First Snow!

Squidgy:

At the beginning of December, it snowed for the first time this winter! We watched it falling outside and I was so so so excited to get out and play in it! After naps, mommy got Jujubee and I all dressed up in snow pants, big coats, and snow boots! We both refused to wear hats and mittens (which we regretted later once we got the cold snow on our hands!). We went across the street to the neighbours and got all their kids to play in the snow with us too! Jack and Noah showed us how to build a snow fort! At first I didn't want to run around in the snow, or make snow angels, or throw snowballs...but I love Jack and he did all of these things, so he showed me how. Then I had SO much fun! After a while mommy brought Asia puppy over to play too. She had a lot of fun!

Jujubee:

I looked out the window and there was white everywhere! Mommy and Squidgy were very excited, so I thought it must be something special. For some reason mommy started stuffing me in this giant puffy suit and tried to shove my feet into these boots. But they wouldn't fit, so I had to wear my tennis shoes. Once I could barely walk, and couldn't put my arms down at my sides, she figured it was good, because we went outside in this white, very cold stuff. We went across the street to the neighbours and got to meet their new puppy! It is little and adorable (just like me!) and looks just like a mini Asia puppy! I chased the puppy around and even bent over to give her a kiss. She kissed me back too! Outside I couldn't move, the snow was so deep. Mommy lifted me up and set me in different places. I loved to pick it up. And Anna's friend played with me and showed me all about the snow! I loved it :-)

Here we are as, what mommy calls, Snow Bunnies! What a great time.

Video Messages from Santa Claus!

Squidgy:

Mommy told us tonight that Santa had sent video messages for Jujubee and I to watch!! I was really excited because Santa is going to bring me "candy and presents", so I wanted to know what he had to say. He knew my name, how old I was, and even had pictures in his big book of me and things I had done this year!! He really does know everything I do! He even knew I have been trying to be better at sharing my toys with Jujubee...and thinks I can do even better. I know I can, Santa!

Jujubee:

I ran around crying while Squidgy watched her video message from Santa...twice. Then it was my turn! I sat on daddy's lap and smiled when Santa appeared to talk to me. Then I got distracted by some very interesting little pieces of paper. But Santa got my attention again...he looks pretty cool and seems nice. But I'm not quite sure why he is sending me a message. Oh well, I guess I'll figure it out sometime.

Squidgy:

So to sum it up...Santa is counting on me and Jujubee. I don't know about her, but I plan on doing everything Santa says!

Doctor Mark

Jujubee:

Last week mommy woke me up from my wonderful nap to tell me we had to go see Doctor Mark because I am 15 months old. Couldn't say I really knew who that was, but whatever, it's a trip out of the house which is always fun! We got bundled up and drove to a place that had this box...you push a button and this huge door opens. Now this next part will sound crazy. You walk into the box, the door slides shut essentially trapping you inside, then you push more buttons and the whole thing starts to move. I mean really...where is it even moving to? But somehow, when the door slides open again, everything looks different!

While fighting over a toy with Squidgy, I heard somebody call my name. Mommy and Squidgy came with me into a hallway where a lady made me sit in a funny chair with some kind of sliding bar. She said "21.1 pounds" and mommy whisked me away with everyone else into a room. The lady put something cold on my body and just held it there while she stared at me...I squished up my face and whimpered at her. Then she wrapped something around my head and pulled it tight. I kept thinking, lady...this is not fashionable, it's simply annoying. Please stop. But no matter how much I squirmed or batted my hands around, she kept on until she got whatever it is she wanted. As if this weren't enough she stretched me out on the cold (and really rather uncomfortable bed) and put pen marks at my head and feet. She told mommy "31 inches", whatever that means. Luckily she decided to leave, but mommy took away my clothes. Squidgy and I got to hang out drinking apple juice and measuring things while we waited for the infamous Doctor Mark. Squidgy was excited to see him, I think she really likes him, so I got excited too...he couldn't be all that bad!

Cheers!

Hello?! Are you coming Doctor Mark? I'm getting cold.

