Preview

I've been getting things ready for our Valentine's Day party tomorrow. At last count, there were twenty-two children invited and approximately ten Moms and/or Nannies. We've lost three kids and two Moms due to illness...bronchitis and ear infections. Good times. Here's hoping the rest of us can remain sick-o-less and that we all manage to fit into the house at once!

We will be having snacks (thanks everyone for contributing!) so that we can ruin everyone's dinner (not the goal, but somewhat inevitable methinks), games so as to use up all of the "energies" garnered from sugar, and crafts to calm everyone down again. Not that we'll be doing things in that order, but you get the picture.

Or do you?

Let's see:

Conversation Heart Decor - Cause we're Classy.

70's Throwback Decor - complete with 'Hearts by E'

Mmmmm - Energies

Craft Idea Decor - Because it Takes Too Much Time to Think of Your Own

a.k.a. We Don't Want to Foster Creativity Up in This Place

Welcome to the Post Office (pochta in Russian)

Not shown: games such as the Heart Hop Relay, Valentine Day Bingo, St. Valentine Says, Take This Heart Singing Game (of course I had to...I was a music teacher in my previous life) and more (you know, 'cause it always takes way less time to do things you think will take forever...and it always takes forever to do things you think will only take a few minutes).

I hope this is a success...if so, I already have ideas for April Fool's Day.

If tomorrow wears me out we can all forget that I said that...

Trying so very hard.

Someone has been working very hard lately.

She's definitely got the right idea.

So far she just can't quite get it.

With a little assistance she can reach her goal.

Holy smokes is it a shock-er-ooo.

And did I mention super fun to boot?

Talking, talking, talking

I've had everyone and their Momma asking for more photos.  Oh, and one person in particular who ordered me (yes, ordered) to post more photos.

Sheesh!  The nerve of some people!  ;-)

SO.

Here are some more photos of Miss Charlotte for your viewing pleasure.

Here she is getting ready to talk.  She gets all smiley and grins and then sticks her tongue out a bunch like she's gotta warm it up or something before she gets into the difficult task of talking.  Then, oh then, she starts talking to you.  No coo-ing or baby-talking from this one.  Nope.  Sometimes she's kinda quiet and makes a few ooohs and aaahhs, but mostly she is just very definitively talk.ing.

This would be the super-concentrating-on-getting-my-point-across face.  She makes it frequently.  As in all day when she talks to you.  Which is, in fact, all day long.  I never thought a child could talk more than Elena.  I am so incredibly wrong and we are in so much trouble.  So.  Much.  Trouble.

As an example:  I went to bible study this week and we are watching lessons given by a man.  Charlotte loves to hear men talk as most babies do.  Therefore, for the entire video, she talked right back to him.  I'm not talking the occasional sound or anything gentle or quiet.  Nope.  This was purposeful and loud.  It was all any of us could do to watch and listen to the man and not get all distracted by Charlie.  Not to mention that I was debating clamping my hand over her mouth in order to dampen the sound so that I could hear what he was saying.   Gripped by the Greatness of God, indeed.  Man, was she gripped!

In addition to talking more and much sooner than her sister, she is also using her hands in a much more purposeful and controlled manner much earlier than Elena.  Recently she began batting her toys back and forth on the play mat and then right after that she was grabbing them and putting them in her mouth. Her hands are her best friend and those feet, if only they were closer, she'd be grabbing them as well.

Here she is mid-hand-eating, hanging out in the laundry basket.  Yes, I put my children in the laundry basket.  How else will I carry the laundry and my child from one room to another?  She finds this mode of transportation very interesting and somewhat confusing as it is so different from the norm.  It passes baby-inspection because, as you can see, the hands - they are accessible.  Also, her feet can tap on the sides of the basket.

What, that isn't how you judge your transport?  What is wrong with you?

Sneg!!!

We came back to a bit of snow this January. Basically, it is about as tall as Elena, and for those of you who have no clue on that one, she is just about forty inches tall. I've taken some photos to attempt to show you how much snow we've got and what we do in order to go out in it.

First up: snow gear. Here is Miss E in her Ooh-La-La purple snowsuit complete with hat from her Christmas stocking (thanks, Santa!).

She and her Daddy went out to sled down the hill. We have these sleds that are basically seats on skis. One adult and a small child can fit on it. It has a steering wheel and brakes. Since the snow is completely packed on the road (at least 6 inches that won't come off until breakup in the spring) these sleds go really fast. E belly-laughs every time and it is good fun indeed.

Here they are walking on our sidewalk to the street. Keep in mind that for this photo I am above them by about 2.5 feet.

Here is another view of that same sidewalk and the path to the street:

Just in case you're having a hard time figuring out how much snow we have, here is another shot.  This one is what I see when I look out the window when I'm at the computer desk.  That's right, the snow is up to the window if not a little above it.  This is just the beginning of the snow, too, I hope (I want lots and lots!).

I am sure you are wondering what we do with the wee one when she goes outside.  We don't have a snow-suit per se, but a warm-and-snuggly-suit.  It is in no way water-proof, but it is somewhat wind-proof and definitely warm!  Also, it is way too big for her right now...but hey, bigger is better than too small!

An up-close shot because helloooooo - it is super cute...

Sometimes I put her in the stroller, but when she's in this get-up I usually put her in the Bjorn and then put my long coat on over both of us.  Mostly this works out just fine.  One result is that she gets so warm and cozy that she can't help falling asleep.  Then we get photographs like this:

More to come, if I can find the time and blogger cooperates, so stay tuned!

Blast From the Past...ish

**Okey dokey, folks. I tried to post these pictures the second night we were in the hospital (think October 20, 2011), but for some reason they loaded onto Blogger super-huge and before I could do anything about it someone wanted to eat...again. So all of you who wanted more photos, etc, I was trying, really I was!**

Here we were, night number two, and so far, so good. I won't write much since I know all anyone really wants to see are some photos. Here ya go!

Proud Papa

The Girls

Someone might be happy about being a big sister again.

Someone else might be wondering what in the #*@$! her parents are doing leaving her with the loud and somewhat crazy one...if only she knew what was to come...

Daddy to the rescue.

Now we're talkin'!

Getting Ready

We're having a Valentine's Day party here at my house and I've been getting ready*.

As Matt says: "Holy cow, you've decorated the house for a holiday!"

...hmmmm...

Apparently I don't do much decorating.

Oh, well. We'll enjoy these for a while anyway!

*Thanks, Pinterest