Ye Olde Update

I've been posting some random stuff lately, so I thought I'd finally put together ye olde update for the grandparents and great-grands... Enjoy.

Mini-Me: In that past month, Mini-Me has learned to walk, talk, and perform higher calculus equations. Of course, we were most impressed by the walking. At 18 months, I guess she had finally decided that she was sick being so low to the ground. While we dearly miss her little bum-scoot, we don't miss the torn up rump of her pants and tights... The talking wasn't quite as impressive since we already knew she was saying complete sentences. What was really neat was that we finally were starting to UNDERSTAND her. And the calculus, well, she's her father's daughter, isn't she?...

Mini-Me is the delight of all of our hearts, and we love to hear her say, "Kay" to things she likes and repeat "Mao" a hundred times while she carts around 6 different cat lovies. She is seriously obsessed with the feline species, and her favorite part of the new Underdog movie (besides the dogs which she liked second best and said, "foof foof" to) was the 3 total scenes that cats appeared in. She also ADORES "Gora (Dora) and Boots" and "Go Go Go Giego (Diego)". And Mini-Me is fearless on the slides, be they curly, tall, or covered in bird poo and dead bugs. She also obsesses daily, in fact hourly, over her mama and will take nothing but Mama when sad, teething, or critically injured (by sisters).


But as much as she likes all these things, nothing will get her through a bad teething spell like Kidsongs videos. Kidsongs, they're the greatest... (direct quote from the end of every single one). Oh, and mommy likes that they have an automatic repeat/start for when she is trying to shower so Mini-Me (a.k.a., the Tampon Slayer) doesn't destroy everything in the bathroom vanity... Oh, another notable first for her was entering nursery the last week in December. She and Shrimp got to go for one week together, and doggone it, I forgot the camera!!

Shrimp: this poor kid is a 13-year-old , trapped in a 3-year-old's body. We knew she had some opinions and a set of lungs, but she has taken to combining them in at an all-time high. Fortunately, she still can't climb down from the top bunk w/out a ladder, so involuntary time outs are still a (relative) success. The good news is that Shrimp is still our little sunshine, and when she's not begging Derek to play Underdog, Aladdin, Prince from any of the Barbie princess movies, or Polar Express, she is fun to be around. Not that her imaginary play isn't fun, but she has latched (and I mean as in a barnacle latches to a hull) onto Derek and wants to play with him the second he gets up and the second he walks in from work. It's an about-face from her early mom-addiction years, which may be good since Mini-Me has taken over that post . Recently she told me, “Mom, I love you.” (in that lovey way she says it). Then, “I said that because Dada isn’t here so I can’t say it to him.”…

Shrimp is still enjoying going to preschool two mornings a week, and tells us of all her "boyfriends" (Jack, Johnny, etc). Still not sure if she means boyfriends or friends that are boys. She and I have enjoyed watching all the wildlife outside the sunroom, including two more "reindeer" that we saw just this morning. One of the favorites lately is her funny pronunciations: "Ainglish" (English), hearsey (horsey), "inductor" (as in Derek is the conductor of the train) and "my heart is beeping". Shrimp is learning how to play w/Mini-Me, despite Mini-Me's obvious desires for much independent play.

Domba: this girl has continued to chug away at school, despite her desires to stay home forever and play with her long-lost "twin", Shrimp. Those two are peas in a pod, and it's a wonder they didn't come as a package deal. Or maybe it's a miracle they didn't because twins might be the death of me... :) Either way, they are thick as thieves, don't fight much, and when they do, they make up quickly and all is forgotten. Domba and Shrimp are starting swimming lessons this week, and at the next session, will be able to take a class together (just barely, as it is based on age). Domba (& Bub) are total computer addicts, and I can't leave my chair for a second before a little tush has taken it (and my computer) over to play WebKinz or 12 Dancing Princesses...

Domba has continued to be our little monkey, climbing everything in site. A month ago, she tried "to fly" from the window ledge above the sofa (direct quote), and ended up straddling the couch. Ouch! A couple days ago, she learned how to boulder the window sill in my bedroom. She keeps us laughing with her antics, and still says the funniest things. For instance,

Shrimp: “My chocolate is ignoring my milk,” as she tries to mix her chocolate syrup in her milk.

…5mins later…

Domba: “My chocolate is annoying my milk—I need more milk.” Derek said, “No you don’t”. Domba said, “Trust me, Daddy, I do.”

and...

