A Whipple Kid Production

This evening the children worked together to create a video for your video pleasure.

Introducing 

A Whipple Kid Production

This Is the Duplo House

Getting Active

Meghan is enjoying Upward Cheer.  This is Meghan's team. They were just getting set up. It's pretty large.

If nothing else, go to the 2 minute mark of this video. She's been working on that for a couple of years! It's not perfect (and I can't assist her), but it looks good on the grass. She has a lot more girls on her team than just the ones pictured. Most do well to stay with the coach.

View full screen here.



Flag football has been a blast for Evan! Here he is ready...mouth guard hanging out a bit.

 Here he (#2) is about to score a touchdown. That day he scored two touchdowns!

I learned it is difficult to take photos, or even consider videos, of Evan with important football plays.

This was Esther at the first football game. Evan plays from 8:30-9:30, and Meghan cheers from 9:30-10:30, so I guess she was protesting. Since then she's enjoyed the games more...and the playground.

Early this summer, Esther really struggled to make her tricycle move more than a bit at a time. By July she was zooming around the driveway and sidewalk. Not anymore.

Click to view full screen.

 And a bit more with her speed. Unfortunately, I didn't get her waving to me as she rounded the corners like she did later on.

We have no photo evidence, but Derek participated in a Tough Mudder race this past weekend. The family didn't get to watch him.

It was just outside of Washington, D.C. After work on Friday, he and a few co-workers camped near the course. Saturday was a beautiful day. Derek was part of a four-man team that completed the ten mile obstacle course. They crawled under barbed wire, climbed walls, and crossed monkey bars. Derek said it took about four hours to complete. At the end of the the course, he (and probably every other participant) donated their shoes. I was surprised by how few scrapes and bruises he had.

He made it home by 9:30 Saturday night. The children were thrilled to see him when they awoke in the morning.

As for getting active...well, my walking buddy is only available on weekends now. So I'm likely the least active of all of us.

Disappointment

Just like any other day of preschool, I picked Evan up at three o'clock.  The parking lot was strangely filled and though I was on time, parents were already leaving with their children.  I thought it was odd but did not dwell on it.

Upon entering Evan's classroom, his first words to me were, "Mom, why didn't you hear me sing?"

OH NO!

I knew the Spring Sing was coming up because Evan had been signing a lot at home.  His teacher and the preschool director even mentioned it.  However, no one ever told me when it was.  I never noticed it on the monthly calendar that I'm sure was sent home...or highlighted in the director's monthly letter.  I don't know if I didn't receive the letter/calendar or if I just threw it away without looking at it.  (I always skim or read them, so I don't think I would have thrown it away.)

I was devastated.  Evan cried.  I cried.

Evan also got over it within a short bit.  I didn't.  As I prepared the children's afternoon snacks, Meghan asked me if I was going to cry.  I explained I already had.  I think that surprised both Meghan and Evan.  All through the evening I was on the verge of tears.

I sent out an email to his classmate's parents asking if anyone had video.  I was able to see some right away.  The following Monday I visited with a parent.  She let me watch on her cell phone.  In this video (unlike the first that I saw, I could see Evan bravely wiping his tears.  Oh, how it broke my heart to see him so disappointed in me.

I don't know how this happened, but I have forgiven myself.  Evan was able to do that much sooner than me.

Evan put on a private show of two of the songs the class sang on stage.  For your pleasure...and mine.  If the videos don't work below you can also view them here and here.  At either of those links you can also see some of our older videos.  (Esther had the hiccups during "filming".)


(I purposely put off writing this.  I couldn't bear to share about it on Facebook or here on the blog until I was over it.)

Videos

Yesterday at preschool Evan made a structure from toothpicks and mini marshmallows.  It made me think of my days at Nature's Classroom.  One of my favorite classes to teach was Mini Structures.  We used gumdrops and toothpicks to create strong structures after a little lesson in geometry.
This is a video of Evan talking of his structure.  He didn't mention his doubled toothpicks in the video, but I thought it was very smart of him to provide extra sturdiness in that manner.  It was incredibly windy today, and he had to hold the structure carefully so it would not blow away.

I had to have Evan begin the video a second time because someone was interrupting him.  I believe you can overhear Derek playing with Esther.

