Nicole is at the age where the things she says make us laugh and/or cringe all at the same time. Here are a few quotes thus far from our sweet 4 year old that are ones to remember:
In order to build camaraderie and comfortableness, my dentist invited Nicole to look into my mouth with him during his examination. Nicole's response: "I'm NOT a DOCTOR!" And then to no one in particular, but loud enough for us all to hear, smugly she says, "I'm a princess."
When discussing the fact that Nicole was going to need to get some "pokes" (shots) to keep her healthy: "IF SHE GIVES ME A SHOT, THEN I'M GOING TO GET MY SHOTTER AND GIVE HER A SHOT!"
Nicole was refusing to share one of her princess band aids with Megan, so I said that I would have to take the box if she wasn't going to share. Nicole's response: "Mom, if you take my band aids, then I'm going to take your rings!"
When driving in the car: N: "Dad, are you going the speedway?" D: "Yes, Nicole, I'm driving the speed limit." N: "Well, don't drive like a maniac."
Monday, February 14, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
January Highlights
Life has been busy around here which is why I haven't posted much. Here are some January highlights:
Nicole attended her very first birthday party on January 17 (same day as Grammie Lynn's birthday!). Her friend Mary was turning 4, and Mary is Nicole's best friend. We carpool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are preschool days, and the two were in school together all last year as well. It's a great friendship.
Mary's mom said that Nicole should come at 11am and I could pick her up at 1pm. That morning, Nicole and David went shopping at Target to pick up a gift. Nicole picked up a Dora microphone, a barbie doll, and a headband for Mary. She and David wrapped the gifts, she put on her new headband from Aunt Katie and got into the car, ready for the party.
Here she is, ready to go:
When I pick her up, Nicole says loudly, "Mom, I had a GREAT time!" Then she hugs and kisses Mary goodbye. A great start to a lifetime of birthday celebrations! Thanks, Mary!
Miss Megan is embracing being two with a vengeance. She insists on picking out her clothes, dressing herself, putting on her own coat and shoes, AND...removing her diaper in favor of more "big kid" fare ie. raiding Nicole's underwear drawer and bringing her big sister to tears for invading her things. Yes, Megan may very well potty train herself if she didn't have me getting in the way. But given that "Little Sarge" has strong will power, she may very well have success behind my back.
Baby Lauren is so smiley and happy this month. She is happy to see anyone who smiles at her. She has also discovered her toes! It is quite funny because she holds her little legs straight out like a chicken to inspect them! She's kind of like a mini Mary Lou Retton doing a round off over a pummel horse.
Here she is:
Nicole attended her very first birthday party on January 17 (same day as Grammie Lynn's birthday!). Her friend Mary was turning 4, and Mary is Nicole's best friend. We carpool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are preschool days, and the two were in school together all last year as well. It's a great friendship.
Mary's mom said that Nicole should come at 11am and I could pick her up at 1pm. That morning, Nicole and David went shopping at Target to pick up a gift. Nicole picked up a Dora microphone, a barbie doll, and a headband for Mary. She and David wrapped the gifts, she put on her new headband from Aunt Katie and got into the car, ready for the party.
Here she is, ready to go:
Miss Megan is embracing being two with a vengeance. She insists on picking out her clothes, dressing herself, putting on her own coat and shoes, AND...removing her diaper in favor of more "big kid" fare ie. raiding Nicole's underwear drawer and bringing her big sister to tears for invading her things. Yes, Megan may very well potty train herself if she didn't have me getting in the way. But given that "Little Sarge" has strong will power, she may very well have success behind my back.
Baby Lauren is so smiley and happy this month. She is happy to see anyone who smiles at her. She has also discovered her toes! It is quite funny because she holds her little legs straight out like a chicken to inspect them! She's kind of like a mini Mary Lou Retton doing a round off over a pummel horse.
Here she is:
Lauren gets a 10!
Nicole Quotes:
N: Mom, I think you should have three more babies.
Me: Oh, Nicole. I have my three babies! I have you and Megan and Lauren.
N: Mom, we ARE going to grow up!
Today I was able to hold Lauren on my hip which is a mom milestone--so much more can be accomplished with a kid resting on a hip versus a newborn who needs to be cradled. Nicole is right, they ARE going to grow up, and I don't know that I'm ready for that!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Fasten Your Seatbelts!
