January 31, 2009

This is Allie's latest trick.  

I hate it.  Not because I don't like to share or because sometimes I can't find one of my shoes but because it makes her so frustrated when she can't get them on by herself.

January 30, 2009

Laney watching Guy show (aka Harry Potter) with daddy in our bed before she goes to bed.  I had been at the FBR Open checking cell phones.  I came home to this.  And then she asked me to leave because she knew I would put her to bed.  It is very obvious who the nice parent and the mean parent are in our family.

January 29, 2009

This is Allie's spot.  She opens the plantation shutters, sits in the window, does whatever she does(usually eats).  It is right behind Erich's computer so usually she says bye to him as she sits down and closes the shutter a little bit.  

January 28, 2009

Allie's latest trick.

Isn't this what normal 1-year-olds do all day?

And don't all good moms take pictures to document it?

January 27, 2009

Strollers.  

Laney and Allie cannot get enough of them.  They take turns giving each other rides in the baby doll one when we are inside.  And the majority of the time we are outside, they play with the real ones. Laney loves to push Allie around in it. And when Laney is done pushing, Allie just climbs all over them. 

This week I could get rid of the rest of their toys and just keep strollers and they would be perfectly happy.

January 26, 2009

I am not going to lie- I was not crazy about having a thumb sucker.  But now I think it is one of the cutest things.  This look is a clear sign that Allie needs to sleep- the thumb with her favorite ribbon tag on her pink blankie.

January 25, 2009

Our Sunday treat- chocolate chip cookies.  I prefer mine with very few chocolate chips.  Mom prefers hers with lots and a few other add-ins as well.  The girls just prefer theirs after every meal of the day.  (Or before if Grandma is around and mom isn't.)

January 24, 2009

Erich arrived home after a week long trip to Florida.  Laney was so excited to have him home to watch "guy show" with and play legos with.  

If you ask her who the guy is, most of the time she will reply with Harry Potter.  She is obviously her dad's daughter.  Unfortunately she still only has the attention span of a 2 year old and likes to watch about 20 minutes of it and then come bother me and then watch another 20 minutes of it and on and on.

January 23, 2009

Allie enjoying or post-nap snack of "circles" aka as Mini Nilla Wafers.  My kids love them.  And they love to eat at this table.  Another great Christmas gift.

January 22, 2009

These are Laney's new shoes.  She didn't grow out of her others.  Or even wear them out.  She threw then out the car window.  When the window was only cracked two or three inches.  On a busy street.  My mom laughed and volunteered to help me retrieve them.  I said it wasn't worth our lives.  And luckily had bought these a few days before at Old Navy for $4.

January 21, 2009

Sometimes I want to call her the Orkin man.  She has an eye for seeing any bug anywhere.  And sometimes she sees dirt or lint ir food that she is sure is a "bee."  And luckily, she is always willing to get them for me as well.

January 20, 2009

Inauguration Day.  A historic one at that.  Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.  As we watched the inauguration, Laney kept asking to watch different shows.  I kept telling her that we were watching history instead.  

While he was not my candidate, I support him.  He is the president and I hope he can help America.

And I couldn't help but reflect on some of my college history classes.  Two different semesters I wrote rather in depth papers on the Little Rock nine who integrated Central High School in Arkansas in 1957-1958.  And I couldn't help but feel proud that in 50 years we had gone from forced integration to electing an African-American president.  I am proud to be an American.

January 19, 2009

Isn't this how everyone eats an orange?

January 18, 2009

I am pretty sure Laney is the only person who likes to stay in her church dress after church. I asked her about a million times and every time I asked she responded with, "Wear dress." And so she wore her dress and watched Mickey Mouse Christmas for the one millionth time. And shouted out things like, "Give up? Never"

January 17, 2009

We spend a lot of time outside.  And Laney and I like to lay on the grass and look at the sky.  It was nice to see clouds in the sky today.

January 16, 2009

Winter is over.  Snow cone season has started again.  That means my third job has as well.

I love owning a business.  I love owning a business.

January 15, 2009

Lego time which reallys sounds like yego time.  

This week Erich has made the last 20 to 30 minutes before naptime Lego time.  Laney and Erich play Legos on my bed and she LOVES it.  Luckily he has lots of legos so they can play with something different every day.

January 14, 2009

We love AZ winter.  And we love that Grandma and Grandpa live in a cul-de-sac with little traffice so we can play in the stree all day long.

January 13, 2009

Really, do I have two climbers for kids?  Allie pushed the little table over, climbed on it, and tried to climb on to the kitchen table.  Don't worry Erich was there to catch her if she fell.  And yes, she did get a leg on the kitchen table before I made Erich grab her.

And please ignore my mess all over the table and chairs.  My mom tries to ignore it as well.

January 12, 2009

Every once in a while I make an attempt at being a good mom (usually on Monday.)  Today we played with stickers.  And practiced counting.  I am happy to say it helped.  Thanks you notimeforflashcards.blogspot.com

January 11, 2009

Sick Allie.  All day long.

January 10, 2009

Cheesy (pun intended.)

Ask mom for another pack of chips, no way.

Ask Grandma for another pack of chips, of course.  Even if it is the 3rd or 4th pack.

January 9, 2009

This is Laney and my conversation as I am putting her down for a nap.

L:  Laney go night-night.  Then Laney play race cars.

M:  Yes, after you go night-night you can play race cars.

This is Laney and my conversation as I am getting her up from her nap.

L:  Laney went night-night.  Now Laney play race cars.

M: Yes, now you can play race cars.

Race cars.  It's one of the girls' favorite toys.  Thanks to John and Stephanie who gave it to the girls for Christmas. 

January 8, 2009

Sometimes Laney feels the need to change her clothes during naptime.  This was one of those days.  Pajama bottoms on correctly.  Shirt on backwards.

At one point in time, she also had the pajama top on.  And another time, she had this shirt on around her waist.

How do I know, because when she gets frustrated with her clothes and needs help, she kicks the door until I come help her.

January 7, 2009

Proof that this year again I am resolving to scrapbook every week.  Allie's book really needs some work.  As of tonight, Halloween 2008 is done for both children.

January 6, 2009

Proof that it is winter in AZ.  We have had fresh squeezed orange juice for the past 5 days- and it is the best orange juice I have ever had.

January 5, 2009

Proof that the cousins are here.  They left in the morning to head back to NJ but gave up their seats for free vouchers when the flight was overbooked.  They all came back but were without luggage.  The girls slept in my t-shirts and Chase wore some of Laney's jammies.  It was fun to get one more day to play.  And Grandma was sure we needed to make one more treat- jello jigglers.

Janury 4, 2009

COurtney took pictures of the girls.  This is one of my very favorite pictures.  Not only do I think Allie looks adorable but this is a very common pose of hers.  She loves to stnad that close to me and hug my legs (or Grandmas).  She even tries to do it when I am sitting at church.  I love that she likes to be that close to me.  

Janury 3, 2009

Allie loved the air mattress her cousins slept on.  If I couldn't find her, she was always in playing on the bed.  ANd this particular day, she was loving Ellie's new Barbie as well.

January 2, 2009

With 7 grandkids in AZ, Grandma made lots of treats.  Laney could not wait for the cookies to cool to enjoy them.

January 1, 2009

Laney doing her favorite thing- spelling out any word she sees.

Allie doing her favorite thing- following Laney around.

Mom doing her favorite thing- enjoying the AZ winter weather while playing outside.