Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Zane's 3rd Birthday

Since our 4th of July weekend is packed with activities, we had Zane's 3rd birthday party last weekend, a week early. We had it at the park by our house, which worked out perfectly for his friends to come and play and for our friends to come and hang out. Zane and Emmy both had so much fun and didn't want to leave. Thank you everyone who could come to celebrate with us and thank you for all the nice gifts!! And thanks, Dad, for taking these great pictures.


The kids got to have a dino pinata. They each got 2 or 3 turns, but couldn't break it open so finally Zack had to give it a good whack. It was pretty funny watching 2-3 year olds hit it as hard as they could, but barely being able to bump it. :)






Untitled from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.



Untitled from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.



Untitled from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.


Nellie, my sister, made the dinosaur cake...
Cutting the cake together...
I think he looks so old in this picture!
My big 3 year old...

Untitled from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.


Emerson had lot's of people to play with and had a lot of fun too.
Emmy with her great-grandma Fran.
With Aunt Jord and Aunt Nell and Uncle Anthony...

Playing on the playgroud



Playing some T-ball...

Emmy with her dinosaur tatoo, trying out a scooter.
Emmy's mad face!
Blowing bubbles was a big hit with the kids...

Zane with Ben and his friend Emily.


Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Doggies

Why do all kids love dogs so much? You got me, but they definitely do! I've tried to catch her barking on video, but haven't had much luck. I tried in this video, but she didn't respond much. It was just cute watching her focusing so hard on watching them. The way she says "Doggie" sounds just like "Dada"...lot's of words do! :) There's always enough of a tiny difference though that I can usually tell what she's saying. I also like how she does a little stomping things with her feet when she sees dogs or says the word "doggie."

Doggies! from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.

Tempers, Tantrums, and Tricks

TRICKS
Emmy's new trick is that she can finally drink out of a straw and a sippy cup!!! I am pretty much ready to throw a huge party to celebrate because it seriously makes me so happy. We've been giving her fluids through medicine syringes and from the bottom of straws but now she can finally drink on her own. Yipee! That also means I can finally ween her off of breastfeeding. Another yipee!

Zane's new trick is that he makes up stories all the time about what happened to him, and is actually starting to totally stretch the truth, like really stretch it. When we used to ask him what happened when Emerson started crying, he would just tell us the exact truth - even if it was that he pushed her on purpose. Now when we ask him, he makes something up or says it was an accident. He's figuring it out!

Another trick is running out of our sight in public places - not one of my favorites. The other day at the zoo, inside the Tropical Forest exhibit, he ran completely away from us when we weren't paying attention. Zack and I went in opposite directions and came back without him. We of course freaked out and a few minutes later he came running back and said, "I was just looking at the bats." But then he also made up a crazy story about what had happened.

TEMPERS and TANTRUMS
We have realized that Emmy is a biter!!! Zane never bit anyone, not even in anger, but Emerson has bitten Zane, me and lot's of other things when she's gotten mad. The bad thing is that now Zane is copying her and actually bit her back the other day. Oh, the challenges of parenting!

Zane's been getting more impatient with Emmy being too rough on him or taking his toys, etc. and has really been acting on it. It bums me out even though I know it's just a phase.

When Emerson throws a tantrum, she just throws herself straight onto her belly, face down toward the ground and cries. It's pretty funny.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Old Toys Becoming New Again

It's been fun getting out some old toys for Emerson that have been in the basement because they were fun for Zane when he was younger but he got tired of them. He hasn't seen them in so long that they are super fun again for him too. This whole week, Zane and Emerson have been cracking up at each other just going in and out of this tent. They have run into each other and fallen down a bunch, but usually neither of them cries because they are having too much fun. It's also been funny too, because if we stick our hand or face in, Emmy freaks out and she's learned how to scream as a reaction to us getting her. I guess hearing screaming enough from Zane rubs off. They've also read books in there, eaten their snacks, filled it with stuffed animals, etc. Cheap and easy fun!

In and Out and In and Out from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Long, Busy, Weekend

This past weekend, we did a lot. On Friday morning, we headed up to Bellview Park where they have a petting zoo, train rides, and a fun playground. They also have a stream to wade in, which we'll do next time.

This was Emmy's first time petting animals and she had no hesitation whatsoever. She just went right up to them and went for it. Zane still hesitates a little bit, but he likes it too.

