has learned how to open the baby gates. We left them up, so we can hear her go upstairs to play in the playroom. Sophie also went poopy on the potty chair last night. She got 3 M&M's. We now keep the M&M's in linen closet.

MSU - Kellogg Biological Station and School field trip

We have been enjoying the fall weather here in Michigan.
The Kellogg family was very charitable. When Mr Kellogg died he left some of his land to the Michigan State University. MSU does a lot of research at the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) near us. It features, the Kellogg Manor, Bird Sanctuary, Research facilities and a Dairy Farm.
Two weeks ago, we went to a playgroup activity at the Dairy farm. The cows are milked by robotic machines. Each cow has an collar with an electronic identification chip. The computer knows exactly when the last time the cow was milked, how much the cow produced, and how much it weighed. If you come to visit, this is definitely a place we need to take you. The girls loved it and could have watched the cows being milked for hours.
Yesterday, KBS hosted an open house event. The Manor house, Bird Sanctuary, Dairy farm and Research buildings had special events and tours. Our first stop was the Manor house. I have never been there, but Brian has for several meetings and dinners. It is a big Tudor home and they offer tours and special events through out the year. Next, we went to the Dairy Farm to show Brian the milking process. We even got to see two 1 week old calves. After the Dairy Farm we went to one of the research facilities to learn about carbon footprints, living soil, and small creatures in the water. Last, we went to the Bird Sanctuary. We have a membership and we have visited many times, but we still love to visit. We like to feed the birds. Brian is hand feeding a trumpeter swan in the photo below. We saw ducks, geese, swans, hawks, owls, and pheasant. They also had face painting, information and learning tables. The bird sanctuary is also another place we need to take you when you come to visit.
Today, Lillie had her Jack and Jill Preschool field trip to Gull Meadow Farms. We started with a hay rack ride to apple orchard to pick apples. We got to eat an apple on the ride back. Then we got an apple doughnut and apple cider while they talked about pumpkins. Next, the kids identified the different plants in one of the greenhouses. Corn, Cotton, Peanuts, beans, peas, etc. Then the kids were able to slide down the big slides and pick out their own pumpkin to take home with them. Not bad for $5 a person.

Lillie is pictured in the photo below with her teacher, Mrs. Hoard, and her classmates.

Swinging into fall

We haven't had a chance to write a new update, because the last month has been a busy one. We went to Omaha to visit family a few weeks ago. Lillie and Brian went to the zoo with Cousin Brenden, Aunt Amy, Nana, Grandma and Grandpa Marsh. (Beth stayed home with Sophie because she was sick.) Lillie loved the zoo including the polar bears and petting zoo. Brian wore a red shirt and the butterflies were attracted to him in the butterfly exhibit.
Lillie started Soccer. Every Saturday, she has a 1/2 hour practice followed by a 1/2 hour game. There are 6 girls on her team and they are called the Princesses. The team didn't have their uniforms for their first game, but Lillie is wearing pink shorts in this picture.

Monday, was "meet the teacher" day at preschool. Lillie is with her teacher Mrs. Hoard in this photo. Lillie got to meet her new and old classmates too.

Last week, Lillie started her combination dance/gymnastics class for the second year. She does a great job at skipping.

Yesterday, we went outside and I worked with Lillie on "how to swing" again. She can now swing without us giving her a push. She is so proud and she can swing for 20 minutes on her own. This made me realize how big she is getting and doesn't need us as much. I really hated to push her on the swing, but I miss it already. They grow faster every single day.

Sophie is cutting her 16th tooth and she is continuing to explore her world. "Wednesday Wigglers" storytime started back up today, because they didn't offer this storytime in the summer. Sophie did so good. She sat down on the carpet, next to Lillie and the other kids, to listen to the stories, rhymes and songs. She even clapped along.

Sophie is 18 months old

Sophie turned 18 months old yesterday. In the past few months, she has learned to walk, learned to dance, had 2 more teeth come through, had strep throat for a second time, and explored along side her sister. She still has no fear. Yesterday, I was making dinner and when I turned around Sophie was sitting ON the kitchen table. She was so proud that she climbed up on top of the table.

Her vocabulary is expanding too. She understands so much when you talk to her. She has learned to call for "Ma,Ma," "Da,Da," "Lillie," and "Mitties." She even learned to say "Oh, Oh," (her version of "uh, oh," when she drops something.

The past 18 months have been fun, exciting, and exhausting experience and I can't wait to see what happens in the next 18 months.

Playgroup - Parent's as teachers event at a farm

Our Playgroup started a "Parent's as Teachers" playgroup event. Our first event was at a farm. We had been there before and Lillie couldn't wait to go back. This time, Sophie was able to feed the chickens too.
We got to pet the chickens. Lillie is petting the chicken in this picture.

After feeding and petting the chickens, the kids got to pick the eggs. Lillie asked if there were any green eggs. (Yes, green eggs.) They call them Araucanas or Easter Egg Chickens, because they lay eggs with a blue-green shell. In this photo, the parent hosting the event just lifted Lillie up to pick a green egg out of the top roost. The light green egg is in her hand.

After Lillie picked a dozen eggs, she jumped in the toddler trampoline.

This week, we also went to a summer Library event featuring the bubble man. Both Lillie and Sophie enjoyed watching him make bubbles.

Lillie has also been busy attending birthday parties. She went to 2 birthday parties in the past 2 weeks and she has 2 more birthday parties next week.

We finally have a pumpkin growing in our garden. It is about the size of the lemon. We also have a 2 more that are each about the size of a grape.

Kite and Bite

We don't get a lot of wind in Michigan, but the other day we did. Lillie noticed the wind and asked Brian to help her fly a kite.
They tried several times to get the kite in the air.

And they did get the kite in the air a few times. Until the wind died down.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Lillie running with the kite string.

Lillie had a great time, but the next morning she woke up with 2 goose eggs on her head. She had a bad reaction to a mosquito bite. One the size of a nickle and the other the size of a quarter. Benadryl and hyrocortisone helped bring the swelling down. The quarter size one is in this picture and the nickle size one was under the edge of my hand. We found the smaller one a few hours later.

Camping

Tonight, is the first night that Lillie and I will not be sleeping in the same house. Why? Brian and Lillie are having a camp out in the backyard tonight. Brian and Lillie set up their tent near the fire pit in the backyard.
We all had to have smores.

Then it was time for Brian and Lillie to lay down and go to sleep. They have been out there for an hour, so maybe they fell asleep.

Update: They came in the house to sleep in their own beds at 12:20 a.m. The motion lights, crickets, locust and frogs were keeping them awake.