Doctor Mark poked and prodded me, which I was unsure of, but all in all he was nice! He told mommy I had dropped to the 25-50th% in weight and gone up to the 75th% in height. "Better than the other way around" he said. Apparently I am perfectly healthy besides my diaper rash and crankoppotomus attitude due to all of these teeth poking through my gums. Here's hoping I don't have to go back there for a while!

Rewind: Oompa's Visit in September

Squidgy:

Sometimes mommy gets super busy. She can never seem to remember anything and starts lots of things without finishing them. So we thought we'd help her out a little and post some photo collages from the awesome time we had when Oompa came to visit a couple months ago. We do lots of playing, eating, and singing with Oompa...and we wish we could see him all the time. Oompa...if you are reading this, please tell Kayma she must come with you next time!

Lunch at Duffy's Irish Pub in Utica, IL. This is a must go at least once kind of place.

Waiting for Oompa's train to come take him away. We can't figure out why we actually waited for this fast, huge, loud thing to take him instead of just putting him back in the van and bringing him home with us.

Celebrating Madison's 10th Birthday! We sang happy birthday and helped her open her presents. Then asked mommy and daddy how long we had to wait until our birthdays, because it was so cool!

Fashion show and hairdos.

Oompa and I singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider in the bathroom. I like hanging out in the bathroom, and I think  Oompa did too :-)

Hiking in Mathiessen State Park in Utica, IL. Mommy and daddy said this was a very special place because this is where daddy asked mommy to marry him. It was so much fun walking through the woods and ravines. I skipped rocks in the water, crawled into and through my first cave, and examined the whole area very closely.

A lot of times we just hang out at the house. Oompa is always very relaxed and like to play with balloons like we do. He took me for a walk to the park too! I like when we play the guitar together. I don't want to brag, but I am a mean strummer! Jujubee tried it out too, I guess she's pretty good.

Mommy got Daddy a smoker as an early Christmas gift. Daddy and Oompa put it together, then took it in the backyard and put some kind of food in it I guess. I think it was angry, because it started blowing smoke like a dragon! Then it started to rain, and daddy was worried that it would get wet, so he and Oompa stood outside in the rain under a tarp to keep it dry. This must be a really special contraption! After a long long long time, daddy pulled the food out of it. Just looked like meat to me, but the big people raved about it, and the puppy drooled all over the floor.

So there it is in a nutshell. We love you Oompa! Thank you for visiting us!

Hi, My name is Cheeky, Nice to meet you!

Jujubee:

Mommy came to get me after my nap today, and as usual we went into Squidgy's room. Well...I should say we had to get permission to enter. She has been locking her door during nap time, so we have to knock, announce ourselves, and ask if we can come in. Mommy does most of the talking...I just say her name loudly "Aaaa iiiiii" She unlocks the door (I don't know if she is worried I'll manage to climb out of my crib and try to come play with her things or what...but I'll tell you...I've tried, and there is NO way I can make it out of that prison bed on my own!) Anyway, she accepted us into her room this afternoon and immediately suggested to mommy that she should get to eat candy. "Two pieces!" THEN she tried to tell mommy that I couldn't have any because I was "too little". Just wait Squidgy...someday I'll be big enough to get my own candy, you'll see!

Apparently she was convincing, because mommy let her choose some candy from her Halloween bucket when we got downstairs. Luckily, mommy doesn't think I'm "too little" and I got some chocolate. Squidgy chose a sucker. Mommy made some "real" lunch for us as well, and we laid the smorgasbord out on the living room table. Fruit...soup...cereal...and mmmmmmm candy! Squidgy was about half done with her sucker, which she insisted on eating first, when she developed a keen interest in the tomato soup. She put her sucker down on the table and became completely absorbed in soup and Dora.

"This is my chance!" I thought to myself. No one noticed, but I picked up that sucker like it was a long lost toy. Put it in my mouth and oh my...it was yummy. Sweet, hard enough to soothe the teeth trying to poke through my gums, and simply perfect. I felt dangerous and daring. I knew if she caught me with her sucker she would rip it out of my mouth, probably along with my brand new teeth...screaming and crying to mommy the whole time. But she didn't notice! So I walked around the table...right up to the T.V. Full of courage I stood right in her line of sight, holding the sucker in my mouth...and she STILL didn't notice! Just at that moment mommy saw me, saw what I had, saw the brave baby I have become. I put on my cutest, cheekiest smile and belly laughed. Mommy smiled and laughed back, and I knew then...if I could just keep it hidden from the Squidge, that the rest of the sucker could be mine! And it was...Squidgy didn't notice until only a soggy sucker stick remained. Ahh the taste of victory!

