I'm a big girl now.

If you have ever met Addison you know about her thumb & blankie.

 Addison turned 4 on Tuesday.  We have talked for a year or so about her turning 4 and that would be the time she would stop sucking her thumb.  Addison has sucked her thumb since birth.  She came out of the womb sucking anything- until she caught hold of her thumb and she was instantly hooked.  One would think that her thumb & blankie are somehow connected because every time she touches her blankie she immediately sticks that thumb in her mouth.  She uses it to sooth, comfort and in any situation that she is nervous or anxious.  Lately she's been very anxious ta preschool and last week at preschool she walked over to her cubby just to touch her blankie for a few seconds and then rejoined her class.

She had a dentist appointment on Wednesday.  Dr. Stevens made it very clear that she needed to stop sucking her thumb.  He & I talked about some ideas about how to do it.  I knew it would be extremely tough and we'd have to do something mean (nasty tasting something, gloves...) in order to get her to stop.  It had become such a habit and need.  

I was wrong.  I could not have been MORE wrong.  She left that office with a matter-of-fact attitude that she was done sucking her thumb.  Dr.'s orders.  (I still thought "what a great attitude... BUT... ")  This is DAY 6 that I have not seen her suck her thumb!  I would have bet huge sums of money against this!  Even further.... She has not taken more than 3 naps or nights without her blankie in her life.  She realized that she cannot sleep with blankie and not suck her thumb.  So, on tuesday she announces that she will keep her blankie at the bottom of her bed!  And last night she let me sleep with it (all her idea!). 

It has warmed my heart- and quite frankly made me teary eyed multiple times this week about how big she is being about this.  I have only encouraged.  She has been the brain-child about it all.  I'm only the proud & supportive mom.  I AM SO PROUD OF HER!

Following is JUST A FEW shots of her through the years with her thumb & blankie.  This blankie has been everywhere!

I have about 20 shots of this sitting.  I'm SO IN LOVE with these shots.  And she looks SO MUCH like me as a baby!

 Omaha Zoo

 Daddy & Addi.  Quite the snuggle bugs.

This shot cracks me up.  For several weeks/months she LOVED this stocking hat.

 In Florida at the "big house"

 St. Louis Zoo

ONE PROUD MOMMA!

Addison turns 4

We did something a little different this year.  We had Addison's birthday celebration/party while the big boys were at school.  Addison invited 3 of her best girlfriends over (and Parker, of course) for the day.  We made & decorated cupcakes, played and then went ice skating!

Jaelyn (cousin), Lily (neighbor buddy), Hannah (friend from preschool) and the birthday girl

Sprinkles!

Happiness/high on sugar.  Her hair had been curled the day before so it's looking a little crazy!  I had brushed it!

More sugar.  My camera is doing something funny with the color here... might be the camera-girl :)

Car full for ice skating!

Let me preface these pictures with this.... Heather & I were supposed to take the kids.  My mom was going to join us to help out.  She wasn't going to skate because she was VERY nervous about it.  She last did it when she was 17 yrs old and it wasn't a good experience.  Ashton got sick the morning of the trip so Heather couldn't go!  So, I ventured it with my mom who still had a worse fear for the ice than the kids did!  It was an adventure!!

prepping for skating.

4- 4 yr olds & a 5 year old!

In the end we decided to get them all these walkers.  They were running on the ice with these things!  It was easier for all of us!  Mom wished she had one :)

We had the ice to ourselves!  Which was a good thing b/c these kids were ALL over the place!

This was the day before her birthday.  Her actual birthday was at preschool with special cupcakes, gram picking them (Jackson & Addison) up from school and then we had a birthday dinner at Gram & Grandpa's house.  It was a special few days for Addison.  She feels SUPER big now!

My birthday.

I usually begin planning my birthday months in advance.  This year was no different.  BUT... I was very indecisive.  So, in an email to the girls with multiple options to choose from I came up with the PERFECT plan.  My birthday was on a Sunday this year (PERFECTION!) so I thought of a full day of St. Louis shopping.  Everyone has very busy schedules- some months it's impossible to find one night that we can all make it so I wasn't holding my breath that everyone could do that option.  BUT I WAS WRONG!!  It was everyone's favorite.  It was like a mini vacation.  

