Sunday, January 24, 2016

Snow Days!

Landon's Snow Days through the years
I remember the first snows in Harper's Ferry when Landon was 6 months old and how cold and long the days felt.  The world out there was so still, magical in its quiet and solitude.  Here in Salem there are so many people around, busy digging themselves out of the snow, friends to sled with, cook with, share a bottle of wine with, and spend the days with.

Sarah's first experience last year with snow was probably like many other babies, indifference.  

This year, she was DEFINITELY not happy with the whole snow process.  Putting on the snow suit, boots, gloves, hat, and layers of clothing was distressing.  Once outside, she ripped her gloves off, plunged her fingers into the snow and promptly began wailing. I brought her inside and this was not where she wanted to be either.  After almost an hour of crying, she finally calmed down and returned to her "happiest baby in the Roanoke Valley" status (this title was given to her by friends who are convinced she never cries haha!).  A little compromising (minus the snow suit, gloves and only one layer of clothes later, she was content to walk (not be carried) along the plowed road. 



Day 2 was a little better.  she allowed the boots, but still no gloves.  

Snow indoors was much more fun, though she insisted on a towel to dry her hands with every time they touched the snow (I seriously don't blame her at all).

This guy is a snow enthusiast.  For the second year in a row he enjoyed sledding with his buddies, shoveling snow, throwing snow balls and making colored snow.  Getting ready for the snow is so much easier this year too.  We are definitely enjoying snow days with this guy!



Monday, January 18, 2016

SK's Language Development

Magnatiles
January 18, 2016
Language Development

          Sarah Kat's vocabulary is expanding daily.  She is now using concept words such as "In, on, again, and close."
While laying the Magnatiles flat on the ground to create a continuous "road like structure, Sarah Kat and Landon had the following conversation.
SK: "Mine.  Yellow."
Ashley:  "What are those?"
SK: "Those" (the tiles fall)
SK:  "Again, again, again."
Ashley:  "Did it fall?"
SK:  "Fall. Fall. It Fall."
Ashley:  "Do you want to build it again?"
SK:  "Yes.  Help. (I help).  Thank you."
Landon joins the play.  "I have a better idea, Sarah."
SK:  "No! No! No!"
Landon:  "I have an idea."
SK:  "Okay, K. K."
Landon:  "This is a house.  This is where X Po lives."

SK:  "Wall. (breaks).  Oh no!  Oops. (Landon helps to build it back).
Ashley:  "What do you say, Sarah?"
SK:  "Thank you.  Thank you...boom! Boom!"
Landon and SK: "Ahhh!"
Landon:  "Oww!  Sarah you hurt my ginger."
SK: "Sorry, sorry....In. car in.  (Puts square Magnitile on top like a roof.) Top. Close.  (adds a triangle). Hat."








Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Updates

January 11, 2016


Sarah and I read Runaway Bunny tonight. After wards I held her in my arms as she smiled up at me and labeled all my facial features "eyes, nose, ears." Her eyes brightened and she pointed to herself saying "Saysay (Sarah) fly ears bunny." For those of you who haven't read Runaway Bunny the rabbit flies away using his ears as wings. I asked her if I could fly with her and she put her arms around my neck and said "yes."

This sweet boy is my best friend.  He loves to play videos games, Legos ride bikes and read.  

We had a blast visiting Mama Sissy and Papa Mike over Christmas Break.  



Love!



Christmas 2015


New bike from Mom and Dad.  New backpack and lunch box from Santa for SK.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Christmas is Coming and SK is 18 months old!

December 2015
These cool kids are really looking forward to Christmas :)  We've decorated out tree (only the top half has ornaments because our sweet SK likes to undecorate), visited Santa, made hundreds of Christmas cookies, decorated a Gingerbread house and so much more!



After the Christmas Parade she fell asleep in her daddy's arms. 

We got one picture with Santa before SK jumped into her daddy's arms.


These kidos are spending more and more time playing together.  


This sweet girl is VERY independent.  She wants and tries to do EVERYTHING by herself.  
She LOVES her daddy :)
She is talking up a storm these days and putting 2 words together.
She still uses sign language daily, but definitely is more interested in talking to explain her wants, needs, and ideas.
We enjoyed visits from Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Meghan this month and we will be visiting with Mama Sissy and Papa Mike after Christmas.


Love these two so much!
Landon still amazes us with his reading abilities!  He earned his yellow belt and Attitude Badge in Karate and at home.  He loves to play Legos, video games, and pretends to be a Robo Dog,.

Sk repeats most words we say.  A few are particularly cute such as:

Chocolate Milk sounds like "Car key"
She says "Un" before a lot of words so she sounds very French. 

She LOVES Elsa and says "Elsa"

She counts, "One, Two Three!"


She sleeps with Rabbi, Owl, Mousey, and 2 pink baby dolls as well as a taggie blankie.  I fear the crew may expand as we get older.


She says "Down" when she wants up in a chair.  

At 4:30 both of my children act like they've never been fed and demand food right away.  If I am cooking (and I usually am), Sarah will grab hold of my legs and beg for food.  If not produced right away, she goes to the pantry and pulls out cereal and starts munching.  We call this the "bewitching Hour."


Tuesday, November 24, 2015

SK is 17 Months Old!

October 2015
16 Months







November 2015
17 Months old
She loves to climb, slide, run, and play outside.  

She loves watching out the window as her brother goes to school or waiting for her daddy to come home.

She loves to name her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and of course her belly button!

These two love each other very much.  They play together most often, but they are beginning to push each other's buttons. 

She is talking a lot these days, but most of her words are babbles.  She knows quite a few words and signs and her vocabulary is growing everyday. 



She loves to explore and discover new things.  She loves to color and play with her baby dolls.


Her giggles are contagious and her spunk and outgoing personality draw people in.  When we are at her school, she runs down the halls like she owns the place.  She loves her teachers and her friends and seems to look forward to going to school :)




Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Sarah Kat is 15 Months Old

This sweet girl is 15 months old!


Here she is at preschool :)  She had a rough first few days, but we're on the right track :)  


Sarah requested to go pee pee on the potty

Sarah Kat LOVES the book The Little Mouse the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear! 

Our first days at the Wesleyan Preschool :)

Sweet smile :)

Daddy hugs!





New signs:
Tree
Hurt
Leaf
Strawberry
Flower
Baby
Sleep
Brush Teeth


New words:
Uh oh
Ow
Tee (tree)
Meow (cat)


This sweet boy loves school!  His favorite part of school is consistently:
"The bus ride, recces where we play My Little Ponies and Lunch."