Squidy:

I learned something new today...secretly. I can't even tell you how I learned it, probably from the moose, but I was so proud I just had to share it when daddy came home. He was sitting on the floor playing with us, and I walked up to him and said...

"What's your name?"
"Christopher" he answered.
I stuck out my hand so he would grab it, and shook it ever so politely.
"Nice to meet you, Tissyfur!"

I then went to everyone and repeated this process, which they all seemed quite impressed with. I knew every one's name before they told me, but it was fun to see if they could remember, since everyone in this house goes by nicknames. But I know the truth...

"Mommy" = Ewin
"Daddy" = Tissyfur
"Jujubee" = Julianne
"Puppy" = Asia Puppy

My sister and the puppy are the only ones I can say right...mommy and daddy have crazy hard names to say. But I try, and I guess it makes them happy, because they had big smiles and told me how adorable I was.

Ultimate Mommy-Brain and Old MacFunny

Jujubee:

Squidgy and I both know that mommy can be forgetful...VERY forgetful. She calls it mommy-brain which I guess means we have something to do with it. This morning I gave her a big happy smile when she came to get me out of bed "Hiiaaa Mama!". I know...I'm just too cute. So, she laid me on the changing table to take off my oh-so-soaked diaper and picked out some really cute clothes for me to wear. We came downstairs with Squidgy and daddy...I drank my milk and had some breakfast. I climbed up on the couch to cuddle with daddy when he looked at mommy and casually said..."Why does she feel wet?" Mommy came to see how I could have possibly peed out of my diaper so early in the morning, when she just knelt down on the floor laughing. Darn it! I was free...I was comfortable...I loved it!....but I guess mommy didn't think it was a good idea for me to NOT be wearing a diaper. Oh well...it was good while it lasted!

Squidgy:

Mommy and Daddy taught me a fun song a few weeks ago...about some old guy, MacDonald. He lives on a farm and has LOTS of animals that talk all the time. So when you sing the song, you get to name the animals he has and make the noises they make. It's a pretty cool song, and it's fun to sing. But today I decided it was time to change it up...add some humor. Here is a line from my new version (I can't make up any more lines, because once I finish this one I just laugh so hard!):

Please sing while reading :-)
"Old MacFunny had a duck...Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy!"

Happy Halloween 2010!!

Squidgy:

"Happy Halloween Everybody!"
"Let's Do It!! Let's Do It RIGHT NOW!!"
"Mommy? I say trick or treat...then people give me candy?!?!" Yes...then you say thank you. "Yay!"
"Mommy...kids knock on the door, then say trick or treat, then daddy give them candy!"

We got to wear our costumes ALL day! I was a fairy princess, and Jujubee was a duck :-)

I got to draw faces on TWO pumpkins! Mommy did one too...but I thought hers was S.C.A.R.Y. !

Everything was decorated...even daddy!

Then we went trick or treating and got LOTS of candy from people who didn't even know us! All I had to do was say "Trick or Treat" and "Thank you". Sugar high here I come!

Jujubee started to poop out. And I started to get cold. So halfway through, we decided to go home and give candy to the kids that came knocking at our house. The puppy was sad because she had to stay in mommy and daddy's room. She's still a puppy and a little crazy sometimes. I loved today, we had a lot of fun. "I like being with my family, mommy!" Happy Halloween Everybody!

Evil Laugh and Head Injury

Jujubee:

I decided it was time to play a trick on daddy. He was in the bathroom getting ready for work and had the doors closed. I quietly crept in front of the doors and stood still right outside, not making a noise. Daddy thought he heard something, "Hello?" Of course Asia puppy wanted in on the joke, so she was walking around outside the door too. Daddy heard Asia's toenails on the floor, "Hi Asia, is that you?" I stayed very silent the whole time. Asia went away, but daddy noticed there was still a shadow under the door. "Hello? Is anybody there?" I decided this was my moment! I let out my best evil and sly laugh "He He He"...Master of Disguise a la Backyardigans style. When daddy opened the door he was laughing and we gave each other BIG smiles :-) I'll have to try this again sometime...I think I may be turning into quite a sneaky little frog!

Squidgy:

Well, I don't really know what happened. I tried to tell mommy a million different ways, but my story kept changing and she just didn't understand. All I know is that one minute I was playing in my room upstairs, and the next I had bashed my head really hard on the edge of my shelf in my room! :-( I sat down in my little chair and called for mommy. I was crying and holding my head, it hurt so much! When mommy came into my room, she asked what was wrong, and then got scared when she saw my forehead. She said I had a HUGE hard goose egg and a cut in the middle. I guess it was puffed out pretty far from my head for her to be so worried.

Mommy raced me downstairs and said we had to put an icepack on it. I was NOT keen on this way of dealing with it, but I felt better when mommy said I could hold it up to my head myself. I guess I can tell you, though I would never admit it to mommy (especially after the big fuss I made), that the ice and cold actually did make my head feel better. Along with the apple juice and cuddles with mommy. In fact, within half an hour I was dancing in the living room and splashing like a mermaid in the bath. Mommy calls me her "Tough Cookie"...I don't know if that is a good thing? Cookies aren't supposed to be tough...they don't taste so great that way. Hmmm.

Boggio's Pumpkin Harvest and Craft Show

Squidgy:

Last Saturday Mommy and Oompa packed up all of mommy's Krinklz Baby toys and drove away...leaving Jujubee and I in the hands of daddy. Now...we love daddy and the way he plays with us, but we were a little concerned that mommy just said bye bye and disappeared! After all, jujubee has never spent more than 4 hours away from mommy, and I only have when I've gone to visit Noanie by myself. We were very happy to see the van pull up in the driveway! Jujubee and I plastered ourselves against the sliding glass door with giant smiles. Then mommy told us that on Sunday we were going to get to come see her and do a lot of fun new things!

This is where all of mommy's crinkly toys went. (When I asked if I could have them, she said they were for babies. I started naming all of the babies we know to see who was going to be so lucky to them...Baby Ian? Baby Luke? Baby Baern?...Mommy said they are all for babies we don't know.)

I had my very first bouncy castle experience! At first I was timid, but the nice lady inside showed me just how much fun it could be! As you can see, I picked it up pretty quickly. Daddy tried to put Jujubee in too, but as soon as he let go of her and she felt the uncontrollable bouncy bounce of everyone else in there, she started screaming. I can't wait until she is older and we can do it together "someday"!

This is me on my very first pony ride!! "Look mommy! Ashlyn riding on PONY!!!" Mommy said I did a great job, had wonderful balance, and looked like a natural :-) I wanted to do it again, and have been talking about it ever since!

Yes, that's right! This is a giant grain bin filled with corn, just for me to play in!! There were lots of kids, and toys...just like a huge sandbox! The big kids scared me a little because they were throwing corn and I didn't like that, but I found a lovely place next to the window where daddy could watch me and I had SO much fun! I cried when daddy said we had to go.

But then!....I got to go down this giant slide! I went through a little door in the trunk of the apple tree...climbed a lot of stairs, then slid down this big bumpy tube slide! See how little I look next to this slide! It was the biggest EVER! I went down three times with a lot of other kids, and when daddy told me I could do it one more time before we left, I hid in the apple tree climbing up and down the stairs, until the guy at the top had to get me and go down the slide with me hahahahah! Daddy was worried, but I finally showed up at the bottom of the slide:-)

Jujubee:

Last weekend mommy left me for a VERY long time! I woke up, and she was gone?!?! Very strange and a little scary, because we had breakfast...then lunch...then a nap....then dinner...and she still wasn't home! But finally I saw the van pull up in the driveway and boy was I happy! Out came mommy and Oompa and I was so excited as they walked toward the house that I layed right up flat against the sliding glass door!

