February 5th through the 15th

I don't know why I can't be more consistent with blog posting. I plan to do one a week. Oh well. This post alone has been going on for three days. Charley has been clingy, so that doesn't help. Here are some pictures from the past couple of weeks. Lots of art. B has been prolific. I also took some photos of the Valentines I made for B to give her mates at school.

Here I am at my Mom's. This was the Friday after the storm I think.

B got a hold of the camera and took a bunch of pictures.

This is the cage B devised for her ladybug. Gosh, he had
a name, and now I have forgotten.

That is a cheese cracker for the bug to eat.

Lee gave us a bunch of pipe cleaners and
B has been making all kinds of things.
Here, a hat and a fishing pole.

Some other of B's new loves is scotch tape and this little
cardboard triangles that came as packaging from
the Republic of Tea.

Lots of flowers.

Jess turned 18 on the 5th.

Though we celebrated on the 6th at my sister's
annual superbowl party. I made the cake. It was OK.
A bit dry.

Charley has been doing pretty well on the potty.
She has even been going in and sitting down
all by herself. Sometimes there are false alarms,
sometimes accidents. But they are way more successes
than accidents. I still worry when we are out. But we have
been to parties and playdates and she has been great.
Dare I say better than her big sister? Actually, I think potty training
Charley has helped with B and her accidents.

This is Charley dipping her chicken into ketchup. She has started
imitating B a lot.

Hot chocolate blocks and homemade marshmallows.

The last three pictures are from B's school valentines.
I used my Silhouette to make the tags.

Charley got a Fropper for Valentines Day. She always wants
to ride on B's scooter, but she isn't big enough and we have to push
her around. She saw this at Learning Express and really liked it. She goes all
around on it. She can go frontwards, backwards, turns it. I actually cannot believe it.

This dress was B's. I dug out a bunch of B's clothes for
Charley. I am amazed at what I kept. It is good. Sad thing
is, now I don't need all the cute things I saw for
Charley at the crewcuts.

B made this balloon with a sticker and more tape. And
some wire - don't know where she found that. The little piece at
the bottom (which looks like a flower covered by masking tape)
is the balloon weight.

B's art is coming along. Her imagination is
vast. Sometimes she gets frustrated because
she can't execute what she envisions in her head.
I understand that feeling well, I tell her. The only problem with
her proliferation, is our lack of space.

It Has Been A Long TIme Since My Last Post!

Where has the time gone? I cannot believe it has been so long since I've posted pictures of the kids. Not too much has happened in the last couple of weeks. I mean, besides the big snow storm. What else? Charley has been in underwear most of the time. She wears a diaper at night and when she rides in the car back and forth to my Mom's. It is mostly going well. She has a sign and lets us know (mostly) when she has to go. Her accident issues are a lot like B's. Has accidents while eating and watching a show in the iPad. Accidents in the art room. Mostly they happen when she in into something else. Yesterday morning wasn't a great potty day, but we went to a birthday party and she did really well. Though she wears a diaper at night, it looks like she is waking up when she goes. I figured it out last night (or this morning at 4am). She went, then flipped and flopped and whined until I changed her. This is an unforeseen issue. She isn't ready to sleep in underwear, but really, I need her waking up even more at night? Charley is doing more and more sign language. No words (sigh) but animals sounds and knows which animal is which. She follows directions really well, is coming along in the art room (less in the mouth, more on the paper, good marks and really wants to participate).

B has been good. She is playing more and more with Charley. B is also a lot more outgoing. She actually wants to leave the house and go to her activities. She likes tennis and gymnastics. Her art is coming along. She is trying different things. Lots of cutting, taping, gluing. I want to get her some toothpicks and marshmallows to build sculptures. School is going along for her. Most mornings she tells me she isn't going, but then gets dressed and goes.

What else? I have been working on my Mom's house every week. We all go down one day. We had some help this past week. My cousin Barb came last Sunday. She really helped a lot. My other cousin Sue and her daughter Meredith joined Barb yesterday. THANK YOU!!!! My Mom had a lot of stuff, so it's great to have help. It makes me sad that we are basically getting rid of her whole life. Going through her clothes was a journey. I cannot believe some of the things we found. Green leather pants? Maybe cut like MC Hammer would wear them? But my Mom always was put together when she went out. She always looked nice. There is just so much stuff, and a whole house that needs to be sold quickly because it is just sitting there, far away, costing money. Some nice family could be enjoying the pool and the big yard this summer .

I will think if there is any other news. Yesterday was my niece Jess's 18th birthday. Happy Birthday Jess and congrats on the drivers license.

On to the pictures.

The girls are playing together more and more.

B has started tennis with the park district.

Charley went to cheer her on.

That is Layla, and B's drawing of Layla.

We got our Boden spring stuff. Her is B in her new
bathing suit. You know it was like 20 degrees outside that day.

Nothing like some bubbles.

Gymboree had the best.

Charley is using silverware more and more.
With less and less mess? I am not
so sure.

B is also taking gymnastics. This is her new suit.

B spooned this flower from her cereal.

B's art gallery.

She is prolific.

Doing Shrink Dinks at the table.

B used Sharpie markers, Charley used colored pencils.

B lined up her markers. She is totally me.

Charley wearing her cute crewcuts outfit.
B couldn't wear crewcuts until she was almost
a year and a half. Charley is my little
giant. Size 6 feet.

B had a whole look going too.
It was her friend's birthday that day.

Eating strawberries. The kid kills me. She eat the whole 6$
container of strawberries in one sitting.

Charley picked out these shoes from Target.

B has a red pair, and Charley tries to wear them. So
I got her her own. Except, they were out of red,
so Charley still puts on B's shoes.

The Storm of the Century!

Up to Layla's belly, at least.

B really enjoyed herself.

Poor Shadow had a bit of trouble with the really deep
snow. She can't leap like she used too.

That is Emily. Very sweet dog.

Oompa-loompa Charley.

Here she is 3 minutes later.
She had some trouble moving around in her outfit.

Ahhh.. finally, she moves.

I think we had 22 inches.

She plops.

Helping the neighbors with their drive.

Snowy James Street.

My cling-on.

Charley loves to sit in the nook of the buffet.

I think she learned the tongue thing from B.

B made this cool dinosaur on Thursday.
Her second snow day. Cool isn't it? It
is currently hanging on our wall.

Well, I won't let so long in between posts (I hope). I would like to talk more about my new favorite subjects, B's art and Charley in underwear. We'll see. I also want to get a new sewing machine. I just need to go look. The stores aren't open on Sunday though!