I like in this video how Zane says he pet the pig and that the pig let him. :)

Untitled from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.



They weren't supposed to chase or touch the chickens and roosters so it was a big job keeping track of Emerson so she wouldn't do that. I like this picture because she's right behind Zane about to run toward the poor animals and I was grabbing her.
Zack with his little buddy.
They were waiting in line to ride the train...

The next day, we visited another park and then drove up to Greeley to visit 3 of my college roommates and their families. Here's Beth with Avery, me with Z and E, Erika, and Kate with Ella.
On Sunday, Father's Day, we had a great lunch with my Dad near Cherry Creek Mall and then headed over there afterward to play. Once again, Emmy had no fear at all. She just climbed up everything and just thought she could jump off anything and be fine. Let's just say she fell a lot of times. There were so many kids running around that Emmy got totally knocked down a few times too. It was pretty crazy. Her and Zane both had fun though.


We hung out that evening as a family to celebrate Zack. He is the greatest dad and makes our lives so happy!! He works so hard, plays so hard, and tries so hard to do everything he can for us. We love him so much.

We even fit in some sandbox time (Emerson's new favorite pass time). Luckily, she doesn't eat sand anymore (at least usually doesn't).


Friday, June 18, 2010

Updates

Why in the world am I not able to keep up with basic updates?? I have so many things each day that I really want to remember, but just can't find the time and/or motivation to jot it down or write it out. Maybe that will have to be my un-New Year's resolution.

Zane and Emerson have both been growing and changing so much! The biggest thing, I think, is that they are truly starting to play together more now. It's my dream come true every time I see them sitting and interacting with cars or dinosaurs together or when I hear them giggling and chasing each other. I just love that they like being together lately...not all the time, but a lot of the time.

Emerson:
* Knows some more words - some completely recognizable (toe, down, milk, more, mama, dada, Elmo, gentle, love you, uh-oh, no, yeah) and some that are the same everytime so we know what she's saying, but aren't as recognizable (doggie - doda, yogurt - aaaooo, I want that - something like that, fan - faaa, ball - daaa, and several more that I can't think of)
* Now has 9 teeth in, including one huge molar. She's just about to get 3 more big molars too and it seems like she's just teething all the time.
* Loves getting shoes for the right person and trying to put them on our feet...her own, Zanes, mine or Zack's. When she gets rocks or sand in her shoes, she just sits right down and takes them off.
* Can point to her feet, toes, belly, and hair when we ask her to.
* Loves shaking her head no when we ask for something and she runs away smiling and giggling.
* Imitates singing, whistling, screaming, and pretty much any sound SOOO well.
* Starts trying to tear off her clothes when we say it's time for a bath.
* Still can't really figure out sucking out of a sippy cup, straw, or bottle - she loves biting all of them so it's tough getting her to stay totally hydrated (I'm still nursing her 2 times a day) and for the rest we have to give her fluids dropping out of the bottom of a straw or a medicine syringe.
* Is super loving and gives hugs and kisses to everyone and everything around her all day. She snuggles us all the time and gives us "gentles."
*Gets the hiccups when she laughs too hard.
* Can finally fall asleep in her car seat and other places by quietly drifting off instead of crying as hard as she can to fall asleep.
* Makes more animal sounds...doggie, cat, cow, monkey, bunny (hops), and most the others still sound pretty similar to each other. :)
* Likes to fake sleep a lot and just lays down her head wherever she is at the time.
* Fake blows bubbles and makes a really funny sound that is supposed to be blowing.
* Reads books and wants to sit in our laps all the time to read, read, read.
* Eats like a maniac! She eats probably double what Zane does and eats every single thing we give her pretty much. She also begs for snacks all day. Wow, it's impressive. She wants to feed herself with spoons and forks so bad and is getting a little bit better at it.
* Loves to bounce balls and chase them. She's also been loving to play in her tent, just running in and out of it cracking up. If one of us sticks our head in, she freaks out in a high pitched squealing laughter and falls over trying to get away.
* Loves playing in the sandbox with Zane and is eating less and less sand.
* She likes to sit in Zane's lap and just plops down whenever she wants to.
* Has such a funny, quirky, wild personality and is hilarious.

Zane:
* Turns 3 in 2 weeks and is becoming so much more independent and just old. He understands and remembers everything!! He's such a cool little person now who I love hanging out with. It's been fun doing more and more with him as he matures.
* Is really getting pretty good at verb tenses, even irregular verbs. When he's talking, he'll correct himself or think about how to say the word right before saying it.
* Has gone to two movies with us (Shrek and Toy Story 3) and did great. He loves all the characters and talks about everyone a lot.
* Asks "why, how, when, what, but especially why" after almost every single thing we say. The crazy thing is that he remembers all our answers and learns from everything we say, so we try our best to give him the real answers. The funny thing is now he's figured out to just ask all his questions at once before we even have a chance to answer them because he anticipates what we'll say. A lot of time, too, he'll say, "Oh, I already know" and then answer his own question. He even asks his toys why all the time and then has them answer his questions in their squeaky voices.
* When we're wondering about something together, he brainstorms the answers or solutions with me and says, "maybe (aybe) it's because"...and he comes up with the best most unique ideas. Wish I could think of good examples.
*Actually told me the other day that my kiss didn't make his toe feel better :( I tried a few times and it didn't help!! I felt like crying because my baby is growing up.
*Tells me where to go and says stuff like, "Mommy, turn left, then right, then turn and you'll get to the store."
* Tells us he went on trips by himself, like that he went to go visit New York and that he rode the train and went to see a movie in the theater and just makes up crazy ideas.
monster with three fingers
* Told me he wanted to go to Lake Michigan again and I told him we had to save up enough money first to plan a trip. So, he told me he would work at church playing play-doh so he could pay for all of us to go on our trip to Michigan.
* Plays the game "I wish I could eat a whole ____" and when I say one, he says, "No, you can't eat that! It's too crunchy or too big or too spicy, etc."
* When a kid on TV or in a book is by himself, he always asks, "Where's his mommy?" If a kid is sad, he usually concludes that he must need his Mommy.
*Helps me assess why Emmy is sad or crying and gives me lot's of ideas why.
* When he learned to sing the song, "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring. Went to bed and bumped his head and couldn't get up in the morning" he had to ask all about the story behind it - Why is it raining? How did he bump his head? Where's his mommy? Why couldn't he get up? What did he play when he did get up? etc.
* Told me the other day to turn right, turn left to get to the Hub, but don't turn on Sunny Days or else you'll get to Sesame Street.
* Tells knock knock jokes - and then says, "that was SOOO funny!"
* Quotes movies lines and book lines all the time.
* Loves the new building where Zack works, The Hub. He said on the way home from it the other day, "I just love the Hub...it's way more fun that our house,"
* Said, "I tried to hide it from the wind, but it still got it" when he lost a toy outside.
* Came in from outside and yelled, "I'm coming in. It's absolutely freezing out there."
* Told me Emmy is "giving me roughs, not gentles."
* We saw a fire truck and ambulance pass us while driving and Zane told me that they were going to help someone who got hurt. Then he said, "I want to help too, Mommy! I'm a good helper. Can we go?" Then, he concluded that the best helper would be Larry Boy, the main character from Veggie Tales.
* We also tell Zane we're going to put him down for rest time and one day he said, "No, I want you to put me up for a play." He does that a lot, says the exact opposite of what we say.
* He helps Emerson and is more patient with her. He actually helped her climb all the way to the top of a McDonald's playplace today. He likes to hold her while he slides too. He will help me take her hand and guide her in the right direction.
* Is obsessed with the ipad and wants to play games on it all the time. Then, when he asks to see Zack's ipod, he calls his "opad" because he gets the vowels mixed up.
*Talks to other kids more, introduces himself and asks them questions. He's getting friendlier and more outgoing...
* Is the sweetest little guy.

Not so long next time!!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Summer Fun

We have already been busy having fun this summer. Last week, we spent 5 out of 7 days outside at parks, pools and picnics. We all love hot weather, so we've been out a ton. They act like being inside is the most boring thing once summer comes around too, so when we do stay in we have to be creative to keep the kids engaged. Luckily, we have a water table and sand box on our front porch that they are both enjoying too. The other day, I left them both out there alone for 2 minutes and when I came back out Emerson was totally soaked from head to toe - Zane had dumped water all over her. She didn't seem to mind. :)

This day, we played dress up - Emmy was the princess and Zane the prince of course. It's funny how just putting one random item on as clothing counts as dressing up. Emerson wore my apron for a dress and Zane wore his "boppies" for a cape.

