Spring Flower

Last week I started watching our friends' two month old baby, Iris. Just one day a week. She is extremely precious. Here are the girls checking her out. Caroline kept asking where her sister is. JD? Megan? Can you answer that one?

Caroline fell in love with Iris right away. Just like she did with Samantha. And just like she did with Kate. Caroline was never jealous of Kate. Just loved her sometimes a little too much. Physically anyway. Kate on the other hand is quite jealous of Iris.

Iris is so adorable though that I'm sure Kate will fall for her too. Iris is still in that sleepy baby mode so maybe when she gets more active Kate will like her more. One thing I've realized though. Having a three year old around a newborn is WAY easier than a one and a half year old and a newborn. A little hint for future mommies out there.

Welcome to our home Iris!

Dedicated to the J Mill Kelly.

Wordless Wednesday

Sad News

We lost part of our family on Thursday. After a long struggle with feline diabetes we lost Moby. We tried medication and I even gave her daily insulin injections. At first the insulin seemed to work great and Moby seemed like her old self for awhile. But then her body grew resistant to it for some reason and eventually the insulin quit working at all. Jonah was of course very upset. Moby was his pet since he was three and slept with him every night. This week is his spring break and he is going camping with my Grandad in West Virginia which will be a great distraction I think. Moby was such a sweet cat. We already miss her very much and will never forget her.

Sure Sign of Spring

David has started growing a beard every winter. He realized that it keeps his face warm while out delivering the nation's mail. This is the only photo I could find of him with his beard this year. Reading to the girls in their living room fort.Once the weather starts to warm and spring finally seems to be approaching. David shaves his beard. You may remember from last year that he likes to shave it off in stages. It tickles him to get our reaction to his unusual facial hair. Here is stage one.

...and stage two.Alas, the aftermath. The bathroom sink full of tiny hairs.
Yay spring is here! (This post is dedicated to Jennifer Swain Deskins.)

The Elements

Like just about everyone else I think, I am so DONE with snow. Bring on spring. It's especially not fun when you have little kids literally bouncing off the walls. (Come to my house and you will see Caroline bouncing off the walls.) Yeah we do go to places like the library, mall playground, and children's museum but sometimes bundling up two toddlers and transporting them in and out of the car in freezing temperatures is just more trouble than it's worth. If it's nice enough, at least above freezing, I will take them outside but that lasts about 30 minutes max right now. Poor little Kate gets cold quickly and still falls down a lot.

When I saw this idea in a parenting magazine, I thought it was pure genius. So simple yet I had never thought of it. Bring some snow inside. So I did and the girls loved it. Particularly Caroline who played with it for over an hour (with occasional snow refills), which in toddler time is almost an eternity.

We didn't even have to take off our pajamas!
Even though we were inside, a pair of gloves is still a good idea.
Caroline even said I was the best mom ever for making this miniature snowman. Awwww!
Luckily Dad can take the bigger kids out on his days off for more traditional snow fun.
Okay. Next season please!

Football May Be Over....

...but college basketball is ON! I do like college basketball. I don't pay as much attention to it now with three kids as I did in my early 20's. But I do enjoy watching it. Basketball has a much faster pace to me than football. Football puts me to sleep. (Sorry Grandad!!!!)

Although when I saw this video on my camera of David teaching Caroline the John Wall Dance I was a little disturbed. Thanks to David, I think our girls are destined to be cheerleaders. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)



Don't know what the John Wall Dance is? Well you are just NOT a Kentucky Wildcat fan. (Actually I had never heard of it until last night.)

Go cats! (...and go Mountaineers 2nd!)

Saints or Colts?

I could really care less. But I do know that football season is over!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!

Sister Act

Caroline loves to perform. Kate loves belly buttons. Then the two got together....



We don't usually let Caroline wear half shirts. She's wearing Kate's clothes in the video. She likes to change her clothes at least five times a day now.

One Year Today

Oh No!

The static is back!!!Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!Seriously. Does anyone know how to cure static? We use a humidifier. I'm thinking more hair conditioner maybe.

Christmas Concert

Jonah had his first band recital at Lafayette High School last night. All the elementary schools, middle schools and the high school bands have a Christmas concert together on the same night. The elementary school fifth graders actually all play together for the first time. It's a little different than the way we did it back in my day. The place was totally packed and David and I had to sit with the girls up in a balcony.

Here's a snippet of the fifth graders. Keep in mind that the fifth graders only have band twice a week for 30 minutes. It's like an introductory class.

Isn't Caroline's conducting funny?

David took the girls home early (it was their bedtime) so I managed to sneak a little closer. That's Jonah directly in the middle. At the very end of the concert, all of the bands played Ode to Joy together.

I was very proud of Jonah and again felt painfully aware how quickly my little boy is growing up. He will be a student at that high school in just a couple of years.

More Milestones

Big things have been happening the past couple of weeks here at the Schanding household.

Kate started sleeping through the night. (Most of the time.)
Caroline mastered the potty. (This picture was actually taken a year ago when we first got her the potty.) Now we have only one in diapers again. Hallelujah!!
And Kate started walking everywhere all by herself.



Our babes are growing up. And life is getting a little bit easier.

Part Wookiee?

Kate doesn't talk yet (although I swear I heard her say "da-ee" a couple of times) but she does make lots of noises. Funny noises like some sort of animal. David said she reminds him of Chewbacca from Star Wars.

Halloween Festivities

Of course we carved pumpkins. Well David and Jonah did. I made Jonah do it. He didn't want to but I told him it was a family activity and he had to participate. Then he really enjoyed it. He was very proud that he carved his pumpkin completely by himself for the first time. Kate and Caroline just watched pretty much.
David worked really hard on his design. I think that's so cute!
Done!
Caroline wanted to make cookies for her friends. So we baked cookies and made goody bags for the neighborhood kids. Let me tell you. Sprinkles and a 2 year old is a dangerous combination.
I asked Caroline what she wanted to be for Halloween this year, not really expecting an answer, but she told me that she wanted to be a witch. So Caroline was a witch and Kate a bunny. Jonah went to Gatlinburg (ski trip jr) with his best friend. We really missed him.
It was pretty cold so we bundled the girls up as best as we could but they still got pretty cold. We trick or treated for about half an hour when they had enough.
David managed to scare the trick or treaters. And us too.

Naturally the girls loved their treats. I was pleasantly surprised at how much Caroline got into the Halloween festivities this year. I think Christmas is going to be a lot of fun!

Katie Wonder

This was so cute I had to post it immediately.



Kate is 10 months now (well on the 13th). Her newest found talents are dancing, waving, pointing, clapping, and walking while holding onto mommy and daddy's fingers. At her last dr appt, she was 21 lbs and something ozs and was 28 3/4 ins. She was in the 80th % for weight and height. She loves Barney like Caroline (What is it about that purple dinosaur???!) and taking baths with her big sister. I can't believe how much Kate and Caroline already fight. I'm not at all used to it after having only one child for so long. But they play together and have very sweet moments also.

Better Late Than Never?

David had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. He turned 38. I never got around to posting these pictures until I thought it was too late. But hey! It's my blog so I'm going to post them now anyway. Even though his birthday was almost a month ago. Happy birthday David! We love you!!!

We went out to dinner at Mellow Mushroom. Very good pizza. Mmmmmmm!

Plus I just had to post this video for David.



In more recent news, Jonah got his very first shiner. Pretty ain't it?

Flag Changing Ceremony, Part 2

I mentioned in a previous post (I don't know why this is typing in bold???) that David made us have a flag changing ceremony in order to commemorate the start of football season. The start of the UK football season in particular. Until the other day I didn't realize he actually recorded the rehearsals.





Does this scream Clark Griswald to anyone else?

Raspberries

Out of the blue last night Kate started blowing raspberries on my arm. I've never seen a baby do that before. It really cracked me up! And everyone else.

Softer Side of Dave

Not everyone realizes this but David claims to hate cats. Hate. He says they should all be put down. Imagine my surprise when I came across pictures on my camera of a kitten and found out that they were taken by David! It seems a little kitten visited our house one day when I was out. David was so charmed by her cuteness that he fed her andeven took several photos. I bet he even petted her. She must have found her way home because we haven't seen her again since. Probably for the best because I bet the "cat hater" might have kitten-napped her.
(This entry is dedicated to Jen - the crazy cat woman. ; ) )

Title

I have been really unmotivated about the blog lately. I started this blog for all of our family and friends who live out of town and don't get to see the kids very often. But now I don't even really think any of them, with the exception of a few of our friends, even check the blog. Maybe I should just give up on the blog. But I hate to do that too. I've been doing this for so long now. I don't know. Anyway here's what we've been up to lately...

Jonah started fifth grade. He also joined the band and chose to play the trumpet. David played trombone in middle school and I played the saxophone in middle and high school. So we're excited for him to learn how to play an instrument. Caroline was extremely jealous.
Caroline started preschool. It's a 2 year old program at a co-op preschool (http://www.coopschool.org/ if you're interested) that she attends two mornings a week. I really like the school so far and Caroline LOVES it. She didn't want to leave on the first day. Also she has quit taking naps. I am devastated.
Kate is crawling, pulling herself up, and has even stood on her own a few times. And she has two teeth. One on bottom and one on top. Like a jack-o-lantern. She now LOVES the wagon. David and I have put in a lot of hours lately pulling the wagon.I ran a 5k for the first time. 40min and 11sec. I'm running regularly now and plan on even trying a 10k in October (with our friends Jen and Mike, yay!). I know I look like hell in this picture but oh well. It was unbelievably hot that night. Don't you love the look on Jonah's face! David and the kids waited for me at the finish line. Plus David made lasagna to celebrate. He's such a good husband!And last but not least, David is absolutely thrilled that football starts today. He's in 2 fantasy football leagues this year. I hope he wins us some money. David even made us have a flag changing ceremony this year to honor the start of football season.Well that's it for now.