Belated Birthday THANK YOU!

I always pictured myself following the cookie-cutter kids pattern: have a baby... wait a year and a half or so... have my second (and last). Abby and Elise annihilated that mold by coming as a pair, which in turn, for the sake of our sanity, made us decide to wait a bit longer before considering another. Now the anticipated 2-year gap became almost 6 years and instead of the final babe being #2, she was #3. Cookie-cutter DESTROYED. 

And it's amazing. Abby and Elise perfectly compliment one another in their relationship with Anna: Abby often nurtures; Elise entertains. They hold her hands together for ring-around-the-rosy; they tag-team reading books or rolling the ball to give the other one a break while I switch laundry. And somehow over the past year as they entertained and nurtured, they kept growing... and then suddenly July arrived and they turned SEVEN. 

As we rapidly approach the start of their second grade journey and first year in public school, my very belated birthday thoughts to these two can be simply stated in two words: "thank you". 

Thank you, Elise, for the amazing Padme Amidala costumes, for the crossed-eyes-tongue-sticking-out-make-the-baby-laugh faces, for taking ownership of one of my favorite hats, for playing your piano recital song as fast as you possibly can (perfectly), for doing countless cartwheels inside the house regardless of how many times you were told to stop, for always wearing a bow/headband/braid and sparkly shoes, for stating that "Anna will probably read early because Abby and I read to her all the time unlike us - we had nobody", for announcing every song that comes on the radio in the car because you can see the screen and Abby can't, for checking the weather before you get dressed every.single.day even in the summer when it's the same every.single.day. Thank you, Elise.. for everything... I love you.

Thank you, Abby, for confidently starting your first day of Jedi Academy with a single braid in true Anakin fashion, for always saying "good morning" to Anna first and then letting the dog out while I'm still in bed, for thinking the greatest haircut you ever received was the day the hairdresser straightened your beautiful curls, for writing notes that say "this beer is quite delishis" in beautifully decorated letters, for still believing that the cure to a hard moment is a familiar lap and a squeeze, for wanting to start a stuffed animal babysitting club, for playfully saying "are you tickling me?" when in actuality, Anna is painfully digging her toes into your arm in the car, trying to get a rise out of you. Thank you, Abby... for everything ... I love you. 

Over the past year, you two soared through dance class, art class, drama class, and piano lessons. You made friends with ease in our Wednesday homeschool group - exploring parks, learning about farm life, and springing around gymnastics like a couple of gazelles. You performed on a stage at least 3 different times without the slightest glimmer of nerves; rather you shone as bright as I could have ever imagined my babies would. And not a single day passed that, if the award for "best sister ever" was being given, you both would have received it. Happy belated 7th birthday, girls. Public school is about to be ROCKED by you both!

Birthday Baby

Let it be known that on May 19th, 2015... the eve of Anna's first birthday... I did not cry. I remember crying the night before Abby and Elise turned one. It was a wave of emotion that I didn't expect (I'm sure John wasn't surprised by the tears)... a wave of excitement, sadness, anticipation, and love. This time it felt different. Not better-different; not worse-different. Just different. And that's what I've learned over the past year - all of my babies... all girls... all passionate... all intelligent... all beautiful... all mine... yet so very, very different. 

Anna - you love balloons. And your face was priceless on your birthday morning when you woke up to your sisters' smiing faces and a balloon.

You are the most animated, engaging, imitative, and social baby that I know. You wave to strangers big and small, say "Hiiiii" and now "Hi-low" ("hello"), and flash an amazing 6-tooth grin.

At 18 pounds, 6 ounces you are crawling and cruising, eating with a fork, and adding new words and signs daily. Abby made a list of all of your current signs... she counted almost 30. Those signs, combined with your spoken words and your over-the-top expressions, make you incredibly communicative. You are a pro with the word "no", you've tossed your fair share of food on the floor, and when you're crabby (which is rare), it's no secret. The times we've used a stern voice with you, your bottom lip and teary eyes are show-stopping. Some of your big sisters' favorite tricks include doing the following when asked: "show your teeth", "raise your hand", "give me a kiss", "say "HELLO", and "show us your cheesey face". You are in the super-cheesey, nose-scrunching smiling phase right now and you aren't stingy with it. 