We love Civic Green Park! It has a playground, a pond to wade in, and Zane's favorite part, fountains to run through. Notice he still fits into the same swim trunks as last year. :) He's also gotten a lot more brave since last year, which is mostly a good thing, but can be a little scary sometimes.
Emerson wasn't so sure...
She did get used to it and would walk up and touch the fountains a little bit. I put these little sandals on her so that she wouldn't slip as much and I've also been so thankful that she started keeping her hat on. Now I just need to work on her sun glasses. Her skin is SO fare that she burns super easily.
Zane refuses to sleep when he's upstairs for his "rest time" but he's been getting so worn out from being out in the sun that he falls asleep almost everyday sitting on the couch. He only needs to be on it and hold still for a few minutes and he's usually out. I wish he would just nap while he's in his bad during Emmy's nap...that would just be too easy and make too much sense!
Emmy is learning how to hold her own bowl of snacks and eat out of it. We've had a million spills, but she's getting better.
A new summer hair do - my mom put her hair up in a little pony tail and I liked it so I've started doing it too. It gets her bangs out of her eyes. :)
We've gotten to swim at our pool several times already. This day, Janelle came with us. She's a major swimmer, so the kids had a blast with her swimming under them and blowing bubbles and swimming to the deep end with them. We also tried out these floaties for them. They both loved them because they could be independent.
Here's Zane and me hanging out. He liked wearing his goggles and trying to look underwater. It was hard to blow bubbles and look at the same time, so he kept choking on the water when he tried.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Zaney Boy

Here are some of Zane's "friends' (stuffed animals') names that he came up with by himself:
Fauston the Fox
Doggie Charlie Brown
Doggie Upstairs Downstairs
Doggie Denise
Doggie Josie
Doggie Zack

He does different voices for all his little animals and has full conversations with them constantly. The animals also have conversations with each other. The funniest thing is when he has a doggie talk to us, he usually makes the doggie call us by our real name instead of Mommy or Daddy. The other thing I love is that sometimes, he'll just stop what he's doing, look sincerely down at his animal and say, "I love you, Fauston." and then he'll have the animal respond back, "I love you too, Zane!" in their little voice. So cute.

Here's a conversation with Charlie Brown and Upstairs Downstairs

Doggie Charlie Brown and Doggie Upstairs Downstairs from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.



Here's Zane singing and then lip sinking. He loves to "sing with just his lips" all the time to all different kinds of music. Sorry about the drool...he was right in the middle of eating a snack and I didn't want to retape it. :) :)

Singing and Lip Sinking from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Sweet Emmy Girl

I LOVE this stage of Emmy saying yes or no by shaking her head. When she says yes, she says, "yeah" over and over and usually moves her whole body with it. It's funny too, because a lot of times, when we try to hold her hand when we're walking, try to pick her up when she doesn't want to, or ask her to give us a toy, she just smiles, shakes her head no and runs away. Little stinker.


Yes and No from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.

Two Little Buddies

Scaring, Burping, Spitting, Spilling, and Laughing from Josie Weingartner on Vimeo.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Recent Pictures

Here's what we've been up to...

I took Zane and Emerson to the dentist for their first checkup. They both did really well. Luckily, Emmy's appointment was only 2 minutes long because that's when she started thinking about fussing.
She got to brush the monster's teeth.
We were all hanging out on the couch...
This is Zane and his friend Abhi. He likes to tell her what to do and where to go (some people may call it bossy) so he holds her hand and pulls her along. She usually likes it, but sometimes not.
Checking out the fish...
Rockies vs. Padres
Randomness...


Emmy with her friend Lincoln...they were saying goodbye because Linc is moving to Iowa.
I took Zane to a Nature Center with some of our friends to learn about worms and centipedes and do a hike to look for all sorts of things. This is him listening to the teacher about worms.
He got to hold and "pet" worms and centipedes and of course loved it.
Here are the kids looking at a snake they found.
Mommy and Zane footprints.
Zane was feeding his sucker to Emerson at the grocery store and laughed about it the whole trip. It was awesome that they entertained each other so we could shop.

Zack and I at Jord and Ben's graduation. I still have to get the other pics from my Dad to post.
Just playing around...