So I've had a chance to update the current statuses of the Three Reed Sweet Peas...now it's time to tell the stories that I know I'll look back on and say, "What in the world?" Put on your seatbelts folks, it's time for a ride.
Imagine a put-together looking mother walking out of a preschool with her fun-loving toddlers. The girls are obediently holding onto the stroller of their little sister, who is cooing happily in her carseat, as the mother, who has an angelic look of content, looks down on her brood.
Now, take that image and envision the exact OPPOSITE. Because THAT is the picture that more accurately depicts the events of the last couple days.
Yesterday morning was rushed as usual, compounded by the fact that Miss Megan is currently going through a phase where she takes off her clothes down to her diaper whenever she gets the chance. Her timing seems to coincide with the moments when we most need to be loaded into the car and on our way. I manage to get her clothes on her, and put her immediately into her carseat where she is strapped in and can do little more to make us even later. We pull into the preschool, get everyone dropped off to their classrooms, and I am off with Lauren to do some errands. It was a lovely morning!
Unfortunately, I needed to wake Lauren from a deep sleep in order to go and pick up her sisters. Lauren was pretty upset, and despite burping her, her cries seemed to escalate. There was nothing I could do to console her, and we needed to be on our way. Lauren cried, and didn't stop. On our way in, as Lauren wailed at the top of our lungs, I put my head into Nicole's classroom and asked her to put on her coat. My goal was to get in and out as fast as possible! I told her to meet me in Megan's room which was 10 steps down the hall. Nicole immediately started crying, and making a scene, for whatever the reason. Lauren's cries have now reached earsplitting proportions, Nicole is crying her eyeballs out and holding onto my pants, and I need to retrieve Megan from her classroom. The Reeds are here!
The director of the pre-school program hears the clatter, and comes to take Nicole to help me out. I hear her coax Nicole off my leg, and I am in action getting Megan's coat on her and grabbing her things. When Lauren, Megan and I get to Nicole's classroom, Nicole is standing in the hallway with her arms folded across her chest as the director and her teacher are trying to get her to put on her coat. My head was exploding at this point, and I quietly but with eyes that I'm sure said it all, told her to "get that coat on." Nicole goes immediately into the "ugly cry." Now Lauren is at a fever pitch, Nicole is ugly crying, and Megan decides this is the time to test boundaries and refuses to hold the stroller as we walk. The director suggests that I leave the kids to bring the car around, but I thank her with sheer mortification, and walk the whole mess to the parking lot.
Megan stays about 15 paces behind us despite my coaxing, Nicole is really ugly crying because I told her that she must give up her special butterfly necklace until tomorrow after she apologizes to Heidi and her teacher, and Lauren the hornet is in attack mode. The hat I wore because my hair was an utter travesty is now falling half down my face as I trudge with the sorriest brood you ever want to see back to our car.
I was exhausted. And so were Nicole and Megan who slept for three hours.
The next morning, as the snow is flying, and we are desperately trying to get out the door to make our carpool on time, Megan decides to take off her clothes. That was IT. I got out the duct tape. Now before you think child services, I used the duct tape as "suspenders" over her clothes (think Buzz Lightyear) to teach her that she must keep her clothes on her body. I put her immediately into her coat, and get her into her carseat before she can do any more to make us late.
Nicole dutifully apologizes to the director and her teacher. Both tell me how bad they felt for me the day before, and how they don't know how I do it, etc., etc. Heidi looks at me with kind, sympathetic eyes, and asks me how I am doing. I demure that I am doing well, and that it's a lot of work, but I am managing so it's all good, when Megan unzips her coat revealing her duct taped outfit. Heidi's eyes go from me, to Megan, and then back to me, at which point I explain the reasons behind the duct tape. Oh...my...gosh.
I head back to the car with Megan and Lauren and see that I have a note on my car. It says, "I found your car keys on the ground. Heidi has them." Seriously? I use a valet key in the morning to heat up the car, and use my regular set to lock up the house when we leave. I put my regular set in my pocket, then put the valet key in my pocket when I went to get the kids out of carseats, and then I pulled my regular set to lock the car as we headed into school. The valet key must have fallen out as I pulled out my regular set of keys. I pull up to the school, and run into Heidi's office where she is printing out a sign to explain that a key has been turned into her. So now I have to explain why I'm throwing car keys on the ground. In my mind I was thinking, "she thinks I'm coming undone." And then I knew that was the case when she hugged me on my way out.
