Our Week

It was a fairly uneventful week for us. The only big event was Ellie's first visit to the dentist. She was so excited to go! She had come along with me on my last 2 visits, so she knew what was going to happen. She opened her mouth wide and did everything she was asked. She thought the water-sucker (the hygienist called it a duck that was thirsty) was hilarious and loved using it. Unfortunately, it appears that sometime either when I was pregnant or when she was very little she had damage done to her teeth. They kept asking if I was on antibiotics or if she was. Not that I can remember. Apparently she has calcium deposits on her teeth that if we're not careful will turn into cavities. Gotta keep an extra close watch on them.

We all have inevitably caught a bit of what has been going around. Katie had a fever and runny nose. Ellie has had a "frog" and a cough. Sarah woke up last night with a fever and cough. Mom and I just haven't felt too great. Dad of course has had it the worst, and it's been going on for more than a week now. We are anxious for everyone to start feeling better.

Ellie has been on a growth spurt lately and is growing out of her clothes. It makes her happy to hear us tell her that. She likes being a big kid. We just measured her and she's grown a full inch in the last 2 1/2 months. We have our "growth chart" on a wood beam down in the storage room. Same place we all measured ourselves as we were growing up. That makes it even more fun. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this or not, but Ellie loves her princesses. I have a cassette tape with a "mix" of Disney tunes. She can name the movie they're from before I can! Not sure what that says about how many times she's watched them :-D She has also been on a pretend play kick. We have to act out every Disney movie ever made. She makes an excellent Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Mowgli, Simba, Dorothy, etc... The kicker is that I, or whoever she convinces to play with her, gets to be every other character in the story. Mom has more patience and will act these out with Ellie for hours. I'll do it, just not nearly as long. Every girl deserves the chance to be a princess. It's better she gets it out of her system now :) I've not completely converted to the Princess craze with the merchandising, but there are some things that are just too much fun for a little girl. Besides, you can't beat the "dancing Cinderella" underwear that Ellie loves. Anyway- I think you can guess what she and Katie were acting out in this picture.

(We received a "daddy bib"-[it says "I love my daddy"] and a "mommy bib" as a gift when Sarah was born. The girls have fought over that bib at every single mealtime since. The "mommy bib" just isn't as exciting. I finally found more the other day and bought enough so that when Sarah decides she needs one as well, we'll be set. What these girls don't get into their heads...)

Katie still hasn't learned her lesson about tipping back chairs or climbing on things. She's fallen off of chairs multiple times and off her crib railing (she was perched on top of it, as she loves to do). That little girl has no fear.

Sarah is still a bottomless pit. She eats whatever we are eating. She is finally using a spoon (as opposed to a dropper) as well, although she prefers to eat foods that she can pick up with her own fingers. Most nights she eats so much I'm sure her tummy will burst! She sleeps through the night about once or twice a week. We're making progress.

Steve has faster Internet now which allows us to use the webcam. That has been wonderful! The girls absolutely love to see him. Still no word from West Point, although they did write and offer to have him apply to a position in Admissions, which is what his best friend, Tom Tolman will be doing. We'll take whatever will keep him from deploying back to Iraq fall 2009 (which is what his Brigade is currently scheduled to do). We just keep praying that it all works out for the best.