April, May, June, OH MY!

Well, I was right..... 3 months later I'll be writing again!  It is mid summer and in typical Ohio fashion we've had the oddest weather : )  I could care less though because I'm off work and spending time with my family.  We've decided on a name for our new little one.... we found out it was a girl about 6 weeks ago... Her name is Tessa Jacqueline Dills.  Elizabeth actually picked it out.  From the start she's said it was a girl (she meant a girl cheetah.....but she still said it was a girl!)  She was at the ultrasound with us and she said, "It's my sister."  I'm so happy to give her a sister as I know the special bond sisters have. They will be 3 years apart and I am already telling her that Tessa will be her best friend. (OK, I'm not an idiot..... believe me, I know they'll have their moments....just as my sisters and I did). I just love our little family and so excited to have it growing!!!!

I'm sad to say we really haven't gone anywhere or done anything too special for the beginning of summer but I can't say I'm too disappointed... We've been quite busy, and I've been quite tired!

Riding Bucky, Grandpa Terry's new pony!

Rocking at Cracker Barrel, favorite thing to do after church!

Memorial Day Parade 2013!

E Quotes:
"Weenis" She picked this up from someone.... and will say "Daddy's name is Weenis."  Problem is we can't quit laughing at her so she keeps doing it....we're in trouble!

"Say it with a nice voice, mommy."  She gets this honestly as well.... I won't help her if she's using a mean voice with me.... so I'm always telling her "say it with a nice voice".  At times I'll be so frustrated because we're running late, and I just want her to quickly do what I need her to do and I'm sure I'm barking at her and she'll say in that innocent voice "Say it with a nice voice, momma."  How can I not smile??????

"I'm not very happy about that."  When she's upset about something.  Lately, she gets all mad if she gets hurt and just cries miserably. And she'll say "I no like Daddy." even if it wasn't Daddy's fault she got hurt.....

"Daddy is a grouchy wizard."  If Audie gets after her she'll be so broken hearted and come to me so sad and say that daddy is being a grouchy wizard.  Then she'll tell him to say sorry to her!  ha!

"Balilla" As in "Eric's favorite cake is Balilla."  We just love it because she speaks so clearly and doesn't distort many words, so it's kindda fun when she does :)  We have her repeat this often!

Fears:
So Elizabeth has some of the strangest fears.... for instance, have you seen a child afraid of the smoke alarm???? Literally, the ones in our house, specifically her room.  I'm sure you're thinking that it went off once and scared her.... UH NO.................... it just sits there and that's it.... Just today when Nathan was leaving she said "Watch out for the smoke alarm!"  as if it will come out and get him....

Bugs.... typically, Bees.... I get that one a little more than the smoke alarm thing. But of all things, I'm not scared of bugs at all, so it's not like I'm modeling it for her...She's always had her own mind though!

Being naked and changing her clothes...... Another odd one.... She hates to change her clothes in a different setting (even if it's behind a closed door, with mommy) or in front of people.  Landon had his 3rd birthday party at the YMCA and they have a wonderful pool.... and she loves water.... and was so excited to go swimming.  They even have 'family changing rooms' so her and I had our own room with a locked door..... 10 minutes later we emerged with mommy in her suit (to which she screamed when I put mine on........not because of my looks either....because of the fact I was changing my clothes!!!)  and Elizabeth refused to change clothes.... so I walked her around, showed her all the fun stuff she could do when she got into her suit....showed her all the other people in their suites...blablalbalblalalbl another 10 minutes no luck..... So finally I tell her she can have someone else help her if she wants, so who does she say???? Scott.... Ok, like Scott really wants to help her get her suit on.....So she decides Aunt Sara can help her.  Eventually she gets in her suit and has a blast.  I could give you other examples of this but I think you get the point....which leads me to the next one.....

E has trouble with....Change.... So I've read enough books and seen enough little ones to know this one is a little more 'normal' (as if there's a normal with toddlers....)  Most times she struggles with new situations.  Frankly, I'm really proud of her though because I know how much it bothers her and stresses her out but she's really doing a great job handling it. She's already a Type A personality and likes things to be in their place and her to be in control. She's the kid who has to watch for awhile on the sidelines and see what all is going on, figure out how to do it, watch to see if Mom is smiling, wait a little longer.... then she'll try.  She's been like this her entire life and I think she's getting better.  The problem is the number of people who don't 'respect' that about her.... By that I mean most people have the best of intentions (I'm assuming) but for some reason think that they will be the magic person who will get her to change her personality and be the life of the party the moment she walks in the room.  Really, what makes you think you have that power??? Ha!  Seriously, kids like her, and there are many like her, need a gentle smile, a wave, and TIME.  Trying to tickle, tease, pull, and manipulate these kids just make them take even more time.  When they are comfortable they will join in.  (Believe me...... those who know her know that given a little time she's just as crazy as the other toddlers.... but yep, she'll need some time in most cases!) Audie and I try to help her with this but at the same time I'm not trying to change who she is, just make her more comfortable with it.  Frankly, I'm very similar. I hate new situations (make myself sick over them), meeting new people, going places I don't know.... stressful to me..... But obviously, I've learned to deal with it and work through that.  My friends always laugh when I say that's how I am as most people see me with a strong confidence level and comfortable in most situations.... So I can understand her stress and I know she'll learn to deal with it as well. 


Other exciting news lately..... Elizabeth had to get tubes put in her ears because of all of the fluid that would not scram..... She failed numerous hearing tests on one side for a specific range of sounds and this seemed like the best way to combat that.  Of course it was very traumatic for all involved, but she did wonderfully. If you ask her she'll say "I cried. I didn't want to go in the white room."  (that was the surgery room).  But she did great!  She had it done at Akron's Children's and anyone who's had anything done there knows how wonderful the staff is and how they treat you like your child is the cutest thing they've seen....What parent doesn't love that???? After the surgery was the worst, waking up from anesthesia and recovery.  She threw up on me some and cried a bunch, the pitiful kind : (  But really by the next day she was doing well and back to normal. So she'll be wearing ear plugs around water until they fall out (within the next year) so looks like next summer we won't deal with them. She does really well with them though and once I talked her into them she is fine with putting them in each time now.  She LOVES the water so I'm glad she's not refusing to wear them as that would take away a lot of her fun.  We're lucky because Eric has a pool right next door and we can use it often.
          

She's always had her first visit to the dentist and had her teeth cleaned.  She did awesome with that as well, although she'll say "I cried."  And she did, but just at the end, frankly, I want to cry when I have to go to the dentist, too, so I was very happy with how she did. He said her teeth looked good and now she wants to count everyone's teeth :)

Her latest obsession includes being a doctor and Beauty and the Beast.  The doctor thing comes from Doc McStuffins (a kid's show) and all her doc visits, she's getting very good at giving check ups.  She loves to say "I have a diagnosis!" and then rattles off some funny word "a case of the dots" or "Hiccupitis"  Lately, people have had to have their teeth counted a lot or surgery on their ears :)  I'm hoping the doctor thing sticks.... Audie and I could use one in the family as we get older and older each day!  Beauty and the Beast is a huge obsession. It all started back in the spring when we went to see the musical at the high school in the district I teach at.  I wasn't sure how she'd do. I was going to be happy if she got through the first half..... My mom went with us and she'll tell you, Elizabeth was enthralled.  She loved it, she made it through the entire thing!!!! Well, after that she wants to read the story, watch the movie, and reenact it all the time.  She loves to have you be the Beast and 'tear the picture', and fight off the wolves, and lose his temper, and let Belle take care of him, then turn human.  I push the doctor thing a little more than the Beauty and the Beast thing.  Remember the yellow dress Belle wears?  Remember the 'off the shoulder look' it has???? Well the other day she's pulling at the shoulders of her tank top so I ask her what she's going and she replies "I gotta be Belle, mom".  OK......really????? already????

E loves riding her bike and is doing really well with it and the training wheels.

We went to Chuck E Cheese's and she thought it was heaven!  She loved the little rides and blinking lights!

She's been working hard on making letters and spelling her name. Here she is making an E!

1/2 Jan, Feb, March 2013

I am currently on Spring Break.  You're probably thinking 'oh, how fun'.  Typically, I would agree with you. But it's been a tough one.... Elizabeth got an ear infection the week before spring break and really knocked her out. Audie has been sick the last few weeks and just kept getting worse, over the weekend, I started getting it..... So he and I went to the doc at the beginning of this week because I did not want to spend my entire spring break feeling like crud.... and taking care of a sick 2 1/2 year old.... Well, it is Thursday and I'm just now feeling like a real person.  I'm at about 60%, Audie is still not doing great.... It's just been a weird Ohio winter, aren't they all?????  Elizabeth keeps asking 'Is it Christmas time' since it's now snowing again : )  I told her Santa has lots of work (and saving) to do before it's Christmas time again!

Elizabeth making a snow angel!

Here are some fun things that have happened in our family in the last 2 1/2 months (in no particular order.....):

*Mommy got a new car... seriously, a NEW one.... a 2013 Ford Escape..... Elizabeth will probably be driving it when she's 16 and will think it's a piece of junk..... but it is so nice.... I call it a space ship because it has so many 'new' features.  Touchscreen with hands-free phone (Elizabeth has caught on and will say "Call Daddy" or "Call Happy" when she wants me to call someone because it puts it through the speakers and she loves talking on it!  It hasn't learned to pick up her 2 year old talk though!). It has a navigation system, a million and 1 airbags, cd player (my taurus did not have one and I was always complaining about that), heated seats, automatic lift gate (you kick your leg under the trunk and it automatically comes up), keyless access, keyless start and tons of other things I can't think of.... It's so much fun! I love it and I can see well out of it!

*Elizabeth had the flu (maybe I should change heading at the top from 'fun' things to just 'things' that happened.....).  The flu was definitely not fun.  She threw up for about 3 days and had to be put on anti nausea medicine, which helped instantly.  I did learn a lot though..... like assume the throwing up is not a one time thing.... take precautions or you'll be changing the bed sheet and your clothes again.....right about the time you are finished cleaning up from the first time : )  Poor thing she was so sad about throwing up.  I taught her how to throw up into the bowl (when you're throwing up that much it leads to 'teachable moments' : )  She got to the point where she was like "No, mamma, I don't want the bowl, I never gonna throw up again, no never"..... then she's throw up again and she's cry and say "it no taste good". 

*Elizabeth is very excited for the Easter Bunny to come this weekend.  We have egg hunts around the house and she loves them. I'm surprised how well she can find them.

*Dad bought a little goat, named Itty Bitty. Elizabeth thinks it's hers for some reason.  She keeps saying 'I gotta go feed Itty Bitty, I gotta go brush Itty Bitty.'

*Elizabeth loves to dance, not that she'll bust it loose around others but with Audie and I... OH boy!!!!  Here she is at about 8 pm...... At the end she's talking about the new baby...cheetah, that is!

*Elizabeth is pretty much potty trained.  She loves her Big Girl panties : )  She's not real interested in going #2 in the potty, she just brings over a diaper and says "I gotta poop in this diaper."...... I'll work with that for now..... She doesn't have many accidents and tells us when she needs to go.  She does great in most public places, although I about have a heart attack thinking about all the germs.......

*E can count backwards from 5, knows lots of letters, loves to do puzzles, paint, sings songs, and reads lots of books.

E loves to paint, especially her hand print.

*She loves to eat macaroni and cheese, cheese, cauliflower and cheese, cheese puffs (notice a pattern????? she is her daddy's daughter for sure!).  When we go to the grocery store she says "I want Colby Cheese, please". She doesn't mention anything about cookies or candy..... but cheese!

*Elizabeth's imagination is amazing... she typically makes up things about dragons, foxes, bees, spiders, mud, and frogs..... Her would go something like this: "Do you see any foxes in here? I'm going to catch one for you. We gonna jump over these frogs, don't get in the mud!  I caught a bee, can you hold it?"  She goes on and on.......  I don't know where she gets it from!

*At night when we lay down to do our prayers she said "Dear God, thank you for everything." Then she proceeds to name each and every thing she can think of "thank you for happy, thank you for daniel, thank you for Kirby, thank you for cheese, thank you for toys......"  Then she is able to recite The Lord's Prayer almost completely by heart. I just give her a few words and she finishes the phrases. My favorite is when she says "and deliber us from eagle" and "and the GLORRRRRY forever". I need to find a way to get it on tape..... it is the sweetest thing you've ever heard.  She loves going to church and does a pretty good job sitting.... although I keep many snacks ready. She especially loves going to Cracker Barrel afterwards!

Elizabeth's Quotes:

"Yeah yeah yeah, that really happened"  Not sure where she got this from but she says it all the time.......

"La-La Bears" for granola bars

"Oh, sure!"  That's her response to most questions or comments.... even when it doesn't make sense!

"Mommy get me out of here!" When she wants our of her crib.....

"What are you going to do to me?" Anytime I try to do something or go somewhere and don't tell her first.

"What are you saying to me?"  Anytime she doesn't understand what I'm saying.... she says it so confused, it cracks me up every time! 

"I don't want Mee-Maw to see my stinky butt". Everything is 'stinky' to her, her stinky feet and her stinky butt especially...... she's so self conscious though.... the one day I needed to change her pants and she didn't want mee maw to see her butt.... Then another day we had our hot water tank go out and we had to go to Grandma's and Grandpa's to take a bath for her.  Most kids would be excited..... She liked the idea at first, then she realized she was going to have to take her clothes off and someone might see her!!!! Seriously, she was all worried about it!  Now at home it's a different story, she loves to run around naked..... so I guess it's good she's not like that every where!

"I put the kids in time out."  That was her response to my questions "Did you play nice with the kids today (at daycare)?"  So, needless to say, when I talked with the teacher, yep.... she was trying to give the kids a time out.

"Sit Down!"  She says this with the sing language motion for it (they do it at day care).... so I guess she was telling the kids, very directive to 'sit down', of course because they weren't listening to the teacher as fast as she thought they should!  It was hard not to laugh when the teacher told me she had to have a talk with her about letting the teacher be the teacher.... I gave the speech to her in a much more firm way and told her she cannot boss the kids around, because she's not the boss, the teacher is (to which she said "no, mamma, i'm the boss".... oh boy!)  and I told her she won't have any friends if she bosses everyone around.... didn't seem to make an impact, the next week was when she was putting the kids in time out : (  Well, she gets it honestly.......

So our exciting news that we finally got to share this month is that Elizabeth will be a big sister.  The new baby is due Oct. 3rd.  E's birthday is Oct. 24th so they'll be 3 years apart.  I think she'll be a great big sister (most of the time : )  She is still a little confused about the entire thing though.......When I point to my stomach and say "what's in there?" she says "A baby cheetah".  (watch the video above...) Sometimes she'll say a puppy or a bunny........ oh boy!  I keep trying to explain it's probably going to be a baby girl or a baby boy...HUMAN!  When she saw the ultrasound on the TV the lady said "that's the baby in your mommy's belly" and she said "that's a big eyeball"  Not sure when we'll know if it's a boy or a girl but we're excited for either!

As always, we feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family...... that will be growing soon!  I've decided my new goal for blogging is every 3 months.... every month is too much for me..... I get to busy living life.... so see you in June : ) 

November/December 2012

It probably doesn't matter that it's late December mid January when I'm writing this post and I'm not going to feel guilty as I've just been busy living!  We're so blessed to have a happy healthy 2 year old!  Here are some of the fun times from November/December and some January.....

