Halloween Night Party

Here are some pictures from the FUN Halloween night party we had at Eva's. They had a magician and facepainter there for Eva's 8th birthday. Krista looked just GORGEOUS! The kids really scored big-time on the candy too! Kaitlyn didn't really get into it much, she slept in the stroller for the most part during the outing... and didn't even seem to recognize Krista at all. I guess I have to admit that I didn't even recognize Krista at first either! We also had our friends visit from Belgium to see the new house and the new baby. All in all, a FUN night!

Krista-The-Black-Halloween-Cat

Fruit SALAD!

Well, in keeping with Erik's idea that Kaitlyn would be starting SALADS...we decided to make the transition to fruit! Not quite a fruit salad, but anyway at least one ingredient!!!

So here is a clip of Erik helping me feed Kaitlyn her apples. He was very encouraging and really enjoyed watching his little sister. I gave him a taste and he immediately wanted me to give him a bowl too. So, this week is applesauce week for everyone :) Even Kaitlyn seemed to like them.

So here is the clip Grandma has been waiting for...Kaitlyn eating with a spoon!!! She is taking about 2 tablespoons now at a sitting which I think is excellent, considering Erik NEVER ate pureed food and went right to chunks towards his first birthday.

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!

On Grandma's Special Day....


Dear Grandma,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR GRANDMA....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

It sure is hard being so far away from family when it is celebration time, but we are at least grateful we had such a special October visit together!

Here are 2 videos of the kids singing to Grandma..The first was just a warm up...the second is much more lively :) Enjoy!




And with a bit more energy...




Love to Grandma from all of us!!!
Kelly, Toomas, Krista, Erik and Kaitlyn

The First Solids

It seems so much is going on in the world of our little 6 month old that I myself can hardly keep up! There have been so many wonderful and new experiences for Kaitlyn in the last few days. Some of these "firsts" include: the introduction of solids, the first sitting ride in the stroller (we used the bassinet attachment until now), the exersaucer induction and Halloween....

Kaitlyn's 6 month birthday was a day full of surprises--both good and bad. She awoke to her big brother and sister standing around her bassinet singing the Happy Birthday song...This was her first cue that it was no ordinary day.

Next up was solid food. "Solid" food discussion has gone on for some time now between Toomas and myself, as well being a natural hot topic of conversation with other mothers. Little Erik picked up on this word and knew it would be happening to Kaitlyn very soon. Finally, he realized that this was indeed the day... and ever-so excitedly asked when we would be giving Kaitlyn her first "SALADS"? I cracked up, envisioning what must have been going through Erik's small 4 year old mind....Kaitlyn behind a large bowl of potato salad, fruit salad or the standard green romaine variety perhaps. Erik seemed pleased to find out that we wouldn't be serving her any iceberg lettuce today, but instead something a little more geared for her age!

So, finally the long awaited moment arrived and lets just say it wasn't such a pleasant one for my little sweetie. (She DID seem interested in the new highchair though, but boy was it big for her! I forgot how little she still is. Her small head barely popped out over the tray.) We decided that since Thanksgiving is just around the corner we'd opt for a nice colorful, flavorful and SWEET food (like breastmilk). The obvious choice--sweet potatoes. Krista loved them so I figured it would be a big hit with Kaitlyn as well.

Kaitlyn was really excited for the new experience, her face was glowing and once again I could tell she knew something was up. She was so cute sitting up like a big girl in her highchair, a cute litte bib strapped around her neck......... She was ready, but when came the spoon with that orange stuff on it....her tune quickly changed!

I waited for her to open and ever so delicately put a tiny bit in her mouth. It only took about 5 seconds before she gagged, looked at me with a great bit of confusion...and then SCREAMED bloody murder. She seemed so insulted! I felt so bad ruining her special day like that!!!

The good news is that TODAY we had much better luck. We let her play with the spoon herself (with a bit of sweet potatoes on the spoon), and in short--she LIKED it! She actually took about 2 teaspoons today (willingly!). So there IS hope and maybe just maybe she'll forgive me for ruining her 6 month birthday like that :)

Kaitlyn is SIX Months Today!

The Little Gerber Baby...



Oh my goodness...how time flies! Today marked 6 months with our precious little Kaitlyn. These are the golden days and the ones that I LOVE the most about babies. It really is a magical time in the life of a baby...Six months is glorious--they are discovering their world, reaching out and becoming small individuals. I'm making sure to savor every day and its small pleasures!

Today has been a busy day, but a fun one! We carved pumpkins, did a 6 month photo shoot, STARTED SOLIDS (that will be a post in itself), and introduced Kaitlyn to the ever-loved Exersaucer! Six months has a lot in store for our little girl! It will be fun month, thats for sure!!! It has started out with a bang!

These were a few pics of my little Gerber baby from our photo shoot today. I'll post more in a later post about our FIRST solid experience..(and exersaucer experience also).

School Vacation

Here in France we're on school vacation this week and next week! The French seem to have a LOT of school vacations (this one being for All Saints Day). All of these vacations are great for the kids, but the downside is that summer vacation is rendered a bit short in my opinion!!

We aren't up to much this vacation...just keeping busy in the neighborhood (with a few planned outings for next week). The kids have a million friends here in the cul-de-sac so they aren't bored. We've been taking Kaitlyn on walks and going to a few of the local parks. PLUS, we've been sleeping in! It feels great not to have to rush around in the morning. Krista's rhythmic gymnastics class is still being held during the vacaction though, (2x a week as a matter of fact), so that is something for her to look forward to!

The weather is still wonderful here. Sunny and in the 70's! We couldn't be more spoiled!

I thought it would be fun to take a look at what they are on vacation from:

Here is a sample of both kids school work at the moment!

Krista (2nd Grade): Reciting a poem "Le Tamanoir" and her notebook where its written.





Erik (Pre-school): LEARNING to write the days of the week!

The Protest!

We're making progress (I think?)... According to the widely read parents handbook "What to Expect The First Year" Kaitlyn is developing new skills. Okay, I confess, it wasn't one of the skills I was hoping she'd acquire so quickly....but she did.. and I must say, in this category she is very advanced for her age!!! You may now be wondering and what is that new skill? That skill, ladies and gents is called "The Protest"....and my little baby girl has mastered it, down to a tee. In her defense this is a necessary skill to have in a house with two older and stronger siblings...it's simply survial of the fittest.

I am now going to share with you photos that have recently been concealed. This "first protest" was way back in early October...at the young age of 5 months and 4 days. You see...according to the book, she would be considered advanced even if she acquired this skill only in her SIXTH month, but infact at a wee 5 months she already had it down pat!

Excerpt, photos and video to follow....

You can see the text...."may possibly be able to:" ****OBJECT if toy is taken away

So, here we are....5 Months and 4 days: The first protest, over a paper cone. It was a LARGE and exciting kid-suprise cone and she just simply WANTED it....

The most recent protest was a few nights ago...this time the culprit--a "Yu-Gi-Oh" card. Some may not know what this means, but to a 4-10 year old a "Yu-Gi-Oh" card is worth GOLD...and apparently to Kaitlyn also. Toomas made the mistake of giving her the card which she realized she loved and NEEDED. Enter stage left: Erik, who wanted HIS card back (so he swiped it away)!!! Result---a VERY unhappy baby, exhibiting her new "objection" skills. Enter stage right: Krista who shows Kaitlyn a toy in attempt to cheer her up (which fails miserably). Screams now are becoming piercing to the ear. We need help and fast!!! Krista then yells out "WAIT, I'll go get one of MY Yu-Gi-Oh cards"!! Result: COMPLETE satisfaction for Kaitlyn and demonstration of SUPREME objection skills.

2006 Halloween Party

Yesterday we had a bit of fun at the annual AIA Halloween party...a group of Americans here in France who get together to celebrate US holidays and partake in other American traditions. We had a spooky group on our hands... Erik was a skeleton, Krista was a bad-luck black cat, and little Kaitlyn was a round, little pumpkin. Kaitlyn was really well behaved, and was happy to be passed around among friends. She doesn't seem to mind new faces--or spooky ones for that matter either. The kids had their fill on Halloween candy too so it was a hit!

A Bouncing Baby Girl!!

Well, little Kaitlyn has decided to take flight. She is no longer content to sit quietly in her bouncy chair and play with the toys. It is much more fun to get moving....and that she did! I was in the office and heard a big commotion in the kitchen and low and behold the bouncy chair was taking flight. If you look really hard (at the beginning of the clip) you can see that the bouncy seat is actually leaving the ground! I told our doctor about this and he said to stock up on concrete so we can bolt it to the floor. She sure loves getting it going---WAAAY too much fun!

Kaitlyn's Five Month Checkup

A Healthy Baby Girl!!

