The kids being cute

Here's a couple of pictures of the kids...they make me think of summer (Hi Summer!) because it was so warm in these pics...and now it's barely 70 at the end of May. Oh global warming, why don't you actually *warm* us???

Annika is almost done with her first year of Kindergarten. She's an ok reader, pretty good at simple math and a very attentive and obedient student. I sorta think she'll be that kid who gets A's and B's but every teacher wants her in their class because she's so good. I'm ok with that. We'll push on the straight A's for high school - you know, so she can get into Harvard (Hi Summer!).

Declan is knee deep in his terrible 2's which is upsetting because Annika never had any. So we don't know what to do. I've told Chris a number of times that I think one of our problems in dealing with him is that we discipline him like we did Annika...and that isn't what works for him. But what does work? Hell if I know.

However, he is wonderful to his sister, is very funny (tells some great knock knock jokes!) and is super handsome. He's so cute...hmm, gotta go so I can go cuddle him. xoxo.

Momma Day

Thanks to my little ones for breakfast in bed, homemade scrambled eggs, a flower pot with an actual flower, cards and kisses. OK, most of this is thank you to Annika who not only did most of the above on her own, she also spent an hour folding my ridiculous, never-ending pile of clothes with me because "it's your special day, Momma." AWWWWW. Declan...well, he's a work in progress. Love you anyway, buddy! :)



Also, I start a new job tomorrow. Cue dramatic music!

Two whole years

Believe it! The little monster is now two...



His latest tricks:

- Telling knock knock jokes.
- Proclaiming "I did it!" when he keeps at a task and gets it done.
- Running...everywhere.
- Asking to read many books at a sitting.
- Crying to get his way (oh, that's not really a new trick).
- Yelling, "DOOO!!!" when he wants to watch Scooby Doo.
- Telling us "I sorry" when he makes a mistake.
- And apparently, he really likes to and is very good at, blowing out candles.

I love you my little two year old!!! How lucky is a Momma like me to have a baby like you?

Hijinks

Annika asked us to wrap her in a blanket like a baby. Naturally, I swaddled her.




This is a common scene on our couch in the evening. One little girl looooves to love on her baby bro. One baby bro says "Hep please!" We're working on the letter l.




Hijinks!

Valentine's Day Eve

Look how old this little girl is...and wow, is this a baby or a little boy?



When did this little girl become a big girl? When did this baby boy get all old? Who are these children?

Happy Valentine's Day!

First school project

Annika's into her 100th day of school. The K teachers asked for the kids to put together a collection of 100 things to commemorate the occasion. This is what she produced:





Next up: The Science Fair. Let the games begin!

Merry Christmas!

Ok, just one more year off...

So last year I pled busy (or rather, lazy) and said I wasn't going to send out Christmas cards. Well, the day of reckoning has arrived, and it won't happen this year either.

Here's what this year's Christmas card might have looked like:



This year was a big year for us. Declan started to walk and talk. Annika started Kindergarten. Declan fell in love with trucks and Annika fell in love with her friends. She's starting to read and write a bit and Declan is learning that the world doesn't revolve around him. They love each other so, so much and we couldn't be happier watching their relationship grow.

Chris and I continue to work way too hard, so I'm hopeful that 2011 will be a new year to appreciate the joy that we have in our lives and be a little easier on ourselves. With the kids getting bigger and incrementally independent, I'm cautiously optimistic that I'll be able to spend more one-on-one time with my fabulous husband.

Chris and I marvel often at the fortune in our lives and appreciate the people who make it possible. Much love to our family and friends who have read this blog for five (!) years - Merry Christmas!!

Love, Jenn, Chris, Annika & Declan

Kids

Annika reading:





Wouldn't want to run into this kid in a dark alley:

Blankets

My kids love their blankets. Annika's is called "Blankie" and Declan's is called "Ba-Ba." Annika smells hers for comfort while Dex appears to lick his. Ok, it's a little weird, but is also mad cute!

When the cave girl met the dinosaur

Apparently Neanderthals and dinosaurs did not co-exist. I say, what is history if we can't re-write it?


Here's a picture of the kids at the Negrete annual Halloween bash. Though it cuts off the top of her head, I like the picture because it really captures them at play. And their craziness.


This is right before we went trick-or-treating. Declan lasted about an hour, Annika lasted 2.5.

Oh, and did I mention...THE GIANTS WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!

Pumpkin patch

Pumpkin Patch time! We got dressed in patch-appropriate gear, drove to the patch, ran around trying to get some good pictures in the patch (not very successfully), bought three pumpkins from the patch, got Annika really mad because we told her she couldn't go into the jumpy house at the patch, got back into the car...and then as soon as the car started, it began to rain. Ha! We win, Pumpkin Patch! You LOSE.

Stuff that's happened

We've had some fun the last few weeks.

Well, unless you count each of the 49ers' heartbreaking losses. And by heartbreaking; I mean embarrassing. But we did try and get into the spirit the weekend before last:

Chris actually noted they were winning for the 10 minutes all three of them were wearing the jerseys. Of course, this was during a September heat wave, and those jerseys don't really breathe and they each got too hot. Our commitment matches that of the 49ers.

Then Declan got his first haircut! Sadly I got some pretty crappy pictures because he wouldn't stay still, but I think we were able to capture the essence of the Before & After:

He was decently behaved for the ordeal, but was not like Annika's first cut who didn't move an inch and was completely quiet and obedient. Not that I compare! But he did a lot better than I thought and the end result is my baby who's turning into a little boy before my eyes. Can't lie...that bums me out.

Then yesterday Annika went to her "best friend's" birthday party. Her best friend is a friend from preschool and her mother and I are so taken by how cute they are together. This was her first "drop off" birthday party where she hung out on her own and we weren't there to smooth over the rough edges. The best friend's mom reported Annika was "a little angel" so I'll choose to believe that.

It was a princess themed party, so we dressed for the occasion, complete with a Hello Kitty clutch purse. She behaved like an angel...and looks like one, too!

Bonding

Now that Annika is a bit older, she likes to watch more sophisticated TV programs. Please keep in mind that this is in comparison to fare such as The Penguins of Madagascar, SpongeBob Squarepants and the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

So now that she has these new tastes, we actually watch a little TV together. One of these shows include Say Yes to the Dress. In case you're not a viewer, let me briefly explain the premise - the show follows a bridal salon in NYC and the episode centers around 2-3 brides in various stages of purchasing their wedding gown. Annika gets a kick out of what they're wearing and how they behave ("Momma, why was that lady so mean?") and I just think it's a fun show. One night after watching it, I asked her if she wanted to see my wedding dress...and she did!



She called the dress "beautiful" and had a good time showing Daddy how she looked in it. Of course, she couldn't really walk. And please ignore all the boxes and bags surrounding her...we're not hoarders, I swear.

See the resemblance?

Acting rashly

Chris was home with Declan on Friday and he developed an unknown rash. Chris was trying to get a picture to send me, and per Chris "he decided it was a photo shoot." Looks like a happy kid with a nasty rash.



Speaking of the rash, here's a better picture...and if you know what it is, tell us!

To my sweetie

I love you sweetie
especially when you rub my feeties.
You are so cute
even when you toot.
Sometimes I want to run away
but something keeps pulling me in
always.
You are the best I could ever do
hopefully you know this is true.
I love you sweetie.

Part of the machine

Annika officially started her entry into the public school system this morning with little fanfare and a packed lunch she reported had melted before lunchtime. "The banana was disgusting!"

Her schedule is a little odd since she got the lottery-dictated "later gator" schedule which means her classroom day starts at 10:30 am. You can imagine how super convenient that is. So she goes to the on-site school daycare starting at 8am every day and is walked to and fro class at 10:30 and 2:30, respectively. Then she stays in daycare until a little before 5. It's a long day, but she's been a pretty lucky kid so far with her schedule...I have every confidence she'll adapt very well.

She told us that she made a new friend ("I am sorry to say I can't remember her name"), that her teacher was "really, really nice" and that overall, "this was the best day of my life!" Well, OK then!

We already had homework that we wrapped up before dinner, and she's now enjoying some evening downtime.

I did not cry. I think that the process was too fascinating for me as an observer - the parents, so very many parents, having the same experience as us - watching their pride and delight and fear...and watching them all box out the other kids who were trying to get into the classroom. It was contained pandemonium and before I knew it....it was over. And so are the days where she was our very little girl whose schedule we entirely managed...she's part of the machine now. Wow...I think I'm having a delayed reaction. Bye bye!

Boring but good

Not much new going on in this here parts....oh, well, Annika is starting Kindergarten this week. Ok, that's a big deal! She's been acting up lately...maybe related to the whole life-changing thing, but maybe it's actually how 5 year olds act. We've been pretty spoiled. More to come on the Kindergarten front. For now:



We went to Sacramento last weekend to visit our cousins for their birthday party. These kids cannot travel. Declan is good for two hours; tops (Sac is a nearly 3-hour drive) and Annika (literally) asks "Are we there yet?" 448 times. I might need to work on my patience, but I vote that they need to work on their travel tolerance.

But they're so cute:



Annika asked me "Why is Declan's hair so dark?" Um, what do you mean, honey? "I mean, why is it brown while mine is blonde?" Hmmm... Darker brown? You decide:

The boy

I was paging through some pics and came across this one...I know...he's in Christmas pajamas. But it's August, you say. Well, I say Hannah Anderson is expensive and it still fits, so it's Christmas in August!



I post this picture because this is how he is...all the time. Underfoot, getting into trouble. When he's not scaling his toy BBQ to get onto the coffee table, he's trying to eat one of Annika's toys or wants to use the remote control to use as a phone. Chris and I regularly refer to him as a "menace". Why didn't anyone warn me about boys? Oh, many of you did. Woops.

However, when he's been naughty, all you have to do is give him a stern "Declan!" and then command him to give you a kiss. He'll walk over to you with that grin you see in this picture and open his mouth, lean into you, and give you a nice wet one. Maybe boys aren't so bad.

Sit still

Getting the kids to sit still, next to each other, smile and look in the general direction of a photo lens....at the same time...very near impossible. I tried to do just that this morning. I was marginally successful.