Favorite books include "What a Wonderful World", all of the Llama, Llama little library books, and "The Belly Button Book", which we had to teach you so you could refer to your belly button as "bee-bo", just like your sisters did. Favorite foods incude... all of them. Last night for dinner you ate salmon and part of a veggie burger, asparagus, cauliflower, grapes, and some tasty Wheatfields bread with goat cheese on it. You still breastfeed whenever you want (thankfully your biting phase only lasted about a week) but you took to whole milk on the first taste. 

You... my charming, personable, life-of-the-party baby... were the greatest gift of all on your birthday. And the one lucky cousin, two adoring sisters, and SEVEN loving grandparents who surrounded you for the big #1 would absolutely agree! 

In the past 365 days, I was there to nurse you and rock you and kiss you at bedtime 363 of those nights. And I wake up every morning eager to see your little face peeking up over your crib. Happy FIRST birthday, Anna!  

Sisters... sweet, sweet Sisters

Anna's 10(ish) month update has to wait a minute. I don't have much experience with big sisters to compare, but let it be known that the two big sisters under our roof are amazing. Make that Amazing, with a capital A. How many little sisters get a personal performance in the mornings, while waiting for breakfast, complete with music, masks, and costumes? If something makes Anna giggle, she gets to enjoy it over and over again because why would one big sister miss out on the fun? Guess who loves books? Oh, that would be the babe AND her big sisters... which means Anna has her own personal readers at her beck and call. Car rides? Always fun when there's a playmate on each side to tickle you, sing to you, and share prized possessions (such as a Han Solo action figure) because anything is better than a fussy babe in the car. We are over 10 months into this baby gig and even on our roughest day, the big sisters shine. John and I were talking the other night and, with the ups and downs of homescooling this year, the bonding that has taken place between Abby, Elise, and Anna is hands-down making it worth every single day. And as I sit here and write this, I want to print it out and post it on the refrigerator as my own personal reminder that we're doing okay. At the end of the day, Elise's messy printing... Abby's insistence on wearing only certain articles of clothing... the disaster behind the couch that was either a fort or a spaceship... the bikes in the front yard... the books in the tree... Elise's boycott of scrambled eggs... Abby's boycott of muffins... none of it really matters. It's so hard some days to see past all of it and to breath. smile. relax. We're doing something right.

Speaking of smiling...

Anna Michele. 10 months already. Right here, right now: PAUSE. I want the "pause" button. As you snuggled in the other day, nursing your way to sleep, I looked at your face and realized that this is a moment in which I want time to stop. You're blowing kisses, saying "bye bye" while waving, pulling to stand, eating whatever we put on your tray, signing "please', "more", "milk", "dog', "ball", "play", "music", "daddy", "all done", "cat", "bird", "tree", and your newest favorite sign: "book". Brown Bear, Brown Bear is your absolute favorite and you also love lift-the-flap books, which you very carefully lift each flap with your precise little pointer finger. You had your first cold, which made for a miserable 24 hours, followed by a viciously grumpy babe for 3-4 days until your top two teeth busted through. Abby and Elise never had any signs of teething; Miss Anna, however, showed us why so many parents talk about teething with grunts and groans and cocktails. Can you say "baby tantrums"? Wowsers. We were elated to see those tiny pearly whites because they were accompanied by the return of your happy face. That happy face of yours absolutely glows under the big sky - you have found such joy from the sky since you were tiny and now it brings you a whole new world of entertainment as the birds, planes, or balloons pass by - you point, you smile, you giggle, your feet kick, and you sign "more please", "more, please". The St. Patrick's day parade was worth the crowds and the cold wind just to watch your face and hear you laugh with every stray balloon that escaped and floated away - you didn't miss a single one. I think Gran and I watched you more than we watched the floats. You are just that, though: totally, completely, and captivatingly watchable. 

February: the calm after the storm

So, apparently in the world of homeschooling, January can be hell. And I think I would have to agree. After 2+ weeks without a routine in the same setting as where school happens, finding our way back to structure and routine was somewhat of a challenge. "Get dressed? Why?!?!?!?!"... "Addition and subtraction? Say WHAT?!?!?!?!"... "Focus on a task of YOUR choosing? Huh?!?!?!". Abby and Elise are mighty. They are a force to be reckoned with. And what January lacked in snowstorms, we made up for on an almost daily basis with storms of our own. But after the dust settled...

We all took turns enjoying the stomach flu (except for Anna). We loved on each other for Valentine's Day - Abby was thrilled with her gift of a Star Wars book about Darth Maul while Elise politely kept quiet when I gave her a book about Padme Amidala that she already had, unbeknownst to me. I can't keep up with their library... Then we handled a busy week of rehearsals beautifully with John out of town for work, which ended with a fantastic dance performance at the Arts Center of Anansi the Spider. The girls loved every. minute. of the performance. And I cannot count the number of older dancers, parents, teachers who said to me "they're SOOOOO cute!", especially when Elise stopped mid-performance to smile and wave at us in the front row. ;) Seriously, though, after the trials and tribulations of January, watching the girls succeed in something as intense as a stage performance is a much-needed "sigh". I'm so proud of their dedication and hard work, their positive attitudes, and their social finesse. 

What's that? The BABY? Oh, right... Anna turned 9 months old. And the doctor confirmed what we already knew: she's perfect. 9 months and still not a single illness... 15 pounds, 11 ounces ... sleeping 10-12 hours a night... eating EVERYTHING (kiwi, quinoa, soup/stew...)... breastfeeding like a champ... saying "nigh, nigh" (night, night), "mama", "dada"... making animal noises for dog and cat... signing "more", "please", "milk", "daddy", "music", "dog". Anna - I speak for every member of our family when I say that you bring happiness to our world. Abby still can't keep her hands off of you and she loves to bounce you up and down saying "Zoom, zoom, zoom, BOOM!". Personal space goes totally out the window when Elise talks to you and, while she will not allow you to touch her lightsaber, she is happy to share other toys, such as Froggy, as long as you don't put them in your mouth. ;) During Baby Sing and Sign class last week, I had to compete with you for everyone's attention - your smiles and squeals were so big and so engaging that none of us could keep our eyes off of you. That's pretty much how I feel everyday - I look forward to seeing you morning, noon, and night. 

Sweet, sweet 6 months

Dear Anna Banana -

I write your 6-month update with overflowing love because you, sweet baby girl, slept for eleven straight hours last night. In the words of your Daddy: "sweet, glorious sleep". In the past week since you hit the 6-month mark, I've thought about this update numerous times and each time, it started something like this: "Your sleeping abilities are atrocious"... "We are exhausted"... "You turn into a demon at bedtime".... However on this day, I get to say to you: "We LOVE you and you did it! You slept, without a peep, from 8:30 pm to 7:30 am." On the night of your first Thanksgiving, we are thankful for YOU.

Stats: 12 lbs, 8 oz. and 25 inches long. You have slept through the night a total of 6 times in 6 months, 3 of those happening within the past 3 days (but nothing as amazing as last night). ;) You are fluently signing "milk" and we're pretty sure that both "dog" and "daddy" are emerging. You love to stick out your tongue and say "lalalalalala", followed by blowing raspberries and grinning. You've just entered the "Mommy phase" and are more weary of strangers and being left alone. That being said, you happily separate from me to see Abby, Elise, Daddy, and Gran. I started you on solids early because you're so tiny and it was a better alternative for me than supplementing with formula. You are clearly a product of our family as you. love. food. Without a gag or a wince, you took to eating like a rockstar and your meals include some combination of: butternut squash, sweet potato, avocado, egg yolk, pear, and mango (all organic and homemade, of course!). The past couple months of sleep issues have been rough but, those set aside (and maybe over and done?), you are damn near perfect. 

All that was October

Let's start with you, Anna Panna Cotta...

October marked 5 months for you, Baby Bear. We love you more this month than last... but we are so very, very tired. In the past month, you gave up naps. You gave up falling asleep easily at night. You gave up staying asleep at night. Hence the name "Baby Bear". No, sweet baby - I don't want to hang out with you from 1 am to 4 am.. awake. Daddy has been the secret weapon - many nights he has come to my rescue, stashing you down in the basement (with him as well, of course) and that's where I find you two - snuggled into the couch, you tucked into the crook of his arm. The last week or two seems better... or maybe I'm just finding peace with 4 hours of sleep a night and lots of baby holding. ;) 5 months... you are rolling from tummy to back, reaching and grabbing, squealing and gurgling. You've fallen a bit out of love with sucking on your fingers or a pacifier and, as I think about it, the drooling may have slowed? Or maybe that's wishful thinking. You have been described by a stranger on more than one occasion as "a little pixie!"... your relationship to us has also been questioned on more than one occasion as your looks continue to resemble you, and only you. After having two babies before you who mirrored each other's appearance in so many ways, I assumed number three would follow suit. You did not - your hair is getting lighter, your eyes are still blue, your complexion remains fair. You, my love, are beautiful. The past month also put you back onto the growth chart. Breastfeeding is oh-so important to me and we've had our struggles. This journey over the past month has included a lot of pumping to try and increase my supply as well as a trip to an ENT two weeks ago to have your upper lip tie and tongue tie clipped. We both cried during that procedure - you were crying your "mad" cry because of the swaddling and hands in your mouth. I was crying my "pitiful mom" cry. The whole procedure was quick and the recovery was practically nothing. You are up to 11 pounds, 14 ounces (2nd percentile) and almost 26 inches long (16th percentile). You have been in perfect health and that "tickled" look on your face tickles us everyday - Gran and I saw your first playful sense of humor: I was holding you and you kept leaning back, arching away from me. Each time, in a stern-ish voice, I would say "Anna" and you would move toward me, make and hold eye contact, then slowly start leaning back again, with a very, ornery grin. And guess what - the big sisters still ADORE you (which I attribute partly to the fact that they are very sound sleepers and have been unphased by your nightly shenanigans). I can only imagine what you're going to say back when the time comes...

Speaking of the big sisters...

These two. You ladies are into dolls and dress-up, Star Wars and Dolphin Tale, reading and writing, tree-climbing and bike-riding and playing in the mud. As important as our schoolwork is each day, you are both chomping at the bit to get outside from sun-up to sun-down. I cannot imagine the amount of time you've spent high up in the tree out front lately. In fact, every time we leave the house goes something like this: "Come on, Abby! Let's go out first!"... "Wait for me, Elise!"... "Abby and Elise! Please get out of the tree and into the car!". You girls have been unruly, obnoxious, impatient, and high maintenance. And I say that with love. But seriously - who cares what shoes you wear or if your hair won't lay down flat or who answers the phone first or who checked out which book from the library or if Daddy says it's almost 2:00 when it's 1:46. We have days with school that I throw in the towel and we head to the park. Granted, my lack of sleep might be a contributing factor but even on those days, we are learning. I am learning. This year of homeschooling, while it's proving to take more patience that I ever imagined, is going to teach me so much about your personalities, your learning styles... and about my parenting. You both LOVE activity - Abby, in dance class, your movements are graceful and coordinated; Elise - you climb trees with incredible confidence and strength. You both LOVE words - Abby, your little brain rhymes and has rhythm... you actually came up with the words to one of my new songs for Baby Sing and Sign. Elise, your little brain hears each sound in words so precisely, making you a strong speller. Right now, Abby - you're reading Ramona the Brave; Elise - you're reading Trumpet of the Swan. Our "together book" is The Long Winter. I bought two new books for you from the Wrenly series a couple of weeks ago - on the day they arrived, you finished reading them before dinner that night. You've made countless rainbow loom bracelets and paper-doll clothes galore. Seriously - at my prime in making cards, I thought I had a paper obsession. You two have paper EVERYWHERE! Scraps cut from magazines, drawings and sketches, notes and lists. Amidst all your madness, however, you two are still so incredibly sweet. Abby - you reprimand me every time I call Anna "rotten". Elise - just yesterday, you traded your piece of candy with Abby because she just really wanted the one you had. For art studio class last week, you dressed alike and decided to be "twins" for Halloween that day. Good thing you're both very jack-o-laternish with those missing front teeth. You girls are really something else. 

October 2014 also included our 29th annual pumpkin carving party and Halloween. The pictures from these events tell it all: