A trip to the zoo on a chilly day

Nikki had a day off of school, so she decided that we would go to the zoo...we haven't been there in a while, so we packed up a lunch and off we went!

We rode on the carousel (as usual--it is open only if the weather is nice now) and wandered down to see the animals. We saw all the lions and tigers and then had lunch. On our way to the play zoo, we stopped to see Hudson...see him over there? Sleeping so peacefully. I really like this picture of him.

There is a cool picture of the giraffe too, but I can't get it to upload....another time then. He was standing right at the edge of his pen eating the bushes on the other side of the fence. That was so cool to see him up close, of course 2 seconds after I whip out the camera to take the picture, he walks away. SIGH.

We had a great time, even though the weather was a bit chilly and we were all wearing our coats. Pretty soon we'll be wearing our heavy winter coats to the zoo and wishing for warm weather!

Trick or Treat!

Nikki and Lizzie went out to see how much candy they could get. We went around all our neighborhood and got a fair amount. Lizzie wasn't too happy about it. She decided to skip her nap, so she was attached to me most of the way. She liked the idea of going to the door, she just didn't want to go with sissy alone.
Nikki was a witch this year and Lizzie was a butterfly.

The Royal 8th Birthday!

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY PRINCESS NIKKI!!!!!

The 10th was Her Majesty's 8th birthday. She got most of her presents early, but we are going to hopefully have a few of her cousins over in the next few weeks, so she could still get more.

On the other side, she visited the Royal Physician for her checkup. She is now 4' 7 3/4" tall and weighs 113#. She's off the charts for both. So of course I got the usual speech about not letting her eat junk, portion control, etc that I get every year. Oh well. She's just taking after her daddy.

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!

OK, so I don't know that whole head, shoulders, knees, and toes game but I do know where a few parts of my body are! I can show you my: eyes, ears, nose, mouth (which I usually have my suckie in), feet, toes, and my personal favorite my BELLY BUTTON!

Did you all know that there's that belly button down there? Wow every time I lift up my shirt or dress it's there. I really like to show it off to people (total strangers usually)...it makes Mommy cringe some, but I don't get it...are we supposed to show it off or not? It's fun to show off my belly button to people...they think it's funny and smile and laugh at me.

A trip to the zoo with the whole family!

We went to Brookfield Zoo with the whole family (and Auntie Pam too)! Sissy got to have a friend along. They had to bring Frogger with them (Frogger is their class social studies project....they have to bring Frogger to special places and then take pictures of themselves and write a paragraph about what they did with Frogger to turn in along with the pictures) We had a blast. The girls all rode the carousel. This time Daddy went on with Lizzie instead of Mommy. No big deal there. We also went to Stingray Bay to pet some stingrays (they're slimy!). Daddy really wanted to see Stingray Bay. We had lunch at a picnic table and ate PB&J sandwiches along with some chips for lunch. Lizzie's lunch was some chips, a piece of chocolate cookie, and a couple biter cookies. HEalthy selections there....but it was all I could get her to eat. Everyone also got their faces painted at the Hammill play zoo and Lizzie enjoyed seeing the tank of goldfish. The girls also played vets at the animal hospital. Overall we had lots of fun.



Don't worry sick aminals! Dr. Lizzie is on call! Hmm...what's wrong with this one?


Here's me and Daddy on the carousel...I rode the panda!


These are cownose stingrays. They are slimy and live in saltwater.


This is Sissy (R) and her friend Brianna (L) with Frogger at the frog statue right outside the zoo's gate

Some of my new words

I've learned a few new words! here they are in no particular order

1. boon (balloon)
2. ane (airplane)
3. eaf (leaf)
4. bird (i finally added the "d" sound to my previous "bir")
5. suckie (ok so I'm a paci addict)
6. piggy

First soccer game of the 2007-2008 season

Yesterday was Nikki's first soccer game of the new season. It was a great game and Nikki scored a goal from almost mid-field. She's got quite the kick (that was mentioned by several people sitting near us at the game...along with how tall she is). The main excitement was one of her team-mates getting sick on the sidelines and the ref stopping the game for around 15 minutes to tend to her. We saved the day by giving our coach some of Lizzie's wipe to clean her up.

