My sassy girl

I just heard Danica drop the handsoap in the bathroom sink and say, "Oh dangit!!" Thanks a lot Daddy.
Then I went in to help her and she said, "Mom, how many times do I have to tell you to stop jumping on the bed?"

Another first

Danica saw her first little person today. We had stopped at Starbucks for her to go potty and decided to get a coffee (juice for her). We were going to sit and have a nice little girl's time. I was at the register ordering and she was standing beside me. She said, "Mom, look!" She was pointing behind me and had a very peculiar look on her face. I turned around and looked down to see a little person standing behind me. I tried to stop the inevitable questions by asking her to put her mittens on, then asking her what kind of juice she wanted, asking anything else I could think of. While the waitress was taking her sweet time with my credit card, Dani said, "Look at THAT little guy!!!!" Oh geez. Don't make eye contact. Talk to the cashier... I didn't hear a thing. "We'll take that to go actually... I forgot my dog's in the car!" UGH!! I'm sure that's just the beginning of many typical embarassing kid moments to come.

Oh poop, it's croup

The dreaded croup has returned to our sweet girl. Dani woke up in the middle of the night barking like a seal again, so we did the steamy shower thing and bundled her up and took her outside for a bit. Then she said to me, "Mommy, maybe cartoons will help me feel better," in her sweetest voice possible. So yes, Mommy sat up for a bit and watched cartoons at 2:30 in the morning. While laying awake for 2 hours afterward, waiting to hear more coughing (crazy, I know), I quietly wondered what that lady with 19 kids could possibly be thinking.

Aahhh, sweet memories

I was looking back over some old pictures and videos tonight and this one is just too cute to pass up. Dani was about 13 months in this video. Thank God for videos, otherwise it's just too easy to forget what kids were like as babies. SO CUTE!!!

Spring, is that you???

Emma getting some spilled Goldfish crackers.

Dani and Baby Kyla playing. She's 7 months old and almost as big as Dani!!!

Danica and her buddy Kevin having a drink together.

A little morning cuddle.

No one wants to cuddle with Mommy???

"What?! We are who we are!!"

Pretty cute, minus the creepy red eyes.

We've had a pretty fun week, considering Danica had a cold for most of it. Last Saturday we had a fun family day. We went to the Home & Garden show and then to the Flea Market (yuck). After that we decided to take Dani bowling for her first time! It was lots of fun. Daddy didn't bowl because of his knee, but I figured I would. So what's NOT good for a pregnant lady's sore back? BOWLING! :) But it was still lots of fun. Dani had the time of her life, jumping up and down each time she pushed the bowling ball down the lane. I'm really wishing we would've stopped by the house to get the camera first!

We had a busy week of preschool, gymnastics, library fun, and playing at the gym. She's been asking to see Grandma and Grandpa lately (and was very jealous they got to go to the "belly button beach"... aka Jamaica) so we let her go stay with them on Friday night. Thankfully she was on the tail end of her cold and had a great time!

Then we ventured out last night to a barbeque... YES ALREADY! We've all got spring fever! And today holds some fun with Grammy and Papa. Busy Bees we are!!!

It's a girl!!!!

We had our ultrasound today and saw our sweet little teacup. SHE is quite a little spitfire. I was absolutely certain it was a boy because she's been so darn active (a very nice way to say she's trying to dance her way out of me). And during the scan, she was bobbing and weaving and kicking and twisting and punching and hopscotching to get away from the scanner. I'm afraid this little gal isn't gonna be much of a sleeper!!!! She's quite big also... very tall. She's about as big as she should be in another week and a half. So either we have the date wrong or we've got another very tall kiddo!
I was a bit of an emotional wreck today for some other reasons (and also hormonal I'm sure) and was boo-hooing a bit in the car. Dani was just blabbering about having a baby girl and she said to me, "Moooom, don't you WANT to have a pink baby??!!" :)

Drama queen news:
The other night as I was helping Dani put her jammies on, I noticed she had scratched her tummy and made it bleed in one little spot. I asked her about it and she said, "Ya, that's cuz my dad hit me." HUH? What do you mean dad hit you? "Dad hit me and I got a owie." When? "Last weekend my dad hit me." I had to turn around so she couldn't see me giggling... meanwhile Duane came running to her door asking what the heck she was talking about. Her little smirk told it all. Little stinker.

