Crocodile

Webster's Definition:

croc·o·dile

Pronunciation: \ˈkrä-kə-ˌdī(-ə)l\
Function: noun

1a: any of several large carnivorous thick-skinned long-bodied aquatic reptiles of tropical and subtropical waters

Aly's Definition:

croc·o·dile

Pronunciation: Croc-dial

1a: a reasonable weapon to throw at mommy and daddy (when they is driving) and tell me I can't have something

2a: a source of time-out

Aly has these stupid, sticky, rubbery crocodile toys that my mom bought her at the Dollar Store and has been carrying around for a week. She loves them. Today, on the way home from church she was being a complete butt-head. She had finished her milk and wanted more. We told her we did not have any and she would have to wait until we got home to get some...next thing we know, a crocodile went whizzing by Dan's face and another one hit in the arm and fell on the plate with my breakfast. It was actually hard not to laugh, but she was not allowed to have the crocs anymore during the car ride and had a time out when we got home.

Clipity Clop, Clipity Clop! I'm a Pretty Pony!

Professional Pictures

We attempted to have pictures taken again tonight. Mostly of Aly for her birthday pictures, but because they were both being such butt-holes the last time I wanted to try to get a few of them together this time. Much to our surprise, it went fairly well. Aly warmed up quickly and Hannah lasted long enough to get a few cute ones. We ended up with some really great pictures! Here are a few of them:

You can see the rest of them by going here and entering the following info:

Customer Name: jennifer bender

Access Code: LTPP0741122936JCP

Three Year Check Up

Aly saw Dr. Heiny for her yearly check up yesterday. She weighs in at 29 lbs and is 3' 1'' tall! She's in the 30th percentile for weight and 50th for height (which he said were perfect proportions)! He recommended setting up an appointment to see an ENT about her ear that sticks out, going on her first dental visit (yeah, that'll be fun) and she needs to go back to the dermatologist for her eczema, but other than that she is perfect!! He said to wait until the fall to potty train her...but I am still going to tackle that once school is out. In fact, we have a count down going until she is not allowed to wear diapers anymore. And the best part about the appointment...no shots this time!!

Online Photo Album

This is to anyone interested...but mostly for my Dad and Grandma, who keep asking about our pictures. I take sooo many and the files are sooo large it is impossible to send them all. So, as promised, there is a link to our Picasa account on the left-hand side of the blog under "Favorite Links" that says 'Our Family Photo Album - Online'. If you click on that, you can see ALL the pictures I have uploaded. From there you can download, print or share/email them. Let me know if you have any problems viewing them! Beware...there are A LOT of pictures!!!

Jump, Jump!

These were all taken on Aly's birthday when they were playing in the jumphouse, but I forgot to post them!!

Aly's Dora Party...

**Aly, if you are reading this in the future, it is not that I don't care...I just suck at party planning!**

Poor Aly!! Only 3 of her friends (and by friends, I mean cousins) came! I will definitely remember NOT to have her party on Memorial Day weekend anymore! That being said, I don't think Aly cared one bit and had a great time! She got some fun gifts, got to 'swim' and got to decorate the Dora cake GG made for her!

Aly's Dora cake that GG made and she helped her decorate!

Opening presents...

Aly doesn't like to get in the 'big' pool because she says she is scared of it...Hannah, on the other hand, got in and LOVED it!! This summer is going to be really fun with her!

Yes, that is a life jacket in the baby pool...she wouldn't let me take it off!! Hannah is just chillin' in the pool with her shades and her daddy!!

Random Black and White's

I love turning my pictures into Black and White's...I think the are so classic and timeless. I also love unconventional shots and close crops...here are some of my very favorites from the past week:

This one isn't B&W, but I love it anyway!

Finally, a Turtle Sandbox!

Aly has been talking about getting a Turtle sandbox for months!! There is another house in the neighborhood that has one and we have walk by it on every walk, she carried around a picture of it and has asked about it every day since almost Christmas...we got her one for her birthday! She was so excited...and has played in it EVERY day so far! She loves it and so does Hannah!

My parents got her a Disney Princess bike...but she doesn't know how to pedal it yet so she get frustrated. It won't be long though!

Happy 3rd Birthday Alyssa!!!

Alyssa,

You're 3 today!! Are you serious?? Where has the time gone?? It literally seems like yesterday when we found out we were pregnant with you...yet, we don't remember what life was like without you! You are so beautiful, smart and full of life! Every day we get to see more of your unique personality coming through. I could not have dreamed being a parent would be this much fun...or tiring. This year will be a big year for you (and us): you start pre-school!

Here are some of your favorites right now: Dora the Explorer, your new turtle sandbox, swinging and playing outside, doing arts and crafts, going to Church, your couch bed (Magenta, Monkey, Kitty, Brutus and your 'me'), you LOVE to help me cook and you love your little sister!

You still wake up in the middle of the night to get Daddy and wake up between 6:30-7am. Naps are rare and you go to bed around 9pm (if we are lucky). You are really shy, but warm up to people after a little while. You are learning to pedal your new bike, have a HUGE vocabulary, can count to 10 and know your ABC's. Your favorite food is a tie between brats and Chipotle and you REALLY LOVE sweets!

Each year keeps getting better and we can't wait to see what this one has in store for you! We love you sooooooooo much Princess! Happy Birthday!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Circus, Circus

My parents took Aly to her very first circus tonight! She came back with a pendant, cotton candy (that cost more than the circus tickets!!), a top hat, a spinning light up elephant thing and this picture:

I think she had a pretty good time!

...Baby Close Your Eyes...

Both the girls really like music (they most definately take after Dan in this area)! Hannah is our little dancer and Aly is the singer. Her favorite song right now is a song called Syndicate by 'The Fray'. She knows all the words to the chorus and sings along everytime she hears it. She even asks for it in the car now...over and over! I am going to try to record it sometime, but she is soooo shy. If she knows you are looking at her, or even listening, she stops immediately! I just downloaded it as my ringtone...because I love to hear her sing it so much! Maybe she will be on Season 25 of American Idol ;)

Third Times A Charm!!

I should have waited to write the post earlier about how my interview went and how much waiting sucks...the principal called me less than an hour later. I GOT THE JOB!! Finally, I am going to be teaching in Gahanna!! I am soooooo excited for so many reasons! But, I have blogged more than enough for today and Dan is yelling at me to watch our shows, so I will leave it at that!

It is amazing how God works!!

Birthday Party Blog-vitation

I absolutely can not believe Aly is turning 3...but she is! I am sending out real invites to the kids, but since Aly only has one cousin (so far), is not in daycare and has not started school the party will be mostly family and [our] friends...so consider yourself invited!

Sunday, May 24th

2-4 pm @ The Miller's

2940 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Rd.

Blacklick, Ohio 43004

**Bring your swim gear in case the weather cooperates!!**

Let me know if you are coming by May 22nd:

Email, Call or Comment here!!

Waiting Really Stinks!

So, if you haven't heard already, my interview with Gahanna went REALLY well. She told me I should hear if they wanted a second interview by Friday...then 45 minutes later she called and asked if I could come back the next day (which was yesterday)!! Yesterday went awesome too! It was really relaxed and seemed more like a conversation than a job interview so I feel really good about it. So know we just have to wait to find out. I don't know when I will know for sure, but we are keeping our fingers crossed...so please keep praying! I don't want to jinx it, but I think this could be it...

Just Couldn't Wait!

We decided to buy those child seats for the back of your bike so we can go on family bike rides this year. Once we told Aly she just couldn't wait to go do it. Dan took her to buy the seat the other night, and even though she couldn't ride in it that night she MADE me put them together when they got home. Then she had to sit in it...complete with the Dora helmet and knee pads. We can't wait to start using them!

And so it begins...

Aly and Hannah really love each other! They love to hug and kiss, laugh and giggle and just be silly together...and up until a few weeks ago it has been nothing but loveliness between them. Well, they officially have found a new hobby that I think, unfortunately, might stick around for awhile...fighting! Sisterly fighting of course, but still fighting. Today while I was in the shower there was a constant chorus back and forth of screaming and crying. Isn't that what everyone mom wants to hear as she washes the soap out of her hair?!?!? Ironically it is Hannah that seems to be the bully. She will just grab something from Aly or give her an evil look...and she can have a serious meltdown in seconds flat if she doesn't get her way. Aly doesn't really know what to think of it yet. She just kind of looks around to see what everyone else's reaction is. And don't get me wrong, Aly is no angel...she will steal stuff from Hannah too...Hannah just seems to be the instigator! And it is infinitely worse when they are tired!!! We knew this was coming having two girls so close in age, but it is exactly what we wanted and we couldn't ask for more! Even though they fight (and it will get worse before it gets better), they LOVE each other like we could have only hoped for and that is what is so fun to watch. We just need to keep saying that to ourselves in order to stay sane when they are screaming at each other!

DRAMA Queen

Over the last week, we have truly realized just dramatic Alyssa actually is. Last Friday we all went to the Gahanna baseball game together and the girls and I played on the playground while Dan watched the game. We all had a lot of fun, but towards the end Aly tripped on the sidewalk and skinned both of her knees. Naturally she cried...but she is taking this 'boo boo' thing a little too far. That night in order to get her in the bath we bribed her with going to Meijer to buy Dora band-aids for her scrapes. Well, she came home with two boxes, one Dora and one Diego (Hey, it's a tough choice for a 3 year old!!). So ever since then we have been putting one on each knee. The scrapes have long healed, but tonight, despite all our positive reinforcement, she insisted on bandaging them...again. She even crinkled her nose and cried, "I see them. They are right there...Ouch, they stillllllll hurt!". Just a tad bit dramatic, don't you think?? If we are going to go through two boxes of band-aids for a pair of skinned knees I guess we are going to have to invest in the stock. I can't completely blame her though...My mom says I was the same way (Really, I still am ;) I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...