Halloween (hey, I am only 14 days behind this time)

OK... I guess I need to get the Halloween pictures posted before I put up the Christmas tree. No?

Since Halloween was on Saturday this year we got to enjoy a full day of celebrating. They had scary food for all 3 meals, watched scary cartoons, and did scary drawings to decorate the house. Then, of course, headed out for trick or treat with Jim and the neighbors.

Charlotte and I stayed home and handed out candy to about 250 kids. After trick or treat was over we went next door for a little party. I wish Halloween was on the weekend every year. It is so much better than when we have to rush home from work and school and head right out the door.

Madeline was a witch, Amelia was a mermaid** and Charlotte was a little monster.
This picture was taken in our neighbor's yard. Needless to say, they go all out for Halloween.

Charlotte helped hand out candy from her highchair. She didn't seem nearly as afraid of our neighbor, the vampire Todd, as some of the older neighborhood kids.

Madeline let me spray her hair blue for trick or treat. You should have seen the bathtub that night, ugh disgusting.

Our little mermaid.

Charlotte with our neighbor Jen.

5 little pumpkins we collected from various pre-Halloween outings. The girls drew the faces they wanted on paper and I was in charge of carving. I was also in charge of roasting the seeds and we had enough to do two batches, one salty and one cinnamon sugar.

I think Charlotte is going to be my brave child. The older girls wouldn't even get close to this open grave.

** Due to the heavy rain all day, which stopped just in time to trick or treat, the girls wore their rain boots all evening. This made for one very interesting looking mermaid.

Charlotte is One (plus 35 days)

Happy Birthday 1st Charlotte!!

OK I am 35 days late getting these first cake pictures up on the blog. But sweet baby girl, don't think for one second that your first birthday meant anything less to me. I may not have time to post on this blog as often, but I have been snapping pictures of you nearly every day. I compose posts in my head, all about you, but I am usually laying down to go to sleep at the same time.

Charlotte, you are an amazing little person. This past year has been so joyful and you have been such a huge part of that. You are very rarely grumpy for longer than a minute. Your sisters both think that you are so special they have put you on a pedestal. You light up when any of us enters the room and it always brings a smile to our faces. You are chubby and cuddly and very ticklish. You giggle and cackle and double over when you laugh. You bounce off the sides of your crib like a ping pong ball when we come to get you out of bed. You nap without a fight and you smile and go straight to bed when I tell you it is time.

I love our time alone when the girls are in school. You seem to enjoy the calm time too. You like to go out and just sit on the front porch with me and just watch the cars drive by.

You have started to communicate with us in gestures and sounds yet you insist on calling me Dada. Of course you do it with a big grin so I am pretty sure you think it is funny. You can point out all of your body parts and you love showing me your feet.

Every night before I go to bed I tuck in your sisters. You always wake up and stand up for one last hug and cuddle. Then in one second flat you are back asleep. I am pretty sure you don't even know you are doing it, but I sure hope you never stop because it is the perfect way to end my day.

I love you Charlotte Rose. Thank you for adding all your special touches to my life.

Yes, it is every birthday girl's dream lunch, celery and peas.

Here you are with your pretty, pink cake. You didn't act like your sisters. They barely touched their first birthday cake. You really enjoyed the icing.

PRESCHOOL!!

Amelia had her first day of preschool today. Needless to say she was just a tad excited to get there and enjoy her day. She relived every tiny experience for me when she got home and it sounded like it exceeded her expectations.

Amelia will have the same teacher as Madeline had for preschool. She even got to see her sister while she was at lunch today. Even though they are in different buildings for most of the day it is nice that they will unexpectedly run into each other.

It tickled me all day as I imagined how her day was progressing. I can picture her telling her teachers all her silly little stories and stopping them mid project to sing and do ballet for them. She has such an affectionate personality that you can just be standing beside her and next thing you know it she is sitting in your lap, holding your hand and playing with your hair. Before I left her alone today she had already announced to the teacher's aide that she was the "Orange Juice Queen" and when she got home today she told me that during stations she dressed up like a fancy lady.

I love that my children love school. I think these first years will really shape their future outlook on education. I am so thankful we have such a wonderful school and excellent teachers for our children to grow and learn from.

Day 002 - Wahooooo!, originally uploaded by Crystal D 365.

Little Bunny Amelia...

This morning Amelia was singing to herself...

"Little bunny Foo Foo

Hopping through the forest

Scooping up the POOP

And bopping them on the head

And here came a Good Fairy...

Little bunny Foo Foo

Hopping through the forest

Scooping up the POOP

And bopping them on the head

And here came a Good Fairy."

I asked her were she learned that song. She said Madeline taught it to her. I asked if maybe she heard the song wrong. She said No.

Of course I couldn't remember the words to Little Bunny Foo Foo so I looked it up on Wikipedia. Now she is singing the correct version. (Well at least half of the time she sings the right version.)

"Little bunny Foo Foo

Hopping through the forest

Scooping up the field mice

And bopping them on the head

Down came the Good Fairy, and she said

"Little bunny Foo Foo

I don't want to see you

Scooping up the field mice

And bopping them on the head."

Madeline aka "Grader"

Day -006, originally uploaded by Crystal D 365.

Here she is, our very own "Grader" (as she calls herself.) This morning Madeline started 1st grade and she was thrilled.

I started my 365 days of posting a little early on Flickr. The official start is September 1st so today is -6. I guess I'll give myself a few practice days before the grand opening. Wish me luck!

Here she is on the first day of Kindergarten and here she is on the first day of Pre-School.

It is her fault...

See this...

...you can blame it on her that I never have time to post on my blog. Because you see, when she isn't screaming and yelling she is doing this...


...and when she is doing that, I just have to pick her up and cuddle her. She give the best hugs any baby has ever given. Those two little arms wrap around my neck and I turn to mush. It barely matters that she still REFUSES to say Mama.

Madeline starts school in just two weeks then Amelia starts the week after. Then it will be just me and the baby, at home alone, for the better part of the day. I really hope to get back to more regular blogging at that point. I am also thinking about taking up a 365 day photo challenge starting September 1st.

Dolphin Tour - Vacation 09 Part 2

During our vacation at Kitty Hawk we could see the dolphins swimming by, very close to shore. We would be playing on the beach and the next thing you knew everyone would be looking and pointing a few yards out in the water and there would be a dolphin pod. This happened a few times the week we were there.

One overcast, too cool for the beach day we decided to go on a boat tour to get a better look at them. My sister-in-law found Nags Head Dolphin Watch, which is a research backed tour. I was just hoping for a nice relaxing boat ride with at least one sighting. Wow, did they exceed my expectations. We saw about 30 different dolphins separated in quite a few different pods. There were even babies with their mothers and nannies. (Yes every baby gets a nanny dolphin! How lucky are those Mommas?)

We would spot them from a distance, go somewhat near the group and then they would just swim right over to us. I was shocked how social they were. They would just hang out around the boat for a little while and then swim away. Then we would head to another spot in the sound and a few minutes later we would see another pod.

Our tour guides were excellent. They answered every question we had and you could tell that they really enjoyed their job. If you are ever in the Outer Banks I highly recommend this company and their tour.


Here is another tour boat just like the one we were on. They talked to each other, sharing information on where the dolphins were hanging out.

This is one of our tour guides, Ashley, letting the kids help her gather research data. The girls were very smitten with her. Amelia told her "I love you," and asked her about the ring on her tongue. Ha! Plus she held our fussy, fussy baby for a little while so Jim could get a look at the dolphins.

Here are a few shots of the family out on the boat...

I took over 1000 pictures of the dolphins and here are a few of the best ones...

Just as we pulled into the dock we saw this guy waiting for us...

Where to begin??

Do you know what the problem with taking 2000 pictures on vacation could be?

Yep, not knowing what to do with all of them... not having the time to edit them... and getting them up on the blog in any sort of timely manner.

I am going to do this in multiple posts and I am doing very little, if any, editing on them. (OK, I am letting Photoshop do the "editing" for me with some nifty automated resizing/autofix application.)

But you guys are forgiving me for that, right?

Here are a few to get us started...

Summer Fun

Memorable Weekend

Memorial weekend happens to be my anniversary and it usually means Jim and I try to get away together to have a nice dinner and a little time alone. This year we were planning on traveling to my mother-in-law's house, spending a little time there and attending my nieces' birthday party, (Happy Birthday Zoe and Raegan!!) and then leaving the kids behind for an evening to ourselves.

On Saturday morning before we left home, I noticed that Charlotte had a little drainage coming from her ear. I figured it was a one time thing since she was not at all sick or fussy. But after the short trip to my MIL's house there was more goo coming from her ear so we made a quick trip to the ER. They said she had a middle ear infection and it had ruptured her eardrum. She had no fever, no runny nose, no sneezing, no sign that anything at all was wrong beside the goo. Actually, she was just as pleasant as could be, cooing, laughing and slightly more attached to Mama than usual. We filled her prescription and went on our way.

Sunday was the birthday party. Check this out...


It was at an indoor mini-golf place where everything was dark and fluorescent. The girls had a blast and enjoyed spending time with all the kids and family.

That evening we left for our special anniversary plan... with one little addition. We couldn't leave Charlotte. I know she would have been fine. But it turns out we are no less nervous Nellies with our third child than our first.

She joined us for Ethiopian food for dinner and then out for dessert after that. She was all giggles and smiles the entire time. It was the first alone time she has had with both of her parents in a long time (probably since we came home from the hospital.)

The next morning she rolled around on the big hotel bed and played in the pillows. I ask you, does this look like a girl with a ruptured eardrum and infection?



Today I took her to our pediatrician's office. They said it is still a mess in her ear and switched her medicine. The doctor said it is very unusual for this kind of infection to come without a cold or any other sickness. We don't have much experience with ear infections. Amelia had one once, but it cleared without any medicine, just some drops for pain. I hope we get this knocked out quickly and it never returns and I am very thankful that she is not bothered by it at all.

Super Villain

Jim taught the baby to laugh like a super villain. This isn't her best laugh, but you get the point.
Happy 8 months Charlotte!!

The A-word

So the conversation went something like this...

Kindergarten Boy: Hey Madeline, I am the A word.
Madeline: You mean aphid?

Spring Day

This past weekend we spent a lot of time outdoors. The yard was mowed, the hostas were split and new mulch was laid. It was the perfect weather to get some work done without getting hot.

Madeline and Amelia wandered between our backyard and the neighbors yard. I think it is going to be really nice this summer because they are both big enough to do most things on their own. There should not be nearly as much whining for me to push them on the swing. Plus the yelling for rescuing from the top of the slide should also be put to rest.

Charlotte rolled around on a blanket and discovered the grass. She had a little reaction to all of the allergens from the mowing and mulch, not to mention all of the pollen from the blooming trees and flowers. Still, I think she enjoyed being outside as much as the rest of the family.

Here is a short video of Charlotte on her 7 month birthday... enjoy...



(Thank you to the always classy OHmommy for the tip about Animoto)

HAPPY EASTER!

Something I said...

The conversation went like this...

Scene: Madeline, Amelia, Charlotte, Crystal - all sitting in the living room, with Amelia and Charlotte cooing and giggling.

Madeline: Mom, the baby doesn't like me very much.

Mom: Well honey, it isn't that she doesn't like you, it is just that Amelia spends a lot of time with her during the day and she and Charlotte just really like each other.

Madeline: Oh

Mom: But this summer when you are out of school you will have more time to spend with her and then she will like you better.

Amelia: Booooohoooooohoooooooo (breaks out into sobs and tears)

Mom: silent

Madeline: Mom, uh was it something you SAID?

Mom: Amelia, what in the world is wrong?

Amelia: (between sobs) You said she would like Madeline better.

Mom: Oh sweetie, I don't mean she would like Madeline better than you, just better than she likes Madeline does now.*

Note to self: should have used the words more than she does now instead of better

*oops