Addison and Camryn got along famously. When I saw them pull up out front, I let Addie run outside and apparently they had the same idea with Cammie, because the two girls met on the sidewalk and ran into each others' arms. For the next two days, they were inseparable. No squabbles or tear or anything. On the last day, right before they left, there were a couple of tiny squirmishes, but otherwise it was great. Cammie loved to be back here at the house where she lived for two months this summer and she adored Addie's new rooms. Here are the (late) promised pictures, by the way:
Bunk beds
Dress up corner - still working out the logistics of the curtains for the stage area
Ladybugs!
Corner with new dollhouse
Addie's letters, repainted for her big girl room
bow board from Trisha
When Mom and Caiti left, my best friend Kate, husband Ryan, and daughter Emilyn came for New Year's weekend. The girls really wanted to sleep together (in the same bed), so we decided to give it a try since it was a holiday and all. After a good hour of giggling and noises, we realized that it wasn't going to work. Also, we had lots of neighbors who were setting off very loud fireworks right outside the windows, and while the girls weren't scared, it made it very difficult to get to sleep.
Me and Emilyn (she wasn't as thrilled as I was about the picture
Kate, Ryan, Emmy, and baby Abrielle
We made our third annual New Year's Eve Chuckie Cheese expedition, with the family portraits to prove it. Here are last year's pictures. (Scroll down)
Me and Addie
Matt and Ryan
Kate and I had a good time catching up. She is very pregnant with her second little girl, so the trip was tiring for her, but I'm still glad she came. We got mani/pedis and more free chocolate at the mall (Godiva Rewards Club), and played some games and some Rock Band. After our company was gone, we finally got all the Christmas stuff put up and I've started slowly cleaning out stuff from one of the house to the other.
Matt's off hunting this weekend with his dad and brother in law, and today was our first day of MOPS for the semester, which was great for me! Matt is also taking a long trip to India in March with our church to help do some technical work with their mission people there.
Ryan is really growing by leaps and bounds - at least mentally. He went for some shots and he was 24.5 pounds and I forgot how tall, but he's 55% for weight and only 35% for height. He is much more aware of what we say and do, and can follow instructions like, "Go get your shoes" or "Give me your cup!". He says, "Bye DaDa" all the time, On Saturday, I went to a baby shower, and when I came home, Ryan ran into the kitchen and said, "Ma Ma!" twice. That is the first real time he has called me Mama directly. He's said it just a couple of times before, when I would say it and try to get him to repeat it. It just proves I was right all along - he knows how to say it, and he knows who I am, he was just being bad and not saying it!
Matt walked in the kitchen where Ryan was making some funky noises. Matt said, mostly to me, "What are you, a horse?" and he made a neighing sound. Ryan looked up and started clicking his toungue, which is our "sound" for horses and other hoofed animals (like hooves running and clopping). Just another surprise for us, that he listens to us, pays attention, and is smart enough to associate the word "horse" with the noise he made. I remember being amazed when Addie did things like that, and I'm amazed, but this time it's because I have been so much less purposeful in teaching him, and he's showing me how smart he is and how much he can pick up on his own.
He has started babbling a lot more too, and he really needs a haircut. Slowly, slowly he and Addie are starting to play together sometimes. She seems to get a kick out it when he laughs, so she tries to do things that are silly. Ryan is getting a lot more aware of things being taken from him, too, so he puts up a bigger fight which has included some hitting. Addison is so confused with the changes that are continually taking place with her brother.....just when she's figured out how to deal with him, he develops more and keeps her on her toes. I'm trying to be very patient with her, since she doesn't really have much "down time" between Ryan's ever-changing capabilities. They are both big on routines, though, so I think that doing everything together - drinking milk in the morning, eating breakfast, getting dressed, getting in the car, eating lunch, getting down for nap, etc, etc. - is helping both of them adjust and learn what is expected of them.
Ryan's up from his nap, so gotta run
It's Kate!
ReplyDeleteAddison's room looks fantastic! You should be proud of all that hard work