Last week Meghan brought home a school assignment to make a leprechaun trap.  I was less than thrilled about it for various reasons.  However, Meghan was eager to make a trap that would work.  She had a great plan.  Meghan is rather animated, as usual in this video.  If you hear beeps toward the end of the video, it's not your timer, but ours.  It was nearly time for dinner, but it wasn't urgent, so it waited.

If you wonder about Derek interrupting, it was because he came home from work and opened the door.  Horrifying, I know!  Just so you know, I just asked Meghan to explain her trap to me.  The rest is all her.  I have no idea where she came up with her little ending to the video.  Maybe she saw something like that on a commercial during the Olympics?  I don't know.

The two videos are distinctly different, showing the two very different personalities of Meghan and Evan.  I love them!

Kisses for You

Esther just turned nine months.  She wants to give you some love!

(May I just add that Meghan and Evan were likely past a year before they considered kissing anyone!)  I think it's rather impressive that Esther kisses with only a word prompt...but I am the proud mommy.

View the video here or below.
(Please note the large amount of time I devoted to figuring out uploading this today.  It was not easy, but I just had to share it!)

You Are Holy {Performed by Meghan}

Meghan knows this song from our church; she has also been practicing it at preschool, which is where she learned the motions.  It's a very short video.

(This mom thinks it's rather impressive.  The beginning of the song is a bit harder for her to sing by herself since it is an "echo" type of song.  That is why I had her start at the chorus.)

(I was feeding Esther while holding the camera.  Sorry.)

Esther at Fourteen Weeks

Esther is now 14 weeks old.

She is changing all the time!  Esther laughs and smiles easily.  Typically, all we need to do is smile or talk to her to make her smile.  She coos and "talks" a lot, too.

Esther grabs onto all sorts of things.  During the middle of the night this week, she grabbed onto my pajama sleeve which took me by surprise.  (I was trying to change her diaper.)

She has come SO FAR from those first two months.  They were so, so hard.  The pain and screaming were so overwhelming for Derek and me.  She continues to use Zantac for the reflux.  (Her dose was recently increased.)  The Nutramigen formula continues to be the food of choice.  Since each can only lasts five days, we buy several at a time since we can't get it in our town for a decent price.  (Not that the price we pay at Walmart is decent, but it is much cheaper than what we pay in town.)

Below you can see Esther multitasking.  She is "on" the phone and craning her torso and head to see the TV.

One thing that is really hard to figure out is if she is tired or hungry.  She eats every two hours...and likes to sleep about that often, too.   The weekend that she and I were away was wonderful because I was so tuned into her.  However, at home distractions abound and it is much more difficult to know what to do and when to do it.

Esther has been using her Exersaucer for a couple weeks now, and her "jumper," too.  She finally uses a swing happily!  (Before she would only use the swing in her room if she was asleep when we put her in it at night.)  She is batting at the little toys, too!

The big news, for me, is that I have been able to have Esther beside me during the day to fold laundry and in the swing when I'm in the kitchen (for a few minutes at least).  This is new for her.  She still gets lonely very easily, but as long as we are near, she is okay most of the time.  Even if she is Not. In. Our. Arms.

Can you feel my freedom?!?

Below you see that Esther has left the center of the mat and her blanket...and is doing what she can to get to Evan's knee.  She rolled and then...

The other BIG news for Esther is that she is on the move.  I already shared that she rolled at 11 weeks.  But now she is moving more!  Seriously.  She is trying to crawl.  As in really.  She is getting her belly off the ground and pushing herself forward.  Here's proof.  (Please excuse the night time video.  She did this several days ago and has not replicated it during the day enough to take a video.  And yes, the Big Kids were watching television...so you hear that noise in the background.)

For those of you interested in older videos, too, visit this link.  (I am so thankful for these little snippets of life captured on video.  Meghan and Evan love to revisit old videos with me!)

Cowboy Spy

Meghan came downstairs ready to be a spy.  Then she made up a song.  She is such a performer.

Does anyone else think of 1988 with the curly hair and cowgirl hat?  She had braids earlier in the day, but they didn't work with the hat she informed me.

Meghan Reading

I typically go to the library every few of weeks.  However, a couple weeks before Esther was due, I returned ALL of my books to the library.  That means that for five weeks I have not listened to any books while working in the kitchen.  This would have been torture for me, except some lovely friends have been feeding us since Derek's mom left.  (And Janice fed us great meals while she was here.)

Meghan had asked a while back if we could go to the library.  I explained to her that I might go without her, and asked if she wanted me to get some books for her.  She requested Piggie and Gerald books.  These are written by Mo Willems and are part of the Elephant and Piggie books which we LOVE (but own none of our own).

Back to my point.  (I do get sidetracked easily.)  TODAY I VENTURED OUT TO THE LIBRARY-WITH EVAN AND ESTHER!  With going to preschool three days a week, I have had NO desire to go anywhere else with them.  However, last night I went out for several hours to do some Christmas shopping.  Based on Derek's reaction when I returned, I didn't think it wise to request an evening at the library (or the hour it takes to get there, get books, and drive home).  (Keep in mind that Esther is not a content baby.  I don't mean she is fussy...I mean she cries and screams a lot and cannot be consoled.)  So...I took the kids out in the rain.

Anyway, Evan was thrilled to go to the library.  Esther only cried during checkout...which lasted for about five minutes.

Meghan got to read a new  Elephant and Piggie book!  I thought I'd take the opportunity to videotape her reading a book that she had never heard an adult read so you know all inflections are her own, and it is not memorized.

The video is long...about 6 minutes, but it does go quickly.  Enjoy!  (And I should apologize for the quality.  It was a rainy late afternoon, and our camera only takes good videos in bright light.)

Jesus Loves Evan

Evan sang "Jesus Loves Me" for you.

Some Outdoor Fun

It has been so long since we've been outside to play.  (Actually, I guess the kids have been outside, but I haven't been joining them for more than a few minutes.)  Today the weather was nice (though the grass was still wet at noon), and I was feeling well.  We took advantage!

Meghan and Evan received a real soccer ball for Easter this year after expressing an interest in soccer and kicking other balls.  Meghan's interest (and skills!) have improved since then, of course.  We actually signed her up for her first extra-curricular activity at her preschool.  It's called Soccer Shots.  It introduces young children to soccer skills in a fun way.  She has only had one session, but she really enjoyed it.  

Meghan picked out her outfit by herself today.  (I was quite impressed!)  It was the first time she wore this soccer shirt.  She was excited to find thumb holes in the sleeves.  Seriously!   (At first I thought it was sewn incorrectly...then I saw the other sleeve and realized that it was on purpose.)

 We also had fun using the sidewalk chalk today.  As I suspected, she loved this little number activity.  She added the 10 herself, and asked if we could add 11 and 12, too.  (She likes to count backwards from 12.)

 After playing on the swing set, the children found some little yellow flowers.  I, personally, love that my son gets excited about picking flowers.  (It is good to balance out his love for trucks, trains, and tractors you know!)

On his own, Evan went to get the broom to get the grass off the driveway.  

 Below are some videos of our time outside.
Meghan dribbling (much more carefully than before her first Soccer Shots).


Meghan kicking (not her best, but still fun).

The kids using the mixed-up numbers.

That was some well-spent time with the kids!

Speech, Swinging, Worms, and More...

We have been incredibly pleased with Evan's speech progress.  He almost always is speaking in sentences now, and some are rather long.  The most surprisingly long sentence was the other day when Evan and I were reading a book about colors.  I would purposely ask him if an object was the wrong thing, and then he would correct me.  Check this out.
Annette: Is this an apple?
Evan: No, Mom.  That's not a apple, that's a banana.  


I was SHOCKED at something other than the length.  He pronounced BANANA perfectly!  Derek and I have purposely always used the correct word for items that Meghan and Evan shorten (except back when Meghan called her brother Evie.  I did too.)  I think this shows the benefit!  Evan typically is using articles (a, the, and sometimes an) now, too!

Evan LOVES his lawn mower.  It hasn't blown bubbles in ages, but he does even remember when it did.

 On Saturday while Derek was reffing for our church's Upward soccer program, we went out to weed and play.  Oh, how our flowerbed is desperate!  Evan asked if I could find some worms.  Every time I found one, I'd give it to a child.  I am happy to say that my girl is not afraid of worms...nor is my son! 