Nobody told me that motherhood would be so humbling which is why I am happy to pass these stories along to my little Reed Trio. Paybacks are tough, girls.
Imagine a put-together looking mother walking out of a preschool with her fun-loving toddlers. The girls are obediently holding onto the stroller of their little sister, who is cooing happily in her carseat, as the mother, who has an angelic look of content, looks down on her brood.
Now, take that image and envision the exact OPPOSITE. Because THAT is the picture that more accurately depicts the events of the last couple days.
Yesterday morning was rushed as usual, compounded by the fact that Miss Megan is currently going through a phase where she takes off her clothes down to her diaper whenever she gets the chance. Her timing seems to coincide with the moments when we most need to be loaded into the car and on our way. I manage to get her clothes on her, and put her immediately into her carseat where she is strapped in and can do little more to make us even later. We pull into the preschool, get everyone dropped off to their classrooms, and I am off with Lauren to do some errands. It was a lovely morning!
Unfortunately, I needed to wake Lauren from a deep sleep in order to go and pick up her sisters. Lauren was pretty upset, and despite burping her, her cries seemed to escalate. There was nothing I could do to console her, and we needed to be on our way. Lauren cried, and didn't stop. On our way in, as Lauren wailed at the top of our lungs, I put my head into Nicole's classroom and asked her to put on her coat. My goal was to get in and out as fast as possible! I told her to meet me in Megan's room which was 10 steps down the hall. Nicole immediately started crying, and making a scene, for whatever the reason. Lauren's cries have now reached earsplitting proportions, Nicole is crying her eyeballs out and holding onto my pants, and I need to retrieve Megan from her classroom. The Reeds are here!
The director of the pre-school program hears the clatter, and comes to take Nicole to help me out. I hear her coax Nicole off my leg, and I am in action getting Megan's coat on her and grabbing her things. When Lauren, Megan and I get to Nicole's classroom, Nicole is standing in the hallway with her arms folded across her chest as the director and her teacher are trying to get her to put on her coat. My head was exploding at this point, and I quietly but with eyes that I'm sure said it all, told her to "get that coat on." Nicole goes immediately into the "ugly cry." Now Lauren is at a fever pitch, Nicole is ugly crying, and Megan decides this is the time to test boundaries and refuses to hold the stroller as we walk. The director suggests that I leave the kids to bring the car around, but I thank her with sheer mortification, and walk the whole mess to the parking lot.
Megan stays about 15 paces behind us despite my coaxing, Nicole is really ugly crying because I told her that she must give up her special butterfly necklace until tomorrow after she apologizes to Heidi and her teacher, and Lauren the hornet is in attack mode. The hat I wore because my hair was an utter travesty is now falling half down my face as I trudge with the sorriest brood you ever want to see back to our car.
I was exhausted. And so were Nicole and Megan who slept for three hours.
The next morning, as the snow is flying, and we are desperately trying to get out the door to make our carpool on time, Megan decides to take off her clothes. That was IT. I got out the duct tape. Now before you think child services, I used the duct tape as "suspenders" over her clothes (think Buzz Lightyear) to teach her that she must keep her clothes on her body. I put her immediately into her coat, and get her into her carseat before she can do any more to make us late.
Nicole dutifully apologizes to the director and her teacher. Both tell me how bad they felt for me the day before, and how they don't know how I do it, etc., etc. Heidi looks at me with kind, sympathetic eyes, and asks me how I am doing. I demure that I am doing well, and that it's a lot of work, but I am managing so it's all good, when Megan unzips her coat revealing her duct taped outfit. Heidi's eyes go from me, to Megan, and then back to me, at which point I explain the reasons behind the duct tape. Oh...my...gosh.
I head back to the car with Megan and Lauren and see that I have a note on my car. It says, "I found your car keys on the ground. Heidi has them." Seriously? I use a valet key in the morning to heat up the car, and use my regular set to lock up the house when we leave. I put my regular set in my pocket, then put the valet key in my pocket when I went to get the kids out of carseats, and then I pulled my regular set to lock the car as we headed into school. The valet key must have fallen out as I pulled out my regular set of keys. I pull up to the school, and run into Heidi's office where she is printing out a sign to explain that a key has been turned into her. So now I have to explain why I'm throwing car keys on the ground. In my mind I was thinking, "she thinks I'm coming undone." And then I knew that was the case when she hugged me on my way out.
