October 14, 2006 - Winter Coats, YUCK!!

Nicholas and Gabrielle both fit into there coats from last year, but Allison needed a new one. Good thing I went shopping for one this morning, because she needed it. It's nasty out there.

October 13, 2006 - Potty Training Round #2 (child #2)

Well, it took us a year to get Nicholas potty trained from start to finish, so we with another child on the way we decided that if we didn't get Gabrielle interested in the potty soon, that we would have 3 kids in diapers after the new baby is born. Not a good scenario when it comes to the pocket book. We braced ourselves for a long haul and started to prepare Gabrielle to begin.

We took her to the store and let her pick out her very own potty seat as she seemed to have no interest in what we already had. She picked out a pink and purple princess potty, then she got to pick out new underwear (My Little Pony), and pick out her treats. So, Monday morning we started. It was a rough start with wet pants everywhere, but we vowed not to go back to the pull-ups she's been wearing. Ended up making a quick run Monday morning to the 2nd hand store to pick up some extra pairs of sweat pants as she was running out of clothes quickly, having no comprehension of what was going on.

Day #1 - we did happen to catch a break several times and she actually pee'd during a time we had just decided she needed to sit there a while.

Day #2 - total disaster, 5 wet pants before lunch time and then she just didn't go all afternoon, however, in preparation for running an errand she did sit there right after dinner and she happened to go.

Day #3 - what a turn around, we started the day with a wet pants, but then mid morning in the middle of the basement she told Paul she had to go and took off upstairs. This was the start of a good thing. She began telling us she had to go, and we weren't forcing her to sit there. She started staying dry even with a pull-up on when we were shopping and then going on the potty when we got home.

Day #4 - Only one accident all day.

Day #5 - Only one accident all day.


We are now well into Day #6 and we haven't had an accident yet. Could it possibly be that we will have an easy potty training experience this time around? I hope so, and we will start praying already that round #3 and eventually round #4 go just as smoothly.

YEAH GABRIELLE, YOU ARE MAKING US PROUD!!

October 8, 2006 - Apparently, Allison thinks the kitchen drawer makes a good seat.

100706 - Pumpkin Patch 2006

Watch the videoOctober 7, 2006 Van Wesep Pumpkin Patch Trip 2006 Each year we head out to the pumpkin patch with our neighborhood friends. We have 9 kids under the age of 6 (with 2 more on the way). Unfortunately, 3 (and one on the way) of our friends will be moving down to Kalamazoo the beginning of November, so it was fun to watch the kids have so much fun together at least one more time. It is so neat to see the kids interact with each other in an environment where they are not usually together. It is also fun to see how much a difference in understanding of what is going on there is from year to year. Nicholas was totally into the apple picking, and then he had to make sure Allison got a pumpkin. Of course, the rest of the time he walked around eating a Honey Crisp apple that was almost as big as him.

October 4, 2006 - Can you tell this girl loves her pasta!


And then she even loads the dishwasher when she is done.

October 2, 2006 - Movin' on up!

Over the past few days, Allison has made it her new goal to get herself up into Nicholas and Gabrielle's booster seats at the table and sit there like a queen on her throne. So, at lunch time today I decided maybe Allison was ready to leave the high chair and move up to the table. I cleaned up our 3rd booster seat and it was if she knew exactly what I was doing. As I attached it to the chair, she was practically climbing in at the same time. She's movin' on up in the world with a new place at the table next to her big sister.

September 29, 2006 - Family Train Time

I know you've probably heard of Family Game Time, but tonight was Family Train Time. Since the minute I picked Nicholas up from preschool this morning he was talking about building a new Geo Trax. He loves to build track, tear it down and build it again. He is constantly trying to figure out how to get the switches laid out correctly so the train doesn't get "caught in a loop". So....tonight Papa and Nicholas headed upstairs to build a new track. Upon completion, out came the trains and the remote controls. One for Papa, one for Nicholas and one for Gabrielle-so far Allison just tries to sit on the track and grab the trains. It was so fun to watch them play together, and to see the wheels spinning in Nicholas' head as he made sure that they stopped at the right time to let the other train go by, otherwise there would be a head on collision. I'm sure with another boy on the way, we have many years ahead of Family Train Time and track building and rebuilding.

September 29, 2006 - Computer Time

Now that the weather is getting cooler, outside time is getting less and less accessible. During the fall and winter months the kids are allowed to trade some of their TV time for computer time. Nicholas has been quite good at the computer games since last year, partly because he uses computers at preschool too. However, today Gabrielle decided to give it a try playing Care Bears. She is going to take a little longer to get the hang of working with the mouse, but hey, she's not even 3 yet. Of course, Allison had to get in on the action too and was often caught giggling at the action.

The Profile
September 20, 2006 - Big Day for Baby # 4 - The Ultrasound
Today was one of the big days in the life a pregnancy. The ultrasound. We are officially half way through the traditional "40 week" pregnancy. Yeah! Paul and I were thrilled with the ultrasound technician, she was very thorough, easy to talk to and always showed us what she was looking at. Of our previous experiences this was definately the best one, and it lasted about 30 minutes. The doctor stated that it was a "picture perfect ultrasound". They were able to get all the photos they needed and everything looked PERFECT. The baby is in the 93rd percentile at this point, so we may have a big baby ahead. Here are some of the pictures:
2 feet
Face

In case, you didn't notice on the last picture, we did something we have never done before and actually requested to be told what the baby's gender is. We are having a BOY! Everyone in the household is thrilled. We will now have 2 of each, and Nicholas is super excited to share his room with a baby brother. He doesn't quite understand however, that the baby won't be able to sleep on the bottom bunk right away.

