We had a significant February snowfall over the last 40 hours. I think Anthony shoveled 4-5 times and I shoveled once in those hours. If we didn't keep up on it, it would have been torture today. After clearing everything this morning, we took the girls out to play in the snow. Isabella lasted about 5 minutes, Gianna didn't want to come back inside. :) Gianna was so bundled up that when she fell down, which was often, she was like a turtle on it's back. She couldn't get up. Nor, could she sit up on the sled. That is why, in the last picture, she looks like a person who was injured on the mountain and is being taken down the hill on a sled. :)
Gianna sitting on top of the snow mound. Soon after she toppled over.
Falling down and loving it.
Gianna & Isabella being "cheesy". Had to get a quick picture before Isabella went back inside. Yes, Isabella's gloves are extra large for her. They don't make small waterproof gloves.
Last month, during the weeks of the Stock Show, Isabella's school had a rodeo day. The kids were supposed to dress in their best cowboy/girl attire. They made the bandana in class to wear that day. They all had a special lunch of hot dogs, mac n cheese, carrots, apples, etc. Isabella also told us that they roasted marshmallows in their music class. The kids also made a stick horse to ride around. It was very cute!
The Thursday before Christmas, we had a big snow fall! It made for a white Christmas, which is always nice. Since Anthony was off of work on Friday, he tried to take Isabella sledding. We decided it was best to go down the little hill in our back yard. That is big for Isabella. This picture is just after the first sled down. She looks happy!
Then she went down a second time.
And that was it for sledding fun. In her defense, she has some bad gloves on and they got wet very quickly. Her hands were then freezing, so she wanted to come inside. Oh well, maybe next time. (I did go buy her some better gloves, by the way.)
On Christmas Eve, we had Gammy, Gampy, Aunt Jill, Uncle Alex, Jackson, Hailey, Bryce and the Greenwells (family friends) join us at our house for Christmas fun. While we were waiting for everyone to arrive, Isabella was taking pictures with my phone. Here is a pretty good one of Gianna and me. We had a great evening spending time with everyone!
Christmas day arrived and Isabella was pretty excited. We told her to wait upstairs until we all could go down together to see what Santa had left us. Well, she didn't listen and we heard her talking to herself. She found everything by the Christmas tree and was ready to open everything! Santa left Isabella and Gianna little baby dolls. We got them bunk beds for the dolls. The pictures below were the best shots I could get that morning. No one was cooperating very well.
When Gianna awoke Christmas morning, she started coughing and it sounded like a barking seal. So, we knew that it was probably croup and so Gianna and I stayed home while Isabella and Anthony went to Gammy and Gampy's house to celebrate Christmas. It is not how I wanted to spend my Holiday, but we didn't want to get anyone else sick. It was a start to a very long week for us, unfortunately. By Monday morning, Gianna was much worse and we had to take her to the ER. She had to spend the night for observation, because her breathing didn't get much better after a breathing treatment. The doctors/nurses said, the 2nd night can be even worse, so they didn't want us to take her home. We were discharged on Tuesday morning and Gianna was doing much better. She continued through the week with cold symptoms, but wasn't quite herself. Saturday morning, New Year's Eve, she woke up with a fever and was lethargic. We ended up taking her into an urgent care and she was diagnosed with an ear infection. She is now on antibiotics and is so much better. Just a little cough. We hope that our 2012 Christmas holiday will be a healthier one!
You wouldn't have known it here, that Gianna wasn't feeling well. She loved her new bike from Gammy and Gampy!
Isabella got a scooter, and helmet, from Gammy and Gampy. At first, she was a bit timid to ride it around our house. But it didn't take long for her to get the hang of it. I have video and you might notice she about falls at the end. She laughed at that. Most of the time, she forgets to take her helmet off and is playing with it on. It is pretty funny.
We wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year!
Isabella was in her first Christmas program this week at her preschool. It was so cute to watch all of the children. Isabella was a mouse, as was her whole class, except one friend who was the cat. Isabella did a great job! She sang every song and even did the sign language to Silent Night. (I posted the video below)
She was so excited to be in the program. They had been practicing for weeks! After the program, we went back to her classroom for a cookie party. So fun!
The video is about 6 minutes long, just so you know. Unfortunately, the music teacher's head was in my way, but you can still see Isabella. Enjoy!
This year we got to spend our Thanksgiving in Peoria with my family. It was great to be back there again and spend more time with family and friends. I will speak for Grandma Marie and say that she enjoyed having her little girls visiting again. Isabella and Gianna had a good time there, that is for sure. We visited the new Bass Pro Shop that opened recently there. The girls loved seeing all of the stuffed animals and the many live fish there. They also had to sit on just about every ATV/tractor they saw.
Picture with the huge bear! No, they weren't afraid.
There was a winter wonderland there, but no Santa yet.
One of the ATV's.
We also made a visit to Santa while there. We went on Monday morning, and there was no line! Perfect timing! Isabella was so excited. Gianna wasn't quite sure what to think about the big guy
We also went bowling with the whole family. It was Isabella's first time even being in a bowling alley. She loved it! Gianna had a good time too.
Gianna with cousin Troy
Cousin Tate with Gianna, Isabella & Anthony
Here is a video of Isabella's first time up! Pretty cute!
Gianna loved sitting on Grandma's lap
Aunt Beth took Isabella to the Santa parade that Peoria always has the day after Thanksgiving. It is the oldest parade in the country! Luckily it was a decent weather day. She enjoyed it, especially since she got candy. :)
Our "babycakes" is now 15 months old! She on the move and doing very well keeping up with big sister. It is fun to see them play together....when they aren't fighting. :) I have her weight/height update. She was seen for her well visit today at the doctor and weighs 18lbs 9oz and is 29inches. That puts her in the 3%-tile for weight and 10%-tile for height. "Babycakes" loves to eat, so we aren't quite sure where she is putting all of that food. It makes a difference once they start moving....running, I should say.
Isabella is still enjoying preschool. Today they had their Thanksgiving feast. According to the teacher, all the kids wanted to eat was jello, the rolls and cookies. Not surprising for 3 year olds. She told me this morning that she was excited to go to school so her "friends could see me". :) I wish I could have been there today to take pictures.
Isabella has also been asking to sit on the potty.....finally. Well, it would be great if she actually went into the potty. She is smart. She knew that if she "tried" to go, then she would be rewarded with a jelly bean. That was great. But, after about 6 times of sitting for awhile, reading books, and no "potty", I told her that she would not get a jelly bean unless there was something in the toilet. Wouldn't you know that she is no longer asking to sit on the potty. :(
Her are some recent pictures.
They LOVE bath time together!
This is what Gianna likes to do while I am getting ready.
The 1st attempt at sitting on the potty. Gianna will probably go before Isabella does.
As the end of the month of October 2011 was drawing to a close, so was my Dad's fight with Parkinson's Disease. On October 24, he finally went to heaven and is now rejoicing that his body is free from disease! As much as we all miss him, we can't help but praise God for ending his suffering. We love you Dad! I will always share your love of laughter and love for your family with your littlest Granddaughters!
Now to share some pictures of fall festivities.
Do you think Gianna was having fun? :0)
Isabella only wanted to ride this horse, after Gianna did it first.
We got back to Colorado just in time for Halloween. Gianna dressed up as a bumble bee and Isabella is Koko the train from a Disney cartoon called Chuggington. Isabella really got into trick or treating even more this year. We went to a few houses with Jackson and Hailey, on their street. Then we went to some on our street when Anthony got home from work. It was a beautiful evening.