Nobody told me that motherhood would be so humbling which is why I am happy to pass these stories along to my little Reed Trio. Paybacks are tough, girls.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Baby Lauren
Lauren was born on a Sunday afternoon, and her feisty personality was apparent the moment that she was born. Her cries were loud from the beginning, and nothing really changed for the first three months of her life. Each night, Lauren has cried and cried, only to be consoled by her mama(: I suppose that when you are the third of three girls, you really need to stake out your spot so as not to be forgotten! We lovingly refer to her as "the buzz saw" and "the mad hornet." ha! We found out that Lauren had acid reflux pretty significantly, so she started on medication (Zantac) when she was a week old. Relief was apparent quickly.
Lauren smiled when she was three days old. I know, it sounds unbelievable. But I have the ultimate skeptical witness: Bubbie. Actually, Lauren smiled AT Bubbie for the first time when she was three days old, and Bubbie about jumped out of her skin! "She's been here before," is all that Bubbie could say. By a week old, Lauren was definitely smiling socially (when she wasn't crying).
Lauren is now three months old, and change is in the air! She cries so much less now, and seems so much more settled. Lauren has always been extremely aware of her surroundings, and seems to be overwhelmed at times which leads to crying. Every day she becomes more comfortable with change. She smiles, and coos, and is so endearing when she looks at you. It's almost as if Lauren looks into your soul with her knowing eyes. It's not lost on me that I'm referring to a 3 month old baby here. But I'm just calling it as I see it (and again, it's been verified by Bubbie!)
Lauren is a great addition to our family. Nicole and Megan adore her, and her mommy and daddy couldn't be happier that she has completed our little Reed trio.
Lauren smiled when she was three days old. I know, it sounds unbelievable. But I have the ultimate skeptical witness: Bubbie. Actually, Lauren smiled AT Bubbie for the first time when she was three days old, and Bubbie about jumped out of her skin! "She's been here before," is all that Bubbie could say. By a week old, Lauren was definitely smiling socially (when she wasn't crying).
Lauren is now three months old, and change is in the air! She cries so much less now, and seems so much more settled. Lauren has always been extremely aware of her surroundings, and seems to be overwhelmed at times which leads to crying. Every day she becomes more comfortable with change. She smiles, and coos, and is so endearing when she looks at you. It's almost as if Lauren looks into your soul with her knowing eyes. It's not lost on me that I'm referring to a 3 month old baby here. But I'm just calling it as I see it (and again, it's been verified by Bubbie!)
Lauren is a great addition to our family. Nicole and Megan adore her, and her mommy and daddy couldn't be happier that she has completed our little Reed trio.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Sweet Meggie
Megan turned 2 in September. From the moment she was born, it was clear that she was a relaxed, happy go lucky type of kid. She actually fell asleep while the pediatrician was examining her in the hospital! As a baby, she was easy to take to new places, she slept well, she liked meeting new people, and she had a great belly laugh for such a little baby.
Bubbie said from the beginning, "What a tiny baby!" I didn't understand why she would say that when Megan's weight was quite similar to Nicole's as a newborn. Turns out, Bubbie was right. Megan is very fine boned, and well...tiny. She has had many tests to be sure she is okay, and every one of them have indicated that she is perfect in every way. She has the stature of her grandmother and great grandmothers.
What Megan lacks in stature, she makes up for with her LOUD voice. She has been dubbed, "Little Sarge." She walks around like she is 10 feet tall, and as though she has everything under control. Megan takes charge when she needs to, she defends herself like a wildcat from her sister, and she makes sure that everyone knows that she has opinions that need to be considered. At the same time, she is sympathetic to others, and is compliant (though recently, she puts up a fight when it's time to go to bed, but gives up rather easily). Megan attends a children's morning out program a couple times a week, and her teachers can't say enough about her and how adorable she is each time she is there.
A friend once told me that Megan has a kind and gentle spirit that pulls you in and grabs hold. You can't help but be endeared by her big green eyes, her bushy eye lashes, her toothy/gummy grin, and her muppet-like voice. Her thumbsucking is even cute, though will be an orthodontic nightmare when she's older. Megan is a living Abby Cadabby at age two. As we watch her jump around on her little legs, laughing and grinning and being silly, or dutifully carrying out a task, David always says he wishes we could bottle this stage in her life. I couldn't agree more. She'll always be our Sweet Meggie.
