Donald Duck Said Hi to Me!

I had a conference in Orlando a few weeks ago so we decided we take 3 days and hit Disney World. Gretchen really liked it. I think Steve and I expected her excitement to be more but she is only two years old. The highlights: hotel swimming pool, Pooh's Playground (not even a ride though she did like the Winnie the Pooh ride), Cinderella character dinner, Mickey's parade at Animal Kingdom, meeting Minnie Mouse and the Nemo show/ride. Lowlights: still not a fan of fireworks....

Anyway, we survived it as a family despite the heat, the long days and Steve's broken foot. We didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked but here are the best ones.

Mommy Daddy Don't Leave

I am not sure what has gotten into her but Gretchen has entered a weird phase where she gets very attached to one of us and focuses on us with an intensity that makes my hair stand on end. She doesn't want us to leave without her. It just breaks my heart - Steve says she's working me. While I don't doubt him, it takes some kind of strength for me to just move on. I don't know if she senses the pregnancy and our expectant behavior or what? My friend Lisa says she senses it. Maybe.... I'm hoping once summer hits we will be able to keep her busy and tired. We have been walking her around the block to get her ready for walking at Walt Disney World (we go soon!) and that does knock her out! If only it didn't make me tired too....

Spring is finally here!

While I am not a fan of the Good Friday snow we got, Easter was a lot of fun. We hid eggs for Gretchen to find in the house. She got very good at unwrapping foiled chocolate eggs!

Winter Blahs

Some of you have asked when I am going to update the blog. I know – I have been slow to post updates. I am taking two classes this quarter and I have been swamped. I keep reminding myself how this is worth it since I will be finished with graduate school in June. Winter's death grip on us has not helped either. The view from my desk at work is a hill of snow. I think soon I will not see anything else.

Anyway, we are doing well. We have been working on potty training but she is just not ready. We are ready but she is not. Very soon, we will be transitioning to a toddler bed so I think that it will help to feel like a big girl. We are getting a little stir crazy being inside all the time so we have taken Gretchen to the mall a few times to run around and ride the carousel they have there. She especially likes the boats at Bass Pro Shops. When it is warm enough, we go outside so play in the snow but Gretchen has a love/hate relationship with the snow. Like most toddlers, her likes and dislikes change with the wind! Especially when it comes to eating…. I am continually flummoxed by Gretchen’s food preferences since she does not like the same thing from day to day. You still have to offer her everything you are eating because MAYBE today she will eat it. Of course, when she says to me “Mommy you’re pretty” I forgive all of these little grievances.

We are looking forward to spring! Easter will be here before you know it! I posted a new video and some recent pictures if you are interested!

Sing it Mama

Gretchen has been a lot more musical of late. For Christmas we got her a music set with a tambourine, jingle bells and other noisemakers. Between the instruments and her little songs, I think we may end up with a musical child (Joy!). The down side is that I don't know the words to enough kid songs. I wanted to avoid teaching her stuff like the Oscar Meyer bologna song but I ended teaching her the baby bumble bee song (I know version 1 and 3) . I am not sure which is worse. She loves the part where we squish up the baby bumble bee - when we get to that part, she yells out "Sing it Mama!". I might as well teach her Little Bunny Fufu! Sigh.... Did I mention we've taught her Borat quotes ("the suit is not black!")?

When was baby Jesus born?

Gretchen probably asks Steve and I this question at least once a day for the last few weeks. We tell her Christmas but the deer in the headlights look she gives us makes me think she has no idea what Christmas is. Of course she knows it means presents and she knows it has something to do with Jesus since we keep telling her about him. In Sunday school and at home, we read books like Mary's Baby or Christmas in the Barn but we also read Olivia Helps with Christmas. I would love to be able to peek in her ever turning mind and see her vision of Christmas! Next year she will be much better at articulating her interpretation of the holiday season so I will just have to be patient.

Christmas Angel

Gretchen is doing much better. Tonight she performed in the church Christmas program. She was quite popular and entertaining. She is learning a lot of Christmas carols so click on the video link to hear her sing Frosty the Snowman.

Feeling Better (Can I talk on your phone Mommy?)

We were able to bring her home from the hospital Friday afternoon. She is finally doing better. She's eating and playing.... It's such a relief to be back home. I don't have enough words to express our gratitude for all of your prayers and offers to help. It meant a lot to us to hear from you all! Please accept our profound thanks as we feel blessed to have such wonderful family and friends who were there for us during this long week! We hope to get back to normal as soon as possible!
Thanks again,
Anjanette, Steve and Gretchen

My poor poor baby

Some of you know already but I thought I should send something out since I can't call all of you. Gretchen was sick over Thanksgiving weekend. Steve took her in on Monday to sick call. Because her blood oxygen saturation was low (87), they sent her to the Emergency Room. After they ran some tests and x-rays, it turns out she has pneumonia and RSV (respiratory virus). So.... we have spent the last few days at Lake Forest Hospital with her hoping she improves. They have her on a few different antibiotics (on an IV), a steroid to help relax her airways, nebulizer treatments every 2 hours and oxygen. She is improving but not as quickly as was hoped. The pneumonia got worse so it has impeded her progress. We're hoping she can come home on Friday. Steve and I are taking shifts during the day (trying to nap a few hours at home) but we're both spending the night in her room. We're holding up well though it was hard to wrap our brains on how serious it is. We're doing good so just keep Gretchen in your prayers.

Ladybug, ladybug

Oh what a month it has been! We have been so busy this last four or five weeks. We went to a pumpkin patch with our niece Samantha (and a slumber party with the two of them), Great America Six Flags twice, art class hijinks, and Halloween (round 1). We'll do Halloween (Round 2) on the 31st with a little party at the library (they do family story time every Wednesday). Although I haven't been posting many messages lately, I have been uploading pictures to my flickr account. Also I added three new videos to youtube. You must go check them out. Other than all that, not much new. Gretchen is talking up a storm now and we are impressed (and a little freaked out) daily with her vocabulary. It is now impossible to keep track of what she knows and doesn't know so we gave up.

Art class is killing me....

No... not really but that's because Gretchen's hair did come clean after we spray painted it. It was a crazy class this past week - we did tattoos, face painting and hair painting. Gretchen got into the face painting.....

A Child's Joy

Since my end of summer edition, it has been busy with school (both Steve and I are taking classes), Gretchen's art classes, play dates, etc. No new pictures really but this photo is Steve's favorite. Steve and Gretchen rode this drop and bounce ride at Great America and Gretchen just cackled with joy the entire time. We're taking her back to Great America in a few weeks so we can hear that sound from her again. Priceless.