On Sunday mommy disappeared again, but this time I knew she'd come back, so I had more fun with daddy. Daddy put us in the van and actually drove us out to SEE MOMMY! She was under a tent and had all the crinkly stuff she works on hanging all around her. I don't know why she did this, I think her sewing room at home is just fine...and probably easier to work in...but it sure was pretty! There were a lot of other people under tents too...but it wasn't raining, so I think the whole thing was a little weird. All I wanted to do was sit in mommy's chair, drink some juice, and then run around in the grass making Oompa chase me :-)









Open Your Face!

Squidgy:

Mommy wants to share these before she forgets. I don't understand how she could ever forget anything I say, since I am so funny and witty....

Mommy: "I need to go get some beer" (from the store)
Squidgy: (opens the refrigerator) "Ashlyn get you beer mommy!!" (big smile, happy to be able to help)
Mommy: "No sweetie, I don't need a beer, I'm going to the store to get more"
Squidgy: (confused) "Mommy...you sick?"
Mommy, Daddy and Oompa laughed so hard I thought they were going to pee their pants!

I wanted to play a game with mommy, where I pretended to go to the store, buy her things, then come home and give them to her. But the gifts I got her were all surprises so I wanted her to close her eyes...

Squidgy: "Mommy cover your face!"....(brings an imaginary gift and follows with)...."Mommy Open Your Face!"

Here Comes Oompa!!

Squidgy:

After a "nap" where instead of sleeping I played in my room until Jujubee woke up and mommy came to get us, we got to put on our shoes, grab our travel companions (Elmo and Hootie) and drive to the train station to pick up Oompa! I have never been so close to a train before, and I was so so so excited!

We have been playing and visiting and cooking! Jujubee isn't quite sure about Oompa...she has lots of teeth coming in and isn't feeling very well, so she cries a lot and only wants mommy. I bet she will really warm up to Oompa soon though...cuz I sure love him!

Shoes and Bellybuttons

Squidgy:

Jujubee got new shoes yesterday! I kept hiding her other shoes...they were getting too small anyway. But it was funny always watching mommy trying to find them hahaha :-) "Squidgy...where are Jujubee's shoes?....Squidgy...." She's such a mom. So this morning Jujubee wanted to put on her brand new shoes and walk around the house. I guess someone told her about "breaking them in" or something, because she was quite keen. So to support her, I put my shoes on too. We walked, crawled, circled and compared. All good!

Jujubee: 

I have new shoes! They are so pretty...and have flowers! They kind of look like Squidgy's, which makes me happy because she is very cool, even if she is mean to me sometimes.

But that isn't even the biggest thing that happened today! I found this thing...on my belly. It's kind of like an inside out button that you can't push, but you can stick your finger in! Now, I have absolutely no idea what the purpose of it is, but EVERYONE seems to have it! AND it goes everywhere with me. Like a comfort button that is there whenever I need it. After I played with it for a while, I thought maybe I should spread the news, so I did my best to dial up my peeps on the phone, but there are just so many numbers that have to be pushed just-so. Oh well. Mommy said she would tell people for me :-)

Happy Birthday Maddie!

Squidgy:

I got to call Maddie before bed tonight and say "Happy Birthday Maddie!" I was so so excited to get to talk to her that I started singing while the phone was ringing. I sang her my own version of the happy birthday song, I think she liked it :-) She gets to have a party tonight, and then I get to party with her this weekend...I can't wait!!

Carnitas

Squidgy:

This morning when mommy got me dressed, I decided that I was too cold, and had to wear a zip up sweatshirt "just like Maddie" had when she was visiting. I wore it all day :-) Daddy took me to the Mexican grocery store, and I got to tell them that we wanted "carnitas"! They love me there and thought I was so adorable and so cool because I spoke one word of Spanish to them. The best part was they understood me and we came home with some really yummy food!

Jujubee:

I love waiting for mommy in the morning in my crib. I stand up and stare when I start to hear her coming...ready to pick up each stuffed animal individually and hand them to her so she can make them dance and sing for me! This morning I decided that it was very important to dress up in necklaces before I played with my new animal puzzle. You always want to look your best when putting a puzzle together. Since I had trouble deciding which ones to wear, I just put them all on :-)

While I was sleeping, our favorite neighbours came over to give me a birthday present!! My babysitter, Asia's babysitter, and their mom...who misses having little baby girls to cuddle. I discovered the bag waiting for me when I came down after my nap...and look what was inside! She giggles...

Squidgy:

I surprised mommy today by telling her I wanted to clean up. So I got out the vacuum and carefully went all around the living room. "OK mom, this going to be loud!" When I was finished I let Jujubee catch the places I missed, while I used the little broom and dust pan to work on the dining room. "You happy mommy?"..."Squidgy do good job mommy?" Mommy had a big big smile and told me thank you and that I was so sweet.

Jujubee:

I stole Squidgy's fork at dinner. She told mommy she was all done with her banana, but mommy didn't seem to believe her. I got a hold of her fork and was able to stab the banana and eat it right off the fork! I am so proud and happy because I figured it out all on my own! See my proud face?

Squidgy:

I had a lot of energy after dinner...I started going around the kitchen in circles with Elmo chanting "Let's Go Squidgy, Boom Boom!" I don't know how I came up with that, but I think it's pretty catching. Jujubee and mommy laughed. As I got worn out, I cuddled with Elmo and sang him a little lullaby song I made up. It was OK because I was singing it, but I really hate lullaby slow sweet songs. They make me very sad and I cry and want hugs. I don't know why.

Jujubee:

I was very ready to go to bed tonight. I cried and tried to break down the gate at the bottom of the stairs before I even had my ba-ba. I fought it once I was upstairs, and I'm squirming a little now, but I bet I'll sleep well tonight.

Fun at home

Jujubee:
We were very happy this morning to have daddy around for a bit! He is the best jungle gym. Sometimes mommy gasps with worry the way we jump around on furniture and play...she seems to think we will fall down and crack our heads open. Daddy tells her she should see the things we do when she's not around!

We wore ourselves out and were ready to take a nap before daddy even left for work. Sleep was good and rejuvinated us for our very first sister bath together in the garden tub! Squidgy lined up her boats while I looked at the Elmo in the bath book. He had bubbles in his bath too! Squidgy taught me how to make really big splashes and get water everywhere. I'm a little jealous of how long Squidgy's hair is now. I love the big bath...so much better than that sink :-)

Of course it was only a matter of time before we put our heads together and convinced mommy we needed to play outside. I watched mommy and Squidgy kick the ball around in the side yard...Squidgy kept teasing mommy that she would kick it in the street. I picked blades of grass and checked out the apple tree. I also practiced going up and down the stairs...look out world I'm getting pretty good!

All that playing made us hungry, so mommy let us have some graham crackers and Asia puppy sat close by just in case we dropped anything. Sometimes she even steals food right out of my hand. I tried to take a nap on the bathroom floor, but it just wasn't "goldie locks" so I found a monkey to snuggle up with and waited patiently til mommy gave me a baba and let me climb the stairs to go night-night.

Jujubee:
This morning while Squidgy and daddy went to the grocery store, I got to play with my new toy radio...without Squidgy stealing it from me! I am  proud of myself when I get the "discs" in and say "Yeah!".

Squidgy:

This morning I got to get away from that little Jujubee for a while! Daddy took me to the grocery store because mommy and daddy were out of coffee. They were very cranky and I guess coffee makes that better? I rode in the shopping cart with the orange car in front. When we came home daddy and I made banana bread! I get to mix everything together. I have gotten rather good at this task and barely spill anything out of the bowl now. Banana bread is my favorite food...but I like making with daddy as much as eating it:-)

In the afternoon we got to play outside with mommy! Running around on the back patio is a lot of fun, but somewhat hazardous. Jujubee and I chased each other in circles around mommy! Then I stood by the pond and tried to jump over the rocks...mommy told me not to because I might fall. I told her I wouldn't. Then I did, and it hurt:-(

The time has come...

Hello everyone!
Since filling out events in the first year calendars is now complete for both girls, I have decided to create a running account of the girls for friends, family, and themselves in the future. Here you will be able to see what is happening in the day to day lives and adventures of Squidgy and Jujubee. Enjoy!