Wordless Wednsday - Her Face

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Moving Baby

Lately I've been feeling out little one move quite a bit. She seems to be on the move, every so ofter during the day but mostly in the evening and especially when I lay down in bed. She is just as active as Kylie was, this may be an indication of things to come.

Last night when Kylie and were laying down in bed she got to feel her sister move. Baby girl was moving so much, she kicked/punched/bumped the same spot 3 times in a row. Kylie said she sure is a busy girl! Kylie was absolutely elated, she had to call Daddy and tell him what just happened! She was talking so fast to Daddy because she was so excited that he could hardly understand her.

She just cannot wait until her little sister is here. While she had her had on my belly she said, "This is just like holding my sister, I'm going to hold her when she is is out of your tummy too!" I had my had on top of hers so I could move it to here baby was moving and she said, 'Were holding her together, we're doing teamwork." All the while beaming from ear to ear.

It was so cute, she feel asleep with her had on my belly waiting for her little sister to move again...so precious.

Relaxing Weekend

This past weekend Kylie and I stayed home and did nothing! That is very unusual because usually I like to take Kylie somewhere to some kind of activity or at the very least go to the store. But on Saturday it was raining and I didn't feel like dealing with the rain and didn't have any real need to even go to the store. So we stayed home, I had a lot of things that needed to get done, the usual - laundry, dishes, normal household cleaning. Kylie was in such a great mood all weekend, I think she needed some down time too! She kept asking me what we were going to do or where we were going and everytime I told her we were staying home she just looked at me so puzzled - she's used to going SOMEWERE on the weekends.

On Sunday we went to church and home. Church service was nice, it's been a long time since Kylie has actually had to sit through the whole Mass. Our church has been doing Liturgy of the Word for Children since last April so she and I go to her Liturgy and then come back right before communion. So she has only had to sit for 15 minutes on either side of Children's Liturgy. She did wonderfully, she was quiet and played with her toys and colored pictures. She knelt when it was time and tried to sing some of the chants, I was so proud of her.

Thanks for the nice weekend Kylie!

3 year old knock knock joke

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Tooty

Tooty who?

Tooty fruity!

This is the joke Kylie made up today, I thought it was quite cute.

Broken Heart

On the way to Vacation Bible School yesterday Kylie and I had a very interesting conversation, it went something like this:

Mommy sometime mean people will break your heart

Your right

And sometimes mean strangers will break your heart too and thats not very nice

No it's not

But Daddy never breaks my heart and you never break my heart

Well that's good because Mommy and Daddy only want you to be happy and we never want to break your heart

When mean strangers break my heart that makes me sad and I don't like to be sad

I don't like when you are sad either

And someday mean boys are going to break my heart and that's beary mean!

Yes it is

And mean girls too!

Yep you are right, but Daddy and Mommy will be there for you when that happens

Thank you Mommy.

Apparently she's been really thinking about this subject and had to get this information off her chest.
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Then this morning when I was taking Kylie to school we had to stop on the road to wait for some geese to cross the road and let me tell you - they were taking there time! Kylie thought it was neat to see all the geese and I told her we had to wait for them so we don't run them over. This is the conversation that followed:

We have to wait so we don't run them over, because that would be mean and we are not mean people

No were not

We are nice to other people and animals

Yeah because that would make them sad and hurt their hearts, you know geese have hearts too

Yes they do

I'm still a little bit sad about the squiral and the turtle that you runned over yesterday (that actually happened in the same day only it was about 3 weeks ago! - what are the chances she'd still remember it)

Yeah that's sad isn't it (said with a slight smirk and chuckle over the fact that she still remembers it)

Why you laughing?

I'm not, I'm smiling

Why you smiling then

Because I love you (I've just been called out by a 3 year old!)

Well that don't make a point!

Ahhh and she's only 3!

5 Months Along Doctors Appt

Today Kylie accompanied me to me and the baby's doctors appt. It was just a belly check, her heartbeat was 144 bpm. What was so funny about the appt was when the Doctor first found her heartbeat it was very loud, just as he was going to tell me her heartbeat rate she moved, then again, and again...she proceeded to 4 times before he finally was able to get her heartbeat rate! I told him that is exactly what she did during the ultrasound. He said that was normal because the intrument they use to get the image (I don't know what it is called) pushes into their territory and they don't like it. But usually the doppler doesn't bother them. I told him she is always moving doesn't seem to take too many breaks, of course that is a good thing that she is so active.

I asked Kylie if she heard the baby's heartbeat and she said "Yeah, but it was a little bit different because she kept moving so much." I think that is so cute how she really listens to the doctors comments. At one point he was asking me if I had any questions and Kylie shook her head no, I guess she thought he was talking to her.

