Portraits...

Since the girls have started school, their coloring and drawing skills have dramatically improved.  They love to practice writing the "letter of the week" and "staying in the lines" when they color.

Last night Addison grabbed her magna-doodle and said she was going to draw.  After several minutes I hear...."look Mommy I draw you and your big hear-dings (earrings)."

Once again, a few minutes later she brings her magna-doodle to me and says...."This is Daddy because he has no hair and always sticks his tongue out at me". 

Daddy was less than impressed as he is obviously a little self-conscious about his thinning hair.  He also wasn't amused that Addison ratted him out for teaching them to stick out their tongues at people.

Have I mentioned how much I love these kiddos??  :-)

Long over due post....BIG GIRL BEDS!

I'm a little behind on writing this post.  I started it a month ago, and some how it never got completed?? 

On August 25th, we decided that it was time to make the transition from cribs to big girl beds. 

About this time a year ago, the girls started climbing out of their cribs.  At that time "WE" weren't ready to make the switch over to toddler beds.  Terry and I weren't ready for it and the girls maturity level was definitely not ready as well. 

We decided that we would invest in purchasing the oh so controversial....crib tents.  I did a lot of research on these and decided that despite the recalls and warnings it was worth a shot.  These crib tents were definitely worth every penny and I wouldn't hesitate recommending them to any parent!!!  Sadly, I never took a picture of the girl's beds with the crib tents installed. Although, I do have this cute picture with Addison and our cat Jynxie in our hallway after removing it from her bed.

Anyway, after having the crib tents on their beds for about a year, the girls became little Houdini's and figured out how to manipulate the zipper and open them to get out.  It really did become a safety issue having them climbing in and out of their beds.  I made the executive decision that the cribs needed to be switched to toddler beds ASAP.

I got the conversion kits from the basement and started taking things apart.  The directions indicated this process should take 45 minutes.  According to my calculations 45 minutes X two cribs = an hour and a half.  Right?  Not so much.

Luckily Terry had returned home just in time to help!  The below picture shows how far I got.  Not far at all!  I managed to take apart Alexis's crib tent and started cleaning off her bed.  Keep in mind, I'm also trying to keep an eye on two kiddos at the same time.

And Yes, that is a dark brown blanket over their window.  Call it white trash....I don't care!  The girls won't sleep unless it is dark in their room.  I've tried everything and this is the only thing that works!

 

After Daddy was called in for reinforcement, I began the discussion of prepping the kiddos for their new big girl beds.  Every time I said the words "big girl beds", I was reminded of this blog post  CLICK HERE

Remember this photo??? 

From May of 2009 when the girls were moved out of isolation and into "big girl beds".

During my attempts to hype up the girls about what was going to happen, Addison kept asking if she was going to have a tent.  She was very concerned that she needed a tent on her bed.  I had an idea.  

I remembered being at a friends house and their daughter had a tent on her bed.  I made a quick phone call to find out where they bought it and off to the store we went.

The girls had a choice between princess tents, Toy Story tents and Hello Kitty tents.  To my surprise, they both chose princess tents.  It probably would of worked out a little better if I had read the box and known that the tents were for a twin bed....not a toddler bed.

Luckily, Terry was able to improvise and make the tents work.

5 hours later (not 90 minutes), the girls had new toddler beds.  Neither of them were impressed at all.  In fact, quite the opposite!!

The first night was pure hell!  It took almost 3 hours to convince them that they were big girls and that this was going to be their new normal.  Luckily, when I took the girls to the store to purchase their tents, I also picked up a bottle of wine.  No joke!  

After about a week, the girls were pretty well adjusted to their new beds. 

Now a month later.....the girls LOVE their princess tents and LOVE their big girl beds.  They want to show everyone that comes to our house their big girl beds.

Tractor Rides...

I distinctly remember growing up and visiting my grandparents house.  In my adolescent mind, they lived in the middle of no where on a farm.  It always felt like it took an eternity to get there.  One of my favorite parts was getting to ride on my Grandfather's tractor.  Sadly, my children will never know my Grandfather but their own Grandpa apparently gives pretty good tractor rides as well.  Albeit, it's not a large orange farm tractor....but they are always excited to get a ride.  I'm not sure who enjoys it more....my kiddos or Grandpa?  You decide!!

Addison and her Grandpa.  So excited to be driving "by herself".

I'm not sure why I don't have a picture of Alexis? I think I might have been using this distraction time to unload the car.  Who knows?

FIRST DAY OF PRE-SCHOOL....

Last Wednesday, September 5th, 2012, the girls officially started pre-school.  I seriously still can not believe that this is happening already.  My big girls did amazingly well.  I fully expected tears from everyone.  The only tears that I witnessed were my own.  I did get report that Addison cried for all of two minutes at school when she saw one of her classmates having a meltdown but other than that....they did great! 

I took the day off work so that I could be there for this milestone.  I'm so glad that I did.  After we picked them up, we kept questioning them as to what they did.  Neither one of them were very forthcoming with any information.  By the end of the day I was able to get the following information......they played on the playground, they read a book about frogs that were splashing in water and they ate cookies that were crunchy. 

Here are a bunch of pictures from the day.  I had trouble picking my favorites....

My last minute generic sign I made.

An attempt to get a couple photos at home before school.

How can you not love these little faces??

Little cheese ball!

An attempt to get a photo outside school...in front of the sign.  The sun was right in their eyes.  They were definitely not having it!

LOVE!

Walking in!

Putting her back pack in her cubbie hole.

Alexis so grown up.

They both just kind of took off and started playing on their own.  Addison went straight for the markers and Alexis just wandering around, checking everything out.

My tiny babies are getting so big.  I still get teary eyed thinking about them going off to school by themselves.

Meet The Teacher....

I seriously can not believe that I'm writing this blog post already.  It seems like just yesterday my little girls were coming home from the hospital.  Time seriously has just flown by.  I have never fully understood that concept until the girls were born.

Last Wednesday, August 29, 2012....We took the girlies to meet their teacher(s).  Starting September 5th, the girls will be starting a part time pre-school program at a local church. 

Both girls were a little hesitant at first but after a few minutes of looking around, you would of thought they owned the place.  They were both sad to leave and keep asking if they can go back.  I'm hoping next Wednesday goes as smoothly and they continue loving "school". 

I can't believe my babies are going to pre-school already.  I'm anticipating a lot of tears next week.....not from them, but from me!

My girlies in front of the apple cart. 

September is barn yard themed at their school.  Every morning at check in, we walk them to their classroom...sign them in, find their apple and have them place it on the apple cart.  This is how attendance is taken.  There are twelve kiddos (including them) in their class.

Keeping with the barn yard theme....the girls picked out an animal to color. 

The girls playing in their classroom. 

It was interesting to watch them play in a different setting.  They never played "together"...  But they were never far apart from one another. 

Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend!!