Should I be concerned...

...that she ran over her baby doll with a huge smile on her face?

This really happened...

Seriously, what would I do without these guys? They let me dress them up in Christmas pajamas and then go for a drive around to look at Christmas lights. Asher was more excited for the promise of ice cream afterward than the actual lights. I think he figures "seen one set of lights, seen them all." Sienna was just irritated with her outfit period. Ah, the stuff of memories.

Sienna's face pretty much sums up her feelings on red polka dots

My hero, the man who is willing to wear santa pajamas for his wife's happiness

Sienna is One!

Dear Sienna,

Our sweet baby girl is growing up too quickly. How did the past year fly by so fast? It feels like yesterday that we were waiting impatiently for you to make your arrival. You were born on a gorgeous sunny day (well, it was night by the time you decided to get the show on the road), and you picked a beautiful week to make your entrance.

The past year with you in our lives has been far beyond anything we could have hoped, dreamed, or imagined for. You have brought us so much joy, laughter, and love. We never in a million years could have expected how perfect you would make our world.

You amaze us with your sense of humor, your determination, your desire to talk and say the right words for things. You and your brother are truly best friends and witnessing that friendship develop has been one of the most exciting parts of the past year. You love to wrestle with him and one of your favorite games is to take his Baby Beluga stuffed animal (you call it Guga!) and give it a big hug and then hand it back to him. You two repeat this game over and over and it's so fun to watch.

You are so determined to dress yourself- anytime you come across an item of clothing you will sit for minutes with it and try and try to put it on yourself. You love to put hats on yourself and others. You also love being in the water. You put your face in the water unprompted a lot and you can't get enough of splashing.

One of your favorite activities and one of our favorites to watch is dancing. You dance dance dance and it's truly so adorable. Your daddy and I just laugh and smile at you when you shake it to music!

Sienna, being your mother is such a privilege and a gift to me. I take my role so seriously and I want to do everything I can to ensure you grow up knowing how loved you are for being you and that you always feel encouraged and built up by our words and actions towards you.

I love you, sweet Cece. God bless you now and always!
Love,
Mommy

Halloween2013: The farmer and his piglet

Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE to dress up kids in costumes. I think it's hilarious to see a baby dressed up as an animal or as a lobster in a pot- you name it, I think it's all so cute and funny! I've always had more than one costume for my kids every Halloween- I have a problem. My name is Katie and I'm a kids' costume-aholic.

This year, for their main costumes, Asher was a farmer and Sienna was a piglet. Some people who will not be named on this blog (MOTHER) thought that dressing Sienna as a pig was mean! Excuse me for thinking a little squishy baby dressed as a pig is one of the cutest things on God's green earth. Who doesn't love a baby pig? It's un-American if you don't.

We went to Daddy's office for their Halloween luncheon and then after dinner put the costumes on yet again and went trick or treating to my aunt and uncle's house and our good family friends the Daste's house as has become tradition. Then it was home and to bed. Thankfully we only get like three groups of trick or treaters so Jeremy and I didn't have to share any of our candy.

Nothing cuter than a two year old saying "twick or tweat," except equally cute maybe is a baby dressed up as a piglet...

Happy Birthday to my guy!

Happy birthday to the L of my L, my best friend, my ying to my yang, my guy, my most incredible man- Jeremy. This day will always be special to me. I'm forever grateful for September 13th and for you! You are the most incredible husband, father, and best friend. I love spending time with you working, playing, and most of all laughing. 

I'm praying this year is truly your best yet. I love you always!

 

Overheard

I was trying to get the kids out the door and Asher started whining and fussing about doing a puzzle. 

Me: Asher, it hurts my heart when you don't listen to me the first time I ask you to do something. 

Asher: (looks up at me without a hint of remorse) Well you better go to the doctor. Get your heart fixed. (Goes back to playing with the puzzle.)

Late Summer Happenings

We've been having lots of fun as of late just goofing off around the house and at local spots. Things are just getting more and more fun as Sienna gets more and more mobile and interactive with Asher. Sienna is so determined and I am constantly amazed at how quickly she learns things. This week I realized I hadn't really shown her how to wave. I showed her a few times and watched her study me. Within two days she was actively waving at people we come across. It's the sweetest thing to see- my little peanut sure likes to greet people with a wave. I am especially loving how into pretend Asher is now. He'll come to me and say, "Mommy, I want to play birthday party with you" or "Mommy, I want to play train conductor with you." For a former kid who loved to pretend play, this is like the ultimate dream and is total music to my ears.

Dressing up like Daddy

Loving this kitty sippy cup

Trying out a new biscuit- a huge breakthrough for Sienna!

Uh-oh, standing in her crib!

Playing fire fighter- "I put out fire and save kitty cat."

Practicing her wave!

Cuddling in the morning

All aboard!

Noah's Ark day- we read, reenacted, and watched Noah's Ark

Pulling herself up and cruising around

Firsts: Asher Goes to Preschool

Asher's first week of preschool has come and go. I know it's only preschool and even more so it's only two days a week for two and a half hours, but my word was it ever a challenge to leave him there. After the first day I wanted to give up and never go back. Don't tell my precious son this, but his crying really works. It makes me want to give in to his tears and pick him up and run out of the school and promise him I'll never make him try anything new and scary again. Instead I put a smile on my face and tell him I love him so much and that he is going to have so much fun playing with his friends and that I'll pick him up after snack time. I hug him and hand him to his teacher and then I walk away and do my best not to turn back and rip him out of his teacher's arms where I hear him crying "I want my mommy." And then I duck into the bathroom with Sienna on my hip and go into a stall, wipe some tears out of my eyes, take a deep breath and walk out into the world waiting for 11:45am so I can go and pick him up. Preschool drop off is going to give me PTSD I swear it.

Today when I went to pick him and saw him smiling and chatting away with his teacher and his friends I knew that preschool this year was the right decision for him. When we were walking to the car and he told me three times in a five minute span "I have fun at my preschool" I felt myself relax and get excited for next week. Later when I asked him what his friends' names were and he told me "Becca. Her beautiful" I started to panic again. I love this little boy so much and I'm excited for many more "firsts" to come.

Determined and Persistent

Sienna has zero interest in baby toys. ZERO. We don't even bother trying to get her to play with them anymore. She has exactly one baby toy she enjoys, but even with that toy I sometimes feel like she's playing with it to placate me.

Sienna is all about her brother's toys. She will push large obstacles out of the way to get to her brother's toys. I've seen her pick up toys blocking her way and throw them aside so that she can grab something of Asher's that she sets her sights on. This girl is determined.

Yesterday I watched her get incensed when Asher was playing with a mixer truck that she felt should be hers. He was trying to share, but that wasn't enough. She wanted it all to herself. It's so fun to watch her develop into her own person. I love how determined and persistent she is (although I know these qualities will also give me gray hair).

Hey, I want to play with that

She tries to push him out of the way with her shoulder

Pure determination

Park City - Summer 2013

I know, I know. I'm terrible at updating this blog...

Our entire family went on a week long cruise to Alaska and we were left behind. The reservation was so quiet without the rest of the tribe, so we decided to leave town and head to Park City, Utah to visit our old home and friends there for a few days.

We had a wonderful time there and it was so much fun to be able to see Asher enjoy the beautiful mountain towns along the Wasatch and in the Uintas. Sienna seemed to enjoy it all as well and she did such an excellent time keeping up with the family as we were on the go the entire time we were there.

Before we left for Utah we had talked to Asher about how we would go on a hike, go swimming, and go in the hot tub (his favorite old man activity) while in Utah. He was really excited and in the days leading up to the trip he kept talking about "taking a hike like Oscar the Grouch" (this kid was definitely in need of some time in the real outdoors!) and going in the hot tub. After we landed in Salt Lake we drove up to Park City and our first stop was at the grocery store to pick up some food and diapers. As I put Asher into the shopping cart in the entry to the store, he looked around and started to declare "I want to go to other Utah." He said this a few times and looked extremely unimpressed- I mean the kid was told there would be hot tubs in Utah and this just looked like the grocery store back home! As he was whining about the "other Utah," two old men walked into the store and heard Asher's complaints. They started chuckling and one of them walked over to Asher and said "buddy, this is a pretty good Utah, I don't think you'll like the "other Utah. It doesn't get much better than Park City." We agreed and laughed.

We had such a great time and I especially loved seeing our friends, the Lossers. They are such special people and we always have so much fun talking and laughing when we see them.

 Reading on the flight down

Sienna tired and ready to sleep on the plane

Sienna and Asher sitting calmly with Daddy

Sienna and Asher sitting semi-calmly with Mommy

Sienna and Asher sitting not so calmly with Mommy

Riding the Red Pine Gondola up the Canyons

Siblings love on the gondola

Daddy and Sienna have a chat on the gondola

Mommy and Asher sweaty and caked in dirt after our "hike"

Asher and Daddy in the Uintas

Asher and his walking stick in the Uintas

Asher and Daddy at Lake Fehr

Sienna happy to not be hiking anymore

Our dear friends' kids Berkley and Preston with Asher

Asher and Preston

Asher reading on the flight home

The gorgeous Uinta National Forest

Lake Fehr in the Uintas