Today we had Kaitlyn's five month checkup and she checked-out A.OK! Her stats are: height 25.5 inches long (65 cm)...Hooray-- two feet tall! She weighed in at 7.8 kg or 17 pounds, 4 oz...and her head circumference was 44 cm. All in all her stats put her around the 65-70% for a 5.5 month old girl in France (on all measures). The doctor gave us the go ahead to start solids this month or next. I think we will wait until she turns 6 months and have a celebration for her 6 month birthday...which is only 10 days away! Right now she is enjoying breastmilk alone...and I am enjoying the last few days of exclusive breastfeeding before we start getting messy! The bad news of the visit is that she got her booster vaccinations (Prevnar and Infanrix Quinta). She didn't even cry for them, but unfortunately did start crying a few hours after we got back (and is now running a slight fever). Despite not wanting to, I gave her a bit of tylenol and thankfully now she is napping peacefully. I'm so thankful for this precious, healthy blessing! She is a pure joy for us.

From the Archives. Volume I

"Does this Girl Love Chocolate or What?!?"
From the archives: Sept, 2002

I am about to begin my segment "From the Archives" where I will bore/or not bore you with memories from our past. It is fun for me to look back ...Hope you enjoy!

Just leave it to a Grandma to spoil her grandkids.. Krista was quite sheltered "culinarily" speaking until she was three years old. I tried my very hardest to keep her away from candies, cookies, sweets and other forms of junk. Her favorite foods were actually fruits and veggies back then (raspberries to be specific). It was inevitable I guess...and along came the day that Grandma introduced her to chocolate...She was a girl OBSESSED!! From time to time a small package would arrive in our mailbox from Grandma with her "fix" ...well, what was I to do?! Whenever one of these packages came in the mail, little Krista KNEW it would be filled with goodies from good ol' Gram! I found this clip of when Krista was 3 years and 3 months old....(FOUR years ago already.. but I though it was cute :)

Our Jumping Jack (Jill)

Here's my little Jumping Queen Krista and her jumprope. Look at her go!! Wow..a backwards crossover on one foot, now that is cool! Okay, I admit...I got a little over-excited when she hit the big crossover, but it IS pretty amazing to see (especially since I'm her Mom!). I always loved when my Mom and Dad got excited when I scored a goal in soccer or did a trick--now as a parent I'm the one shooting out all the encouragement and praise to MY kids. I hope it makes them feel as happy and special as I did when I accomplished something... It sure is wonderful seeing children grow and develop!

Bye-Bye Gram!

Grandma and her three grandkids...
Grandma took an early flight out of Germany this morning. We were sad to see her go, but it sure was fun spending a few days together! :) The kids had so much fun also--even little Kaitlyn! It always seems that kids make big strides in their development during a visit with someone, or while on a trip. Kaitlyn really grew a lot during Grams trip socially. It was fun to see her come out of her shell and show off her personailty more. She learned to use her "loud voice" during grams trip so that she could steal a little of the attention from time to time.

Anyway, thanks for visiting Grandma! We had a blast!

Grandma's Trip Part II

Here we are...still enjoying Gram's trip! We have managed to enjoy every moment to its fullest and are just very thankful that she was able to come to see us!

The big news of her trip is that Kaitlyn has sprouted her FIRST tooth! She's also learned to sit up in her inflatable donut ring while Gram has been here. She sure decided to show off for Grandma's trip!

It has been great having Grandma here, but tomorrow she leaves already. I'm putting up a few photos of all the fun we've had---cookie making, going out to dinner or just hanging out enjoying the wonderful weather.

A visit from Gram!!

All the way from the USA!!

She's here safe and sound!!!! The day we have all been waiting for has finally come. It's time for Grandma's visit....all the way from America. It is so great having her here...showing off Kaitlyn and the kids, the new house and a great warm front that makes it feel like spring!! Although it will be a short visit we have all intentions of making the most of every minute....Right now Gram is up in the master bedroom "spa" enjoying a moment of relaxation in the jacuzzi. It is well deserved too--as she has been one busy Grandma since her arrival last night. The kids won't leave her alone for a second..they are (we are) having WAY too much fun!

A Baby Belly-Laugh

There's NOTHING cuter than a baby's belly...well okay, maybe one thing....a baby's belly-laugh! So here we are--a photo of Kaitlyn's 5 month old chubby baby belly and a clip of her 5 month old baby belly-laugh. Enjoy!

Baby Shower Gifts!!

I had good intentions to email photos of Kaitlyn wearing her fancy presents from all of you, but.... (insert standard excuse here___).