“My teacher told me how to see the future: eat healthy food, get enough sleep and don’t wake up too early, get lots of exercise, brush my teeth every day…” (I think she originally said they would “LIVE to see the future” if they did those things…)

and...

“You are looking old, Grandma.”

It's always fun for everyone when Domba gets silly... Except when she gets crazy mad. We moved Domba and Bub in a room together, and put the two youngest in a bedroom together. It's gone well except that Domba doesn't like going to bed alone, and keeps waking up early w/Bub, who needs less sleep. Despite her sometimes cranky days, she remains a great snuggler and a sweetie all around.

Bub: ah, my little Bubber who is little no more. Bub has become a wonderful help in so many ways: w/ the younger kids, in cleaning, the list goes on and on. She has continued to sharpen her harping and reading skills, and is keeping up well in her school work. I had the chance to teach her Primary class for the past month or so, and was impressed w/ her peers. They are thoughtful, spiritual and well-taught kids. It's a relief to this mama's heart to see what good friends she has through our ward. She still pals around w/a fellow-transplant (from California this past summer), who will soon be able to visit with us many days after school.

Bub has been exploring older chapter books, such as Ella Enchanted and the Lemony Snicket series. She also recently read Because of Winn-Dixie and Sarah, Plain & Tall. After years of collecting some of my favorite teen/youth reads in our personal library, it's nice to see someone else who can enjoy them as much as me. And I have so much more to recommend!

Bub has been taking a sign language club at school, long a favorite hobby, and starts ice skating lessons this week. She is a very talented athlete in so many fields, much like her daddy, and will get the chance to brush up her skating skills and move up in the programs. We are also going to be coaching a running club at her school starting in a couple months that she will get help organize. We are modeling it after the wonderful Cross-Country Kids that Rick Dekeon put together at Northside Elementary in Ann Arbor. It's going to be so fun and is already greatly anticipated by the students and staff alike.

Maren: ever crafting, I have had to put away the scrapbooking tools and sewing machine to keep up w/my busy calling. Still, I've found some time to help Derek put together a new MovingCrew site, work on the embroidery on my Michigan wall-hanging quilt, do a little home-decorating, and READ. My sister-in-law referred me to Goodreads which I have embraced with gusto. I'm up to over 400 books that I've rated, and am slooooooowly working on doing reviews for them. And of course, I've LOVED being able to peruse my friend's lists for book recommendations. There absolutely nothing I love better than reading. Oh, except maybe sleeping. If you get on Goodreads, add me as a friend and we'll swap titles.

Running lately ranks up there on my list of things I enjoy. I'm not fast or enduring, but I keep at it and have been going about 6x's/week for 5 months now. This past Saturday, I set a personal best running 4.6 miles in 44 minutes, alone, w/major hills. The day before, I ran at the same pace, 3.6 miles in a half-inch of slippery slush. So you see, I'm no world-class athlete, but I enjoy it. Or I guess I'm addicted. I still highly doubt I'll ever reach long-distance (a.k.a., marathon) running, but I want to increase my distance and my speed to be able to one day run at least a half marathon. Derek's gotten me on RunningAHEAD posting my miles and times w/his addict dad and family. If nothing else, it'll help me know when my shoes need to be retired... (Like I can't tell that just by putting them on.)

And yes, I had a birthday (which I'd rather forget) and got breakfast in bed (which I'd rather remember and have repeated...)

Derek: ain't he handsome? Somehow, Derek manages to miss night after night after night of sleep in an effort to keep caught up on his teaching, grant applications, and research. This is because he still chooses to come home at dinner time to beat some sense into the monsters so I can have a moment of peace. It's true he's been crazy busy, but we have still had some good times, especially watching Lost and laughing at Mini-Me's antics. Recently we took a night and a few leftover tokens and hit the local Chuck E. Cheese's. Derek was a champ and handled all the tantrums (from all 5 girls) w/patience. I often wonder how I got "lucky" enough to end up w/someone so Christ-like and close to perfection, but then I think, well, there must be something to hang on his heel and keep him from being translated outright...

Derek has also been running, though he took a serious dip in his performance after the bad cold everyone had in January. He's training for a half-marathon the end of March in DC that he'll run w/his dad, uncle, cousin and hundreds of other crazy people that want to get up at the crack of dawn and breathe in the fumes of the traffic around the Mall.



Well, the weather is decent, and even when it snows, it is beautiful, then melts away... :) That's the kind of snow I like. Hurrah for non-Michigan winters! G'day to ya'll and have a great week!