Annika is eight!

(Excuse the poor quality, this is a picture of a picture)

It is amazing to me that this child who was once a chubby-cheeked baby, content to sit and observe everything around her is now old enough to:

Write poetry
Teach herself guitar
Draw the most detailed pictures
Read thick books
Ride a bike
Hit a baseball...far
Play card games
Sing every song that comes on the radio
Pick out some very fashion forward outfits
Have definite opinions on everything
Play soccer
Create almost anything with paper, tape, scissors and crayons
Crochet
Appreciate humor
Multiply and divide
Play a mean game of ping pong

Here are some of Annika's favorite things:

Food- corn on the cob, hard-boiled eggs, carrots, salad, celery, yogurt, fruit, strawberry cheesecake ice cream, tacos, chicken, cheesecake

Movie- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Song- Bounce...Jonas Brothers

Playing games- Go to the Head of the Class, Payday, Clue

Writing songs and poems

Art- drawing, using her new oil pastels

She loves sports- any kind, except for swimming

Skipping

Hand clapping to Say Say oh Playmate

Hats- fedoras, baseball caps...any kind of hats

Just another Sunday morning

In retrospect, I probably should have been concerned when I saw Ian holding the phone and giggling, saying "That sounded like the police!" I thought he had just pushed the page button, which could sound like a siren to a five year old. A minute later, the phone ring and I answered it. It was 911 wanting to know what my emergency was. I explained to them that my son dialed it and I was very sorry. The dispatcher told me they would have to send someone out anyway. So we sat and waited for the police, Ian growing more wide-eyed and worried by the minute.
"I think I'll go up to my room," he suggested nervously.
I told him no way was he pulling a disappearing act. If I had to sit around waiting for the police, he did too. Eventually they showed up. The police officer didn't even come in. He just came in the yard and I told him what had happened. He was very nice about it. I almost wish he would have had put a little scare in Ian though. I did my best, we had a serious talk about wasting the police's time as well as the dispatchers. Hopefully it sunk in, because I assured him that if it happened again, the police were not going to be as forgiving.

Ian says:

I kept trying to come sleep with you in your bed last night but Daddy didn't want me to. He just wants to sleep in the bed without me there, so he can snore at you.

Sleeping boy

I told you Ian has been having a rough time lately? He normally acts better around other people, but over the last week he has thrown fits in front of grandparents, the school office personnel and Toddie and Sue Ann. It has been a humbling week for me to say the least. However, today was an awesome day. Ian got up and got ready for school with only a little bit of grumbling. The rest of the day he was sweet and did everything I asked of him. So, I told him he could stay up a little bit later than normal tonight. He decided he wanted to watch a tv show so I left him in the living room and went off to do some other things. When I came back I found this:




Then a few minutes later:


So sweet. I love that boy, even when he is a little stubborn.:)

Tattling

Sunday night I was busy working on a paper so Karl was kind enough to put the kids to bed for me. Elizabeth was not too happy with her daddy telling her it was bedtime. As he tried to get her ready I heard her run away and in a sing-song voice she informed Karl "I'm telling Mooooooommmmmy!"

Another poem by Annika

The Poem

This is the poem that you may have heard before
When you hear it you're dancing
And when you're singing, you're prancing
And they all come along to ...
The poem.

The End of the Sidewalk. A poem by Annika

I was with my friends
We were playing ball
When the ball flew in the air
It fell off a cliff...
And it was the end of the sidewalk.

Happy Birthday Ian!

Ian is five years old today. I really can't believe it. I say that every time he has a birthday don't I?

Here are some random tidbits about Ian at age five:
-He loves Mickey Mouse and superheroes
-He doesn't want to get married because he "doesn't want to have to work," When asked where he would live, he says the North Pole
-He likes to draw. He also likes to use tape, paper and scissors to make robots
-He never ever wants to go to school, but always says he had a good time when I pick him up
-He loves his cowboy boots
-He likes to play school with Alex
-His favorite meal is tacos
-He likes to help cook, but
-Does NOT like to help clean
-He will not sleep in his bed. He prefers the couch, and right now that is not a battle we feel is worth fighting. :)
-When he gets tired he still slurps those fingers but now since his blanket has been lost, he also twirls his hair with the other hand. (He used to rub the satin binding of his blanket.)
Ian is stubborn, determined, smart, funny and very affectionate. He is such a little character and he has the best laugh. We love him and are very proud of him.

A history lesson from Ian

I know that Abraham Lincoln die-ded. Some people gave him shots and it made him die. He made dollars with his face on them. He has a beard on except a tall hat.

A big girl bed, a night out, and a cranky boy

Potty trained and now in a big girl bed? How did that baby get so big? We have used the same crib for all four kids, and it just recently broke on one side. It was still usable, but Elizabeth could climb out of it. I would put her down for a nap and minutes later she would come prancing out of her room saying "Good mowning Mommy!" in such a chipper voice it made me sad to have to put her back to bed. So we figured it was time to get her in a big bed. It is interesting, though, that there are some areas of parenthood I have completely blocked out. I have no memory of moving the other kids from a crib to a regular bed, and how we kept them in bed. I mean, did Ian really just stay put in bed when he was two? I wish I could remember how the other kids did, and what tricks I used to get them adjusted to the new bed. Anyway, yesterday I tried to put her down for a nap and she was having none of it. So I put her in bed with me and sang to her until she fell asleep. Tonight went better though, she went right to sleep. We will see if she stays in bed all night.

