January Milestones

My oh my.

This girl came home in a swoon today. She says she's in love. I like to ask her what her favorite part of kindergarten was, and today she announced that she and Sam B. were in the same group and both unknowingly wrote letters to each other. She opened hers.... to a big heart. 

"Mom, and he started kissing me!" 

Gasp. "Where, honey?" 

"All over!"

She went over and pointed at a picture of Mike and I on our wedding day. "Maybe we'll get married someday."

Is this really happening? Maddie has her first crush.

I think it's time for my periodic chronicling on each of my kids. They have done so many new things lately! 

In ballet class Maddie is preparing for a special test to get certified by the RAD (Royal Academy of Dance).  She has been practicing hard almost every day at home and earning her stickers and doughnuts at class. 

Speaking of dance, I have to laugh about the other "dance moms" that wait in the observation room with me. They are nothing like the hilarious TV show, but anytime you get moms together there is comparison/bragging about their kids. One mom started in on language immersion programs (which we were interested in for Maddie until we realized there wasn't one at our school and we would have to drive to Alpine) calling her daughter "wicked smart" and going on and on about how she reads at a 3rd grade level and needs piano and dance to keep her from getting bored. I was about to take the goad and brag about how "wicked smart" Maddie is too, but then another mom jumped in about her son who skipped a grade even though he was the youngest in his class, and is in Spanish immersion. They spent the rest of the class comparing psychologist's tests of their kids' superiority. 

Guess they one-upped me there....  but I still think my Maddie is "wicked smart." I don't know exactly how smart she is, or what grade level she is reading on, but I do know she reads the scriptures with very little hesitation and has an amazing grasp of language. She is advanced for her age, but I think it's important for her to be in classes with her age group and with kids from the ward and neighborhood. She shines wherever she is. 

Maddie is already planning her 6th birthday party... about 40 days away. She wants to have a unicorn theme, and is already working on the party favors. In case I haven't mentioned it, she aspires to be an artist when she grows up, and her skills are really coming along! We now have unicorn pictures for everyone on her guest list.

Ella didn't want to be left out of the birthday planning, so even though she just had a party two months ago, she is working on plans for a Care Bear party this year and a Sun party next year! She also wanted to write a guest list (right). She needed help with spelling but she is mastering writing!

Ella is loving preschool. She is still shy sometimes but is finally coming out of her shell. Her teacher told me she finally got Ella to answer test questions and she passed her alphabet recognition and sounds with flying colors! She comes home singing the cutest songs and tells us funny facts, like how astronauts have to sleep with seat belts on so they don't float around.

Ella is really good about helping with chores. She unloads the silverware every day and often helps with folding laundry. I remember reading a study at a pediatrician office about how "chores by 4" are an important factor for success in future life. She's on the right track!

Another thing Ella is working on is not waking Mommy up during the night.  Anyone else have a child like this? It has been especially bad since she was sick and throwing up during the night a few weeks ago. Then she was waking me when her covers were twisted, for a drink (two steps from her bed), or to go potty....coming all the way down the stairs to get me, when the potty is next to her room. My pregnant self was tired of trekking up the stairs in the dark, so one night after the 4th time, I was lying in bed and had the stoke of inspiration to simply try a sticker chart. She is so excited about getting her stickers, and ice cream after a week, that we have already had two nights of bliss! She just needed a little incentive, I guess.

Last but not least is my little man. He is so yummy.

Ty is talking like crazy! Everyone around us is noticing how his language has exploded. His latest words are Mammie (Maddie... he used to call them both Ella), ice, sister, Emrie/Cambry, honey, granola... and he mimics well and learns fast.

In fact here is my little granola monster. He loves the stuff. 

He is shy too, but getting friendlier. He says hi to everyone at the store and makes them smile.

He is very polite and sweet. He loves to give kisses to everyone--Daddy when he leaves for work or gets home, baby dolls or stuffed animals, sisters, and me. There is nothing like getting a surprise wet smackaroo on your cheek (right Maddie?). He says “Thank you Mama” over and over and usually “Please”. Even the people behind us at church commented on it.

Of course he is a menace at times too... he has learned to get his way when he scratches. My girls have never done this, but he knows it gets a reaction! I have tried time-out, but he just laughs at me, so I hold him there until he gets upset. He is learning to say sorry.

Just this week he has begun to point at my tummy and say "baby!" (I think Ella taught him.) He still feels like my baby, but I am glad he is growing up because soon there will be a real baby in the house!

Arrrrrgh!