So finally, a few pictures of Kaitlyn enjoying the wonderful gifts she received from her birth shower. Here are just a few, but the thank yous are MANY!

XO

Kaitlyn

Outfits from:

The Below Family, Montserrat Enrich Mas, The Darcy Family

Erik's Family Sketch

My favorite pirate, Erik Andres, has drawn a photo of his family. You can see from left to right: Daddy, the head pirate, leading the family along (complete with his sword, feather, skull & crossbone hat and a big smile on his face), next in line is baby Kaitlyn and her stroller. You might want to note that the 3 wheels on the stroller isn't a mistake because we do indeed have a 3 wheel carriage ( the only oddity is that Kaitlyn appears to be riding on the handle bar of the stroller--something she's never tried, but Erik seems to think is possible!). The lineup continues with Erik... pirate bandana on his head, and pushing the stroller. I'm up next...the Mom (proudly walking as the TALLEST memeber of the family--does that mean I am viewed as the authority?), and finally you see Krista with a necklace on her chest. Well, I hope you enjoyed the drawing...it is one of 10 Erik made today :) And since he worked so hard on all of the others....I will also include this last one too....


He really wanted Grandma to see this one before she leaves on her trip to come visit us (we can't wait)! This one is of Erik's second favorite things next to pirates---BATS! It is a cute drawing...One bat is even hanging upside down to sleep (which Erik learned about in his new book "Stella Luna"). You can also see that Erik has learned to print his name (the K's were cut off by the scanner--sorry EriKKK).

Who's Who???

Hi all..

I have received a LOT of comments from our friends here in France about how much Kaitlyn looks like Krista...so I decided to dust off the albums from 1999 and take a look back.

I must admit--but you be the judge---that there is a strong family resemblance for sure!! There's no denying these girls are related! I found one from November of 1999 (so both girls are around 5 months of age)....

Here they are:
Same Swing...Different Baby!

Two Bugs In A Rug

= Friends Forever!


Here they are..my two little ladybug bed-bugs! They are certainly going to be great friends one day---well, they

already are if that is possible. You should see Kaitlyn's face light up when Krista walks in the room and starts to talk or sing to her. Just amazing! Or, if Kaitlyn is crying or fussing....plopping her on Krista's lap almost ALWAYS does the trick (lucky for me)!

Okay here are a few more photos of the great friends together...AND stay tuned tomorrow for a sister look-alike contest!

Tummy Time Video!

Okay team---Give us a T...give us a U...give us a double M..and give us a Y...WHY? It's TUMMY TIME!

Kaitlyn isn't a tummy time fan, however! Yesterday was surpring though because she didn't actually cry when put on her tummy....instead, she laughed. Could this be a turning point?

Anyway, here is the clip, we've all been waiting for...Kaitlyn on her tummy (happily) and Erik cheering her on...

EXTRA EXTRA Read all about it!!!

NEWSFLASH...News Just In!!!

Hot off the press "Newsflash"....Krista was in the sports section of the newspaper the night before last! Our neighbor just gave us a copy of the paper with the evidence...

Krista did some rock climbing with her best friend, Carla, last weekend and evidently she climbed pretty darn high (thus meriting this great photo). She's the one with the striped sports pants . Swiss Alps, here we come!

Spotlight on Erik

Erik's First Day of School

Well yesterday we had a Krista update, so now how about an Erik update!

Our little guy Erik is now 4 years old and in his second year of pre-school (chez les moyennes). He is really starting to feel comfortable now with the language and is making a lot of new friends. These are pictures of Erik at his pre-school on the first day. The first day was a hit...he had a fun time, not because he loves school (like his sister), but because he LOVES to draw and color in the mornings before school starts.

This year Erik started his first extra-cirricular activity...Baby gym. It isn't really 'gymnastics', and he isn't really a 'baby' but anyway...its called Babygym! It is really just a "playtime" for the kids. They do structured activities and dances (like the chicken dance). He LOVES it once he is in the groove, but he really doesn't like us to leave him and often protests (quite loudly!). Hopefully he will make improvements in that area this year.

Erik's big obsession these days is PIRATES! All the boy does is talk about pirates, draw pirates, dress up as a pirate or play with his pirate boats. He's a sweet little guy, but he has his tough-guy side too.

So that is my Erik update. He's growing well, developing social skills, language skills and trying new activities... Oh and I almost forgot, Erik EASILY learned to ride a 2 wheeler this summer. All it took was about 10 mintues (the time we took off his training wheels) and he was off! So a photo of my little pirate man one of his various costumes!

