It's turning cold and snowy here - A great time for the kids, but not so much for mom and dad...Except that we've had a couple sick days so I got to stay home and play with the kids for a couple of days :)
Things are going well as usual (Thank you Lord). Seems like they have both turned a corner and the whining has calmed down for now!
Libby just had her 3-Year checkup. She's smart as a whip- Impressing the doctor with all the things she knows like colors and shapes and the alphabet and counting. She's a petite little girl. Only the 40th percentile for weight and 46th for height. But healthy and beautiful as can be :)
She is really enjoying Preschool. She get assigned a "job" every week and enjoys being in charge of whatever task that is. She has learned the Lord's prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, the months of the year, how to use a computer and mouse, she is a whiz at puzzles and is a big help to the teachers with cleanup...I think they steal all the helpfulness because she isn't a great cleaner at home! She has chapel every Wednesday and she really enjoys that. They learn all kinds of songs and get to hear a short "sermon" from Pastor. One day in the bathtub she sang the Doxology (Praise God from whom all Blessings Flow...Great song). I was so surprised I said, "Libby, what are you singing?!" She said in a smarty-fart tone, "It's the Doxology, MOM!"  Super cute:)
She is dressed up in a princess dress or dragon costume pretty much all the time when we're at home. She wears her high heels around the house and doesn't care that they dig into her feet! She adorns herself (and her brother) with jewelry and wands and then says, "mom, dad, don't I look beautiful?" She is a little princess.

Silas is doing well, too! He's enjoying being in the toddler class at daycare. He's learned all his friends names and talks about them a lot. Little Avery and Harper-Doo are his best friends - or so he says. He tattles on Collin for pushing and talks about this one incident over and over and over! He requests songs he wants us to sing and books he wants us to read. All with words. He knows the order of counting and if he feels like it he will count with you up to six. He memorized books and songs and will chime in on certain parts he remembers or loves. He's starting to undress himself - most mornings he has his pajamas unzipped and sometimes even has and arm or two out of them! He loves to be naked. This is such a fun age for me - I love watching him pick up new words and try new things. He's adding new vocabulary every day and he is a hilarious boy....so hilarious! He laughs all the time and is starting to imitate Libby. He watches her every move. It's so sweet. He has even started acting like a cat, crawling around "meowing" just because that's what Sissy does!
He loves Spiderman and Pooh and Cookie and Elmo. Thomas the Train and cars and legos. He is a very active little boy and loves to wrestle his daddy, too! Such a boy in the way - if you're on the floor beware because he will tackle you to the ground!

They are both so much fun right now - I hope it continues through the holidays!

I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving....I'll post after all the festivities!

 

 

 

Pumpkin Patch 2013

We took a trip out to Williamson Pumpkin Patch today! We got to pet goats, a donkey, a baby calf named marshmallow, baby piggies and a lamb. We ran through a hay bail maze, played in a corn pool and Libby rode a horse and a pumpkin train. Silas thought he wanted to ride the train but changed his mind at the last minute.

Pumpkins were pretty much picked through, but we found a few the kids were happy with. It was a fun family afternoon! And tonight we are carving our pumpkins. Last year Silas was too young to care and Libby hated it. We'll see how it goes this year:)

Enjoy...

3 Years Gone but so many Memories...

Today marks 3 years since Olivia Grace was born...3 years....Can you believe it?? It has gone by so fast and we have experienced so many exciting, scary, hilarious, irritating, cute, ornery moments in these three years. It has really been amazing to watch her grow up. To become who she is today.
Libby is beautiful and smart and super funny. She's kind and caring, nurturing and sweet. She's independent and sassy and opinionated and picky. Since she was a baby she has known what she wants. We love everything about her. She is our little kitten.

This year Olivia has transformed into many things. She is a princess...All dolled up in beautiful dresses that twirl and plastic high-heeled shoes, jewelry and purses. She is a doctor. Giving the family and her babydolls and stuffed animals checkups, making sure we are all healthy and in good shape. She has been "kitty." Curling up in our laps, licking our faces, scratching at our legs and answering every question with "meow." She has been "mom." She's always mom...whether it's plain old mom, mommy kitty, mommy doctor....always the mother role. I wish it was because she thinks I'm cool, but really I think it's so she has an excuse to be in charge :) Her imagination is really running wild and it's super fun to watch her play and also get invited to be a character in her plots.

