Answers

My sister, Dondi sent me these questions and said some of her friends were asking their kids.  She said I wonder what Caroline would say and I wondered the same thing myself:  Here are her answers:

I asked her last night when I was tucking her into bed about me and then I asked her about her daddy while Caroline, Ali and I were driving to school :

This is the non-edited version: the video is hilarous to watch her expressions

1. What is something I always say to you:

Mommy: You say, "I love you bear bear" ( she made her voice really deep-appearently my voice sounds like a man to her)
Daddy: He says "I love you" all the time to me and he says stop eating your peas because you are getting too big...

 

2. What makes me happy?

Mommy: You like when it's Saturday
Daddy: He likes coming home and I scare him,

 

3. What makes me sad?

Mommy: When I don't listen, right mom....
Daddy: Rabbits in the backyard- I say shoo rabbits

 

4. What was I like as a child?

Mommy:  You were a pirate
Daddy: Daddy was probably a tooty fruity (her and daddy's word for silly)

5. How old am I?

Mommy: 31
Daddy:31 but my birthday is next. Ali will you sing to me?

 

6. What do I do when you're not around?

Mommy: You work at Monterey and play with daddy
Daddy:  Go to State Farm and work all day

7. What am I really good at?

Mommy: You make a good fish face- mom can you make my face into a fish?
Daddy: Daddy is good at playing on the fort

 

8. What am I not very good at?

Mommy: Climbing mountains
Daddy: C: riding a bike Me: have you seen daddy ride a bike? C: No, but probably riding a bike

 

9. What is my favorite food?

Mommy: "Yogurt and probably starbucks"
Daddy:  "pizza? no gummy bears, mom can we go get a donut?"

 

10. What do you enjoy doing with me?

Mommy: maybe painting, no- coloring in the lines, wait playing play doh
Daddy: We like to play in the ocean, Dad is Captain Hook- Ali, you are Cubby- Mom when we get home can we hide the treasure from Captain Hook?

One

Age: One

Nicknames:  Ali-doo, Al, AL-ers, Ali- Cat, Daddy calls her Ali-bell,or bell.

Milestones: 

• This last month she went from an infant car seat to a convertible car seat.
• Ali moved into the Humming bird class and takes her nap on a little nap mat now.
• She has moved to one long nap a day.
• She has taken a few steps here and there but prefers crawling because she is fast

Favorite Things: 

• Graham crackers
• Blueberries
• Snuggling with her mommy and daddy
• Playing with her sister
• Dancing and all noise toys
• Brown Bear the book
• Being and playing outside
• Baby dolls
• Stacking cups

 

Least Favorite Things: Being in her car seat 

 

Signature Move- She dances anytime she hears music. Here Ali is busting a move.

Ali's First Birthday Party

Ali turns one on Tuesday but we celebrated on Saturday with family and friends.  Aunt Kelley took the cutest pictures.  Here are some of the pictures:

It was a sweet party.  We sang Happy Birthday, ate cake and she opened presents.  Caroline and Jacob were busy playing in backyard but did manage to make it in for cake and blow out the candles.

Ali shoved the cupcake into her mouth and a LOVED the icing.

LOVE this little girl!!!

Sandhills Rodeo

This morning we went to the Sandhills Rodeo for special needs children and their families. There are several groups that put this event together and the Shriners are one of them. This is the 8th year that this event has been going on and my dad AKA Dandy Rough has been a Shriner rodeo clown ever year since it started. Last year I was about to have Ali so I couldn't make Dandy rough's balloon animals. So this year I was ready!

Last night My mom and I blew up over 60 balloons and kept them in a huge black trash bag. I learned from the first year to only offer swords, flowers and dogs and to make as many balloons ahead of time as I can. Also kids get there balloons heading out the door so that is where I was stationed.

There were lots of different kinds of kids there all having a good time. 

As soon as we got there this morning Lolly took Caroline to ride the horses. Even though the handler was calling him Swift, Caroline named this one Apple Jack. 

Lots of the littler kids Caroline's age were riding the little Shetland  Ponies but Caroline wanted to ride the bigger horses.  She takes after her Aunt Kelley. After the horse ride Lolly, Daddy, Ali and Caroline walked around the arena.

Ali supervised while I made balloon animals.  She quietly ate her graham cracker {her new favorite snack since moving to the humming bird class}.

 Caroline and Daddy stood in line for 30 minutes to get her face painted. It was worth it. The lady they hired did an amazing job & Caroline loved it!

My beautiful butterfly

(this is right before bath tonight she wanted one last picture)

 The rodeo clown and the butterfly

Sisters riding together

Ali made the same face with Dandy Rough that she did with Santa. 

My mom helped me tie the balloons which made the process go so much faster.  Caroline also wanted to be helpful so she twisted some of the balloons and told us what animal it was.

The pile of balloons behind her was towards the end.  My fingers hurt tonight! We made over 120 balloons to give away.  One kid asked for a snake- the easiest request ever! 

At the very end Caroline and Dandy handed out little stuffed horses.  

 Caroline is tender hearted and was more aware this year of the kids that were different then her. She had lots of questions about some of people she saw.  Tonight she asked me questions like "why did that kid have a tube in his neck" "what happened to that girls legs?". We had a good discussion about No two people are the same -- some differences are just more noticeable. We also talked about being kind and loving to all kids no matter what they look like.

The little butterfly slept 2 hours home

Ali was ready to be out of the car and was glad to be home!  We had a great Saturday!!

Playing with Caroline & Ali lately

Caroline says the funnest things right now. She has this great imagination where she is transported into another place. She plays pirates constantly and can stay in character all day.  Her daddy is usually Captain Hook  and they have epic battles from the time he gets home from work until she has to get ready for bed.  She finds "treasures" and will bury it all over house.  This treasure can be anything from books to stuff animals to soccer balls.  I almost washed a bag of little cars that Caroline buried in her hamper. She is always the defending her house. 

I was talking to her the other day about going to pre-kindergartner  next year and she informed me that after kindergartner she was joining the Lion Guard (a new show on Disney) to help protect animals for a few years then she would back to school.  When she isn't protecting everything she is playing school. She goes back and forth from being teacher to student.. Ali gets to play school and Caroline helps her color and write "A-L-I" over and over again. When she plays play-doh she plays like she is in a you-tube video explaining everything that she is making. She is creative, smart and kind when she plays and I just love that she is my kid!

Also:

One funny thing she said the other day: She called diarrhea "wolf throw up".... Chris and I couldn't figure out what she was talking about for the longest time then when we realized  what it was we laughed hysterically. 

Ali loves to play with sis and wants to be included in pirates and school whenever possible.   She really likes to walk up and down the window seal looking out in the backyard and "talk" about what she is seeing.  She is so keenly aware her surroundings.  We ask her where pip is and she will look around until she finds her- Same with Brown Bear the book. Chris brushed her hair with a soft brush one time and now every time she picks it up she puts it to her head.  She is very determined. She likes to bang things together and make LOTS of noise.  She is such a happy little baby and I love that she is my kid!

Also: 

Ali finally has a bottom tooth coming in! The doctor said she had to have one by her first birthday or they would have to send us to a specialist.  I had a dream the other night that they were fitting her for baby dentures.  Thank goodness no dentures for this girl!  

Also:

I made my first loaf of bread in Chris's new bread machine.  It was plain but really good with Kouba's apple butter.