Sadly Nikki's team lost 5-3. Oh well, there's always next time! GO WILD CHEETAHS! (that's their new team name this year. Nikki's suggestion was the Lions)

Random Ramblings

Well this has been a busy few weeks! I've learned to make music on Sissy's recorder.....that annoys Picaso (see him hiding under the table?) and Doby and then they join in singing too! Silly goggies.

Sidewalk chalk makes EXCELLENT makeup! I got bored of using the chalk the right way and decided to do a little makeover for myself....and you can't see, but my entire body is COVERED in chalk...I had lots of fun rolling in the chalk drawings that Sissy was making on the driveway. That was the first time I've had a bath before dinner!


Giving Mommy a few gray hairs here. See I can sit pretty on the ottoman. OK I confess--30 seconds later I was trying to stand up on that same ottoman. But see I'm cute and innocent! I have a very shiny halo!


OK thanks all for reading this....bye-bye now. Sending plenty of Lizzie kisses your way.

One more big-girl step!

Well fellow Snugglers, I've made the switch to that place that mommy calls the "big-girl bed." Let me tell you...not so fun. Last night I ended up falling out of bed twice and once ended up UNDER my bed--that made calling Mommy necessary to extract me from under there. (that was 5 am)

It was a lot of fun watching Mommy and Sissy try to take my crib apart so that they could make my big-girl bed. It's now got butterfly sheets on it...very cool to go along with my butterflies that are already on my wall.

So far I haven't given too much of a complaint over switching. I just need to learn how to stay IN my bed!

Petting Zoo Fun

OHH...if I kiss this piggy, will he turn into a prince?
WHEE!!! I figured out how to work the bouncy thing at the zoo park.
MOMMY!!! GET THIS BIR OFF ME! I don't like bir's sitting on my head....I just like to look at them!

For the fourth of July we went to visit Pam in WI. It was a lot of fun and we went to her local petting zoo....Elizabeth and Nikki got to pet lots of baby animals including a lynx, bobcat, skunk, and a timber wolf.

We also shot off a lot of fireworks that we bought.

18 months old

Wow...I'm 18 months old already. Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday that I was so nice and cozy in Mommy's tummy. Mommy took me to that evil doctor person (again). I don't like that place too much, but mommy says I have to go. I got poked and prodded and I didn't like it one bit! I screamed at the doctor and didn't want any part of getting weighed...you NEVER ask a girl her weight!

I got shots too.....3, count 'em..3! I hate shots too. I did like the walk to the doctor's office, that was nice and enjoyed pulling my pigtails out of my hair to see how many times I could make mommy put them back in.

Since mommy says all her friends want to know.....I weigh 27# 9oz and am 33 1/4 inches tall. I haven't gotten any new teeth in quite a while, but I'll start a week teething nightmare for mommy and then be done.

Mommy also tried to take me for pictures. I had other plans....scream my head off at the photographer and make mommy look bad. (heheheheh) So mommy told the lady to delete the pictures that she took of sissy and hopefully we'll try again later.

Crimes of Lizzie Cuteness

Here I am, sitting in the dog crate. Sent to jail for crimes of baby cuteness and I'm no where near old enough to go to jail. HELP!!!!!
OK Picaso, you can come in now, this is your kennel after all.
Just like daddy....got my remote, a drink and Wuffy! All set to lounge and watch some Blue's Clues!

Random Lizzie pics

OK.....not my most flattering picture, but here's me in full-blown tantrum mode! Mommy wouldn't let me play with her camera...or sit on Picaso's head....or eat the earring back I found on the floor.....OK so I was a grumpy Princess today!
Don't I look proud of myself? I figured out how to use a slide today!
WHEEE!! Slides are fun!

Undefeated!

Nikki's soccer team finished the second half of the season undefeated with one game cancelled due to weather (too cold for the game's start time of 8 am). She got a trophy engraved with her name on it and some treats from her coach (along with a picture of her team with him since her team pic that the photographer took didn't have him in it since he wasn't there for that game).

It was a fun game today and Elizabeth is slightly sunburned (poor girl). Nikki is looking forward to next season!
GO THUNDERBOLTS! (so it's the last time we'll say that--next year will be a different team name)

A rare sight!

Today we were treated to this rare sight...a fledgling American Robin (T. migratorius) getting ready to make his or her grand entrance into the world from the safety of his mother's nest in our pine tree.



I'm not ready to fly yet...but I'll sit here quietly.


This is the third year that we have had a nesting pair of robins in our front yard pine tree...way cool for Nikki to watch the female construct her nest (we've never caught her in action, but we look at the results) and watch her incubate her eggs. This year they had 4 hatchlings that fledged.

Watching these nesting birds has given us great practice in watching birds. QUIET is the main word in approaching their nest....Mom and Dad give plenty of warnings when they think that their babies are being threatened (they think they look menacing...but it's really hard to do when you're 8 in tall).

In a few weeks, mom will be back to lay her second clutch of eggs this season....hopefully another successful one for her.

for more info on robins visit: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Robin.html

Mommy and me

It's mommy and me! Ignore Picaso's tail and my Sissy....the most important thing is my Mommy! Mommy says my shirt says "DRAMA QUEEN" who me? NEVER!!! Oh maybe she's talking about those temper tantrums that I throw when I don't get my way...or when I try to climb on top of the coffee table or try to go downstairs by myself....don't know.

Happiness is a shared bowl of Fishies!

Nikki had a bowl of Goldfish crackers as a snack....of course Elizabeth wanted some too. So Nikki was very nice and shared some of her fishies with her sister.

Happy Easter!

Like the dress? Too frilly for me, but thanks sissy for picking it out for me. I like purple!

After getting out of that frilly dress, sissy set up an easter egg hunt for me.

Easter was great. Pam came down to visit and we had turkey this year instead of lamb (due to Chris having a gallbladder attack that landed him in the ER at 4 am tuesday morning). Nikki an d Elizabeth were both good in church and sat quietly most of the time. The lamb cake came out again this year and I was frosting it as usual at 11pm the night before.

Nikki and Elizabeth both got nice easter baskets. Nikki got a starbucks cup, the new Barbie movie, and a stuffed animal along with a few chocolates. Elizabeth got a stuffed animal and a baby Einstein movie (no chocolates for her). Nikki zipped through her easter egg hunt quickly and was in to count her loot.

After we got Elizabeth out of her frilly dress Nikki set up an easter egg hunt for her. Elizabeth really didn't want to put the eggs in the basket...she walked around and grabbed the eggs and wouldn't let them go. She was trying to figure out how to walk holding on to all those eggs (she had 2 and was trying to pick up #3).

That's the other thing...Elizabeth can walk now all by herself! She started Easter Sunday..what a great Easter treat for us. She walks around now with one hand behind her back(?) or waving her hands around while walking as if to say "look ma no hands!"

Meet the new family member!

Meet Picaso. He's our newest family member. He is a weimaraner/lab mix (born 2-15-2007)that we got from a farm while visiting Pam in Wisconsin. So far he is a good boy and is learning the rules of the house here....the most important is be nice to Doby-dog.

My 15 month checkup

Hi all! Mommy took me to the doctor today. It was very rainy so I had to wear my jacket even though it was a nice day (around 50 when we went and I wore a sweatshirt). We got there on time and I enjoyed helping hold the umbrella (that's a thing that keeps you dry in the rain). When we got to the office I played with the office toys while mommy signed me in.

That nurse lady called me and I hung onto mommy - I didn't want to go in! I reluctantly walked all the way to the door and refused to go any farther. Mommy picked me up and carried me into the room (my favorite room--room #2!) I was left to entertain myself while mommy and the nurse talked about me. I got weighed and measured after mommy took all my clothes off (how embarrassing to be paraded around the office in just your diaper!).

Then the doctor guy came in. He looked at me too. Counted my fingers (why did he have to do that? they are all there) and looked in my ears. The ear infection that I was in to the doctor for last Wednesday is healing! My pretty blue eyes are nice and clear (did I mention that I also had an eye infection too?) I really didn't want that doctor guy looking in my mouth (I have 12 teeth now 8 middle ones and 4 molars--those hurt coming in in case you didn't know!). I showed him Wuffy--my other main man in my life (besides Daddy).