Karl and I enjoyed a night out last night. We went out to eat- Mexican food- my first 'real' meal (and by real I mean fattening) in quite a while. It was so yummy, I forgot all about healthy eating for the night. It was a pretty busy weekend so not only did I eat things I don't normally, I also didn't get a chance to work out. I am looking forward to getting back to it tomorrow. I am half way through my 5K training. Yay! (Just don't ask me how I am doing on my other goals.)

Poor Ian has had a rough couple of days. He has had some trouble obeying and then gets very, very upset when he is reprimanded. It is strange how these phases work with him. Typically, we will have a period of a few days where he has an awful time, and then he is okay for a month or two. Then it starts all over again. Usually, he throws these fits at home, but this time he has been doing it in front of other people, which is a little embarrassing. I need to do some more reading on some tactics to help him when he gets so upset. Right now I am just holding him tight until he calms down, and then discussing his actions once he is able to listen. I really need to get some more ideas though.

So that has been our weekend. We also got to visit with Karl's parents today which was fun (except that Ian had a hard time behaving.) Tomorrow...back to our normal routine- school, activities, appointments, etc. etc.

You can't please everyone...and sometimes you can't please anyone

Ian did not want to go to preschool. I had to drag him in, crying and screaming. You have to enter the school through the office, and while I tried to get him to stand up, quit yelling and head to class, Elizabeth sat down in a chair and began quietly looking at books. A teacher who had happened by the office saw Ian and whisked him off to class mid- fit, for which I was extremely grateful. I turned to Elizabeth and told her it was time to go. She crumpled to the floor in a heap, yelling and sobbing that she didn't want to leave. Trying not to make eye contact with the secretary who had witnessed both fits, I scooped up my flailing, screaming two year old and high-tailed it out of there.

Ignore this, just keeping track of illnesses

Ian-croup (breathing treatment and steroid shot)

A poem by Annika

Valentine's Day

1,2,3 valentines 5,6,7 valentines.
Come and see how many chocolates and valentines you get.
If you don't get as much remember next year you'll have a happy heart.
And your parents are the ones who love you.

Still gunning for that mother of the year award

Guess who made Rice Krispie treats for her daughter's Valentine's party, completely forgetting that said daughter recently got braces and won't be able to eat any of them?

He wants Wii Resort. Hey, did you know he wants Wii Resort?

Ian: Mommy, can I have Wii Resort

Me: Maybe for your birthday.


10 minutes later


Ian: Mommy, can I have Wii Resort?

Me: Maybe for your birthday.


5 minutes later


Ian:What is that game for Wii that I like?

Me: Wii Resort?

Ian: Yeah, I want that for my birthday.

Me: Okay


7 minutes later


Ian: I want Wii Resort for my birthday.

Me: Yes, I know. You have already told me that several times.

Ian: Oh. Well, will you keep remembering it?

Me: Yes.

Ian: Okay then.


I have actually left out about five conversations that went exactly the same as the ones above. I got tired of typing the words. I was starting to get a little tired of listening to the words too by the end of things.

Adventures in shoplifting shopping

Today Ian and Elizabeth and I went to the mall. We got Elizabeth's hair trimmed and then headed to Claire's for some ponytail holders. We were ready to leave and walked to the opposite side of the mall where I had parked. I was putting Elizabeth's coat on her when I noticed that tucked beside her in the stroller was some merchandise we did NOT purchase. She had snatched a purse with birthstone rings and a coinpurse decorated with skulls and crossbones. I paused for a moment, wishing there was any way I could avoid walking back across the mall with a poky four year old who had tired feet. But no, back we went and I made sure to keep Elizabeth out of arm's reach of anything glittery or sparkly long enough to return the stolen items.

Sadly, this is not Elizabeth's first foray into thievery. Last month she swiped three bottles of styling product from Walmart's hair salon. One of which we didn't discover until we were out in the parking lot and had to turn around and bring it back in. That one I could kind of understand though. Have you seen poor baby's wispy hair? Half the time it is hanging in her eyes and she walks around trying to peer out from under it. Clearly swiping hair product was a cry for help. But a skull and crossbones coin purse? Really?

Tip of the day from Annika

If someone else is doing something not good, don't go over and get in their beeswax, or you will get in trouble too.

Getting caught eating the forbidden fruit

I totally stole this picture and caption from my mom, but it was too cute not to share. Take a close look at that apple in the basket.

Mr. Difficult

Remember that jacket I bought Ian that he hated? Now he loves it so much he refuses to take it off so I can wash it. Sigh. And he thinks the jacket is a substitute for a winter coat. He gets upset when I suggest otherwise. Also? He does not want to go to school anymore. According to Ian, school is too bossy. So many mornings are spent with me trying to wrangle him into clothes while he cries and yells about how much he hates school. But this is funny- he got his report card from preschool yesterday and got high marks on 'follows directions', 'listens well' and 'gets along with others.' Go figure.

It just doesn't seem right!

How did my "baby" get so big?