Gulick News

Reid's 9 Month Stats

2011-04-07T04:12:00.000-07:00

Height- 28.5" (56%)
Weight-21 lb 1 oz (58%)
Head- 18" (61%)

My Boys

2011-03-31T04:50:00.000-07:00

Anderson explains how the subway works.

Reid crawling.

Checking In

2011-03-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Reid's first sink bath last week after his first lollipop. He LOVED both!

Playing outside on a beautiful day.
Riding his princess scooter, wearing purple polka dot sunglasses.

He is singing the theme song to Chuggington, a Disney show about trains that he loves. My favorite part is when he says crippity crap instead of clickity clack.

In other news...

Kennedy continues to love school. She talks about school and Mrs. Brown constantly. She and Anderson fight ALL THE TIME, but she is very sweet with Reid and loves on him all the time. He gets so excited to see her too.

Anderson is a mess. He is all boy and is always into something or causing trouble of some kind. He loves to be outside and ride the scooter. He is obsessed with trains and can find one anywhere or create one out of nothing.

Reid can sit up by himself. He is on the verge of crawling. He gets up on all fours and rocks. He can crawl backwards and do a little army crawl. He figured out this week how to set back up from laying down. This is great until nap time when he keeps sitting up and I have to go lay him back down repeatedly. He is babbling, smiling, and laughing all the time. He sleeps great and is a very happy baby most of the time.

I am in my 5th week of P90X. My shoulders are killing me right now. I never knew there were so many kinds of push ups. Sad part is, I stink at all of them. But I do enjoy the workouts most of the time, especially kick boxing! The kids keep me busy and I am looking forward to the weather staying nice so we can spend more time outside. Other areas of my life may not be that fun right now, but the kids are entertaining me and keeping me on my toes.

What we have been up to....

2011-02-25T05:57:00.000-08:00

Loves the swing!!

Book and Weed

Smiley boy!

A beautiful day to play outside.

Big smiles.

Saturday trip to DC.

Checking out the fish at the Natural History Museum.

Reid Waving

2011-02-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

She still says funny stuff

2011-01-17T04:51:00.001-08:00

Last week, Kennedy asked me if she could watch a "fat" movie. After some additional questioning, I realized she was talking about a VHS tape.

Ronald was having a conversation with Kennedy the other day about God, in which Kennedy informed him that God was a boy. He asked how she knew he was a boy. "Because God is a boy name!"

Love the way her mind works!

Me and My Boys

2011-01-16T12:32:00.000-08:00

Reid at 4 months

Anderson at 4 months

Finally

2011-01-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know I am a horrible blogger, but I have a good excuse. I'm so behind, I'm just going to give the highlights and move on.

November- I took the kids to New Mexico to see my parents and grandparents. We had a great time. The beset part for Kennedy was the horseback riding. Anderson's favorite part was the ride on the fire truck. Reid's favorite part was all the extra attention from Nanny. My favorite part was time with the parents, Sonic, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, and mexican food.

December- Mom came on the 20th. We did some shopping and I got some much needed alone time. Christmas was really good. Kennedy's only request was a Barbie laptop computer, which Santa brought her, and I think she has played with twice! Anderson got his own VSmile from Santa, no more sharing with Kennedy. Nanny and Papa got him a train table which is in the basement, along with our old computer loaded with kid games. Kennedy and Anderson spend ALOT of time in the basement now. Reid could have cared less about Christmas. His stocking was full of baby food and puffs. On the 30th, we traveled to Texas to visit Ronald's family. Both big kids had a great time riding Andy's Kubota. We snuck in a day trip to see Mick, Alexis, and the boys. The cousins had a good time together, when Harrison and Anderson weren't swinging at each other!

January- Took Reid to his 6 month check up.

Weight- 17 lbs 12 oz (50%)

Height- 27.5" (90%)

Head- 17" (40%)

Now I am trying to wrap my head around Anderson being three next week.

Ok, all caught up. I'll try to do better.

October

2010-10-29T04:56:00.000-07:00

The Gulick kids
It's beginning to look like fall around here.

Making a potato head pumpkin witch.

My boys

Helping Mommy vacuum the stairs.

I took about 20 pictures and each one, only one kid was smiling. All three is just too much to hope for I guess.

Me and Reid (almost 4 months)

Kennedy at Pumpkinville

One of the million times he went down the slide.

Reid is four months now. He has started rolling over, both ways. He loves the exersaucer and just being upright in general. He doesn't really like the rice cereal yet, but he does think it is very funny. He thinks everything is funny these days. He cracked up at his check up when the doctor was doing the hip flexer test. Kennedy knows just where to tickle him and can get some big giggles out of him. Any time anyone talks to him, his face just lights up. He is becoming more and more fun. Now if he would just sleep 10 hours at night!

-Reid's 4 month stats:

Weight: 15 lbs. 1.8 oz (50%)

Height: 25.5" (75%)

Head: 16.25" (25%)

-Anderson is all boy. He is loud, destructive, and NEVER stops moving. He rarely takes naps anymore. He wants to wrestle all the time. The only thing he sits still for is Dora. He still says a lot of words wrong and it is soooo cute. Tenndedy is my favorite. I will be sad when he speaks clearly all the time, but then I will have Reid talking! He is a different child when Kennedy is at school in the mornings. We get a lot of Mommy/Anderson time and he loves that. He goes to gym class on Wed mornings. He is very independent and will try anything they ask him too. His favorite things are the sack swing, the big green slide and the zip line.

-Kennedy is loving school. She talks about her teachers all the time and has starting playing school quite a bit. She holds the books sideways as she reads them to Anderson. She is learning a lot. One day while she was reading a book to Reid, I heard her tell him all about the Lincoln Memorial. The next day she asked me if I knew who FDR was. With all this new knowledge she has also become a smarty pants with an attitude. That isn't so fun, but she is generally very independent and wants to be good and help me any way she can.

-I trudge on through, that's about all I can say for me. I have wonderful friends and family who help me remember why I do the things I do. I know God has a wonderful plan for me and he will be with me every step of the way.

Trains

2010-10-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Boy Videos

2010-09-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

Picture Update

2010-08-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Kennedy! We celebrated her 5th birthday at the bowling alley. It was great fun!
So proud of her Barbie puppy that really pees! Just what we needed.

Surrounded by her girl friends at her bowling party.

Yummy Barbie cake!

I'm sure that one got a strike.

Hanging out waiting for their turn.

Caught him laughing!

Kennedy's first ice skating experience. It took several laps, but she got the hang of it.

Kennedy with her two neighbor friends at our block party.

What's Happening

2010-07-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

Last week my in-laws and two oldest nieces drove from Texas for a visit. We kept them very busy. During their visit we went to the bounce place, the pool, the bowling alley, Manassas battlefield, and church. It was nice to see them all and especially nice to have the extra hands to entertain the older kids and pass Reid around in the evening when he was fussy. My MIL was great at making dinner while she was here and I even got to eat a few meals with my family without holding a baby!

Hard to believe but Reid is a month old now. He is sleeping and eating great with only occasional issues. Kennedy is loving on him every chance she gets. Anderson is too rough with Reid, but does love on him quite a bit. This week I learned that Anderson could not be trusted alone with Reid. I left Reid on the ottoman by the couch and took the laundry basket upstairs. I came back down to find Anderson holding Reid by the neck across the living room. Anderson was hugging Reid's head against his chest, but Reid's body was just dangling. Anderson dropped Reid as soon as he saw me come around the corner. Reid was fine after some cuddling with Mom and a paci. Anderson and I had a long talk about not picking the baby up. That was my adrenaline rush for the week. I cried several times that day thinking about what could have happened. But I am sure this is not the last time that Anderson will do something to Reid to make him scream!

Took Reid to his 1 month check up this morning. He weighs 9 pounds 14 ounces (50%). He is 23 inches long (93%). His head was 15 inches (50%).

And now for pictures...

Little man

Ronald and Kennedy all dressed up for the Daddy/Daughter Tea party at church.

At the bounce place

Being goofy while Grandaddy is trying to take his picture

Just hanging out with Daddy

Our Crazy June

2010-07-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

The last month has been crazy. There is so much to record I have not wanted to update the blog because it would take me forever. But I want to get this down before I forget too much.

June 12 - Mom and Meghan arrived from Dallas. No baby yet.

June 16- Meghan heads to South Carolina to visit family. Mom and I are having lots of fun with the kids and shopping and going places. I am 2 cm dilated and have been for two weeks. Doctors says baby should come any day. No baby yet.

June 20 - Happy Father's Day Ronald! No baby yet.

June 21- Happy Birthday Erin! No baby yet.

June 22- At my doctor's appointment, I am 4 cm dilated. She asks when I want her to induce me. I say tomorrow and she says she will see if she has an opening. I was shocked she said that, but she said I was "ripe for the picking" and there was no reason to wait, since my body was obviously showing signs that it was ready. Induction was scheduled for 7:30 am on Thursday, June 24th.

June 23- Last day to ever be pregnant!

June 24- I got up, took a shower, and Ronald and I grabbed Dunkin Donuts on our way to the hospital. We got all checked in and in our room by 7:30. They started the pitocin and antibiotics since I was positive for Strep B. About 9:30, I was feeling some strong contractions. My water broke on its own about 10am. I called my nurse to tell her, but she didn't get to me for about 20 minutes. By that time, I was sitting in a lake in my bed. My contractions were getting really strong by that time so she also ordered the epidural. The first lady tried twice to get the epidural in, but finally had to call the head guy, Dr. Valentine, who did my epidural with Anderson. He is a miracle worker. I was having contractions one on top of another at this point. By the time they finished with the epidural and checked me again, I was 8 cm dilated. It took another 15 minutes for the epidural to kick in and boy was I happy when it finally did! It was about 12 pm by the time I was feeling less pain. I was fully dilated by 1 pm, but they didn't want to start pushing until I was given two full bags of antibiotics. It was finally time about 1:30 to push. I pushed during 4 or 5 contractions and Reid was born at 1:46 pm. He weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 20 inches long.

June 26 - After waiting for 5 hours for the pediatrician to come discharge Reid, we finally got to go home.

We are all adjusting to Reid being here now. He had a rough couple of first days home, but he is great now. He is eating every 3-4 hours and sleeps for about 5 hours at night. My mom left today, July 7th, and that is going to be an adjustment. She was a HUGE help while she was here and I am not looking forward to doing everything myself now. But she will be back in August and my in-laws are coming soon I think, so none of us will be starved for attention.

Herndon Festival 2010

2010-06-07T05:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday we made our annual trip to the Herndon festival. It was hot, but we all had a a good time.
First ride on the swings.

I think Anderson rode the cars about 10 times.

Ronald gave Kennedy whiplash I think, but she was laughing the entire time.

Daddy is a little too big for this one!

The giant slide was fun until Kennedy got to the bottom and lost her potato sack. She flipped face first and was not a fan of sliding on her face.

Fun had by all, even Mom, who only rode the ferris wheel. I think Ronald's favorite part was the corn dog for lunch. Anderson and Kennedy really enjoyed eating/spilling their snow cones all over themselves at the end of our fun.

Whoa!

2010-06-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

Remember when...

Today...It's a miracle this stroller has survived!

Kids' Thoughts

2010-05-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

We were cleaning up in Kennedy's room and she tooted. Anderson was across the room but promptly said, "Tennedy have tinky butt!"

While shopping at Costco, Kennedy asked me, "Who is the boss at church?" How would you answer that one?

8 Months Preggo

2010-05-24T05:48:00.001-07:00

Trip to Baltimore

2010-05-04T05:30:00.001-07:00

We took a little mini trip to Baltimore last Friday and Saturday. We went to a Thomas the Train event at the railroad museum on Friday morning. There was lots of train stuff including real trains to look at, toy trains to play with, model trains, moon bounces, face painting, train rides, etc. It was a lot of fun and a beautiful day for it. Friday night, we went to a baseball game, Orioles and Red Sox. The kids had a good time. We sat in the nose bleed section and Anderson spent most of his time climbing up and down the aisle and in all the empty seats near us. He especially liked all the yelling and clapping, not to mention the "Dot dogs!" They made it through six innings and they were done. I don't even know who won the game. We staying in a hotel on Friday night. I discovered everyone in my family snores, except me. I didn't sleep much, but that's nothing new these days. Saturday, we went to Port Discovery Children's Museum. It has lots of fun kid activities. Ronald and the kids spent a lot of time in the three story climbing structure. He's such a good Daddy, cause you know that a kids' climbing thing is NOT designed for a 6'5" grown man. We drove home on Saturday afternoon. We all had fun, but I was pooped!

Making pizza at a cooking demo at the kids' museum.

Climbing through the tunnel.

Meeting Curious George

Playing in the water room

At the baseball game

Typical

More trains

Kid train ride

And more trains

Playing at the train table

31 Weeks

2010-04-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

Not sure why my belly looks so lumpy. Maybe Reid was moving around or something.

Reid Silas Gulick

2010-04-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

That's his name! When was looking at baby names, I made a list of all the surnames I liked. My mom happened to ask if I had any names I was thinking of. I read her the list and she said that Reid was a family name. It became the front runner. Silas is Ronald's grandfather's name, which we have always liked. Both Kennedy and Anderson have been calling him Reid for a while now, but putting this on the blog makes it official!

Reid Silas Gulick, see you in 10 weeks (or less, but no more)!

Anderson Reading

2010-04-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

We have read this book so many times that Anderson now has it memorized. He picks this book to read at nap time almost every day. He now reads it to Kennedy and me.

Neighborhood Egg Hunt

2010-03-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

The Gulicks

Giving the Easter Bunny a high five, over and over and over and over...

After we picked up our quota of eggs.

Not so much hunting as just gathering.

Filling up his bag with loot.

Comparing bellies with Jennie.

No Contest...Really?

2010-03-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

I had three "issues" I wanted to work with Anderson on before the arrival of #3.
1. Moving to the big boy bed
2. Giving up the paci
3. Potty training

I was NOT excited about any of them and was SURE that he would give me fight on each. We moved him to his big boy bed almost two months ago. He fell out of the bed several times the first night, but he has not gotten out of his bed on purpose at all. He naps and goes to sleep at night in there, no problem. He does a lot of jumping and singing and he really likes having all that room. He especially likes to jump and sing/scream, "I'm the map. I'm the map. I'm the map!" He even stays in his bed in the mornings til I come get him!

After the success of the bed, I moved on to number two on my list. We talked about how pacis were for babies and he was a big boy. I put him down for nap and he asked for his paci. I said, "paci all done." He didn't throw a fit or anything! At this point, I'm thinking, "Is this really my son?" He has asked for the paci a total of three times since then (over a month ago), but has slept fine. The other day we saw a boy about his age at a store with a paci in his mouth to which Anderson yelled, "paci for baby!"

The real test for my boy was the potty training. I put underwear on him during the few days back in Feb when we were snowed in. It DID NOT go well. Then, about three weeks ago, he followed me into the bathroom as usual and announced, "I go peepee potty Mommy!" So, doubting that he would, I stripped him down and put him on there. HE PEED! Of course it hasn't been easy, but a lot easier than I thought it would be with him. He is holding it instead of peeing a trickle every 5 minutes. He still has accidents of course, but he is on his way. I see the end of diapers in our future....at least until the baby comes that is.

How in the world did I get a kid like this? Kennedy wasn't difficult on the these issues, but I think she gave me more of a challenge than he did. Thank goodness! Maybe Anderson just took pity on his pregnant momma!

Anderson's Latest Tricks

2010-02-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

Since learning to take his shirt off, I have found him half naked a lot! Strangely, he looks a lot more like his Daddy this way. Although he is great about putting his shirt in the laundry.

We drove to DC last Friday to pick up a stroller I found on Craigslist (saved $100). We got there no problem, but I got lost on the way back. So Anderson and I practiced counting to 10 about a million times while Kennedy was busy watching a a Barbie movie. He gets stuck after six and can't remember seven, but I think that's still pretty good.

Belly Shot at 21 weeks and a bonus!

2010-02-20T05:02:00.000-08:00

Please excuse my face and my half naked son running by. Never a dull moment in the Gulick house!
Like this outfit? My favorite part, other than him grabbing himself, is the hot pink patent leather Mary Janes, on the wrong feet!

It's a ...

2010-02-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Snow Fun

2010-02-07T13:10:00.001-08:00

Jumping off the 4 foot pile a snow that is next to our driveway.

Crawling through the snow tunnel Daddy made.

Making snow angels. Notice how high the snow is on the fence.

They were entertaining Anderson since he was not allowed to go outside. He puked 8 times on Saturday. NOT a fun way to be snowed in!

Jump shot!

Playing with the neighbors.

Anderson's Two Year Stats

2010-02-06T05:26:00.000-08:00

Weight- 26 lbs. 4 oz. (50%)
Height- 33 1/2" (25%)
Head- 19 1/2" (75%)

My doctor gives me a paper at each well visit that says things he should be doing at this age. The first thing on the page this time says, "Your child is in constant motion; he runs, climbs, walks up and down stairs alone, begins to tiptoe." Uh, yeah! Anderson NEVER stops moving.

Random Pictures of January

2010-02-03T13:02:00.001-08:00

Anderson helping with the laundry.

Anderson's favorite part about his birthday...boons!

Kennedy and her favorite man.

That's a lot of Polly Pockets!

Me and my favorite 2 year old.

Anderson's Birthday

2010-01-30T12:53:00.001-08:00

These are out or order, but you get the idea. He had a fun birthday and is on his way to making two a great year!

Licking the spoon of the birthday brownies.

"Dat my backetball tuptake!"

Choo-choo

"I choot the backetball, Mommy!"

Opening presents at his party. Surrounded by girls!

2 Year & 4 1/2 year Photo Shoot

2010-01-21T12:40:00.000-08:00

Not sure where MY children were during this photo shoot, but these kids were awesome! They listened and did everything the photographer asked them to do. The boy was awesome, you would never know he was two! Probably helped that he was allowed to bring his basketball!

Happy Birthday Anderson!

2010-01-19T12:38:00.001-08:00

This time two years ago I was enjoying laboring with a VERY good epidural. I hope and pray that my next delivery will be as wonderful as Anderson's.

My Big Man is two today. I still can't believe it. Kennedy is relieved that today is his birthday. I have been working with him the last week or so to answer, "Two" when asked how old he was. Kennedy was concerned because I was telling him to lie since he wasn't actually two yet. Today, she says he is finally telling the truth!

The thing I remember most about the day he was born was his size. Even while pushing all the nurses and doctor's were guessing he weighed over 7 pounds. But my big man came into the world at only 6 pounds. He came early, was so tiny, and made everyone around him smile. He still does. He knows how to work his smile and chubby cheeks!

Some things I want to remember about Anderson at age 2:

- He LOVES his Daddy! He asks, "Where Daddy go?" at least 100 times a day. He goes crazy when Ronald comes home everyday.

- His most favorite things are basketball, balloons, and puppies.

- He is a great eater. Fruit especially. His favorite foods are dot dogs (hot dogs), peepa (pizza), and apples.

- He still takes a good 2.5- 3 hour nap everyday and sleeps from 8pm-7am at bedtime. He goes to sleep on his own and wakes me up most mornings with his chatter.

- He loves the Pop Goes the Weasel rhyme. He has a toy that plays it and other rhymes, but that one is the only one he sings.

- His favorite song is Popcorn by the Barenaked Ladies. It is from a kids cd I bought for Kennedy, but he loves it and requests it EVERY time we get in the car.

- If you are on the floor, Anderson thinks you want to wrestle. Beware, he will tackle and take you down.

- He is very ticklish and likes to tickle us too.

- When asked his name, he will tell you, "Bubba."

- He loves sweet tea and chooses it over juice.

- Kennedy is one his most favorite people and he tries to copy her as much as possible.

- He is amazing at being independent. He goes to the gym child care center three times a week, nursery at church, and during ladies bible class. He will open the door himself, kiss me goodbye, and then run off to play. I don't even remember the last time he cried when I left him.

- He is all boy. He is constantly getting into things, climbing, jumping, being too rough, yelling, and all around getting into trouble.

- He doesn't use as many words as Kennedy did at his age, but he a very good communicator. He knows how to ask for what he wants and often says please and thank you without being prompted.

- When I put him to bed at nap time or at bedtime, he usually has his paci in his mouth. I hold him, standing near the bed and take his paci out. He immediately says, "ni-night Mommy. Wuv you!" Sweetest thing ever!

Anderson is amazing and he has brought a smile to my face everyday of his short life. He is my favorite little boy and now my favorite 2 year old. I thank God that he let me be Anderson's mommy. I love you Big Man! Happy Birthday!

New Video

2010-01-12T05:43:00.001-08:00

Below is a link to Ronald's latest video. He made it to advertise the upcoming Dynamic Marriage seminar at church. It was shown at church last week and several people said that this was his best video ever! Enjoy!

www.vimeo.com/8682916

Anderson Show

2010-01-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

He doesn't stay still for long, this is all I could get him to talk. I promise, he talks all the time though!

Don't Call CPS!

2010-01-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

Why this was so funny to them, I do not know!

Christmas Pictures

2009-12-30T06:20:00.001-08:00

Admiring the gift before devouring it.

He got really good at the unwrapping.

Don't we all feel this way about Ronald?

This is one the many toys Anderson got that make REALLY annoying sounds!

This car ramp also makes loud, annoying noises.

Purple mermaid Barbie, the only thing she asked for, from Santa.

Ready to tear in.

Baby Gulick

2009-12-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

No guess on gender, but Baby Gulick is healthy and measuring ahead of schedule.

Snow Day

2009-12-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

It snowed most of the day today, totaling about 4 inches. Both kids had a great time playing in the snow with our neighbors, Maddie and Mairin.

Jumping off the snow mountain that never quite made it into a snowman

All the snow bunnies

Playing soccer in the snow

Making snow angels

View down our street
Yep, Anderson is wearing hot pink tights. Think I can blackmail him with this picture in 10 years?

Back in Virginia Again

2009-12-02T13:51:00.001-08:00

We are back home after close to two weeks in Texas. We had a great time visiting some of our most favorite people! Highlights of the trip included:
Sonic
taking the kids bowling on the ACU campus
Taco Bueno
visiting with Chelsea
balls at the Bedards (for Anderson)
Graham's birthday party with the super fun bounce house
church at Highland Oaks
Nanny giving the kids baths
Sonic
Dallas arboretum with Amy and Anna and kids
Dinner out with Amy
seeing my grandparents
Anderson starting to talk A LOT more
getting Ronald at DFW after having the kids by myself for a week
Taco Bueno
the RTV at my in-laws
THANKSGIVING MEAL
shopping without the kids
Sonic
fun with the Gulick cousins
outlet shopping with my sister in laws
dinner out with just grown ups
FREE BABYSITTING!!!!
seeing Papa, finally
visiting Meghan's new apartment
Sonic
lots of fun with the Kennedy cousins
finally coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!

These trips do make me extremely tired and ready to go home about 3/4 of the way through, but they are worth every minute! Thanks to everyone who put us up and put up with us! Love you all!

Fall Pictures

2009-11-01T13:50:00.001-08:00

Cinderella, MJ, and a dragon

Trick or treating with our neighbors

Princess Cinderella off to preschool

Our jack-o-lantern

GUTS!

Getting a kiss from the camel at Pumpkinville

Sadly this was the best picture of all four kids

Kennedy and Kylie on the hayride

Kennedy's View Point

2009-10-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

As I was doing Kennedy's hair this morning, she asked me what God looks like. I told her that he made her to look like him, so he kind of looks like her. She got so excited. I love that kids ask such sweet questions.

Dance Party at the Gulicks

2009-10-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

So, I know you were all wondering what other young families do every evening. This is what we do, lately anyway. The kids get wore out and Ronald and I sit back and laugh at them. We are such loving parents!

He's got skills, right?! Oh, but he CAN'T dance without carrying around that remote control!

Motor Mouth at 20 months

2009-09-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

Anderson talks constantly. Most of the time it makes no sense, but he definitely can communicate when he needs to. I wanted to make a list of all the words Anderson says, so here goes:
Mommy
Daddy
Nenndy (Kennedy)
puppy
ball
baby
Dora
bubble
boon (balloon)
Bible
drink
more
shoe
pool
all done
sit down
Papa
no
uh oh
hot dog
boo
where go?

Also:
He shakes his head yes.
He signs please, all done, and more.
He knows a cow says moo and according to him, all animals say moo.
He gives high fives and knuckle bumps.

Body parts he can identify:
head
hair
eyes
nose
ears
cheeks
tongue
teeth
belly
hands
fingers toes
his pepee (or junks as Ronald wants him to say)

I'm sure I forgot some things. He doesn't use as many words as Kennedy did, but he is a second child and a boy! It seems like he learns something new everyday. I know he understands WAY more than he speaks or even lets on that he understands. He is a smart boy. He really knows how to work his infectious smile and laugh!

Tattoos

2009-09-30T12:09:00.001-07:00

Kennedy is obsessed with tattoos lately. When she came downstairs from her "nap" last week, I was watching LA Ink. She asked a million questions about tattooing and Kat, the lady on the show. Since then she has given Ronald and I several tattoos each and asked us to call her Kat. She uses a mechanical pencil to tattoo us and a tissue to wipe away the blood. Kennedy says she is going to be a tattoo artist when she grows up. What ambition!

On Monday, she asked if she could some temporary tattoos. We compromised at two tattoos. She told me she wanted the tattoo on her back. I said no, that she couldn't even see it on her back and I wasn't putting it there. She started tearing up and said, "I just want the tattoo on my back so I can be like Daddy." I caved.

Matching muscle tattoos. Well, his is a cross and hers is a Handy Manny logo, but you get the idea.

ACHOO!

2009-09-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

They entertain themselves very well!

It finally happened

2009-09-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

When I have heard other moms talk about how their children climbed out of their crib, I sat back and counted my blessings that neither of my children have even attempted such a thing. Besides, even when standing, the railing of the crib comes to Anderson's chest. How could he possibly climb out? Well, today my monkey man figured it out. Honestly, I am surprised it took him so long to try this. We have a video monitor in his room and I have never even seen him attempt it until today. I happened to glance at the monitor and I see him hanging over the side of the crib, head down, holding on with one hand. I took off running, but heard the giant thud when I was half way up the stairs. He is fine, but it sure made my heart skip a beat! Guess who will be lowering the mattress of the crib tonight!?

Crazy Kennedy

2009-09-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

I got a pile of Kennedy's winter clothes from last year out and was going through dividing them into sell and keep piles. Kennedy decided to see how many pieces of clothing she could get on. Keep in mind that these clothes are from last winter, so most of them were too small. She ended up with 9 tops and 6 bottoms. We were both laughing so hard and Kennedy was sweating from all the layers!
Kennedy all ready for her first day of preschool.

She insisted on the backpack. I knew she didn't need it, but we packed all the necessities anyway (snack, water bottle, extra panties, and Ariel chapstick).

4 year & 19 month pictures

2009-09-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

Recent Pictures

2009-09-01T13:30:00.001-07:00

Reading the Bible together before bed

Mommy makes REALLY good chocolate chip cookies!

Born to be a Wildcat!

Washing the car to stay cool.

Kennedy Riding

2009-08-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Kennedy got a bike for her birthday yesterday. She has asked to ride it about a million times since then.

Yes, we usually do make her wear a helmet (not that we ever did that when we were little!), but this was her first ride and she was a LITTLE excited!

Happy Birthday Kennedy!

2009-08-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

Four years ago today my sweet Kennedy arrived. I tell her all the time that she is my favorite girl. There is a country song out right now called I Thought I Loved You Then. It talks about how the singer's love for his wife has grown. All along he thought he really loved her, but he kept growing to love her more. I thought I loved Kennedy the day she was born. But in the last four years, I have learned about the love that grows between a mother and her child. No words can say how much that little girl means to me. I would do anything for her. She is my favorite 4 year old. Happy Birthday Kennedy! I love you so much!

Kennedy's 4th Birthday Party

2009-08-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

New baby stroller. We will not put Anderson in this one and rip it to shreds!

All the partygoers!

Making her wish

The cupcake she decorated herself.

Tearing through the amazing gifts!

2009-08-11T13:23:00.001-07:00

Anderson's 18 month Stats

2009-08-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

Weight- 24.8 lbs (25%)
Height- 32" (45%)
Head- 19" (65%)

Gulicks at the Pool

2009-07-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

Anderson Shooting Hoops

2009-07-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is basically what he does the whole time we are outside. He usually makes more baskets than that, but he kept looking at he camera.

One exciting week...

2009-07-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

Sunday, no one was in town for small group, so the Gulicks went to the pool. I forced Kennedy to learn to use floaties cause that is the only way I would be comfortable taking them both to the pool by myself. After about 10 minutes, she was swimming across the pool by herself. I wish I had pictures, but my hands were full of Anderson.

Tuesdays, this summer Kennedy is going to a summer camp program at the gym for two hours. While she does that, I take Anderson to the kid's gym for his class. Before the first week of Kennedy's camp, we had this conversation:

K: If I need you during camp, then I will come and get you.
M: No, I am going to leave the gym and take Anderson to his class.
Long silence...
M: Are you going to cry when you go to camp?
K: Why??
M: Some kids cry when their Mommies leave them.
K: Well, I don't do that!

Wednesday, gym, spin class, super fun!

More fun to come this week I'm sure! Pictures of our fun...

Playing in the bean box (indoor sand box) Yes, it is a little messy. But Anderson sits still to play for at least 10 minutes and that makes it worth it to me!

My mermaid and merMAN!

See what fun we have at our house!

Wipes box=SUPER FUN!

Texas Time

2009-07-16T05:17:00.000-07:00

We returned from a short trip to Texas on Monday. The main purpose of the trip was to see my grandparents, but we spent most of our time at my brother's house. My entire family was there and we had a good time, except for the nasty stomach bug we passed around.

Watching TV in the coveted recliner.

The bride and groom (according to Kennedy).

Nanny and Harrison

In the play area at the Galleria

Tyring out Graham's new car seat

Little boys in the bath

We had a great time. Thanks to everyone who let us inconvenience their lives. We love you all.

Kennedy's New Favorite Phrase

2009-07-06T03:27:00.000-07:00

"Yippee-ki-yeah-thunder-bumbies!" ---- Which means she is excited about something. I have no idea where she got this, but she says it a lot! Silly girl.

Pool Video

2009-06-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

Summer

2009-06-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Cooling off with popsicles

Playing in the backyard pool

He finally figured out how to go down the slide himself!

Kennedy getting a ride in a friend's convertible.

Goofing off at the neighborhood carnival.

On the Ferris Wheel at the carnival

Old

2009-06-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me! I am 30, aka old!

New Post, Just for Mom

2009-06-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Kennedy, I mean Cinderella, fell asleep reading in her chair.

Who needs toys when you have a box?!

More animals in our backyard.

At least they were alive and not stuck in our grill!

Classic Kennedy Moments

2009-05-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

1. Last week, I was cleaning out the fridge. I got out a bag with the cheese cubes Kennedy likes. There were only a couple left in the bag, so I asked Kennedy to help me by eating them. She gobbled them up. I said thanks and she gave me a curtsy and said, "it was my pleasure!"

2. Last Sunday, there were no bible classes after service so the Pattersons and Gulicks played at the church playground and then went to grab lunch. Ronald was goofing around with the kids in one of those kid sized plastic playhouses. He stood up in the house causing the roof to pop off. Kennedy shouted across the playground, "Look Mommy, Daddy made us a convertible house!"

3. I was in the office and Kennedy was watching an Arthur show after her "nap". She walked into the office and said, "Remember when we went to China to get Anderson?" I then died laughing, which made her cry.

Silbling "FUN"

2009-05-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

Wrestling - Gulick style
It wouldn't seem that bad if she didn't only outweigh him by 7 pounds!

Of course, this was hilarious to them both, until they hurt each other.

Boys!

2009-05-18T14:06:00.001-07:00

This is for moms of boys (who know all about this stuff) and moms with girls (who may never understand).

I didn't give him the oatmeal square. Wanna guess where he got it?

I stepped away for a minute and found him enjoying another snack...my potted plants. Dirt makes a great snack!

Not good

2009-05-18T05:42:00.000-07:00

As I was going potty this morning, something bad happened. Anderson opened the door and came in. That is not good news, because it means he can now open any door in our house, even ones I closed. Not good!

What's up with the Gulick kids

2009-05-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

Kennedy:

Her new favorite show is Pinky Dinky Doo. It is a cartoon where the girl makes us stories to explain things to her little brother. She always introduces one large word in the story and uses it several times during the story. Saturday the word was flabbergasted. Kennedy has been talking about how she was "blabbergasted" the last two days.

She has rediscovered puzzles. She can do real puzzles now, 24 pieces. We got several this weekend at our neighborhood yard sale and she has been doing them constantly.

She never naps anymore, but still has quiet time in her room everyday. I put an alarm clock in her room so she knows when "nap" time is over. She thinks the alarm is way cool and is very proud of herself for operating it.

She knows all her letters and most of the sounds. She can write all the letters, although some don't look quite right yet. She is constantly spelling word she sees and asking me what they spell.

She is very protective of her brother. She watches out for him at the gym child care center and is always kissing him.

She loves to color. She is actually pretty good at staying in the lines. She will color for long periods of time, quietly, by herself. It's great.

She loves to use the computer. She plays a Dora game I got her and Purble Place, a game that came on our computer. It's mostly logical thinking stuff, ordering events, a memory game, etc. It's something else she will do by herself, quietly, for a long period of time. I just hate having to share the computer with her!

Anderson:

He is HUGE! Ok, the doctors say he is small, but I'm not sure how that is possible with his pot belly and chunky thighs!

He is running now. He has pretty good balance. I think he got better at that from playing outside. He has to go from pavement to grass, driveway to street, etc so he learned quick how to stabilize himself.

He says Mommy, Dada, uh-oh, ball, and puppy. I've heard a couple others, but he doesn't used them repeatedly. By FAR, his favorite word is ball. He must say that 1000 times a day. I think he has some sort of radar, cause he can spot a ball or a puppy a mile away. He can also sign please.

He may not be saying many words, but he understands everything. Today, I asked him if he pooped and he went and got the wipes and a diaper and brought them to me. He can do simple things like when I ask him to get his cup, get in his chair, or sit down so I can put his shoes on.

He is willing to try any food you put in front of him. Some things have gone in and right back out again. But other things, which I thought would be a no go, he seems to love, like broccoli. I am set on giving him whatever we are eating, unless it something really hard for him, like chili. So far he is doing well with it. It isn't like he is going to starve or anything!

He loves to play outside. He likes to jump on the trampoline and play basketball. He will stand and shoot the basketball,retrieve it, and do it again and again and again. He never tires of it. I'm pretty sure he would stay out there for hours.

We go to the gym at least three time a week. He is so comfortable with this routine that he will walk in himself, open the door, turn around and kiss me, then run off and play, never looking back. The staff there is outstanding, especially Ms. Jackie, whom both kids adore!

He loves to copy everything Kennedy does.

He tackles anyone who lays on the floor. He loves to wrestle with Ronald and Kennedy. He also still loves being on the couch.

I think he is going to be our bully. He already knows how to push Kennedy's buttons and can make her get mad really fast. He pushes everyone. Most of the time, he is not doing it aggressively, but it is still not a habit I want him to continue.

We have found only a few things he will sit still for. Candyland (the new toddler version), reading books (only by himself, not when I read), and animals (Kennedy has a set of small animal figures that they like to play with at their little table).

He likes baths still. Now he lays down on his belly and splashes his feet. I think he got this from Kennedy b/c she lays down in the bath to pretend that she is a mermaid. She calls him a mer-man.

They are both growing so fast and I just wanted to record what is going on with them both right now.

Anderson's 15 month stats

2009-05-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

Height- 30 1/2" (30%)
Weight- 22 lbs 7 oz (25%)
Head Circumference- 18 3/4" (75%)

Life

2009-04-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

You know it might not be a good day when:

1. Everyone in your house is awake before 7 am.
2. Your one year old knocks over a potted plant and dirt goes EVERYWHERE, at 7:30 am.
3. You've wiped everyone's bootie before 8 am (some more than once).
4. Someone who is too old for accidents is on her third pair of panties by lunch time.
5. The one year old throws up his lunch on the carpet and he had BLACKBERRIES!
6. Your husband calls to tell you that he forgot that he has a late meeting today.
7. Your headache just won't go away despite the bottle of Advil you took.
8. A certain little girl decided the carpet in her room was too plain and so she decorated it with her crayons. Blue is really hard to get out of beige carpet!
9. The noise level in the house stays above 7 all day!
10. The only time you have to yourself is when you go to the bathroom and lock the door behind you. They are both standing at the door screaming though, so I'm not sure that counts as "alone time."
11. Nap time only lasted an hour.
12. Someone conveniently "forgets" to take the overflowing trash to the street and we missed the garbage man AGAIN!
13. You try to sneak a peek if someone pooped and you get a finger full!
14. You child keeps asking, "Why are you angry of me Mom?" or one of her other million questions.
15. You are on the verge of tears more than once.

The life of a stay at home mom! Living the dream, people. Living the dream!

2009-04-14T11:24:00.001-07:00

2009-04-14T10:48:00.001-07:00

Tumble Dry

2009-04-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

Smarty Pants!

2009-03-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

See anything that doesn't belong?

2009-03-23T06:08:00.001-07:00

Anyone wanna come over for dinner tonight?

Big Man

2009-03-20T19:37:00.000-07:00

You know when you have those moments when you look at your child and you think, "He is growing up so fast!" Today was one of those days for me. Here are some reason he is so big today:

Anderson really started walking about three weeks ago. He walks around the house going wherever and doing whatever he wants and it is so strange. He is starting to communicate more. He was really good at the "point and grunt", but now he is starting to understand more. You can tell him to do things and he actually understands (he doesn't always obey, but we are working on that!).

This morning, he was awake first. We were playing in his room until Kennedy woke up. He heard her make noise and pointed out his door and asked, "Dadee?" I told him it was Kennedy so he got up and walked to her room.

Everyday when Ronald gets home, Kennedy either runs to the garage door or goes to hide so Ronald can find her when he comes in. Yesterday, we were playing in the living room when we heard the garage. I told Anderson that Daddy was home and he got up, ran over to the back door and started squealing! He gets so excited to see Ronald now.

He got another hair cut today. He screamed the entire time, but I almost cry after when he looks like such a big boy.

He eats like a grown man. I already have to buy him his own meal when we go somewhere. For example, tonight we went to the mall and ate dinner there. He ate all his meal from Chick Fil A, an entire cup of milk, and a cookie.

The past couple of days have been so good with Anderson and with Kennedy. I know that the days are always better if I am in a better mood. It just seems like this week, I had different kids. They ate all there food, listened, and didn't whine excessively. On days like these, they are so much easier to love!

Our Journey

2009-03-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

We had a great TX/NM trip. We got to Dallas on Friday and went to my grandparents house for dinner. All the cousins had a great time together. Kennedy and Graham, who is 10 months older, have a love/hate relationship. They either play really well together or one is screaming at the other! Harrison, 8 months, is a doll baby. Alexis finally got a baby with her beautiful brown eyes. Saturday, 13 Gulicks drove to Dallas, took over my brother's house and we all had a great time visiting. Kennedy ran away from David screaming because of his crazy hair, but she got over it quickly. Sunday, my brother and his family, my mom, and the kids and me all went to church with my grandparents and then ate Mexican for lunch. Monday, I spent the day with my good friends Anna and Amy and their kids. Kennedy and Avery (Amy's daughter) had a great time painting cookies and their toe nails. Anderson just loved playing with all Karl Mikal's toys (Anna's son who is three weeks older than Anderson). We had Taco Bueno for lunch!Tuesday, me, the kids, and my mom flew to NM. We spent the rest of the time with my parents. Although I was the only one NOT sick, we still all had a good time. Annie, my parents' black lab, was once again a highlight of the trip for the kids. I am still finding Annie hair in our clothes here at home. We had lots of Sonic, played outside a lot (it was in the 70s most days), and had lots of fun being spoiled by the grandparents! We got home on Thursday. The trip back was NOT good. Kennedy threw up as we landed in Dallas and had to walk around DFW in her very short dress, panties, and Crocs. She still looked cute and she was perfectly fine. It is good to be home. Most of all I am thankful to be sleeping in my own bed, next to my husband, and NOT in the same room with two kids!

Every time I do this trip, I am so glad to be back home, but I am so glad to have gotten to see so many people I love. Thank you to you all for letting us crash your world!

Kennedy and Graham riding on the Nanny horse.

Kennedy and Avery painting cookies.

Anderson and his Annie.

Hanging out with Aunt Meghan.

SOOOOOOO Excited!!

2009-02-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

Ok, not that excited about the three hour flight to Dallas with two small children. But I am super excited to see all my family and friends that I don't get to see that often! Two weeks of family and I'm sure I'll be ready to come home, but I get to go to Sonic, Hobby Lobby, and eat REAL Mexican food. It's gonna be awesome! Only two days!!!

Anderson's First Haircut

2009-02-17T05:36:00.000-08:00

We took Anderson to get his first haircut on Saturday. Despite the screaming, he looks good, like a little boy, not a baby anymore.

Anderson Videos

2009-02-05T06:01:00.000-08:00

A couple steps here and there is all he does right now. And only if no one is looking!

Yes, we know this is weird, but Anderson's favorite thing to do in the evenings is to play on the couch and bang his head into the cushions. Strange, but it keeps him happy.

Just Like Papa

2009-02-01T12:42:00.000-08:00

I have been told more than once that Anderson looks like my Dad. I agree, but today he did something so my dad, I couldn't stop laughing.

We were getting ready to walk out the door to church. Ronald set Anderson down on the kitchen island so he could put his coat on. Before either of us could stop him, he grabbed the pepper shaker, wrapped his little mouth around the top, tipped his head back and took in a mouthful of pepper. He didn't cough or sneeze, just swallowed and acted like it was no big deal. I was rolling on the floor. My dad has been known to remove the top of pepper shakers so he could get more pepper out, but I don't think I have ever seen him put the shaker in his mouth!

I still can't believe Anderson did that. His face was priceless!

Oh, the things Kennedy learns from her Daddy...

2009-01-27T15:46:00.001-08:00

Today I was cleaning up after lunch and Kennedy said, "Mom, what you gonna do with all that junk, all that junk inside your trunk?"

Thank you Ronald!

Anderson's 1 year Stats

2009-01-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

Weight - 21 lbs 4 oz (30%)
Height - 29 1/2" (45%)
Head - 18 1/2" (70%)

Happy Birthday Anderson!

2009-01-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

My baby is one today. Sad, but exciting. He has brought a LOT of fun, laughter, messes, grossness, love, new challenges, and smiles into the Gulick house. We love him so much and we look forward to making lots more memories with him!

We celebrated his birthday with our small group last night. He needed NO coaxing to dive into his cupcake and he ate the ENTIRE thing! He didn't get this big by turning down food!

Happy Birthday Big Man!

1 year and 3 1/2 year pictures

2009-01-16T13:26:00.001-08:00

Captain Destructo Hard at Work

2009-01-12T19:09:00.000-08:00

It's hard work destroying everything in the house!

Ronald's New Video

2009-01-06T10:33:00.000-08:00

Check out Ronald's latest video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pukOiTsPKiw

(He said I couldn't put it on the blog because he wouldn't get as many views on YouTube that way!)

New York, New York

2009-01-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

The morning after Christmas Ronald and I flew to NYC. Ronald intended this trip as a surprise, but I found out anyway. I did not know any of the details though, so it was fun to learn as the trip went on. Friday, we rode the subway to our hotel, just off Times Square, dropped off our bags, and headed to the Empire State building. Two hours of a long line and then we finally got to the top...not that exciting! Glad we did it and I can say I have been, but that was definitely NOT worth the wait. This is my crazy husband hanging over the edge.Friday night we wondered around a found a cool Thai restaurant that was pretty good. Then we saw the Blue Man Group. It was not what I expected, but it was a good show. Saturday morning after breakfast we went to the Statue of Liberty. Again, there was a huge line, so we waited...3 1/2 hours. It was cold and misting, but Starbucks hot chocolate and Ronald talking to strangers kept me entertained. When we were 3rd in line to get on the ferry, they CLOSED the ferry and tours for the day due to fog. They did however give us tickets with no waiting for the next day. We went back to the hotel and cleaned up. Sat night we ate at Tavern on the Green and saw Mama Mia! It was very full evening and it was a great time. Sunday, we went back to the Statue of Liberty. It was neat to see, but again not that exciting. We had some lunch/dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and rested a while at the hotel. We did LOTS of walking! That night was low key, just a movie, but it was nice to be together "alone". Monday morning we did a little shopping before flying home. All in all it was a great trip. Ronald did a great job picking things to do and even though I think we spent half our trip waiting in line for something, I had a really good time.

Ronald with some street performers. They were really cool...especially with no shirts on!

Ronald of course thought this was hilarious. NO, we did not go in!

Christmas

2009-01-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas and a great visit with Nanny and Aunt Meghan. Her most favorite present (the only thing she really asked for), a Sleeping Beauty Barbie.

Anderson taking a stroll thanks to his new walker.

Daddy helping Kennedy ride her new Princess scooter from Santa.

Anderson enjoying his music table (with his DUH face, of course!).

Nanny and Kennedy playing Candyland, AGAIN!

That sums it up...presents, family, and some pretty good food.

102 Years of Marriage

2008-12-24T10:25:00.000-08:00

Today my family is celebrating 102 years of marriage. I was the fifth generation in my family to be married on Christmas Eve. Today my maternal grandparents have been married 59 years, my parents have been married 36 years, and Ronald and I have been married 7 years. Of course, I am not counting the years of marriage by the previous two generations. All of the marriages have lasted a lifetime and I am looking forward to sharing the rest of my life with my husband. I love him very much, and although we have our bad days, the good ones far out number them and I wouldn't trade him for the world. I love you Ronald. Happy Anniversary!