After much poking and prodding that I didn't scream through this time he said I was a healthy little girl! He says that I'll probably be a risk-taker (like many second borns) after mommy told him that I needed DNA testing to see if I was part monkey (I can climb stairs and am attempting climbing on the coffee table).

I then got 2 shots! NOT FUN!!! DON'T GET SHOTS!!! Fellow Snugglers (if you or your mommies read my blog) sign a petition to ban shots!

Well here's some lists:

Likes: my Amazing Animals train (mommy has bought more of them for me), Wuffy, mommy's crochet hooks and yarn, Sissy, Daddy, blocks, peas, cheese, waffles, pasta, strawberry milk, bananas and apples

Dislikes: green beans, not getting the cable remote, long car rides, diaper changes, getting dressed

And my numbers (mommy calls them stats): I am 26# 2oz and 31 inches tall. My head has grown to 47 cm (to make room for more climbing and walking baby brain cells no doubt)

And lastly but most importantly (since it's WAY past my bedtime) to my fellow Snugglers--to get a hold of me just grab mommy's cell phone, hit some numbers, and hit the green button! (I've already done this trying to call someone--not sure who I called though)

Coloring is some SERIOUS work!

Hey I'm coloring here! Do you mind NOT flashing that camera in my face?

Coloring sure does make a girl thirsty! I'll get a sip of my apple juice...note the color-coordinated sippy cup with my outfit.

OK Mommy all done---want some Lizzie kisses? And look at all my teeth!

My new friend

Hi there! I'd like to introduce all of you to my new friend.....his name is Wuffy (he's a wolf). Mommy bought him for me at Brookfield Zoo when we went on Monday when Sissy didn't have school.

I grabbed him while mommy was in the gift shop getting her membership package and wouldn't let him go. So I now have a new friend. He's cuddly and soft and I just love him!

So if you see me around with Wuffy be sure to introduce yourself to him. He's kinda new here--just like me I guess but I'm already 14 months old. I wonder how old Wuffy is. Wow--it's way past my bedtime....so goodnight all.

The Plague Strikes!!

This hasn't been the most pleasant 2 weeks. To start with last week Nikki came home with the plague from school....it then passed on to both Elizabeth and me. Right now I'm left over with an eye infection and sinus infection. Hooray..NOT!

The girls are better, but Chris and I aren't. So it's pretty much me trying to keep things together while I take my antibiotics and not nap all day. Lately I've been getting up around 1 am not being able to breathe and then getting up every 1/2 hour afterwards.

My new best friend is my Lysol can....I can just kiss it! It's the only thing safe to kiss in this house right now. I've been Lysoling everything when I feel like it.

Sick or not--the housework must go on. So I try to do a little every day.

Anyone have an anti-germ module for the house that just sucks the sickness out of people so that we don't pass the plague around here?

Random Pics of cuteness!

Hmm...what is this magazine about? There has to be some stories for me in here.

















Mommy and me...and me and Sissy too. Don't I look thrilled to have my picture taken with Sissy. I sure love my mommy-person!

Go Bears!

Ok so the Bears actually LOST the Superbowl--but I still cheered my lil heart for them. How do you like my spiffy cheerleader outfit mommy bought for me?

I had a really good time trying to figure out what to do with my pom pom that Sissy gave me...I really didn't want to go to bed, but Mommty said I had to. So hopefully next year Bears fans--next year we will win theSuper Bowl!

She walks!!!

Elizabeth has finally taken her first two tiny steps all by herself! No hands needed. Of course she fell after those two steps right on the dog (who didn't mind at all). Nikki was very excited and was trying to help Elizabeth take more steps after school.

She has also learned the real crawl as well. No more rolling for the little princess here. The only rolling that happens now is when she gets her diaper changed....then she gets away as fast as she can so that I can't change her...she usually leaves with an un-diapered (very cute) butt and thinks that I can't get to her to slap a new diaper on her.