tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76972402078983033352024-03-13T06:57:05.602-04:00Joy Complete<center> "I have told you this that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete." John 15:5</center>Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-18858230142853180452016-04-19T10:27:00.002-04:002016-04-19T10:27:34.058-04:00Philip Funnies XVIII<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After spotting an ambulance on the road:<br />
"Wait, is that the truck that has the band-aids?"<br />
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While digging in the dirt:<br />
"I'm digging for golden!"<br />
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Talking about his swim instructor, Miss Jules.<br />
"I think her first name is Miss."<br />
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Looking at the birds outside.<br />
"The red ones are Cardinals. And the blue ones are called PJ's?"<br />
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Me: Miss Jules has an accent, I wonder what country she is from - maybe Australia.<br />
Philip: Why would she teach here? Maybe she just wanted to go to another world to teach.<br />
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Looking at a cup full of carbonated beverage:<br />
"And the bubbles are going up! Just like beer!"<br />
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While watching fireworks on TV:<br />
"It looks like the whole world is on fire."<br />
At the Natural History Museum, Philip was very interested in the exhibits about early humans. However, his reaction was: "They look disgusting."<br />
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Finding an animal hole in the sand on the beach:<br />
"I think a fox lives in there."<br />
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Talking about how the baby will put his toys in her mouth.<br />
"She will probably try to bite my spaceship, but it will be too hard for her, so she will just slime it."<br />
"Did you know that Transformers are metal, Julia? Because Transformers are bigger than people. People are not metal. I know that because I'm the big guy."<br />
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Holding up a flashcard: "Exoskeleton"<br />
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"Ghostes (ghosts) are not real. Julia, I'll tell you what else is not real. Robots, dinosaurs, space, and monsters."<br />
On a day we were going to the waterpark, I got ready with my hair pulled back, then sat on the couch to watch him play with his toys. Eventually he looked up at me and said:<br />
"Mommy...is that you? You look different. I've never seen you look like that before.<br />
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Philip: I just saw an animal in the woods.<br />
Me: Really? How cool! Do you know what kind of animal.<br />
Philip: I'm not sure because it was far away. Maybe a reindeer...or a kangaroo.<br />
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"Do you remember the day our baby got married?" (baptized)</div>
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<br />Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-15478359612554499962016-04-08T21:16:00.001-04:002016-04-08T21:16:44.491-04:00{this moment} 6 Months/First Meal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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{this moment} A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-73264750805626005832016-01-17T14:48:00.002-05:002016-01-17T14:48:57.517-05:00Julia at Three<div style="text-align: center;">
At three years old, Julia is:</div>
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Inquisitive</div>
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Funny</div>
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Quietly Defiant </div>
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Stubborn</div>
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Sweetness</div>
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Caring </div>
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Loving</div>
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Julia is all sugar and spice. Switching quickly from being sweet and loving to crazy. </div>
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She often walks on her tiptoes. </div>
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She plays happily with cars and baby dolls. She thinks Rescue Bots are cool, and loves anything princess. Oh, and she loooves play dough! </div>
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She is good at sharing. </div>
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She likes to go on errands with Andy or I and quietly daydreams in the car. Oftentimes she is so quiet that I double check she hasn't fallen asleep. </div>
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She likes to help cook and clean the house - especially cleaning windows, cabinets, and walls (not so much picking up toys).</div>
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She insists on choosing her own clothes each day.</div>
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She had her first haircut and first day of school this year.</div>
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If we are having something the kids like to eat during the day she asks that we save some for Daddy.</div>
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She is going through a fierce "Why" phase. </div>
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Her facial expressions tell you <i>exactly</i> what she is thinking. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gDasn6E6hv0/VplH2qVmTmI/AAAAAAAAFbw/SLyb_Ld3YOE/s1600/Christmas%2BPic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gDasn6E6hv0/VplH2qVmTmI/AAAAAAAAFbw/SLyb_Ld3YOE/s320/Christmas%2BPic2.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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She is a little Mommy, both to her dolls and her siblings.</div>
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She developed a beauty mark this year, but we already knew she was absolutely beautiful, inside and out! </div>
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<b><u>Julia's 3-Year Old Birthday 21 Questions</u></b> </div>
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1. How old are you? <i>2</i></div>
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2. What is your favorite color? <i>Green</i></div>
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3. What is your favorite toy? <i>Trucks</i></div>
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4. What do you like to learn about? <i>Books</i></div>
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5. What is your favorite TV show? <i>Garfield and Let it Go (Frozen)</i></div>
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6. What is your favorite food?<i> Peanut butter and jelly</i></div>
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7. What is your favorite game?<i> Magnets</i></div>
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8. Where do you like to go? <i>Target</i></div>
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9. What is your favorite animal? <i>Stuffed animals</i></div>
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10. What is your favorite song? <i>Let it Go</i></div>
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11. What is your favorite book? <i>Let it Go book</i> </div>
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12. Who is your best friend? <i>Abby & Izzy</i></div>
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13. What makes you happy? <i>Abby & Izzy</i></div>
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14. What do you like to do with your family? <i>Target</i></div>
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15. What is your favorite thing to do outside? <i>Play</i></div>
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16. What is your favorite holiday? <i>Spring</i></div>
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17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? <i>Stuffed animals</i></div>
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18. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? <i>Pa-sketty</i></div>
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19. What was your favorite birthday gift? <i>What is a birthday gift...my castle</i></div>
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20. What do you think about before you fall to sleep at night? <i>Flowers and bugs</i></div>
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21. What do you want to be when you grow up? <i>A big sister</i></div>
Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-23139372016151674692016-01-15T08:48:00.001-05:002016-01-15T08:48:55.691-05:00Julia's Jokes VI<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
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Andy: I'm going to eat your toes.</div>
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Julia: No! You can't eat my toes because they are decorative toes.</div>
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Philip: Julia, come upstairs with me!</div>
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Julia: I can't come upstairs because I'm pregnant!</div>
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While being a ringleader in a lot of mischief while Andy was out of town, I threatened to call Andy to tell him about the kid's behavior.</div>
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"Oh! Daddy will be delighted!"</div>
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After reading a book that said camels have very long eyelashes to protect their eyes from sand:</div>
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"Do you have super eyebrows? The kind that keeps the sand out of your eyes?"</div>
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"My teacher is going to love my awful dress!"</div>
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"Philip gave me crackers because I was as hungry as a goat...I was hungrier than a goat!"</div>
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"Mommy, don't steal our liberty, okay?"</div>
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Andy: This is your left foot.</div>
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Julia: No, that is not my foot. That is a skin bottom.</div>
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Me: Is it fun having a baby sister?</div>
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Julia: No, having a baby sister is not fun because there are alligators in our living room.</div>
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After getting our room all straightened up in advance of company arriving, the kids brought in their books and stacked them haphazardly on every flat surface in the room. Bringing me in to show me:</div>
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"Do you like it? Say thank you!"</div>
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Julia: Do fishies sometimes bite our legs?</div>
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Me: Sometimes they come up to take a nibble, just to see what we are.</div>
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Julia: To see if we are a bear?</div>
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Looking at her tongue in the mirror: "Oh, that is a fascinating tongue!"</div>
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"Philip, the sea urchins didn't spike me, buddy!"</div>
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"I don't want anymore milk. My belly's all soaking wet."</div>
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-44580793114363507492015-10-26T16:41:00.003-04:002015-10-26T16:41:35.814-04:00Catching Up: AugustAugust was a whirlwind of activity. It always is, as we have a lot to celebrate in August, but this year was even bigger!<br />
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We took the kids to the water park one weekend. They had a blast! Philip was in swim lessons most of the summer and loved practicing his skills at the water park. Afterwards we went to a nearby boardwalk with a cute little beach and shopping area. We stopped into an old-fashioned candy store and everyone found a little something.<br />
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We went to our first/only baseball game of the summer - a minor league game. Philip had fun and may be ready for a MLB game - Julia isn't there quite yet! They had fun riding the merry-go-round and eating treats. We watched fireworks from our car before leaving (they still aren't fans of the noise).<br />
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Andy and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. We went out to a nice restaurant along a river overlooking Annapolis. It was a rainy night, so we weren't able to sit outside, but we still had a window seat with nice views of the bridge and downtown.<br />
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Philip wanted to visit Andy at work, so we found a day where we could go in for a visit. They were so proud to wear visitor badges. It was a nice day, so we ate outside in the courtyard. We visited the koi pond just as an employee was coming to give the fish their lunch. He gave the kids the food and they had a blast feeding them!<br />
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Andy's brother and family came up for several days for a visit. The cousins loved playing together. We all went to a bounce house place for Julia's birthday and one day visited the John Paul II Shrine in DC.<br />
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We celebrated Julia's 3rd birthday! She first asked for a Hello Kitty party, but after a few days, she changed it to a Let it Go (Frozen) party. She invited neighbors, her baby-sitter, one of Philip's friends, and of course the family we had in town. We made snow that the kids played with outside and she ordered "pa-sketty" for dinner.<br />
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We also celebrated my birthday. We had a little pre-celebration with the in-town family - pizza and cake. The following day, Andy took me out to dinner and the kids surprised me with gifts - so thoughtful!<br />
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Once that whirlwind ended, we had a week to get ready for school. We were assigned Philip's teachers, and they were kind enough to let us visit them one-on-one before school began. Philip was able to pick out his own cubby and check out the classroom without a lot of other kids around. That weekend, the school hosted a picnic for the Kindergartners. They did a scavenger hunt where the kids got to see the different classrooms they will be using throughout the school. We had a great lunch, and enjoyed meeting other parents and classmates.<br />
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Finally, Philip's first day of school arrived. You know that the first day of Kindergarten is hard on parents, but when it is you going through it - whoa! It may have been a little harder on me since Philip has always been home with me, except a couple hours several days a week last year for preschool. We were so proud of Philip! He went right to his classroom and desk, and didn't get clingy or act apprehensive at all.<br />
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<i>All ready to bring Philip to school - and stay herself?</i></div>
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The first day was a half-day, so we went out to lunch afterwards. He had a good day at school and his only qualm was that "they didn't teach me how to read." That Friday on the way home, we were discussing how his friends had their first day of school that day. He said, "I hope they had fun at school. I had fun. I love school!" That was a big deal for a little guy who was apprehensive of going to school and concerned about having to go every day. We really like Philip's teachers and the school has a very welcoming and joyful atmosphere. We are so glad we chose this school for Philip this year!<br />
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<i> The kids took it hard when they realized that we were trapped in the parking lot </i></div>
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<i>until the teachers dismissed us the first day.</i></div>
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<i>You send them to Kindergarten, and the next thing you know </i></div>
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<i>they are driving the family car!</i></div>
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Julia has been doing great with all the adjustments our new schedule brings. She usually asks to pick Philip up from school at about 10:00 in the morning.They became good buddies and playmates over the summer, so it is sad to see them split up during the day. However, I am enjoying having some time alone with my little girl this fall. Julia started wanting to wear dresses each day and she has one in particular that is her favorite and that she asks for nearly every day (see pics from Andy's office). She started drawing some pictures that are partially recognizable this summer (as long as she tells you what she has drawn, you can make it out). She regularly gets confused about what big/little or older/younger means. For example, she will often tell me that when I get bigger I will be able to wear her clothes. It is super cute to hear her view on things.</div>
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Philip has become super content with playing with his toys and can entertain himself for longer periods of time. He rarely asks to watch TV anymore, which is very welcome. It is too bad that as soon as he got easier to handle, I have to send him off to school! One of his favorite sayings is, "That's so rusty!"<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-26612103352130517572015-10-16T15:29:00.002-04:002015-10-16T15:30:16.113-04:00Introducing<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cecilia Grace</span></div>
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7 lbs. 4 oz.</div>
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18 3/4 in.</div>
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She is absolutely perfect!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kgt1767tgMA/ViFO7q8W6oI/AAAAAAAAFTE/ofHoHJVCldw/s1600/17-kkea-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-63061206659794489162015-09-13T07:23:00.000-04:002016-01-15T09:03:24.447-05:00Philip at FiveAt five years old, Philip is: <br />
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Artistic</div>
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A builder</div>
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Imaginative</div>
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Funny</div>
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A good playmate and big brother</div>
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A nature lover<br />
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<img alt="" height="400" id="wc56:lrImg1" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp83232%3Euqcshlukaxroqdfv35593%3Enu%3D3275%3E948%3E557%3EWSNRCG%3D3%3A%3A764487832%3Bnu0mrj" width="297" /><br />
A perfectionist</div>
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Fast<br />
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He loves knights, superheroes, Legos, dinosaurs and race cars.<br />
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This year he finally stopped raiding the pantry and now tells me when Julia is trying to sneak food.<br />
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He always surprises me with his sweet side. If I do something special for him, or get him a surprise, he will often tell me out of the blue, "Thank you for doing that for me. I really love it!" He also very sweetly gives me and Julia compliments about stuff I wouldn't think a little boy would pick up on - like my hair or clothing. He doesn't say I love you much, but I cherish these little sweeties that he gives me.<br />
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<em>Wish I could bottle that sweetness</em></div>
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Over the past year, Philip has grown more independent and confident. <br />
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For the first time, he is interested in picking his own clothes and (usually) gets changed independently. <br />
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Probably the biggest change in Philip over the past year has been his social development. <br />
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He started preschool and had a great time. Despite being very slow to warm up, I was proud of how he did at school. He participated in the things he felt comfortable with and tried new things throughout the year. I have a very stubborn little boy. He told us he was going to "be quiet" at school and he found a way to communicate with friends and teachers without using words. Now according to his teachers, he wasn't necessarily always quiet - he made lots of happy noises and laughed a lot, but he stuck to his guns about not speaking in the classroom. <br />
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Having a little guy that is so very slow to warm up has its challenges, but it also helps us to celebrate each small accomplishment. When he plays with a friend without us being by his side, raises his hand in response to a question at storytime, or nods when an adult asks him a question, Andy and I quietly celebrate. He is making lots of progress - the change in him over the past year has been wonderful to watch and I know he is on his way now!<br />
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Friendships are playing a bigger role in his life. I love that he calls his classmates and neighbors, "the friends." He is finally to the point that he will usually run off to play with his buddies during playdates without insisting that Andy or I go with him. He also wants to invite pretty much any kid we meet over to our house to play. <br />
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He has started talking to adults who he feels very comfortable with - mainly family members and a couple neighbors. At the beach this summer he was okay sitting at the dinner table with cousins, aunts and uncles, even when Andy and I were busy doing other things.<br />
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His temperament has changed a lot, too. This little guy definitely gave me a run for my money from the day he was born through the preschool years. As he progressed from the early 4's to the older 4's, he mellowed out and now he is usually a breeze to take care of. He still has his meltdowns, but much less frequently.<br />
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He has started to play independently. I am amazed at how quickly he transitioned from needing lots of hands-on attention and ideas for entertainment, to playing quietly and happily with his toys for long periods of time (15 minutes is considered long at this point). Sure makes my life easier!<br />
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His art skills really took off this year. He went from scribbling to making his first drawings, to coloring in the lines, to now making more elaborate drawings. His teachers always complimented him on the time he took with his artwork. They said he did quite well and had a much longer attention-span for it than most boys his age. These days he loves to draw and color. He will happily spend an hour or two after school just doing artwork - it is amazing.<br />
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Philip loves to learn about dinosaurs. Each time we go to the library, he heads to the nonfiction section to pick up some books on dinosaurs. My library bag gets really full, really fast!<br />
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When I first found out I was having a boy, I was very nervous about how I would handle one. I grew up with just one older sister, so having a little boy was very foreign to me. I feel like as he has grown, we have hit all the major little boy interests. At one he loved balls, at two - cars, at three - construction equipment, at four - race cars, and at five - superheroes. I have loved going through all these stages with him and learning new things along the way. I'm sure I have much more to come. Little boys are so much fun and my little boy is perfect for our family!<br />
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<strong><u>Philip's 5-Year Old Birthday 21 Questions</u></strong> <br />
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1. How old are you?<em> 5</em><br />
2. What is your favorite color? <em>Blue</em><br />
3. What is your favorite toy? <em>Space Guys</em><br />
4. What do you like to learn about? <em>Space</em><br />
5. What is your favorite TV show? <em>Rescue Bots</em><br />
6. What is your favorite food?<em> Stuffed Shells</em><br />
7. What is your favorite game?<em> Angry Birds</em><br />
8. Where do you like to go? <em>Abby & Izzy's house</em><br />
9. What is your favorite animal?<em> I like tigers.</em><br />
10. What is your favorite song? <em>Spiderman and Tumeni Notes</em><br />
11. What is your favorite book? <em>Dinosaurs</em><br />
12. Who is your best friend? <em>Abby & Izzy</em><br />
13. What makes you happy? <em>Spiderman and catching fishies</em><br />
14. What do you like to do with your family? <em>Play</em><br />
15. What is your favorite thing to do outside? <em>Run around</em><br />
16. What is your favorite holiday? <em>Halloween</em><br />
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? <em>Bunnies</em><br />
19. What was your favorite birthday gift? <em>All of them</em><br />
20. What do you think about before you fall to sleep at night? <em>Dreams and stories</em><br />
21. What do you want to be when you grow up? <em>I don't want to be anything. I just want to be a person. I want to be a great biker.</em>Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-56382222863612242742015-08-20T07:53:00.002-04:002015-08-20T07:53:46.997-04:00July Journal<div style="text-align: center;">
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What a fun month July was! We returned from vacation and were off and running. Philip began swim lessons. He asked for the lessons, but when we arrived the day of first class, he got scared. I had to drag him over to the class, but the teacher immediately took him into the water, talked to him, and swam around with him...and he calmed down right away! He has done perfect ever since - trying anything new that she asks. We really like his teacher and it has been great to watch him learn and grow.<br />
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My parents came up for a visit. Philip invited them to his birthday party many months ago, so they made sure to be here for it! Andy went down to Florida for a few days, so it was nice to have their company and help.<br />
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Philip turned five this month! He was so excited for his birthday party this year and has been changing the theme that he wanted practically daily for the past year. We finally decided on a superhero party with an emphasis on Spiderman. He invited his best buddies, a couple from across the street, his grandparents, and his babysitter. This was the first time he wanted to invite a crowd!<br />
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<em>Philip and I made this city skyline. </em></div>
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<em>The kids sprayed the bad guys with spider webs (silly string).</em></div>
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After my parent's visit, Andy's brother came to town with his family. They had not been up for a visit since Philip was a baby, so it was fun to have them here. Philip especially loved playing with my nephew. We celebrated Matt's birthday one night and went to dinner in Annapolis another night. Andy took Friday off from work and we went to the Natural History Museum and then into Georgetown. My niece wanted to go to <a href="http://georgetowncupcake.com/" target="_blank">Georgetown Cupcakes</a>, so we fulfilled her dream! </div>
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<em>Cousins</em></div>
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<em>Watching the sailboat races</em></div>
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<em>Philip had Andy take a photo of pretty much every animal in the Hall of Mammals.</em></div>
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<em>A little birdie came to visit!</em></div>
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It was time for Philip to get a haircut. Julia insisted that her hair was getting long and she needed one as well. So we went in for her second haircut. It turned out cute!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmiFHK7FCjE/VdUx5gqrweI/AAAAAAAAFNc/AHIoG9J-g9c/s1600/5a59611b-fef0-4475-a740-a17a3054d350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmiFHK7FCjE/VdUx5gqrweI/AAAAAAAAFNc/AHIoG9J-g9c/s400/5a59611b-fef0-4475-a740-a17a3054d350.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Philip has been making up games for us to play. I love to watch his imagination and creativity grow. He has started picking up the cat and Herbie has been a really good sport about it! He picks Herbie up just under his arms and the cat stretches almost to the floor. They are practically the same height! When Philip is eating or doing something he likes, he will say, "I'm loving this." Philip also started calling Julia by her first name, as opposed to <em>Babes</em> or <em>Baby</em>. It seems that we are all making the transition now - we all used to call her <em>Baby</em> and I wondered what would happen when their new sister arrives. It seems that the transition is happening naturally as we prepare for a new little one. <br />
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Julia has really been taken by her play food and little stove top recently. She loves to go to the basement and cook up a meal for our family and guests. She seems to have swiftly transitioned into taking shorter naps - about one hour does it for her now. It seems like she wakes up practically as soon as I put her down, but I am thankful that at least she still takes consistent naps most every day. I'm pretty sure Philip was frequently skipping them by this age. She gets confused about the difference between overnight sleep and naptime - to her they are both naps. When she wakes up in the morning, she will ask, "Did I take my nap?" We took a break on potty training for a month or two, when she was showing signs that she wasn't ready yet. After returning from vacation, we eased back into it and she is doing wonderfully! If only I could convince my kids that taking a quick break from playing to go to the bathroom is not torture!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_gH7jFGs7lM/VdUy9f6rMtI/AAAAAAAAFOw/VnHRixzv6zM/s1600/IMG_0368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_gH7jFGs7lM/VdUy9f6rMtI/AAAAAAAAFOw/VnHRixzv6zM/s400/IMG_0368.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Julia has made great strides in the self-feeding department this year. This was last year's blueberry pie night...</div>
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and here is this year's. </div>
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Both kids are having fun playing store. They go into the pantry to grab some little shopping bags and fill them up with toys or food. Then I ring them up at their cash register. I never know where I will find some of our pantry food these days! Andy taught the kids a secret handshake that he grew up doing. He had tried before with little interest from them, but after watching his uncle/cousin do the same handshake when they were in town, Philip got excited about it. I love to see them doing their secret handshake and the excitement that the kids get from it.</div>
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<em>Fun at the gym - their indoor playground.</em></div>
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That is all the news and notes from July!</div>
Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-86157054156376881362015-08-03T16:06:00.004-04:002015-08-03T16:06:58.883-04:00Julia's Jokes V<div style="text-align: center;">
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After a fire truck passed us:<br />
Julia: Where are they going?<br />
Me: They must be going to help someone.<br />
Julia: Yeah. They are going to help someone with a bear.<br />
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At school pick up Julia heard a girl scream with delight as she ran out of the school building:<br />
"Is that an elephant?"<br />
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As Philip got into the car at school pick up one day, Julia said urgently:<br />
"I have to tell you something Philip...we don't have any lolli's." (lollipops)<br />
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As I cracked peanuts for her:<br />
"Hello peanuts, my name is <em>I want to eat you</em>!"<br />
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After finding that one of her markers was dried out:<br />
"Awww, it's out of batteries!"<br />
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After yawning:<br />
Me: A yawny? Are you already tired?<br />
Julia: No, I'm not tired. That was just a morning yawn.<br />
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Julia: Mommy, you can't go into the water when we get to the beach.<br />
Me: Why?<br />
Julia: Because you might need to get someone a cookie.<br />
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"I'm going to take pictures of the whales. I hope they say <em>cheeeese</em>."<br />
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"I couldn't get out of bed because my hair was sweaty."<br />
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"All I want for my birthday are tails, strings, and scarves."<br />
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After receiving a package from Oriental Trading with birthday supplies:<br />
"Yay, I got a flamingo!"<br />
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Me: Who do you want to invite to your birthday party?<br />
Julia: I just want all my people that I want to be there.<br />
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"Why are ants ticklish?"<br />
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Reading a question from a food container:<br />
Me: If you could fly anywhere in a hot air balloon, where would you want to go?<br />
Julia <em>pointing to her right</em>: Ummm, that way! <br />
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While closing the door to her bedroom with Philip and I inside (the only other people home):<br />
"I'm closing my door because I need some privacy."<br />
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"You have to come to my meeting. It's a Hickory Dickory meeting."<br />
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Signing her name on a card:<br />
"Q-I-O-P-G-I-S. There - Julia!"<br />
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Julia: I want a snack.<br />
Me: You are hungry a lot lately. I wonder if you're having a growth spurt.<br />
Julia: I want some of that.<br />
Me: Some of what?<br />
Julia: I want to eat a growth spurt.Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-17272505764319279532015-07-28T22:25:00.003-04:002015-07-28T22:25:55.360-04:00Jumping June<div style="text-align: center;">
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<em>Graduation/Start of summer surprise for the kids - filled with things to do this summer</em></div>
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June was an exciting month for the kids. It was the first days of summer, which took some adjusting for everyone. Philip had two more sessions of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and now he is done for the year. He also participated in a week-long summer program at his school. Philip received a passport and the class visited a different country each day. He traveled to China, Peru, Djbuti, Jamaica, and the USA. They made some amazing crafts and he seemed to have a great time! This was his first time going away for a camp and bringing a lunch with him and he did wonderfully. I wish they ran more sessions this summer!<br />
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Andy had a trip to his birthplace - St. Louis! He came home with some team gear for everyone. <br />
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A downed tree in the neighborhood added some excitement for about a week.<br />
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<em></em><br />
<em>Summer = fun with the hose</em></div>
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<em>First pair of goggles for both kids - too cute!</em></div>
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We visited Philip's new school one day so they could do an assessment on him. He met the Kindergarten teachers and assistants and got to visit the classrooms. He said he looked at books about dinosaurs, monster trucks, and Hot Wheels, so he had fun, but I'm not sure how cooperative he was with the assessment itself!<br />
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The last two weeks of the month included our long-awaited, much anticipated trip to the beach. The kids have been packing up for the trip off and on since January. Every month or so they would go get grocery bags and fill them up with toys and things they wanted to bring to the beach to show their cousins. They were so excited when it was finally time to actually pack our suitcases!<br />
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On the way down, we visited some old friends in North Carolina for the weekend. The kids had a great time together - Philip especially loved playing with their 9-year old son. His room full of toys was like heaven for Philip! <br />
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On Monday, we headed to the beach. The first week of the trip was spent with Andy's family. We shared a house with several of the families and all met up at Grandma's beach house each day for swimming and fun! While there, we celebrated our nephew's first birthday, had a talent show, and ran the Isle Mile. This was the first year that Philip actually ran the entire Kid's 1/4 mile - he did great!<br />
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Our family stayed for a second week at Grandma and Grandpa's condo and it was so nice to have some vacation time with just the four of us. The first week went by so quickly and this extra week made it feel like we were really getting away for a while. We visited the beach a couple days and spent a lot of time at the pool. The kids both figured out how to swim on their own with just their floaties and they loved the pool. We had meals at some of our favorite restaurants and went into the marshes to get some pet crabs and snails that we kept for a couple days. One evening we went on a ghost crab hunt - Philip was especially good at spotting them!<br />
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<em>Examining his new pets</em></div>
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<em>Watching the workers maintain the golf course was the source of lots of entertainment that week</em></div>
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<em>Last night at the beach - Philip loving his flounder</em></div>
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<em>Best buddies</em></div>
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Philip has gotten very good at playing independently and using lots of imaginative play with his toys. He calls his weapons his "battles." He finally started taking the initiative to buckle his own seatbelt. I am so happy about that, even though it usually takes even longer for him to do it than it does for me to fasten both he and Julia in their car seats.<br />
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Julia is very sensitive to expressions and when she reads books, she wants to know why each person looks mad or sad, etc. It can be hard to get through a story with her - she is constantly interrupting to ask questions about the pictures on the page. She is certainly observant and inquisitive! <span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: white;">She has started doing a little Julia growl when she doesn't get what she wants.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> She says, "Uh" or "Aww" in this deep little voice that is very endearing even though I would never tell her that!</span><br />
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Both kids are very concerned with traffic laws these days. Julia for one is always telling me to "Go" when we are at a red light. They both want to know all about why we do different things on the road. Julia says that if you drive too fast, the police officers will "slow you down." The kids also love to pretend to go to meetings. They usually pack up a bag, sometimes bring snacks, and head upstairs to go to their meetings. Sometimes I will even make them a little decaf tea that they are very careful to not spill in the meeting rooms.<br />
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<em>As my belly grows, so do theirs</em></div>
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Things are going well for me. The pregnancy is progressing fine and baby girl has picked up her activity level. Philip asked very slyly one day if we could call the baby, "Sweetheart." Even though he thought he was being funny, it has stuck, so baby's nickname has become "Baby Sweetheart." After serving on the board of my MOMS Club for the last two years, I decided to step down this year while our family gets adjusted to having Philip in school and adding a new family member this fall. I will miss my extra Mom's Night Outs...I mean board meetings, but will continue to be part of the Club. That is all the news for now!Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-46358296737493512152015-07-09T21:15:00.001-04:002015-07-09T21:15:04.324-04:00Marvelous May<div style="text-align: center;">
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May was the last month of preschool for Philip. Mommy was wishing it would last all summer - I loved the afternoon preschool schedule for our family! Oh yeah, and I am sad that Philip is growing up so fast - kindergarten next year - I'm already bracing myself!<br />
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We kept busy this month with our regular activities, plus a lot going on at the school. This month, they hosted a Mother's Day tea. The kids performed some songs and rhymes and then gave us a gift of a sweet beaded bracelet. Afterwards, we enjoyed the best of kid snacks (popcorn, pretzels, Hershey's kisses) and iced tea/lemonade. I loved watching Philip at school and even though he didn't actually sing or talk during the presentation, he did the moves, so I was proud of my shy little guy!<br />
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The following week, the class took a field trip to a pirate ship in Annapolis. They had enough room for the whole family, so Andy took the day off and we all went together. Afterwards we stopped at the Amish market and a frozen yogurt shop. <br />
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Finally, there was graduation day! The kids performed many of the songs and poems they learned this year, and then received their diplomas. It was too cute!<br />
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<em>Future graduate</em></div>
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We traveled to North Carolina to celebrate the First Holy Communion of one of our nephews. It was also Mother's Day weekend, so we enjoyed spending it with Andy's Mom and some of my sister-in-laws. <br />
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On Memorial Day weekend, we went downtown to attend Andy's former intern's First Mass as an ordained priest. Afterwards we went to the National Building Museum for our first visit and out to eat. The following day, we went to a State park where they had a fun recycled tire playground and nice hiking area. The kids loved it! <br />
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<em>Every parent's dream - a padded room for their kids to play in!</em></div>
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<em>He insisted on bringing (and using) his roller skates at the park</em></div>
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Philip is quite obsessed with making funny faces in the mirror and can entertain himself for a long time when I ask him to simply wash his hands. He was laughing hysterically one day when I took him into a changing room that had three full-length mirrors - he had the best time! Literally overnight he picked up a habit of saying quickly, "Umm umm" when he is excited to tell us something. He is starting to ask a lot of questions about what words mean when we are talking - learning new things every day! Philip has been busy making lists, including his plans for the summer, plans for what he wants to do with Andy after he graduates, birthday ideas for Daddy (in November), and a list of what we saw on a recent hike. He learned to throw a Frisbee really well and also made his first basket in a full-sized basketball goal.<br />
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<em>Making a list while out hiking</em></div>
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Julia also has a good Frisbee throw of her own. The technique isn't perfect, but she can make that Frisbee fly! When we read books she is very concerned about where the character's parents are if they are not pictured on each page. She also notices anytime someone is not wearing shoes and wants to know where their shoes are and why they would be barefoot while outside. Julia has developed quite the potty mouth (not bad words - she literally likes to talk about the potty) and is being a bad example for her brother. Philip never really liked to talk about potty stuff, but Julia has gotten him into it, especially talking about Poopy Monsters everywhere we go. I thought that was supposed to be a boy thing!<br />
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<em>Just too tired to go upstairs for a nap</em></div>
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<em>Woke up with Band aids in her hair and came out to help me garden</em></div>
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These two have become such close friends! I love to hear their conversations and watch them experience life together.<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-34489108298770307642015-06-11T15:24:00.000-04:002015-06-11T15:24:19.642-04:00Philip Funnies XVII<div style="text-align: center;">
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One day Philip told us he wanted his baby-sitter to come over soon. He gave the caveat that he didn't want us to actually leave the house.<br />
Andy: It's good for Mom and Dad to go out alone because then we can love you more. It works for everyone.<br />
Philip: It doesn't work for me.<br />
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Philip: I can't go to school today because I'm too busy.<br />
Me: What are you doing that is keeping you so busy?<br />
Philip: I have to color a lot.<br />
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"And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of dinosaurs, rest in peace."<br />
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"Mom, tomorrow night could you not make vegetables for dinner? I just want fruit snacks and a smoothie."<br />
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"Monsters are not impossible."<br />
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While coloring Easter Eggs<br />
"Daddy, we're making spoiled eggs!"<br />
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After seeing a concrete mixer passing by and noting that the drum slants down:<br />
"Why is the concrete mixer all uploaded?"<br />
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Andy: <em>To me - </em>Did you know that BB King died? <em>To the kids - </em>He was the king of the blues.<br />
Philip: He was the king? Do you mean Jesus?<br />
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"Can we keep the constructions?" (instructions)<br />
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Philip: Can I watch TV when we get home?<br />
Me: No.<br />
Philip: Uh! But you don't even know what TV is!<br />
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When we arrived to church early one day (obviously a rare occasion):<br />
"Why is the church not talking yet?"<br />
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The first day he got to wear shorts:<br />
Me: You can wear a short-sleeved shirt and shorts today.<br />
Philip: So I should wear a short-sleeved shirt and short-sleeved pants?<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-82574906935634200262015-05-29T16:28:00.000-04:002015-05-29T16:28:03.824-04:00{this moment} Preschool Graduation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-79865892885896529002015-05-19T16:56:00.003-04:002015-05-19T16:56:53.234-04:00A Little News<div style="text-align: center;">
Julia is going to be a <em>super</em> <u><span style="font-size: large;">big</span></u> sister!</div>
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New baby arriving, October 2015!</div>
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The kids have been so cute and I am really surprised by how interested they are in the baby and seem to understand what is happening (although the reality of it will surely be a shock to the system)!</div>
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We took them to a doctor's appointment. After meeting with three people, and having many conversations about the baby and doing an ultrasound in their presence, we decided to break the news.</div>
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Andy <em>Holding up an ultrasound picture of the baby</em>: Do you know what this is?</div>
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Philip: A space ship!</div>
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Andy: What about you, Julia?</div>
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Julia: A froggie.</div>
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Me: Do you think Mommy swallowed a space ship or a froggie?</div>
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<em>Both nod heads</em></div>
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Andy: It's a baby! Mommy is going to have a baby.</div>
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Philip: <em>Face palm</em></div>
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Me: What do you think we should name the baby if it is a girl?</div>
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Philip: Miss Gen's baby (Miss Gen is a close friend who recently had a baby).</div>
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Me: Hmmm, that may be a little confusing for people. What else do you think?</div>
Philip: Flower pot.<br />
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Me: And what do you think we should name the baby if it is a boy?</div>
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Philip: Seed.</div>
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Me: What do you think we should name the baby if it is a girl?</div>
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Julia: Daddy.</div>
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Me: And what do you think we should name the baby if it is a boy?</div>
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Julia: Daddy.</div>
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So, they aren't too helpful with the name suggestions yet!</div>
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Philip was hoping for a brother and Julia was hoping for a sister. Luckily, Philip took the news pretty well when he found out it was another sister.</div>
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Julia loves to check on the baby each day. She lifts up my shirt to give kisses and hugs while saying, "Where is that silly little baby? Oh, the baby is so cute!" They both like to give raspberries on my belly, so hopefully the baby will have a good sense of humor. They have lots of questions, and are particularly concerned with how exactly the baby will get out! </div>
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We had our big ultrasound on Thursday and kept our tradition of asking the sonographer to write the gender down on a piece of paper. On Saturday night we went out to dinner to open the envelope they gave us. We brought these home for the kids to find when they woke up Sunday morning.</div>
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The baby is looking great - growing perfectly and healthy. We are so thankful for this amazing blessing. </div>
Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-18780202550530497022015-05-15T10:01:00.001-04:002015-05-17T13:39:07.958-04:00Amazing AprilThe weather was nicer this month, so our family came out of hiding! <br />
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April started with Philip's spring break. We went to the park with friends, had an Easter Egg Hunt with the Mom's Club, participated in a sports class that we usually can't get to during the school year, and had lots of other fun. The week went by fast!<br />
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On Good Friday, we made a trip to the National Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton and Mount Saint Mary's. Philip was especially eager to get to "St. Mary's." They had lots of fun playing outside. <br />
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<em>Such a pious boy!</em></div>
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On Easter Sunday, we enjoyed Mass, a backyard Easter Egg hunt, and visiting friends for the day.<br />
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This month, we also visited the children's museum,</div>
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and the fire station,</div>
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<em>A huge hit with both kids</em></div>
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dyed Easter Eggs (some people chose not to use the egg dippers provided in the box),</div>
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spent a day at the zoo with friends,</div>
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<em>No good pics that day - we'll just pretend this is from the zoo</em></div>
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and visited college friends to celebrate our goddaughter's First Holy Communion.</div>
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<em>Isn't she beautiful?</em></div>
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We registered Philip for Kindergarten <em>sniff sniff.</em> He is slowly warming up to the idea of going to the "big school" next year, but would much rather stay home with Mommy. He got our family's first case of pink eye and Julia joined him a week later. Luckily we were able to catch it early with her and it wasn't as bad as it was for poor Philip. He has gotten onto a bird watching kick and he loves to take a little notebook outside and tally up all the birds that fly by. Andy was super excited to get Philip an Audobon guidebook to birds. He has officially worn holes in all of the jeans we got him this summer - I guess we have reached that stage of rough and tumble boy!</div>
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Julia has the cutest little run/prance. So cute to see her run - it is just so girly! She also walks on her tiptoes a bit - perhaps a future dancer? She goes to sleep surrounded by about ten stuffed "ani-mules" and with a stack of books by her side. Andy has his own made up words and expressions that he uses and Julia totally buys into it and uses those words too. She loves to pretend that we are different animals - she will be the baby cat and I will be the Mommy - next thing I know, we are being baby chicks or an arctic fox - such an imagination!<br />
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Both kids love to show off how well they can balance - it is a big deal! They always want to play chase. We often play gingerbread man/fox with the fox chasing whoever is the gingerbread man. Or sometimes Julia will be a lion and I make sure to ask her to roar while she chases me because it is just the cutest thing! Philip is a super fast runner - I have to sprint to keep up with him - if I can even do that! He has so much fun chasing the other boys around on the playground at school. Both kids love to play outside and bounce on the bed or jump off the couch. When they do, they tell me, "I want to do my energy" (get my energy out).</div>
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<em>Showing off her balancing skills</em></div>
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<em></em> </div>
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<em></em> </div>
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That's all the news from here!</div>
Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-73804675782042800912015-05-06T13:58:00.001-04:002015-05-06T13:58:21.594-04:00Julia's Jokes IV<div style="text-align: center;">
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"I don't have lots of legs. I just have two."<br />
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After hearing footsteps upstairs:<br />
Me: Sounds like your big brother is awake.<br />
Julia: And my big brother Daddy is at work.<br />
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"I'm praying for Mommy. Are you a person?" "You're a Daddy. You're not a person." "Is Philip a person? Am I a person?"<br />
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Playing hide and seek, Julia lifts up a box that her brother is hiding under. <br />
"Who lives under here? Oh, a smoky jellyfish!"<br />
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<em>"Daddy will never find me here?"</em></div>
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Julia: I don't feel good.<br />
Me: What doesn't feel good?<br />
Julia: You're not reading me stories.<br />
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Wearing a skirt with no tights or leggings for the first time this spring:<br />
"Why do I get to have naked legs today?<br />
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Philip is on a bird counting kick. One day when he wasn't seeing many birds:<br />
Me: Maybe you should count all the different bird <em>sounds</em> you hear instead.<br />
Julia: Yeah! I hear an eagle and a Chihuahua bird.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49iumM1mYEc/VUpT3t6jXwI/AAAAAAAAE60/s8ApLl71uNw/s1600/hr_0875_318_173__0875318173008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49iumM1mYEc/VUpT3t6jXwI/AAAAAAAAE60/s8ApLl71uNw/s1600/hr_0875_318_173__0875318173008.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<em>"Daddy will never know I've been eating whipped cream."</em></div>
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After visiting some friends who have a large family.<br />
Me: How many siblings do you want?<br />
Philip: Two<br />
Andy: How about you, Julia<br />
Julia: Ummm, eleven.<br />
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While at dinner one night, Julia told Andy and I:<br />
"You guys are real crunchy to eat." <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q94wJc-AqTI/VUpT5n2G7NI/AAAAAAAAE7A/9SwSg-LKRe8/s1600/hr_0874_001_499__0874001499008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q94wJc-AqTI/VUpT5n2G7NI/AAAAAAAAE7A/9SwSg-LKRe8/s1600/hr_0874_001_499__0874001499008.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a><br />
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"It is so prettiful outside today."<br />
<br />
Kicking off our bedtime prayers:<br />
"Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts...through Christ our Lord. Amen. Ready or not, here I come!"<br />
<br />
"Small cars don't go fast. Because small cars be slow...worms be slow, too!"<br />
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"You know I need to go potty since Christmas."<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I1DfxHYyJRA/VUpT5uwVwRI/AAAAAAAAE7I/QbjEyW_ce50/s1600/hr_0875_321_615__0875321615008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I1DfxHYyJRA/VUpT5uwVwRI/AAAAAAAAE7I/QbjEyW_ce50/s1600/hr_0875_321_615__0875321615008.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-74721139306732743132015-04-16T15:36:00.002-04:002015-04-16T15:38:15.504-04:00March UpdateMarch was a cold one this year with a few teaser days of spring weather that made us itch for warmer days. <br />
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<em>The last standing snow mountain</em></div>
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<em>At the first hint of warm weather we went to the pond to collect rocks.</em></div>
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Since it was Lent, we didn't do a lot of extra activities, but we kept up with our usual kids programs like going to the kids gym, the Lego center, and library storytime. We all had doctors appointments this month, including the cat, so there was lots of time spent in waiting rooms.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IMXzKCl32-I/VS6vVjvXmoI/AAAAAAAAE5U/VHncP4b9GBU/s1600/hr_0869_213_389__0869213389008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IMXzKCl32-I/VS6vVjvXmoI/AAAAAAAAE5U/VHncP4b9GBU/s1600/hr_0869_213_389__0869213389008.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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<em>Sweet little cherub at the dentist</em></div>
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<em>At a friend's birthday party - Julia is not so sure about being left alone with all the big kids</em></div>
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We went to our community Easter Egg Hunt. It was a cool 32 degrees when we left around 1:00 pm - a cold one this year!<br />
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The kids love to play hide and seek. They are so fun to play with. They think Andy and I are really good at the game. They also think that we need clues as to where they are hiding, so Philip will make noises to give clues and Julia will just pop up from here hiding spot and declare, "Here I am!"<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JSxuGqEIL4w/VS6vYXrMQYI/AAAAAAAAE5s/ZbXWw4FjFRo/s1600/hr_0870_715_085__0870715085008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JSxuGqEIL4w/VS6vYXrMQYI/AAAAAAAAE5s/ZbXWw4FjFRo/s1600/hr_0870_715_085__0870715085008.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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<em>Sibling love</em></div>
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Julia started officially potty training this month. It is slow progress. I let her pick out a treat to have after a successful potty trip. She chose Skittles. She thinks it is gum, which makes it pretty exciting for her! Of course, I can't just let Julia have a bunch of Skittles throughout the day without hearing complaints from Philip. So if he does a good deed, he can get a Skittle, too. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nGJpj6BMfV0/VS6vTVB_4ZI/AAAAAAAAE40/g_YUK5ZbZuo/s1600/hr_0869_200_571__0869200571008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nGJpj6BMfV0/VS6vTVB_4ZI/AAAAAAAAE40/g_YUK5ZbZuo/s1600/hr_0869_200_571__0869200571008.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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Julia likes to say things like, "I'm like a panda bear/gorilla/monkey." "Uh, it takes too long." (learned that one from Philip) and "Mugga mugga" (when she is happy or frustrated).<br />
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<em>Still loving to have her fingernails painted</em></div>
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Philip has started to consistently want to get dressed all on his own. He wants to make sure he gets dressed before Julia and has a meltdown if she is faster than him. He has started pouting a lot when he doesn't get his way and will often run up to his room and shut the door when he is mad. Sometimes it feels like we live with two little teenagers already - I can only imagine what is to come! Philip has gotten really into counting and seeing how high he can go (close to 30) and he likes to look at objects and count them too - he is really accurate with that. He got accepted into the Kindergarten program we applied for and my heart is slowly breaking as I come to grips with the fact that I will be sending him off to school in the fall. Where did the time go?<br />
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Philip says things like, "I'm the fastest dresser/eater." And "That's cheating!" This one drives me a bit nuts since it is used so often and almost always out of context. For a few days he would even say, "That's cheating!...I don't know what that means" after he heard me tell him he doesn't know the meaning many times.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2s8mi0gzMBQ/VS6welWMMtI/AAAAAAAAE6U/p32gF1T5l98/s1600/IMG_7206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2s8mi0gzMBQ/VS6welWMMtI/AAAAAAAAE6U/p32gF1T5l98/s1600/IMG_7206.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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That is all the news from March. Look out for those April showers!<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-49584783160553367682015-04-10T07:00:00.000-04:002015-04-10T07:00:09.034-04:00{this moment} Easter Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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{this moment} A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-31525060822242883402015-03-25T14:31:00.001-04:002015-03-25T14:32:04.353-04:00Julia's Joke III<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After opening the blinds one morning:<br />
Me: Wow, it is a foggy morning!<br />
Julia: Let me see.<br />
After looking out the window for a couple minutes:<br />
Julia: Where are all the froggies? I don't see any froggies. Maybe they all hopped away.<br />
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"Does a moose say oose?"<br />
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Julia: I am going to pick out a special sweater.<br />
Me: Yes, you should pick out something special because it's Valentine's Day!<br />
Julia: This is a special sweater because it's clean.<br />
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"My rice doesn't like my belly."<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iXpy-ugUV8M/VRL9HONQL_I/AAAAAAAAE3s/-1h5Ft9fdO0/s1600/IMG_7140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iXpy-ugUV8M/VRL9HONQL_I/AAAAAAAAE3s/-1h5Ft9fdO0/s1600/IMG_7140.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Playing with cards:<br />
Me: Do you want me to shuffle?<br />
Julia: No! <em>I'm</em> going to <span style="background-color: white;">snuffalo</span>!<br />
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"I don't like it when lizards scratch my face."<br />
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Getting ready to "read" her bible, Julia turns to the story of Creation:<br />
"How God created God."<br />
<br />
While I adjusted an unruly diaper before bed:<br />
"Stop it! That's my toot! My toot wants to be alone!"<br />
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Rubbing her eyes:<br />
"I'm getting the nap out of my eyes."<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lO_V-lBcGFg/VRL9HbMXeTI/AAAAAAAAE3w/OMDGVNuhp_c/s1600/IMG_7142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lO_V-lBcGFg/VRL9HbMXeTI/AAAAAAAAE3w/OMDGVNuhp_c/s1600/IMG_7142.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<em>Me: Julia, look up and smile.</em></div>
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Julia: What is that book?<br />
Me:<em> </em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-You-Because-Youre/dp/0545029317/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427308034&sr=1-1&keywords=i+love+you+because+you%27re+you" target="_blank"><em>I Love You because You're You.</em></a><br />
Julia: Oh, I Love You by Your Knees.<br />
She then proceeded to read each page of the book, "I love you by your knees and I love you by your knees." "I love you by your knees and I love you by your knees."<br />
<br />
Julia: What are you doing?<br />
Me: Clipping my nails because they were getting long.<br />
Julia: Oh, are my nails getting tall?<br />
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"My tea is calling to me."<br />
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"Sometimes I'm big like a squirrel."<br />
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"Sometimes when I eat, my teeth growl."<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-42899044826758832072015-03-11T14:22:00.002-04:002015-03-11T14:22:37.800-04:00Freezing FebruaryFebruary was a very cold month this year. At least we had a good amount of snow to play with!<br />
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<em>This little guy especially loves the snow!</em></div>
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We kept busy with our usual activities, and of course Valentine's Day was a fun day. We stayed home, and Andy had to go out and work through much of it, but we had some special meals, treats, and activities throughout the day. Philip had fun making Valentine's and so he continued to make them throughout the month. For his best buddies (girls) across the street, he gave a special gift of a bag of rocks and two Dum Dums. He's gonna be a heartbreaker some day, I tell you!</div>
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<em>Valentine's Day smoothie faces</em></div>
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<em>Looks like a handlebar mustache</em></div>
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Andy had a trip to Seattle where he gave about four days worth of talks and presentations. He had a great experience and loved being back in Seattle where his family is originally from. He was able to visit his Uncle and catch up with some other friends and acquaintances in between events. Though it went a great trip, we were certainly happy to have that major event over and done with!<br />
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Andy's parents were nice enough to come up for a visit while Andy was in Seattle (and stayed a bit before and after, too). We had a great time together! I enjoyed the adult company, the kids had fun playing games and reading stories with their Grandparents, and I enjoyed the benefit of having a cook, a dishwasher, and a handyman full-time in our home! The most eagerly anticipated event of their trip was the party the kids were going to have with their Grandparents while Andy and I went out on a date. Grandma talked it up for a week and let the kids pick the menu. On the way home from school, Philip asked if they could decorate for the party, and so we spent the rest of the day hanging up balloons and birthday banners, and handing out invitations to everyone in the family. Andy and I had a wonderful dinner at a new-to-us restaurant in Annapolis. The kids had pizza and ice cream cones (with candles on top) and then got to watch the Octonauts while eating popcorn before bed! They went straight to sleep without any stories after that, so Grandma and Grandpa must have really tuckered them out!<br />
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One night at the end of the month, I told Julia her hair was getting long and she would need to get it cut soon. She surprised us all the next morning by letting us know that she wanted to get her hair cut that day and that we were all to go with her. She was very brave and did a great job sitting in the chair and doing what the hairdresser asked of her. She had a very serious face the whole time and was certainly ready for it to be finished towards the end. The end result was so cute and it is so easy to pull back with just a little a clip now that doesn't fall out immediately! I have many cute pictures from this milestone event, but I'll just subject you to six!<br />
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<em>Before</em></div>
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<em>Doesn't she look like such a little baby in these pics?</em></div>
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<em>Her only smile during the haircut</em></div>
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<em>After - look at that self-confidence!</em></div>
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In kid news, Philip continues to do well in school and is making progress in his alphabet and other skills. He loves to play games and seems to be naturally good at them. Good luck beating him at Memory! I am starting to find out that he has no memories of things that happened, or even things he liked (favorite toys, shows, songs, etc.) from a couple years ago. It seems like it was just yesterday that many of these things took place, so it is crazy to think that he has already forgotten them!<br />
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<em>Field trip to a Lego play place</em></div>
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<em>Blueberry sandwich!</em></div>
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<em></em> </div>
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Little Miss, "I can do it myself!" is continuing to progress in her independence. She wants to get dressed the moment she wakes up. After I went out for a mani-pedi Mom's Night Out, she wanted to have her nails done as well, and we have probably painted them at least four times since! She hates it when I am not paying complete attention to her. When she starts talking, if I am listening to someone else (who was talking first), she will yell and scream, "I was talking to you!" This was especially difficult during Grandma and Grandpa's visit because not only was her attention divided with her brother, but with two other people as well. She was <strike>pretty</strike> extremely short-tempered that week!<br />
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February was a fun month, but we are looking forward to longer days and warmer weather ahead!</div>
Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-34105665658116172472015-02-28T21:23:00.000-05:002015-03-02T15:31:50.504-05:00Philip Funnies XVI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Philip: Can we play outside when it's slippery?<br />
Me: You have to be really careful if you go outside.<br />
Philip: I'll go easy on it.<br />
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Grabbing a huge block of snow and taking a bite out of it:<br />
"Now I have my whole dinner."<br />
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After playing in the snow for about an hour:<br />
"My hands are so cold, I can't even believe my hands."<br />
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After tucking his stuffed bunnies into his bed, Philip comes downstairs.<br />
"Everyone needs to be quiet because my bunnies are hibernating."<br />
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Me: Did you play outside at school today?<br />
Philip: Yes, we went outside for 45 minutes.<br />
Me: 45 minutes! (Class is only 2.5 hours)<br />
Philip: Too long? We just went outside for 5 hours.<br />
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Philip: When I get older, I am going to be a car driver...but where will you sit?<br />
Me: <em>Pointing to the passenger seat. </em>Well, when you are first learning to drive, I'll sit here. <br />
Philip: And Daddy will sit in the back?<br />
<em>This is a funny/sweetie. I love that Philip can't imagine going anywhere without Mom and Dad, even when he gets older.</em><br />
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"Trust me, I've been doing this for years."<br />
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After turning off all the lights on our main floor one evening, "This is going to be the best dark ever!"<br />
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On the way to a baby shower, Julia was starting to fall to sleep.<br />
"Wake up, Julia! I want you to see the<em> (yet to be born)</em> baby!"<br />
"Do you think Julia will be bigger than the baby?"<br />
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Pointing to a structure he built, "This is my Acenodder."<br />
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Seeing some droppings outside:<br />
Julia: What is that?<br />
Me: Hmmm, I don't know.<br />
Philip: I think it's from Santa's reindeer.<br />
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Playing Mom's Night Out:<br />
"My Mom's Night Out is the best! They have bathrooms there and sleeping beds!"<br />
<em>Sounds like he knows what a Mom wants (minus the wine).</em><br />
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"...and out!"<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-61194919367514076272015-02-14T15:52:00.001-05:002015-02-14T15:52:20.571-05:00January JournalJanuary seemed to fly by this year, which is always welcome in my book since I am not a fan of winter!<br />
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<em>Yes, we made our gingerbread house in January</em></div>
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We saw some snow this month. The kids loved it, especially Philip, and we spent hours outside. I got them a sled this year (last year I didn't think about it until after the stores had all sold out), so that was a fun addition to the snowy festivities.<br />
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<em>Body surfing works too!</em></div>
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I took a photography class at the beginning of the month and am trying to experiment with the settings on my camera. I also went on a day-long retreat for my bible study program, <em>Walking with Purpose</em>. It was a wonderful day!<br />
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Andy went on retreat the last weekend of the month and had an amazing experience. He also spent much of the weekends preparing for some major presentations he will be giving in February.<br />
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<em>After dinner Bible stories with Dad</em></div>
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We took the kids duckpin bowling one weekend and they loved it. This was the first time they were able to last through a full game! We also took them to a bounce house place on MLK day when Andy was off of work.<br />
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<em>Julia beat us all</em></div>
<em></em><br />
We were able to participate in the March for Life as a family this year. The weather was perfect and it is always an inspiring day when you see so many young people stand up for life! We also visited a couple Catholic schools this month and we are praying about what will be the best option for Philip next year as he enters Kindergarten. <br />
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The kids are a lot of fun. They have started to go off and play alone together for short bits of time. It is amazing, and oh so helpful to have them occupied (without getting into trouble) for a while. They started off the year on a healthy kick, trying to exercise with me each day. Their zeal has since passed, but it was fun and so cute to see them trying to imitate the moves on my exercise DVDs.<br />
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Philip is convinced that summer is nearly upon us, now that Christmas is over. He likes to find out when he will be different ages, "When will I be 9? When will I be 16? When will I be 43? He also likes to ask us, "Do you promise?" especially when we haven't agreed to what he is asking for yet. "Can I have a special (dessert)? Do you promise?" And he cracks us up by randomly telling us, "Speak the truth!"<br />
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I'm afraid that Julia has a case of the twosies and she is getting increasingly impatient and hysteric about lots of little things each day. I am trying to wrap my head around this whole paradigm shift - Philip (who was tough from the beginning) is getting easier, and sweet little Julia is getting to be the challenging one. <br />
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Julia is very much into being independent and especially exerts herself when getting into and out of the car. She is getting into more trouble these days, but is often quick to snap out of it. When she realizes she is being taken to the stairs for Time Out, she will quickly tell me, "I'm going to be nice." Sometimes it's true, sometimes it isn't...<br />
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She loves stories, but it can often be difficult to read to her because she is constantly interrupting to ask questions. She also continues to "read" stories on her own and it is amazing what she remembers from different books and also fun to hear what she makes up. She usually makes up a sentence for each page and then repeats that sentence 3-4 times before turning the page. She likes to have us sit down and read a book aloud while she sits next to us reading her own. She also loves to ask "Why." I know all this inquisitiveness will serve her well. Julia is enjoying being at the counter with me while I cook and also likes to "wash the dishes," which always leads to puddles on the floor and wet clothes, but at least she stays busy for a while! She likes to know who gave her each article of clothing, book, and toy she owns and will let us know who she got each thing from when she is using it. I have certainly got a sharp one on my hands!<br />
