pictures at the park

We had beautiful weather last week, so my neighbor and I took the girls to Valley Forge Park to get photos of the girls and some pics of the "baby bump".  I spent a few minutes explaining to Sylvia what a "baby bump" was and why my neighbor wanted to get some photos by a sign that said "Bump", and she seemed to understand.  Later, when she saw the little bumps the top of my jeans made under my shirt, she said "Oh, NOW I see the baby bumps!".  So funny.


The girls were tired and cranky, my neighbor was balancing her camera while chasing her own toddlers, and there were people all over the place, but somehow she got some GREAT shots!!  (Did I mention, she made the adorable hats and cuts all of our hair too!?)  Thanks Kris!


Sylvie and I are are working on a wreath for Thanksgiving called a "Gratitude Wreath".  When I asked her if she knew what gratitude was, she said "Yeah, it's when something drops.".  I was so impressed that she knew what gravity was!  With a little luck, we'll have a photo of that wreath......soooooon!

Stella has been teeting horribly lately, and is crazy attached to me.  Sylvia, on the other hand, has been crazy attached to John.  I'm hoping this phase for both lessens a bit and passes before baby brother arrives.  Baby is doing great, kicking A LOT, and has a probable name.  I'm a little afraid to commit to the name - each time I did with Stella, I changed my mind 2 seconds later.  It's Isabel, no wait, Emily, no wait....But, baby J has a probable name.  John and Sylvie have started to refer to him by it, so I better commit soon!


Stella is talking a little more each day and sings ALL the time.  She wakes up each morning singing for a few minutes before shouting "Mom, mommy, mom, mama!!"  I love it!  And as she learns to talk and sing, Sylvie is slowly learning to read and write.  I always have her trace letters, but didn't realize she could almost write her name on her own.  Yeah, the "S" looks like a "2", but check out the rest! 

And finally, if you couldn't see that video in the last post, here is the link: http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/wncRayNBRiQuDFd2

Sylvie is obsessed with it. 

Lots of love, 

Keri

early Happy Holidays

I couldn't help myself :)

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Lots of love, 
Keri

good health and first hair-cuts

"Hey Mom, hear this!  CORN-UH-COPIA!!"  The girls are finally both healthy and back to normal schedules, including school and some fun play-time outside. Both girls are still loving soccer, but Sylvie has started to ask me about when she can take dance class again.   I think she misses wearing her tutu's out of the house.

Stella got her first hair-cut last week, although she was very focused on dipping pretzels in yogurt at the time, so I'm not sure she even knows it happened.  It looks so cute!
  

I took both girls with me to my gestational diabetes test, which went amazingly well.  They had to sit at the lab with me for over an hour, but Sylvie watched TV (some HORRIBLE cartoon), and Stella ate cheerios.  I passed the test, and baby is measuring just right, has a heart-beat right in the middle of the expected range, and is kicking all day everyday.  Life is good :)

Lots of love,   

Keri

Happy Halloween

  I always used to wonder how my mom could tell if I had a fever by putting her hand on my forehead.  I could never do that...until I had kids.  Maybe it is some magic mom skill like having eyes in the back of your head.  I've got those now too - ask Sylvia!!

Sylvie hasn't been to the doctor for being sick in 2 years and Stella has never been....until today.  Both girls got sick at the end of last week (just in time for Halloween) and were put on antibiotics today for upper respiratory infections.  Let the healing begin!  Poor things have been so miserable.  Good thing I got some pictures early last week.

I've always loved the girls' pediatrician.  He is super knowledgeable, including how my medicines and such for Crohn's could impact the babies and the breast-feeding process, and he has a close working relationship with Childrens Hosp of Philadelphia, which is awesome.  However, we've been less than thrilled with the office.  It has been challenging to get flu shots there, the front office staff is not all fabulous, there is only one doctor there now, and today they screwed up Stella's prescription.  Somehow, between pregnancy brain and dealing with two cranky, sleepy, sick children I caught the mistake, but just barely, and that really freaked me out.  Stella's antibiotics dose was twice what it should be and the pharmacy showed me the paperwork to prove they filled it exactly according to the physician assistant's directions....which was wrong!!!  Ugh, I hate to be finding a new baby doctor just as the new baby is on the way, but that's too much.  We've had issues with antibiotics before with accurate dosage - thank goodness the kids have been so healthy.

The girls were excited for Trick or Treating despite not feeling 100%.  We all dressed up (thanks for the pirate stuff Brock!!), and along with Grammy Lou, Uncle Mark, and Aunt Chrissy, we visited the closest houses.  The kids haven't been interested in candy yet, but they did have fun.  We celebrated with hot cocoa afterwards, of which Sylvie would only have one sip and Stella refused to try, even when we told her it was her beloved "Yoo Hoo".  Oh well.  Hopefully, we'll be celebrating full recoveries and full night sleeps with candy and cocoa by week's end :)   As I write this, Sylvie is resting for the first night without taking Tylenol in several days, and Stella has made enough sad coughing sounds in her bed to earn her a comfy spot on the sofa next to Daddy to watch the World Series.  I think she faked a few coughs to cheer those Texas Rangers on.  As Sylvie said, "We're the Tex's, so those are our Rangers, right?  That's our team!"  Anyone playing those creepy Giants is our team; Go Rangers :)

 Sylvie posing with her teacher and friends after her school parade:


Here we are with our neighbor boy - not sure if he is scared of my hook or Peter Pan's legs!!:


Lots of love,

 Keri