My kids loooooove Jake & the Netherland Pirates. We have been pirates the last few days and they can't get enough of it.

It all started when we hosted our babysitting group and decided to go on a treasure hunt. We thought up the clues first, and then Maddie drew her treasure map all by herself. I thought it was very impressive!

The kids had to follow their maps and at each location there was an activity they had to complete before moving on (i.e. make a human pyramid, build a 4 foot block tower, play leapfrog to the kitchen). it kept them busy for a few minutes, and at the end they found treasure!

We made pirate ships for snacks. I was amazed at how popular apple slices were with the kids! :)

Ella's favorite character is Izzy with her pixie dust. She always asks if we can make some of our own to help her fly. I finally gave in and concocted some with fake snow and green glitter, then let them run around outside and throw it. I had to explain that she still had to pretend to make it magic!

We have had lots of fun with the Jake website on Disney Junior, printing zillions of coloring pages (they could color all day long) and watching episodes. Good entertainment!

Dress-Up

Not a day goes by at our house that there isn't some kind of dress up.

One day we had a teddy bear tea party. Maddie found an all-brown outfit so she could fit in with the bears. Of course Ella was a princess.

I'm afraid little brothers don't know any better, and red sparkly shoes are pretty enticing. 

Luckily he likes the boy stuff too. He makes the cutest little lion with his roar. 

Tonight for some family entertainment we watched our engagement and wedding videos. It's hard to believe it's been almost 10 years, but then I realize I don't even recognize that version of myself anymore, and that I have almost 4 kids!!!!

Ella begged and begged to get out my wedding dress. I assured her it would drown her to no avail, so out it came. It was pretty sweet to watch our offspring while remembering that perfect day!

 

Keep on dreaming darlings.

Saving Sanity

This may sound redundant... because it is.... we have had another full week of sickies. This time each child took a full 1-2 days to themselves before passing it on to the next sibling, where we would start the cycle again, and extend the quarantine. We missed a lot of fun activities and obligations this week, but we tried to be creative at home.
 

Ella got a belated birthday card from Great Grandma Jean with birthday money in it, and when I told her she could pay tithing and then spend or save it in her piggy bank, her eyes lit up--spend!! She was super excited to chose anything she wanted and we brought home a box of valentine chocolates with plush bear and a set of beads to make jewelery.

 

When Maddie came home from school and heard that Ella got a shopping trip, she wanted to use some money from her piggy bank too. Since she never did chose a gift from Grandma back in March, I thought it was a legit request and a good time to practice her math skills. She loved the power of choosing her own toy, handing over the money, and counting the change.

 "Turty" and "Bearie" have been very loved additions to our exploding collection of plush toys.

Tyler is a cute little character to have around.  He loves trains, cars, tractors, and anything that goes!

 He can be a little monkey sometimes, though.

The girls have enjoyed a few sled runs with Daddy. We missed most of the latest storm, but the sledding is the best it's been yet with the ground packed and frozen!

One night we beat boredom with a rousing game of pictionary. Maddie recently watched a special on the Sphinx and did a pretty good job depicting it!
 

This is Ella's cute Horton elephant.

Mike drew a Swagger Wagon (Toyota Sienna). It has been the subject of many conversations of late as we try to figure out the car situation!

The girls quickly guessed my humble depiction of the Wizard of Oz.

Since it has been too cold to really play outside, we brought some snow in to make snowmen.

We had to work fast to keep them from melting! 

We kept them outside where we could see them, and they lasted a few days until the temperatures finally thawed and "in the sun they melted!"

Various other crafts keep the girls entertained for hours. They love being creative with pipe cleaners, buttons, glue, beads, marshmallows... you name it.

Looking back through pictures I have a slew of the kids trying on shoes! They especially favor the new brown heels I got for Christmas... oo la la!

 

Ella doesn't nap very often anymore, but some days we all need a break, especially with the sickies. She was so cute sleeping with all her dolls... she is definitely our princess! Speaking of, she was able to go to a princess birthday party in her royal attire and got her face painted so pretty.

 

 

Daddy got creative one night while I was away and built a castle in the basement!

Each kids has their own "room" and windows to peek out.

Just an extra word about Ty Bud... he is getting so expressive! In this picture he is saying "cheese" because he knew I was taking a picture... I swear nobody taught him that. He also likes to say "Thank you Mama" and repeats it over and over. He loves animal sounds, and just started calling his bunny "Foo foo" after I sang him the song. He also just started singing along to a line from "Twinkle twinkle." His vocabulary is growing and we love to hear more about what goes on in his little head!