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These two little ones are growing up much too quickly for my taste, but they sure are fun to watch!</div>
Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-77159485720486039702015-02-08T08:22:00.001-05:002015-02-08T08:22:48.635-05:00Julia's Jokes II<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZgx27wmnpo/VNdex8sS8HI/AAAAAAAAEvw/hTSf-smIO7k/s1600/IMG_6433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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At the playground:<br />
"There are two slides here. One for Daddy and one for the cat."<br />
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Seeing my pjs.<br />
"Maybe one day I can get jammies like those. "<br />
Pointing to her ballerina footie pajamas.<br />
"Maybe you can have some like these one day. When you get tiny, you can try these on."<br />
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While watching a show where Santa loses his reindeer:<br />
"Mommy, Santa lost his donkey."<br />
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At the tree farm, which was a pumpkin patch a couple months earlier. Julia noticed that the pumpkin patch had been mowed over and asked, "Why is it all pump'ed out?"<br />
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Trying to zip up her jacket:<br />
"It's not zippening!"<br />
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"This is baby Jesus. I'm not baby Jesus. I'm a girl."<br />
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"Now I'm going to drive to South Carolina. Everyone hold on tight!"<br />
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After showing her some new socks, Julia wondered why she needed new ones.<br />
Me: Well, you are getting older and so your whole body is growing, including your feet!<br />
Julia: My feets are growing up! Why are my feets growing up?<br />
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Me: Why don't you read a story?<br />
Julia: No, I can't! 'Cause I'm too old!<br />
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Andy: Who do you want to pray for tonight?<br />
Julia: Ummm...Christoff and the reindeer.<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-50773272440312557612015-01-21T14:18:00.001-05:002015-01-21T14:18:05.943-05:00What I Remember from DecemberDecember - what a fun month! I love how joyful and cozy it feels even though the days are short and cold.<br />
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When we returned from our Thanksgiving trip it was already Advent. We were staying home for Christmas this year which meant more cleaning and preparations than usual, but also the joy of being at home on Christmas morning. I have learned the last couple years to tone things down in December - I don't take the kids out to as many activities during the day and we try not to schedule extra get-togethers with friends this month. It helps me to get my list checked off at a more relaxed pace, and allows us to focus more on Advent.<br />
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We did have some fun, of course! <br />
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<em>A "wild" lunch we had with friends</em></div>
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I had planned to go out in October or November to get Christmas pictures of my kids, but of course I put that off and then got stressed about personally capturing a good family photo for our cards. We ended up going to a photo studio and getting some classics for the photo albums:<br />
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<em>Naughty and nice?</em></div>
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Julia did not like having all the attention focused on her and was especially mad when Mommy wasn't able to hold her for the sibling shots.<br />
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We did get one good one for the Christmas card, so it was worth it!<br />
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Philip and I went on a Mommy/Son date to the Symphony with Philip's preschool. They played songs from Duke Ellington's Nutcracker and a dance company performed as well. It was all geared towards children and was a wonderful event. Philip had fun riding in a school bus for the first time!<br />
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We celebrated St. Nicolas Day. Each child received an orange, a bag of gold coins, a small toy, and a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saints-Boys-First-Little-Catholic/dp/1939094208" target="_blank">Saints for Little Boys/Girls</a> book.<br />
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We took the kids to a local nursery to visit their train garden and then picked out our Christmas tree on the way home. Philip and I both saw our tree and knew it was the one. It was beautiful. The only beef Philip ended up having with it was that it was so tall we couldn't put a star on top. He is still telling us that next year he wants to get a smaller tree so we have room for the star.<br />
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Andy and I got a baby sitter one afternoon and went to the mall for lunch and shopping. We always used to love going shopping together at Christmastime, but we haven't really done it since we had kids. It was a lot of fun to get out together, but the time flew by quickly!<br />
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My parents arrived the weekend before Christmas and we had a great time with them! Philip loves to build things with his Grandpa and Julia loves to read with Grandma. <br />
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Having Christmas morning at home with the kids was so special. We opened stockings and presents, had a nice brunch, and then went to noon Mass. Julia was so exhausted by then that she fell to sleep at Mass - there is nothing like having a child fall to sleep in your arms - such a great Christmas gift! The kids happily played the rest of the day away and we had a nice dinner together.<br />
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<em>Hmmm, what to open next?</em></div>
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<em>Wow, Andy's jacket is doing some crazy stuff in this picture!</em></div>
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The following day my Mom and I did a little shopping and that evening we packed up the family and went to a Christmas Light show. So pretty and fun!<br />
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We also took my parents to one of our favorite museums - the Fire Museum of Maryland. They still had their train garden up, so we enjoyed that in addition to all the beautiful fire trucks and the play room. Andy and I went out that evening to a friend's 40th birthday party and then caught a late movie afterwards.<br />
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My parents departed a few days later and their presence was missed by all. We had a nice New Year's Eve at home, playing games together and drinking hot cocoa. The following evening we took the kids to another light show, which was great too. Now we know the best ones to go to in our area!<br />
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The kids had a doctor's appointment tucked into the month. Philip shot up more than 1 inch over the last two months. He is growing fast! He was so excited about Christmas this year and really got into Santa Claus. Amazing how much they pick up on Santa without the parents ever saying a word - school, TV, random strangers all teach your kids for you.<br />
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Julia is a girly girl. She loves her baby doll and dress up clothes, but is also happy to play with cars and other boy toys. She is silly and likes to make us laugh with her funny faces and silly expressions. She asks to read stories (and eat peanuts) as soon as she wakes up and many times throughout the day. There is never a dull moment around here with these two!<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697240207898303335.post-19323177437630427802015-01-05T13:29:00.002-05:002015-01-05T13:29:54.364-05:00Philip Funnies XV<div style="text-align: center;">
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The kids love reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Year-Devotions-Preschoolers-Little-Blessings/dp/0842389407#" target="_blank">this</a> preschool devotional book. One day it showed a sad little girl and asked what they thought her problem was (they had no idea). Next question:<br />
Me: "Do you sometimes have problems?"<br />
Philip: No, I never have problems. I think Baby does. Baby has a lot of problems.<br />
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A package arrived on the front step and the kids were excited to open it. I prepped them by letting them know it was a gift for a friend's birthday and that was all.<br />
Philip: Maybe there will be something else in there.<br />
Me: Well, maybe there will be air bubbles for you to pop.<br />
Philip: Or maybe there will be donut holes. That would be awesome if there were donuts holes in there!<br />
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We found some animal droppings outside.<br />
Philip: Look at the poopy!<br />
Me: It looks like it came from a rabbit.<br />
Philip: Or maybe it came from a moose.<br />
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Recapping a recent field trip:<br />
"And even my teachers were there and all the kids that live at the school!"<br />
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After I fished a few cars out from under the couch:<br />
"I love this one! I have been looking for it for eight years!"<br />
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On Show-and-Tell Day at school.<br />
Me: What do you think the other kids will bring to show the class?<br />
Philip: Maybe cars or a robot or a train or a dinosaur or a spaceship.<br />
Me: What do you think the girls will bring?<br />
Philip: Maybe a tree or a door or grass or a car or a fire engine.<br />
He knows girls so well! (He brought a T-Rex.)<br />
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While on a road trip he was trying to look at an app that required the internet.<br />
Me: You can't use that one in the car because you have to have the internet to use it.<br />
Philip: But I thought you bringed it!<br />
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"Jeremiah wasn't at school today because he was having a baby."<br />
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I took the kids along with me when I went to pick out a new toaster oven. While I was looking at some of the display models Philip told me, "Mommy, the one you touch is the one you have to take."<br />
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While taking a shower just a couple hours before company arrives at our house for Christmas, the kids make a huge mess in my bedroom involving a bag of popcorn. I introduce the concept of Santa's naughty list.<br />
Philip: "I'm not going to be naughty on Tuesdays or Saturdays anymore."<br />
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Joy Completehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144963935332670459noreply@blogger.com0