Thanksgiving...
We spent thanksgiving at Dad and Kim's. Elizabeth had fun trying to eat her food before Grandpa got it.... Sometimes that's the only way to get that girl to eat...... Grandpa and Sara can seem to get her to eat the best!

We went to the tree festival in Akron for Akron Children's Hospital.  It was so fun to see all the pretty trees.

Elizabeth and Nathan had a great time putting the tickets into the boxes....none of us won though : )

Elizabeth loved Rudolph

Grandpa bought E and Na-Na Santa and Mrs. Claus

Elizabeth and Zippy!

All dressed up to go to church.  Elizabeth loves to wear frilly dresses : )

Polar Express:
We had so much fun going on the Polar Express with Sara, Scott, and Nathan.
Elizabeth loved the puppet show put on by an elf, the pajama parade, and actually seeing Santa.  He even gave her a bell!! 

Na Na and Scott watching the puppet show.

Elizabeth loved cleaning off the window so we could see the sights on the way to the North Pole!

The North Pole

Pajama Parade! She waved like a queen!!

Santa...she just kept saying "Santa gave me a bell" when he left.

The conductor

Everything was so exciting...especially getting a chocolate chip cookie and even Hot Cocoa!

Wore out on the way home.  Even though she was tired she was up most of the night......

Aunt Kay came over with Gingerbread houses!

E had a castle and Landon had a Home Depot!

Elizabeth likes to line up her toys. She got this Mickey Mouse clubhouse for her birthday.  She has all her characters ready for action : )

On our way to find a Christmas tree!

Elizabeth picked out the perfect tree!

December was filled with lots of shopping and getting things ready. Elizabeth loved decorating the Christmas tree (she wanted to do it all herself...).  She was really good about not taking off the ornaments, there were just a few bells she loved to play with. 

She loved Christmas and was sad when it was over. She even woke up when Santa was in our house delivering the presents. It was kind of scary though! She loved all of her presents and had such wonderful reactions.  She made us a hand print Christmas tree at Daycare and we loved it of course! Over Christmas break she was doing a great job with potty training.  She loves getting M&Ms or Kissy Kissies (Hershey Kisses) for going potty!

Wresting with Christmas lights

Decorating!

Chistopher Popinkins' Dad (as Elizabeth told me)

Potty Training the princess

 Breakfast with Santa at daycare!  It was tons of fun!

Making an ornament!

Not so sure about Santa...She didn't like that he didn't have his glasses.....

Making reindeer headbands.

She wasn't so sure at first : )

She made an edible Christmas tree. It was so funny to see how precise she wanted to be!

We made a Rudolph banner with her hands and feet!

Our tree all decorated!

She'd wear this dress every day if I let her!

Christmas at Eric's house with mom's side.

Mom made the kids special art tables. E loves hers!

Santa visited!!

Decorating/eating cookies : )

Using the art table!

Christmas Eve!

Nana and many of the grand and great grandkids!

 On the 29th we had a surprise party for Audie since it was his 40th! He also got tickets to Jamboree in the Hills for this summer.  It was fun doing something special for him....of course I didn't tell E until the minute we were doing it because she would have spilled the beans!

Favorite things to say:

-yesterday....... (everything starts with 'yesterday......' even if it just happened : )
-I no like...... (insert any word...mom, dad, cookies.... when she's angry she no like anything!)
-You're my brest friend (For some reason she inserts an R into 'best' but it is the most adorable thing....she throws those little arms around your neck and says 'you're my brest friend, mommy')
-You need a check up?...... (she loves the show Doc McStuffins, which is about a little girl who is a doctor to all the toys. Elizabeth has decided she is a real doctor and will give you a check up. She especially likes to give shots.....)
-You gotta be brave.... (that's for when she's giving the shots)
-Happy lives on Cook Road....(after telling her one what road Rachel lives on she told me a week later 'happy lives on Cook Rd...I live on Stroup Rd'.....She is so good with directions and knowing where we're at when we're driving around....she definitely did not get that from me : )