We left at 9am and got to STL in time for lunch at CPK!  Shopped till we dropped and then headed to dinner at PF Changs.  Seriously, it doesn't get better than that!

Thanks girls for making my birthday 12 hours of perfection!

I'm just going to say a blurb about each person & how we make up the most perfect "mom's group"

Melissa & I

We always call Melissa our Bree Vandekamp off Desperate Housewives.  She is always put together, has a pristine home (even with 3 young kids!) and is the perfect soccer mom.  However, she has the personality & sweetness of a best friend.  She is one that you can call in the middle of a situation and she will be there to help out in every way possible.

Heather.  (Thank you for being our perfect driver on some slick roads!)  Heather is an amazing support.  She's always encouraging.  She's my best friend, sister and THE person I can tell anything and do anything with.  I start to have withdraws if we don't see each other everyday :)

Kristin & Shana.  

Kristin is our comedian.  She makes us laugh so hard we are crying & our stomachs feel like we just did an abs workout.  Nothing is off limits (much to our husbands demise).  

Shana is our girl that is always up for anything!  The more the better! She always has the best pair of jeans- and the latest haircut.  She is also one that would drop anything to help support one of us.

Deidre.  Our DIY girl.  If you need remodeling or anything home decorating advice she is our girl.  And she will get it done.  She has a heart of gold and is a giver.  She seems to have more hours in her days.  She is constantly tackling another project, buying or selling on craigslist or planning a garage sale.

Girls, you all make my life brighter, easier, funnier, and help me be a better mom & wife.  I love you all dearly!

Integrity from a 6 year old

We just got word of this tonight.  It happened at school today and Jackson's teacher told Papa (my dad) when he was working over at the school.

There were some boys that were misbehaving.  Ms. Pam saw this (not Jackson) and made them all put their heads down on their desk.  A moment later Jackson raised his hand and Ms. Pam called on him.  He said "Ms. Pam I was doing that too" and puts his head down on his desk like the other boys.

Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else is looking.  I would love to say that I, his mother, have taught him this lesson.  And I truly hope I have.  I think it is the single best lesson we can teach our children.

I really wonder if he would have done that at home for me?!  He sure loves and respects Ms. Pam.

Ice Skating!

Sunday was our first trip to the ice rink since... high school!  Which was a long time ago!  Robb & his boyfriend Elder are in town so they were excited to go too.  Robb hadn't been since high school either!  And it was a first for the kids.  Jackson's school is going on tuesday so I thought it would be a good idea to give him some practice.

We all loved it!  I'm not sure who loved it more- the kids or Elder- but we all had a great time!  I didn't get a lot of pictures with the camera because I was too nervous on the ice w/ it.  I got some video on my phone if I can figure out how to put it on here. 

Nathan was helping Jackson the first time around the ice and the poor boy could not get the hang of it!  He could barely stand on the ice.  So, I'm thinking... this is going to be a LONG hour+!  I bet he fell over 30 times and probably more.  By the second lap around he had improved SO quickly and he was good from there.  His biggest problem by the end was trying to go too fast and get off balance.

Addison was the same way.  She started out going VERY slow but didn't fall as much as Jackson.  By the second lap she was doing it by herself.  She LOVED it.  And we are already planning a birthday celebration there in a few weeks.

That leads me to the show stopper.  I saw Nathan helping Jackson off the ice.  He had fallen and hurt his arm.  Then he started crying and wouldn't stop.  Telling us it hurt really badly right below his elbow. And anytime he moved it he started crying worse. Addison of course asked him if it was "nurse maid" elbow so we quickly ruled that out :)  We ended up all packing up (quickly) and rushing back to Columbia (ice rink is 30 min away) to get to the urgent care.  I was sure something was fractured or broken.  We get into urgent care and as I'm paying he is perking right up and moving his arm just fine.  We decided to see the Dr. anyway since we were there & had paid.  They took xrays but everything looked fine.  This morning he woke up with some pain and I think he must have bruised it (maybe jammed it??) badly.  He's already talking about ice skating tomorrow with his school.

Robb & Elder ready to skate!

Addi & Daddy

Jackson anxiously waiting for them to resurface the ice!

Elder loving life!

Addison the ice skater.

 Couldn't get a picture of Jackson before he got hurt....

On the way to Urgent Care.  Daddy made a really great sling!

NYE

We have begun a tradition with spending NYE with my "mom's group" friends.  It's a group of 6 girls.  It's a group of mom's that are so diverse that it's amazing we have so much fun!  We laugh more than I ever dreamed a group could laugh.  We get together every month or two for dinner and spend the whole time laughing.  And NOTHING is off limits with these fab-six.

We began this friendship nearly 6 years ago!  Hard to believe girls!  So happy to start another year with you girls.  I know we will have many, many more laughs in 2011!

We were missing Deidre & Tim this year.  We all managed to get childcare (except for Kate who joined us and got spoiled all night) and come together at Heather's house.  Thanks Nana & Papa for having a kids party!  Oh, and husbands joined, of course!  We laughed all the way up until midnight.  And at 12:01am Heather kicked us out.  I imagine by 12:02am Heather was in her jammies on & in bed!

I made a divine ice box mocha cake... what can i say...

heather, shana, melissa and kristin (dr. kristin as of 2010!)

that's more like us...

funny phil pic

I seemed to hit the jackpot for funny faces!

this is just everyday for Heather!

me & hubs.  he cannot take a serious, lovely picture!!

Forts.

Jackson & Addison have always been into building forts.  And I allow them very regularly because they were such a great part of my childhood!  Heather & I used to spend hours in our forts.  They almost always haul ALL of their animals into whatever structure is made.  So, it is a bit of a mess.  But... it is Christmas break so.....  I suggested we make a boat since we're going on a cruise ship in March.  They loved the idea and we had "the boat" in the living room for about a week of break!

One day they wanted to take their naps in it...

The next day they ventured a little bit farther and asked if they could sleep the night in it...

oh... why not... it's Christmas break!  And they slept like babies!

Christmas Break...

We were blessed with a BEAUTIFUL white Christmas this year.  It was seriously the most prettiest Christmas I can remember.  Huge flakes fell all of Christmas eve and we ended with 4(ish) inches.  PERFECTION!

The aviation team putting together the lego airplane.

Final product.

BB gun shooting.  Jackson did awesome!  (that's what Nate says at least... and I saw the pepsi can with holes)

Sledding!

Mommy & Jackson

This boy could quite possibly live in the snow.  He LOVES it and is always the last one to come inside.

Christmas!!!!

Christmas morning!  Santa has come and the house was quiet as a mouse till 8AM!!!

Jackson's BIG gift.  A bb gun.  Hold the judgement.

Still waking up!

 MU hoodie.  He grew out of his last one.  He wears hoodies every chance he gets! He would sleep in one if he could!

Rapunzel dress up!

New purple outfit.  Today, I FORCED her to wear it (for an hour).  She acts like she loves it- long enough for me to rip the tags off.  Then... NO.  She is 100% jean girl.  And boy does she love her jeans.

After our morning of opening presents, breakfast and playtime we headed over to Gram & Grandpa's for another Christmas! 

The kids are anxious to get started!  Almost like they haven't JUST had Christmas at their own house!

The kids & Grandpa have a little game of hiding a big, long, scary snake from each other.  They will find it in the scariest places- and hide it in equally scary places!  So, for Christmas the kids bought Grandpa a HUGE & SCARY spider!  Let the game begin... 

Princesses from Uncle!

Uncle & Jackson share a LOVE for airplanes.  So, all Uncles gifts revolve around flying & aircraft.  This Christmas its Lego aircraft!

Just have to brag on my first totally homemade French Silk.  Yes, it was that good! 

Joan got me knitting stuff.  Nathan had to actually help me get started.  I could not figure it out for the life of me!  I really enjoy it- just need to find the time to do it!