She has been a great big sister from the day Siley Boy was born. She loves him and protects him. She worries about him and makes sure we get him what he needs. She also does what big sisters are supposed to do and torments him and tells him to go away because he's annoying her or in her space. I remember the first time they "played" together. They played peek-a-boo in the ottoman. It was the most precious thing I had ever seen. Their laughter and the joy on their faces was such a wonderful thing to experience. They still have those moments and they are still just as beautiful to me as the first time. Sibling love is hard to beat.

Libby has continued to excel intellectually. She started Preschool in August and has learned so much. The Pledge of Allegiance, the Lord's Prayer, the Doxology, Her days of the Month, days of the week, Countless songs, it's endless...Every day it's something new. Her memory is amazing. Her vocabulary is impressive enough to worry us....and to make us laugh at things a 3-year old should just not know!
I hope her love for learning continues...

I don't want to forget about her love affair with the color purple. This year she has seriously been addicted. She won't wear clothes that aren't purple. She only wants purple ponytails and purple popsicles and purple toys...purple purple purple! It's caused fights on many occasions but the purple always prevails. It is her favorite and it can't be yours, too!

Overall she is just a joy to be around. A true blessing in our lives.

Snapshot of October 21, 2010 to October 21, 2013:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Love you so much Libby Kitty Princess!!!!

May, June and July

Hello again! It's been so long since I've posted that no one probably even looks at this anymore, but if you're reading this then I guess you checked back.

SO much has happened since April! Short recap:
Family Vacation to Tablerock Lake - What a blast hanging out with the fam for 10 days...

Zoo Trip - Interesting this year. The kids were afraid of the bald eagles, the rhino and ostriches. Loved giraffes and lions the most. They each petted a ferret and a snake and loved it!

Forest City parade and Hancock county fair - again interesting. They hate fire/police/emergency vehicles but love the candy! And they love all farm animals - They both rode Shetland ponies. Libby would have stayed on hers (Piglet) forever and Silas was done after one trip around the ring on Tank.

Doctors Visits/Trip to the ER. Silas got an ear infection while on the family vacation (May 26thish) and has been fighting it ever since. We've been through 5 different antibiotics and finally a trip to the ER while we were in Forest City for a 105 fever. Going to the Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor tomorrow and hoping he's over the hump and never gets one again.

Outdoor Fun - We've tried to make a trip to the park at least once a week, swam in the pool in the backyard, walks in the new Joovy stroller. Just all kinds of outdoor fun.

Silas is starting to talk a lot! He says a lot of different words. His signature right now is his "buh-byeee" It's too stinkin' cute :) He is repeating so many words. I love this stage - he's just picking things up so quickly. Soon we will have two babbling toddlers at our house. It's hard enough for anyone to talk with chatty Libby around...it's only going to get harder now.
He's such a boy! He beats on his sister (and his mom). He laughs when I spank him or slap his hand. He has pulled chunks out of Libby's hair and laughs. But then he's also very sensitive and very sweet. He's a great hugger and gives lots of kisses. He cuddles and snuggles any chance he gets. He loves to read books now which I'm so glad about - I wasn't sure he'd ever get interested in them.

Libby is still beyond her years. She knows her colors and shapes and is starting to recognize some letters. She can count (like actually count items) if she wants to. She is goofy and crazy and fun. Nothing is a good idea unless it's her idea and then it's the best idea ever thought of. She puts up with her brother and is really good to him 50% of the time. She tries to include him in her play and she coaches him on how to do things. She remembers everything and will repeat it at random times so don't tell her your secrets! (Remind you of anyone?) She's got an attitude we could all live without at times, but it's all based on her independent nature so I hope it turns out to be more controlled and good for her when she's older!

They're both so much fun and so frustrating at the same time. The fun makes you forget the frustrating...most of the time!