September 18, 2006 - Priceless!

Another Kodak moment with no camera in sight! When Allison wakes up in the morning it is quite common for Nicholas and Gabrielle to run and talk to her while she is still in her crib. This morning was no different. When I came upstairs, I got Allison out of her crib and, now that she can do the stairs, I just put her down on the floor. The next thing you know Gabrielle reached out her hand and Allison put hers inside. They walked hand in hand to the top landing of the stairs and then Gabrielle got down on her tummy to show Allison that she needed to go downstairs backward.

My second priceless moment occurred last night when I found Gabrielle reading a word book to Allison. They were sitting side by side in my rocking chair and Gabrielle was pointing to all of the pictures and telling Allison what they were. It was so cute, but by the time I got the camera they were done.

September 15, 2006 - Climbing down the stairs!

Watch the video

September 15, 2006
A big owie!

Shortly, after Paul returned from dropping Nicholas off at preschool on Friday the phone rang. It was the preschool! My thoughts jumped to: Did he wet his pants? Did he poop his pants? Is he having a melt down?

I'm glad it was none of those things, but didn't like what it was either. Nicholas got hurt! They just wanted to let us know
that a wooden puzzle had fallen on his head and he had quite
a gash there. They were able to get it to stop bleeding, but he
had received quite an egg. Nicholas said he was fine, so it
seemed there was no need to come and get him, but they
wanted us to know before we arrived to pick him up.

September 15, 2006 - A Haircut for Gabrielle

Gabrielle didn't like the "booster" seat thing one bit, we tried the snacks that worked for cousin Joshua but to no prevail...but once she got to sit on mama's lap AND got her fruit snacks we were ready to roll.

Much cleaner looking, most people won't notice the haircut but it is so nice to get rid of all of the spit ends and even up the layers that are naturally there from all the new hair growth they get at this age.

September 13, 2006 - Two girls

It's hard to believe that it can seem like such a different household when Nicholas is at school, but (although I hate to admit it) IT IS! The girls play so differently together when he is gone. So often he is playing nicely and they intrude, or vice versa. So far, the girls are playing so well together, I feel like I am seeing a different side of them. I caught this moment while they were hanging out together.

September 11, 2006 - First Day of Preschool

Watch the video

September 8, 2006 - Singing in the Rain!

Well, I guess it was more like playing in the rain and not much rain at that. We very rarely go to Walmart anymore, now that the new Meijers opened up by our house. But, I went there on Wednesday looking for valances for the kids rooms because I hadn't been able to find anything reasonably priced that I like anywhere else. (I did find them by the way, exactly what I wanted for less than $10 a piece). Anyway, I perused the other departements having not been there for a while. I found some little kids umbrellas on clearance for $3 and decided to pick them up for the kids (primarily for next spring). Well, lo and behold it managed to sprinkle a little on Friday night and the kids had to get their rubber boots out and their umbrellas.

In case you're wondering, YES Paul is sprinkling the lawn in the rain. Truth be told it sprinkled for about 2 minutes and dried up just about as fast. Definately, not enough to put the sprinkler away.

Garage Sales Galore
(well, actually only 3, but we made out with some pretty good deals as far as I'm concerned).

Little Tikes Castle - $2
Nicholas fell in love with this castle at the garage sale. Especially, after they showed him the working catapult. The castle is now the home of the dragon, "knave" as Nicholas says (knight) and the princess, which Gabrielle always calls the queen. They they moved indoors from the sand and water table that Nicholas got for his birthday. The interesting thing is that the king of this castle is a Care Bear, one never knows what they'll come up with next. Allison just likes to climb inside which doesn't make Nicholas very happy.

Gabrielle first called this her "skater", but is now learning that it is actually a scooter. It may be red, but she doesn't care, she loves this $3 purchase.

New highchair for her "doll baby", "baby Zoe. - $2
On numerous occasions I have found Gabrielle with her baby in Allison's highchair, often trying to feed her something. So how could I pass up a highchair for Zoe. Gabrielle's face just lit up when I walked in the door with this special prize. She wasn't with me when I found it. Allison thinks it is pretty cool too!

The big purchase of the weekend:

Bunk bed for Nicholas $25. He thinks he's pretty cool, but mama and papa are a little nervous of the first few times he has to get down in the morning by himself.

Nicholas also got really neat, handmade book ends set that looks like a train to keep books on his dresser. Don't have a picture of that one though. - that purchase was only $1.

Best gas prices in town!...and full service too!

Occasionally, Nicholas requests a road to be drawn on the drive way for them to play with their riding toys on. The other day, their road "city" came complete with a gas station they could pull into. So, with Nicholas and Gabrielle both riding their fire trucks around and around their chalk city, Allison decided she would become the sole proprietor of her very own gas station and proceeded to fill up their tanks whenever they pulled in. It was so cute, to actually see all 3 of them playing together.

Mr Potato Head, I presume?

Allison has recently found the glasses in the Mr. Potato Head box and realizes that glasses go on your head. She walked into the kitchen to see Paul looking like this the other day. Isn't she cute? Ha-Ha