He also said based on the ultrasound that the due date of December 2nd would stay the same. I was really hoping he would move it up and I tried to convince him to do it but he would not budge. He just said "it will stay the same but we'll hope for a November baby, which I kinda think its going to be." I took that to mean he really believes this one will be early too, just like Kylie. I hope I am and getting my hopes up and then it turns out she decides to be late, that would make me crazy especially since Kylie was 3 1/2 weeks early!

Playing Football

This past weekednd we went to visit Nana and Papa. It was Nana's birthday on Saturday (and Auntie Shawna's too!) so we celebrated all of our birthday's and our anniversary together with Nana and Papa. Nana made French Dip Sandwiches for us, they were very good! While we were there Greg and Brandon were playing Football. Kylie decided that football looked like a fun game to play so Daddy asked her if she wanted to play too. She could not miss out in the fun and joined them. They had so much fun, here is a video of her playing football and doing her touchdown dance at the end - too funny!

Ultrasound

Her Spine

Yesterday Greg and Kylie went with me to my Ultrasound appointment. It was just to check size and make sure the baby had all of it's organs it's supposed to have (which it does) and to see what the due date is. Well our due date when we walked in was December 2 and according to the Ultrasound it should be November 26, which is the day before Thanksgiving. I haven't talked to the doctor to see if he is going to change it on my file or not because he said if it was a week or more he would change it, and its barely a week so we'll have to see. We were asked if we wanted to know the sex of the baby when we got there and we told the technician only if she could really tell, if not we were fine with not knowing. I was absolutely convinced that it was a boy, I've had three dreams that said it was! However I am wrong we are expecting another little girl. Kylie is very excited that she is going to have a sister.

Then after the ultrasound was all done she said she wanted a brother too! I told her only one at a time but that maybe if Mommy and Daddy decide to have another baby it would be a baby brother, but she said "I don't want to wait again!"

She was so cute during the ultrasound she just kept watching the monitor. At one point the baby yawned and moved her hand and I told Kylie she was saying "Hi Kylie I Love You" Kylie's eyes sparkled and she grinned from ear to ear.

Saying Hi to Kylie and Daddy!

We are very happy with the outcome, she looks healthy and that is really all we asked for. We really didn't have a preference either way - just healthy. And Greg has called both kids now before we found out, I have been wrong both times!

Playing Games

Last night when Kylie and I were getting ready for bed it started thundering outside. Kylie asked me what the noise was and I told her it was thunder. She asked me what thunder was and I told her it was just Jesus playing games in heaven. This is the exchange between us that followed:

I think Jesus is playing with his friend Mary.

Is Mary is friend or his Mother?

She's his Mom but I think he's playing games with her because sometimes you play games with your Mom.

That thunder sure is loud.

I wish he would just stop playing games because I'm trying to sleep. (this was said just before she fell asleep)

I never heard it thunder again after she made the above statement. When I was telling Greg about what she said, he said "Well at least she knows how to get through!"

The Dentist - A Proud Mommy Moment!!

Today Kylie had a cleaning at the dentist. The last time we went was in November, she sat on my lap and only allowed them to clean one tooth. That's right - only one!

I have been telling her for a couple of days that she would be going to the dentist to get her teeth cleaned and checked. She seemed OK with in, maybe even somewhat excited. So today was the big day, I woke her up this morning and told her she was going to school and then I would pick her up and take her to the dentist and then back to school again. I told her she didn't even have to take a nap (which she was beyond excited about). When she heard the dentist she told me very matter of factly that she was going to sit in the chair like a big girl and I could just wait for her to be done!

And she did exactly what she said she was going to do. She sat in the chair alone, let them count her teeth, use the metal scratching device, brush her teeth with the electric toothbrush, even floss, and put fluoride on them! Then she let the dentist come in at look at her teeth through his funny glasses. I was so proud of Kylie. She was such a trooper. They gave her a prize and she has told everyone that would listen what a big girl she was, she is very proud of herself - and so am I.

Helping Jesus

Today as Kylie and were driving to school this was the conversation we had:

"Mommy, when you die you go to heaven and you get to help Jesus with all of his work."

"Your right"

"Then when all the Mommies, Daddies, Grandpas, Grandmas and the Kylies die they all get to be together again and they are so happpy to see each other!"

"Your not going to die anytime soon are you????"

"No only old people die, and I'm not old."

I guess in her mind since she's only 3 anyone that an adult must be old. I was quite taken aback by this conversation because it seemed like it came from no where. She was just sitting in her booster seat eating muffins and looking out then window. Apparently I was unaware that when she was looking out the window she must have been doing some thinking.

This is Kylie's first legible copy of her writing her name. She has been trying to write it for a while and it as never very legible, we are so proud of her! She has known how to spell it out loud it seems like forever. I believe she was about 2 when she learned how to spell it. I used to sing the song BINGO to her and change the name to KYLIE and it seemed to be really effective.

We are the Winners!!!