Krista's First Day of Second Grade

Here she is... Krista Marie on her first day of school...backpack on, a top front tooth missing...her American girl outfit on! She is a real little 7 year old girl and she is READY for the 2nd grade.

So, you might be wondering...how did that first day go? Well it was a true success! She loves school...she really, really does. This little girl was made for academics. From the age of 2 years old she loved flashcards, picture books and most of all LEARNING. I'm so happy to have such an eager learner. To be honest, I was a bit nervous about starting her in French school at the young age of 3. She didn't speak a word of French at that point, and yet we expected her to be able to read and write by the age of six IN FRENCH!! What?! How would that be possible...Well it happened. Somehow between the age of 3 and 6 Krista mastered kid-level French...her THIRD language. How?? Well kids are amazing! Really...they are true sponges! And as you can tell I am a proud parent (as most are). So, to top off the challenges for this little girl..she was selected this year among five other kids from last year's first grade class to go in a class with third graders!! So, my little Krista Marie is not only in French school (which is a feat in itself my opinion), she is in the 3rd grade class with only 5 other second graders her own age! I'm really in awe of my little Krista!

So, what else does this little girl like besides school? She loves to dance. She is involved in tap dance (claquettes), ballet (danse classique) and rhythmic gymnastics as well. She is one busy little bug! She also loves to read and is currently reading "Sheila the Great" by Beverly Cleary (remember that one?) and also loves the American Girl Discovery Series. She loves all books and each night asks how many pages she is "allowed" to read before going to sleep. And last but not least she LOVES being a big sister to her little brother Erik, and her new baby Kaitlyn. She is already asking how many more days until Kaitlyn can "sleep overnight" in her room? Well...a few more years. She's still "sleeping over" in MY room!

Here's a photo of Krista in front of her school and one of her with her best friend Carla.

My Brother and The Fray

I'm so very proud of my little brother Mike! First off..for finding this great band The Fray; secondly for producing this AWESOME album and thirdly for going GOLD...and now PLATNIUM (see photo attached of the official platnium plaque). Yes ladies and gentlemen, this means the album that my brother produced has sold over ONE MILLION copies! Not bad for his FIRST album as producer. He has of course has co-produced other albums, but this is his first as main producer, and I must say... Job WELL DONE Mike!! There are a few clips of Mike on http://www.howtosavealife.com/ , which features the Fray's second single "How to Save a Life"...and the story behind the song (really neat!).

Here in France I can hear "Over my Head" (the first single off the album) all the time when I turn on the radio in my car. The first time I heard this song on the radio here I thought it was just my CD, but then I realized it was actually on European radio! It has topped the charts in many countries now...including Australia where it hit #1!! It is neat to know that it is my little brother who's responsible for this happening!!
Congratulations Mike!

PS To see or hear more about the band...check out http://www.thefray.net

Five Months Old

Hello again,

Well the news of this week is that Kaitlyn is 5 months old. It is amazing how quickly these months can pass. I have noticed that with having older children, the time seems to pass much faster for the younger one. When Krista was a baby each month was a year long, but now the months seem to pass like a weeks. At any rate, I am very much enjoying Kaitlyn and her baby-ness. She is still such a baby, and definately the most "baby" of the three. At 5 months she is still sleeping her her bassinet next to our bed...and might I add, waking at night! Despite the night waking, I am NOT looking forward to sending her off to her own room. Don't get me wrong, I did spend a lot of time decorating her "chambre" but I am by no means rushing her there. I am very much enjoying having her right next to me. It won't be long until she won't fit into that bassinet anymore and she'll have to walk up to her own bed!!

This month Kaitlyn had her first round of vaccines. She did wonderfully! She didn't even cry for the first one, but with the second shot she did yelp for a moment. She is a very laid-back and happy child. She smiles and coos for all. She even seems to know when people are talking about her and is always up to performing for an audience. She loves to "crow" and "sing" also.

Kaitlyn is now 63 cm and weighs a good bit (7,700g). She doubled her birthweight and then some at 4 months and has grown over 12 cm in her 5 months. She is still petite though---her hands are ever so dainty, with her long thin fingers and her "manacured" looking nails. She is definately a girl! Erik has his big "paws" as I like to call them, which are in fact two times as thick as his sister Krista, who is nearly 3 years older!

So, this is my update...our happy little Kaitlyn is growing, smiling, laughing, rolling (only from tummy to back), singing and tring to grab any toy that is within 12 inches of her...and generally being a WONDERFUL little happy baby.