Golden Birthday for LK

Lauren Kate ~ 3 years old

We've been blessed to have Lauren in our lives for 3 years and we are so so grateful.  Lauren has been talking about her big girl bed for quite some time.  When friends asked her what she wanted for her birthday she said "my big girl bed!"  She has joined the ranks of Sophia and Sydney and couldn't be happier.   She jumps on the bed every day and Michael loves to crawl all over her bed and burrow in the pillows.  Here is what LK is like at 3:

• Very expressive...she could be an actress...or a hair dresser...it's up in the air.  
• She loves to do my hair and our neighbors, Maria and Sophia.
• Stubborn and testy...she will tell you no right after you ask her to do something when she doesn't want to.  We really haven't had to do too many time-outs lately, but we think they are becoming less effective, because she doesn't cry when we give her one.
• Energetic and carefree
• Loves making Michael laugh and smile.
• Loves going places
• She sings the Days of the Week and Months of the Year song
• She LOVES the song "I had a little nut tree" sung by the Mother Goose Club on youtube.  You should see her face when she watches and sings along.
• Very emotional and loving

Here are the birthday highlights:

New big girl bed/bedding

Big Day for the 3 year old! (This was on May 3)

Party Day (May 5)

Big wheels from Grandma and Grandpa

Grandpa can't believe how the time has flown.

Hi!  I'm Lauren.  I'm 3

Birthday Barbie cake

Wearing the crowns, Nani and LK

Cousin Shelly and Eli

Grandpa and Papa chatting

Michael trying out cheese and beans

Kids table (Lilian, lk, Eli, Kallie, Eli, Ayanna, Sophia, Meyer)

Present Time

Thank you hugs begin..

 Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

 Happy Birthday to Lauren

Happy Birthday to you!

First bite of cake...and this is how she looked from that point on until 6:15- early bed time.

The Hunt

Playing with a baby chick aunt Erin sent.

Lauren found an Easter basket.

Michael finding his.

Reading card from aunt Erin.

New Shades

LK loves her peeps

Cousins- beginning of the Hunt

Family photo opp

Having fun finding eggs

It's a race!  LK got that one first.

Michael found one after we put it in front of his face.

Love

Just a video of Michael walking more...the others are too long

1 and Done

Hi all,

It's been a busy few months.  Michael turned 1 on 3/10 and we had a really nice party with lots of friends and family present.  Unfortunately, it was the same day Michael came down with another ear infection...his 5th in a row since December, so he was not the happiest guy on the big day.  Lauren managed to open Michael's presents while he napped and the other kids joined in.  It was very nice and we just wished he felt better so he could dig into his cake.

He just had ear tubes put in on the 20th and Michael is a different baby.  He is MUCH more vocal, sleeps on his back again, and is back to drinking more liquids!  He talks in a string of Michael Words that we don't understand but you can tell he's trying to make a statement.  He finally has his top two teeth along with the bottom two, and I'm sure the others are soon to come.  Michael is also starting to fight back when playing with Lauren.  It's fun to watch, but of course we hope they just decide to love each other and get along. :)  He LOVES to play in the sink and when you take him away he screams. He loves the swingset, and he loves baths.  When we get upstairs he crawls straight to the bathroom and if I'm not planning on giving him a bath he cries.  So, I give in and give the bath just so he can play in the water.  You should see him with the leg up trying to climb in.  It's really cute.

xo,
jackie

LK helping to open gifts

Where's Michael?  Oh...he's sleeping

Aunt Erin came to visit!

After nap...we couldn't get a good pic with him all day

Really into everything now.

11 Months Michael

Above is a video of Michael and LK playing around with each other.  They do a lot of that these days.  It's more a matter of Lauren yelling in Michael's face to make him laugh and then Chris and I have to say "gentllllle"!  Michael is 11 months old today and here are his stats:

• He is walking along furniture and showing the first attempts to walk away from furniture on his two feet.  We think he'll be walking right about a year.  
• He looooves to get into just about anything that might hurt him...pulling drawers open on dressers and in the kitchen, fingers in door openings where the hinges are, crawling up the steps and thinking he can get back down by falling forward.  We thought LK was a climber, but he has her beat.
• He is about 20'ish pounds and eating some solids.  He can eat puffs, banana, avacado, some soft noodles, without puking....we never know.
• He loves to crawl over to me and give hugs and then crawl away
• In school he is the oldest in his room and he likes to help his teacher with the other kids to make them smile or laugh
• He likes to stick his fingers in his mouth to gag himself.  We can't wait for him to get over that phase.
• He wants to go go go and do anything that Lauren is doing.  Lauren is happy to oblige him with whatever he shows interest in so we still have to watch her closely with him.
• He is working on those upper teeth...still only has the two lower ones through the gums. 

 Happy 11 months Michael!

Lauren is on day 4 of potty training with minimal accidents!  She has worn her big girl underwear at school all day and until bedtime.  Once or twice she had to have a diaper for nap, but she has stayed dry for the most part.  We are so proud of her, and she is too.  There will be lots more trips to Monkey Joes and other fun places as her prize for keeping up the good work.  Lauren is doing very well in the classroom she moved to a month ago.  She loves the independence that the teacher gives her.  For example, she goes to the bathroom with minimal help, gets up and washes her hands herself, pours her milk from a pitcher into her cereal by herself, and has a more classroom-type learning environment.  It is very good for her.  We notice every day how she becomes more her own and now gives us a sweet sweet smile instead of a "cheese" face when posing for pictures.

Yes, this is how I look most of the time....tired. :)

 Lauren is into this thing about making trains with furniture or toys. Chris & MC are riding on the train.

Sweet as pie...2.75 going on 7

11 months old today!

Christmas/New Years

We had a great Christmas this year.  We celebrated with our Fleming/Spannknebel side on the 17th and 24th, and with just Grandma and Grandpa Miller on the 25th.  This year there was an injury in the family.  Margie usually hosts on Christmas Day, but she couldn't so we will wait to start up again next year.  The kids were home Christmas morning to see what Santa brought them.  Michael liked the paper and Lauren really liked opening this year to see what she got.  She opened most of Michael's too. Neither of them minded.  Next year might be different.

For New Years Eve, the Millers/Sandiesons/Schnoors/LaPointes all went to Winterfest during the day.  It was an indoor amusement center with bounce houses, kid bungees, carousel, train, etc.  They loved it and all kids had fun getting together.  So did the adults.  We all got together at our house that night, just the adults, to catch up and relax.  I don't have any pictures of the day/night except for what the friends send me  so I can't post those right now.

Lauren when we told her Santa came...come see what he left for her and Michael!

Her first glimpse of Santa's gifts.

Going through her stocking...some jewelry

Had to get MC the milk first thing :)

Then he decided to get up and take a look at the presents.

We let her eat a marshmallow Santa from her stocking with breakfast.  It's Christmas!

Such a love

Chilling with Grandpa.  Michael really loves watching sports.

Lauren helped with the wrapping paper garbage :)

9 months/ 10 months

Wow, I have been a month behind on this.  Michael is now 10 months old.  I did not get a shot of him in the chair on the 10th month so I've ruined the routine.  Every time I remembered to take his picture, he was ready for a bottle and wouldn't have cooperated anyway.

Michael still just has his two bottom teeth.  He is teething and the doctor said his top two were ready to come in...that was at his 9 month appt.  There are still only two bottom teeth and he is now 10 months old.  Michael, you are doing better with food though!  Just a few gags and no puke!  You've tried banana, puffs, avacado, and not puked.  This is a good deal.  You want to eat whole food so bad, so we hope you are on your way.  He is very chatty these days.  He lights up when Chris, Lauren or I come into sight.  He likes banging things together or against something, and of course anything Lauren wants to play with he is right there to get a shot at it too.  Lauren does the same to him by the way.

2 more months until he's 1.  Unreal!

9 mo Picture:

10 mo Picture: