Saturday, March 29, 2008

Meredith's Birthday!

Well, we can hardly believe it, but our little girl is now 5 years old. Of course it seems like just yesterday that I was in the hospital in agony, but I won't reminisce about that! :)

We had so much fun this weekend - I hope this has been a really special birthday for Meredith. Friday afternoon I went to preschool with her for the whole time - a first for me! We are so thankful for such a great preschool class and great teachers - we have really seen Meredith "blossom" throughout this year. After school Meredith had a tea party at our house for 4 of her special friends. There were 2 girls from her preschool class there, 1 girl from her school and church who comes to play at our house for a few hours every Monday, and Meredith's cousin, Gretta. The girls got to decorate sugar cookies, dress up in princess clothes, and have a tea party with real teacups and real tea. Kent took all the girls home by 5:30, so it was a short party, but still long enough to have a lot of fun! On Friday evening we had my family over for a birthday party for Meredith, so she got to have 2 parties in one day. She was thrilled about having her cousins come to play, her presents (of course), and the High School Musical cake that we got for the party.

On her actual birthday, we had a bit more subdued day. We had planned to go to Meredith's school for her to play on the playground equipment and ride her bike. But plans changed (as they tend to do) and Kent, Meredith and I went to the movie Horton Hears A Who instead. We all loved the movie, and it was definitely a special treat for all of us. Kent and I had a church youth group fundraiser dinner to go to in the evening, so Meredith's cousin Lauren came with a friend to babysit her and Jesse. I was feeling bad that we weren't going to be with Meredith on the evening of her birthday until I realized that she would probably prefer to play with Lauren instead of just being home with Kent and I!

So all in all, I think Meredith had a good weekend. We are still in denial that she is actually 5 years old - surely she can't be that old, right?!? :)

Monday, March 3, 2008

Snow Again?!?!?!

So I'm finally posting - sorry it's been so long!

We had a good time in Indiana when we were there a few weeks ago. It was good to see Jim and Bev and Scott and Teresa. Meredith was definitely bummed that she couldn't play with Riley and Mckenna, but she loved the time she was with Grandma and Grandpa.

Life here is the same as it has been all winter long...we seem to be stuck in our house more often than not. Last week I was at work and when I left, there was a coating of snow on my car and more snow in the forecast. I felt like shaking my fists at the sky and yelling "ARE YOU KIDDING ME???" Every week we have at least one storm, and to say that it is getting old would be an understatement. The problem is that our roads are basically mud roads, so there is a small window of opportunity to travel on the roads between when they are drifted shut and when they are impassible because of the deep mud. Unfortunately that window of opportunity is basically gone because the roads were muddy, and deep mud ruts formed on Sunday. Then Sunday night the ground froze, so now our cars can easily bottom out in places in the roads. I again feel shaking my fists and yelling "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??" Only now I'd be yelling at the roads and not at the sky...Ok, enough complaining about the weather and roads. (What would we have to talk about if the weather was perfect and the roads were all paved?)

Meredith came home from preschool last Wednesday feeling sick, and was home sick on Thursday and Friday. Before supper on Wednesday, I told her that she could change into her pajamas if she wanted, and when she didn't take me up on the offer, I knew she wasn't feeling well! (I think that if I would let her, she would wear pajamas or her princess clothes all day, every day.) By Friday she was acting like herself again, but she told me that she was only "kinda better." Today Kent was sick and stayed home from work. Hopefully this junk is not making its rounds around our house.

Jesse continues to grow and learn new things. He's really walking up a storm. And now he even knows how to kick a ball while walking! I included a video of him walking and kicking. His talking is practically nonexistent, but that's OK because he seems to spend all his energy learning to walk well. As you can tell, I was on a video kick one evening...and as much as Kent will hate it, I just had to include the video of the kids "attacking" him! :) The video of Meredith is of her singing a song that I sang to her millions of times when she was a baby - I think it stuck in her brain somewhere because now she loves it.