Tonight I was just resting and watching American Idol and Dani was climbing and jumping all over me. After asking her to stop many times I finally got upset and sent her off to Daddy. Apparently she went to him saying, "Why does my mom just always tell me to get off her?!" Oh geez! Then five minutes later she came in the living room again and said, "Mom, I just have to tell you something. I'm really very sorry that I was teasing you." :) She can play me like a fiddle!!!

huh?

After church today we decided to go to Menards to pick up a few things. It was crazy busy and there were no parking spots at all. Duane mentioned it was a little crazy, and Dani said, "Ya, this is crazier than a washing machine!" That's now my new favorite saying.

Full of it

Danica is going to be quite the politician some day. My sweet little bullsh#*er said to me, "Mom, I love your outfit! You look really great!" I'm wearing baggy sweats and a nasty ripped t-shirt. I couldn't look worse if I tried!!!

On another note, I was pretty certain that with my winter coat on nobody could tell I'm pregnant. Not the case I guess! We were just in line at the grocery store and a man asked me when I'm due. About 20 people got in on the conversation... I guess baby bumps make people friendly!!

The past week

There has been little to post the past week or so. Tootsie has been sick again, so she's been pretty low-key. Here are just a couple fun tidbits:
Last week one evening while I was beached on the couch and Duane was on the computer, Danica had a little bathroom adventure. Duane must have heard some sloshing so he went to investigate. He found Danica in the bathroom (bare bummed with her pants at her ankles) with the plunger in the toilet just going to town sloshing it around. She had used too much toilet paper AGAIN and plugged the toilet. I appreciate her independence so much, but this may have gone a bit too far! She did it again today, but this time at least she yelled for me to come plunge the toilet... "Mommy, I used too much toilet paper again! The potty won't go down!!!"
Another potty story: A couple weeks ago she threw up in her room so we were chasing her around with a bucket for a couple days. Once in a while when she'd tell me she was going to "throw" I'd take her to the potty to do it in there (never happened). So now if she coughs a lot (or just whenever she thinks of it) she says, "Mommy,I'm sick, I'm gonna go throw in the potty." She goes and stands in front of the potty and looks at it for a while, then walks away.
Baby note: I started feeling our little peanut moving around in there! It sure makes it real to feel a live human being inside you trying to punch it's way out!

Mom and Dad WHO????

Dani, Hannah and Denae having fun at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Duane and I took a little trip to Bismarck to get some maternity shopping done for me last weekend. Dani got to spend the night with Grandma and Grandpa. And apparently we should've had her stay for a couple more days, because she was NOT thrilled about coming back home with us!!
We decided that since so much fun was had by all, that we'll need to do this more often!

The girls

My girls love to cuddle up together in the mornings.

Waiting for Daddy to get out of the bathroom. Poor Daddy doesn't get a minute to himself when he's at home!!

Still waiting.

My little soap box

This is a great article. I get SO FRUSTRATED with people thinking we're uptight for limiting Danica's sugar intake. It's called good parenting!!! This actually is a really interesting article that explains a lot that I don't think most people know. And a lot of people don't have an understanding of all the foods sugar and it's evil counterparts are in. Most of the food we eat is actually not food at all and our bodies have no idea what to do with it. Scary for those who have and are growing up with this... not as much for those who grew up before this was an issue (25 or so years ago).

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/26/Sugar-May-Be-Bad-But-This-Sweetener-Is-Far-More-Deadly-Part-2.aspx

Baby news

Saturday marked the second trimester for little baby Klabunde. He or she will have completely formed finger prints this week! They'll get formed from him or her swimming around in the amniotic fluid. Who knew??
If you're curious about other growth facts, you can check them out at babycenter.com or at parentsconnect.com.

Snow fun!

Making a snow angel!

A picture of her first snow angel of the year!

We had a great time playing out in the snow... loving this warm weather! However, a few short hours later, Mommy got VERY sick! I think we'll be staying in for a while!

Some of Danica's very first artwork from school! The top one is a painting... I'm considering framing and hanging it up, I love it so much. Then there's the tree from "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" and then there's the letter A that Dani traced. She's having SO much fun in school and wishes it were every day (Mom secretly wishes the same).

Winter fun!

Dani and Grammy sledding to Grandma Doris' house. The whole time Dani yells, "Faster Grammy!!"

Danica got to stay at Grammy and Papa's house on Saturday night so we could go to an ugly Christmas sweater party (hopefully pics to come on that). As we were driving there we went past the air base and Dani said, "Look, it's New York City!!" ??? We can't figure out where she got that!

Dani had lots of fun. She got to go to a hockey game and help Grammy sell tickets. It sounds like she had a great time playing with the money and cheering for the hockey players. She has such a great time there - of course it's because she has 150% of Grammy's attention 150% of the time!! But that's what Grammys are for!!

Her first movie

The future filmmaker shot her first movie the other day (without our knowledge). We thought she was just taking pictures of Daddy, but I got a nice surprise when I checked the camera!

School daze

Danica's first day of school!

I did take the camera to school too, but decided against a picture with the teacher. Being a former teacher, I know how annoying that is!!!

Dani had an ok time on her first day. Her teacher Shawn said that she tried pretty hard not to have a good time, but he thinks she still did. He said he'd ask her if she wanted to come color (or whatever they were doing) with the kids, and she'd get her best pouty face on and shake her head yes. Our little drama queen was pretty darn tired that day from not sleeping well the night before, so we'll use that as her excuse. Hopefully today will go a lot better. She seems pretty excited for school today, so that's a great sign!

Her hamburger/hotdog playdoh set has been a favorite the past few days.

Christmas in Garrison

Trying on Ali's old dance costumes.

Is that a big sparkly ring on your hand?? I THINK SO!!! Congrats Ali and Jared!!!

Brenna enjoying her new Zebra!

Always ready for a close-up!

Dani got her doctor kit! She's been performing small miracles on us ever since.

LOVING her new princess stuff! She got a new dress, 4 pair of princess shoes, a new tiara, and two pair of gloves and purses! She's in princess heaven!

Enjoying all her presents at one... her new vanity, her doctor glasses and her tiara!

2 seconds before Hannah dropped Brenna on her face. :)

Christmas in Bottineau

Cowboy Tate enjoying his gifts from us!

Paige, Averie, Tate, and Dani (Drew laying down) at Grandma Doris' on Christmas day.

At Amma's on Christmas Eve. We weren't too good at getting pictures because we had the video camera going instead. Hopefully Auntie Jill got some pics we can swipe! (hint hint!!!) :)

Oh the horror!

Today was Danica's first ever concert. One that we were completely unaware of and unprepared for. We hadn't been to church in a few weeks - mainly due to my feeling sick. So we went today and found out she'd be up and singing in front of the church. Oops!
It was very cute as all the 3-4 year olds filed in. Danica was in the first row nearly dead center, and looked confused and terrified as could be. But thankfully she didn't burst out crying like we envisioned she would. Instead she did something much worse... oh yes. As the music started and all the other kids started singing "Twinkle Twinkle," Danica's finger migrated up to her nose. It stayed in there for quite some time, then decided to head a bit south... to her mouth! Yup, we had THEE kid who picked her nose and ate it during the church Christmas concert.... IN THE FRONT ROW!!!
Kinda glad we weren't prepared and didn't bring our video camera. There'll definitely be some prepping before her next concert!