Bubbie said from the beginning, "What a tiny baby!" I didn't understand why she would say that when Megan's weight was quite similar to Nicole's as a newborn. Turns out, Bubbie was right. Megan is very fine boned, and well...tiny. She has had many tests to be sure she is okay, and every one of them have indicated that she is perfect in every way. She has the stature of her grandmother and great grandmothers.
What Megan lacks in stature, she makes up for with her LOUD voice. She has been dubbed, "Little Sarge." She walks around like she is 10 feet tall, and as though she has everything under control. Megan takes charge when she needs to, she defends herself like a wildcat from her sister, and she makes sure that everyone knows that she has opinions that need to be considered. At the same time, she is sympathetic to others, and is compliant (though recently, she puts up a fight when it's time to go to bed, but gives up rather easily). Megan attends a children's morning out program a couple times a week, and her teachers can't say enough about her and how adorable she is each time she is there.
A friend once told me that Megan has a kind and gentle spirit that pulls you in and grabs hold. You can't help but be endeared by her big green eyes, her bushy eye lashes, her toothy/gummy grin, and her muppet-like voice. Her thumbsucking is even cute, though will be an orthodontic nightmare when she's older. Megan is a living Abby Cadabby at age two. As we watch her jump around on her little legs, laughing and grinning and being silly, or dutifully carrying out a task, David always says he wishes we could bottle this stage in her life. I couldn't agree more. She'll always be our Sweet Meggie.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Nicole is 4!
Nicole was born on December 28th. This year, we celebrated Christmas with our family in NC. We ended up traveling home on the day of Nicole's 4th birthday, which meant lots of hours in the car and two exhausted parents. There was just no way David and I could manage birthday dinner, birthday cake, and wrapped gifts after our trek. So, we told a little white lie...we told Nicole that her birthday was the next day, and she was none the wiser. Life was good. Nicole put herself to bed because she knew the faster she went to sleep, the faster she'd be 4.
Nicole's birthday morning arrived (Dec. 29, 2010 this year), and she walked out of her room with her head hung low and looking dejected. She said, "Mom, I didn't get taller." I think Nicole thought that she would by my height when she woke up. I told her that I thought for sure she had grown. A little later, Nicole did show up downstairs wearing my pink lipstick, which seemed to make her lack of height less of a problem.
We had a good day, filled with anticipation for the birthday celebration. Nicole asked David who was coming...um, well, our family would be there. Nicole was a little bummed, but then David asked her what she would like for her birthday dinner and she perked up. Nicole requested "Thanksgiving dinner with cranberry, stuffing, and potatoes." Mind you, I'm making a homemade "marble" birthday cake as she requested. How am I going to pull off Thanksgiving in the next hour?? What happened to pizza? MacnCheese? Chicken nuggets? Um, no. Apparently her 4 year old palate became more sophisticated in her old age.
David left on a mission. Thank you Boston Market for a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner. Thank you Dollar Store next to Boston Market for the fabulous birthday decorations and party favors that more than made up for the lack of outside party guests. We all had fun. It's good to be 4.
Nicole's birthday morning arrived (Dec. 29, 2010 this year), and she walked out of her room with her head hung low and looking dejected. She said, "Mom, I didn't get taller." I think Nicole thought that she would by my height when she woke up. I told her that I thought for sure she had grown. A little later, Nicole did show up downstairs wearing my pink lipstick, which seemed to make her lack of height less of a problem.
We had a good day, filled with anticipation for the birthday celebration. Nicole asked David who was coming...um, well, our family would be there. Nicole was a little bummed, but then David asked her what she would like for her birthday dinner and she perked up. Nicole requested "Thanksgiving dinner with cranberry, stuffing, and potatoes." Mind you, I'm making a homemade "marble" birthday cake as she requested. How am I going to pull off Thanksgiving in the next hour?? What happened to pizza? MacnCheese? Chicken nuggets? Um, no. Apparently her 4 year old palate became more sophisticated in her old age.
David left on a mission. Thank you Boston Market for a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner. Thank you Dollar Store next to Boston Market for the fabulous birthday decorations and party favors that more than made up for the lack of outside party guests. We all had fun. It's good to be 4.
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