At Kylie's preschool they participated in Pizza Hut's Book It program for beginners. We (parents) were supposed to read to our children as often as possible throughout the months of March and April. We recorded the books we read to our children on little cutouts in the shape of the characters from the childrens show Maisy.

Every night Kylie and I read books before we went to bed. I would read the book to her and then she would "read" it back to me with amazing acurateness - even on books she had never heard before!

Well today when I dropped Kylie off, Mrs Cindy told me we were the winners! We read the most books in the 2 months that we participated in the program - a total of 120 books! I didn't realize how many we had read, I just knew it was quite a few. Kylie makes reading books easy because she loves to have them read to her, she will listen to as many as you are willing to read to her. I hope she keeps her love of reading as she grows up.

Fredrick Meijer Gardens

Kylie and I went to the Fredrick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park on Saturday. They had a butterfly exhibt that I knew Kylie would like to see. She has been asking me all winter when she could go see the butterflies again - she saw them at a different exhibit last year and loved it! So when I told her we were going to see the butterflies she was so excited, little did she know it was going to be more than a 10 minute ride like last time. I wished we could have been outside more but it was so windy and cold that it made it somewhat miserable to be outside. Here are some pictures of our time at the park:

One of the many butterflies we got to see. They were in a large terrarium which was set at 85 degrees. I didn't get any pictures but they even had quails running around, they were just too fast for me!

Here is Kylie with the butterfly mascot, "Flutter". I am amazed she let me take this picture, she normally does not like costumes where the face is covered. She was very proud of herself after she took the picture!

This chandalier is even more amazing in person. Kylie even noticed it and thought it was 'cool'!

Kylie standing in front of the sculpture of Leonardi da Vinci's horse. She was amazed at how big the horse was!

The story about the sculputre.

She thought the gate to the childrens gardens was so neat, it was just her size.

She is looking at butterfly wings. They had a childrens activity center which had a sorts of different activities that they could try relating to the butterfly since that was the theme at the time. Everytime I see this picture I think she looks like she is older than 3!

She loves puppets!

More buildings in the childrens section of the gardens. They had lots of activites for outside and I feel bad she didn't get to do very many of them since it was so cold. But we are planning on going back when it is warmer.

A sampling of the exotic plants that were in the butterfly exhibit. By the way did you know a butterfly only lives for 2 weeks! I had know idea, I thought they lived longer than that.

April is Autism Awareness Month!

My family and I have been personally affected by this disease, my brother is affected by it. There is a lot of information about this disease at the following sites. I would encourage everyone to educate themselves about this disease so we can all be empowered. Knowledge is power.

Autism Society of America (ASA)
http://www.autism-society.org/

Autism Speaks
http://www.autismspeaks.org/

AutismLink
http://www.autismlink.com/

Autism Awareness Puzzle and Ribbon Clip Art
http://www.designbycher.com/autism_art.htm

ABA Resources for Recovery from Autism/PDD/Hyperlexia
http://http://rsaffran.tripod.com/aba.html

Guidelines: Identifying, Serving, and Educating Children and Youth with Autism
http://http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/speced/guide/autism.pdf

Mark Leland's Missing Pieces, a song for Autism
http://www.96seconds.com/frinkfest.html

The Charity Guide
http://www.charity-charities.org/

North Dakota Autism Center, Inc.
http://ndautismcenter.org/

Daddy you are Soooo wrong

Converstation between Daddy and Kylie:

Daddy yesterday you were sooo silly

Why was I so silly yesterday?

Because you said bees live in a nest but they don't, they live in a hive. You are soooo wrong!

The story behind the conversation is that two weeks ago we were in the backyard and heard a very loud bumble bee. Greg looked up and said that there must a big nest up near the roof somewhere. The fact that she thought about that for two weeks amazes me because we didn't even know she was paying attention - she was busy playing when he said it.

Wordless Wednesday - Playing at the Park

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Due Date

Well I went for my first appointment since finding out that we are expecting a new baby. Our official due date is December 2, 2008! We are so excited for this baby.

Kylie keeps saying there is a brother and a sister in Mommy's tummy. I hope her ESP is not working this time, this is one of those times I hope she is wrong. Twins are nice, but I just think we would be better with just one at a time. Almost everyday she asks if "the babies" are done yet and how big "they" are now? Notice all the plurals she has in her sentences....scary.

Anyway that is all the update I have for now. I'm so thankful that I really haven't been that sick, a couple of days but nothing to complain about that's for sure!

Enjoying Spring

Kylie was so excited to wear her skirt outside. She is posing for a picture for Daddy. She absolutely would wear a dress or skirt everyday if I would let her. Shew

Thinking about which flower she should pick next! As soon as the flower blooms, she is picking it.

Modeling her very cute skirt. She told Daddy when she was putting on "Now I'm going to be beautiful" And of course we agree with her!

Autism Awareness Video

Very moving video, with a lot of Autism facts.