She FINALLY noticed!

2008-12-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

Anderson is almost 11 months old and despite the fact that Kennedy has watched me change his diaper hundreds, if not thousands of times, she takes baths with him, and sees Anderson naked daily, she has never acknowledged that he has different parts than her. Until today!

Today while I was changing his diaper she asked, "What is that thing he has that is shaking?" We had a short conversation about his you know what and she continued on her way. She was fine with it all. I am just so shocked that it took this long for her to ask about his parts. She has talked before about how he has a boy bottom, but never really took it any further than that. I guess she was just more curious today.

Now she knows!

Weirdness!

2008-12-06T16:06:00.001-08:00

Can you find a sleeping Kennedy?

Totally asleep. That is one weird kid!

Makings of a Monday

2008-12-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

It's Monday...

Not much going on here at the Gulick house. Anderson is sleeping, thank goodness, and Kennedy is playing Polly Pockets dressed as Cinderella! It's Monday so I am doing laundry. Five loads done, two more to go!

We spent Thanksgiving here, with just us. I made the Thanksgiving day essentials according to us and we are still working on the leftovers.

Our small group has started up again. Larry and Debra Holder are heading it up with us, the Pattersons, and Ben and Laura (I can't remember their last name!). We are going through this book, Living Your Strengths. We had to take a 50+ question survey online and then it gave you your top 5 strengths/talents. My top one was Strategic. The books describes this as, "this enables you to sort through clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others see complexity." Sound like me?

Ronald's top strengths was Adaptability. The book describes the strength as, "You live in the moment. You don't see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now... this theme of adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once." YEP!

Interesting stuff. My other strengths or signature themes as the book calls them, were responsibility, achiever, maximizer, and discipline. I won't bore you with details of each of those!

The gym is still going well, at least three times a week. The last two Saturdays Ronald has gone with me to a yoga class (it was his idea). Neither one of us is very flexible, so I'm sure we are funny to watch. But it is nice to do something together, without kids.

Kennedy has taken an interest in the handheld video game I bought for her birthday. She has been playing Little Mermaid and Alphabet Adventure all weekend. Her memory continues to amaze me, especially with people. Today at Wegmans she saw some Jello and commented that Taylor (the new youth minister's 4 year old daughter) likes Jello. Took me a minute to remember that the first time we met Taylor at her house she was eating Jello. Kennedy remembers the weirdest things!

Anderson loves the stairs and heads for them every chance he gets. When Kennedy was learning the stairs we had all carpet, so I didn't worry about her falling down a couple of stairs. Now we have hardwood, so it is a little different. Going up is no problem for him, as long as no one distracts him. Coming down is another story! Boys are so different. I call him Captain Destructo because he destroys everything he gets his hands on. Last time Jennie watched him she said it was not fun to watch him in a un-babyproof house. He is into EVERYTHING!

Guess I should start dinner (hear my excited tone). Hope your Monday was super exciting too!

He really is not that big!

2008-11-23T17:44:00.000-08:00

I know in that last post Anderson looked HUGE in the baby stroller, but in real life he is not abnormally large. He is a big boy, but very cute. And how could anyone resist those big blue eyes?! I'm still wondering where Kennedy and Anderson got such pretty blue eyes!

Growing Boy

2008-11-18T11:04:00.000-08:00

January

April

November

Pictures

2008-11-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

"Helping" with the laundry (by dumping it all out of the basket)
Belle

Anderson's teeth

Proof that she is Ronald's child!

Kennedy Singing Her Favorites

2008-11-14T10:05:00.000-08:00

Jesus Loves Me

Hippopotamus

The Donut Song (a Kennedy family song)

Lords' Army

Quick Tidbits

2008-11-11T13:16:00.001-08:00

- Anderson has two teeth now. Well, more like he has two white dots on his gums, but they have poked through.

- Kennedy is a girly girl and wants to wear a dress everyday.

- A can climb stairs. Didn't know this until I heard the giant thud yesterday afternoon. A new gate is now on the Target list for tomorrow.

- K doesn't take a nap anymore, but she does play in her room for at least an hour everyday.

- A says Mama and Dada, but still doesn't really know what he is really saying. He just thinks it's funny that I repeat it back to him.

- I have been going to the gym three times a week. I had a FREE session with a personal trainer on Monday. Nothing seemed that difficult then, but today I am limping cause my thighs hurt so much!

- We are done with Dynamic Marriage class and although I glad not to have to do homework, I miss seeing all our friends in class.

- For those of you with Princess freak daughters...Did you know that there is a Little Mermaid show on the Disney Channel? Of course it comes on at 4:30 am, but I DVR it and Kennedy LOVES it.

- A can eat almost anything now. Unlike his sister though, he doesn't really care for meat or cheese. He LOVES grapes and peas and carrots.

- K's new favorite word is annoying. Everything and everyone annoys her. I can't imagine where she heard that word, can you? It is sort of funny that she knows exactly how to use it.

- I quit nursing a couple of weeks ago. I was hanging on, but hating it and then I just decided to quit. A didn't care and I do not miss it. Maybe my chest will shrink now!!!!

- Ronald noticed on the list of classes at the gym that they offer a Hip Hop class. He wants me to go with him, but I'm pretty sure he just wants to laugh at me.

- Unlike some ANAL people I know (JMP), I haven't started Christmas shopping. I have made lists, but Ronald and I have yet to set a Christmas budget. After that I can get started. I'm having a hard time this year though. I can't think of anything big for Kennedy. The only things I can think of are little, but Santa usually brings one larger thing. 1st Christmas, and Exersaucer, 2nd Christmas, a play kitchen, 3rd Christmas, a dollhouse, 4th Christmas, ????

Well, I gotta go feed one! Have a great day!

Pumpkinville '08

2008-11-04T05:36:00.001-08:00

Ronald, kids, and pumpkins
Erin, kids, and pumpkins

At the beginning of the hay ride

At the end of the hay ride...Kennedy was very excited to get her face painted.

Doing manly things

Scarecrow Kennedy

The zip line was supposed to be for 4 year old and up, but there were other smaller kids doing it so I asked if Kennedy could go. They said, "If she WILL go, she can." You don't know Kennedy! She is a daredevil and will do anything once. Of course, she does a version of a zip line in gym class, but being in a harness and helmet was a little different for her. She loved it!

Boys sliding. Anderson couldn't have cared less, so he only went down once. He was happy to sit on the ground and play with the hay.

One of the million times Kennedy went down the slide.

In the petting area with Dad.

"Look Mom, Mary's little lamb!"

We had a great time at Pumpkinville. It was a gorgeous day and there was hardly anyone there. Of course, it was a little weird to be there without the Pattersons, but I'm sure we'll resume the tradition next year.