 The kids love to play in the dirt.  However, the children do not take baths daily, so the dirt pile is often off-limits.  When Meghan took off her Crocs to get dirt out, I told her she could go barefoot.  That girl was thrilled...and dirty!  It was bath day, and I didn't care if she got filthy.

On Sunday, a little hummingbird was trapped in our garage.  When Derek was able to get it (after a couple of hours) it was still alive.  Unfortunately, it didn't make it.  It was still alive when we took the photo though. 

You might remember that I mentioned how well Meghan is swinging independently these days.  Her leg muscles are getting strong!  I took a short video of her swinging.  She didn't want to start over, but she started completely on her own, and continued at this pace without any pushes or help.  I'm so proud!

So what have you been up to?

Rough Play...for Dad

If Derek is on the floor, laying down or sitting, the children are almost guaranteed to climb on him.  They love to be thrown around.  I'm just glad Derek doesn't mind them crawling all over him.

The scene below is nothing unusual.  They had already been "at it" for quite some time.  They did not tire, though Evan came to see the camera several times.

Meghan Likes to Read

Meghan has been reading three letter words (and some four) for some time now.  She often memorizes books and uses cues, like pictures to help her as most children learning to read do.

Today I attempted to record Meghan reading a Mo Willems book called We Are in a Book. that we borrowed from the library about a week ago.  We don't read it daily, though we sometimes read it more than once in a day.  She has it memorized; she (obviously) is not reading each word.   (Keep in mind we've only had this book for a week.  We just love Mo Willems though, and often borrow his books from the library.  They are intended to be an easy reader, but with a richer vocabulary to also be a high-interest book for older kids, too.  My kids LOVE these books!)  Oh, and she ZOOMS through this book!

To view her reading the book, see below.  But she needed a bathroom break.


Then I didn't record for about ten seconds.  So you missed Piggie coming up with the idea of making the reader say a certain word (bananas) if the reader was reading aloud.

You can finish the book with Meghan by below.


I am utterly amazed at her vast vocabulary and the way we understand her now!  She has come so far!  Honestly, I do credit books and even television for her vocabulary.  Of course her parents and school play a part, but really, she is a sponge!

Don't you just LOVE her inflection?  I hope that as she reads on her own (truly reading) she will use similar inflection for excitement and questions!

Videos!

I haven't uploaded any videos in a long time because I can no longer do it through Blogger, and I didn't want to fuss with YouTube.  That changed today though!

I wanted to document Evan singing Twinkle, Twinkle or the ABC's.  That didn't happen.  Neither is perfect, but he does really well!  Sorry, you won't get to see it.

This first video is the best I got tonight of Evan.  He asks, "What's this?" repeatedly to Meghan.

This next video is really cute...and then shows the reality of sibling life.

And here is another reality of sibling fun.

Meghan found hair ties today to wear as bracelets.

Both of the children were wearing their Christmas outfits.  Meghan loves to wear her Christmas dress, but Evan's pants fall down somewhat easily, so he doesn't wear them as often.  I jut thought I should explain why they were so nicely dressed after church today.

Evan and Lucy

Lucy doesn't get nearly the attention that she once did.  Actually, that is not entirely true.  She does not get as much wanted attention as she used to.  Now two little children give her lots of love, while Derek and I don't quite do what we used to.

We moved here two years ago, and Lucy had not been to the vet during that whole time.  This week Evan and I took Lucy to a new vet.  It went really well, and I'm happy to report that she seems fine.  

I had such fun watching them meow at each other that I decided someone else might enjoy it, too.  Unfortunately, Blogger didn't want it to upload.  This has happened every time I've tried recently to upload a video.  Has anyone else had this problem?  (Note: The video was from my computer, not You Tube.)

For the record, I would like to share that this was the first time that Lucy did not draw blood when she was put in her carrier.  Derek recommend long-sleeves, but they weren't even needed!  

Evan really loved having a captive (and willing!) audience with Lucy.  Lucy liked being protected from Evan.

What? Golf and baseball are not water sports? Try telling my children!

I took a quick video of Evan giggling hysterically at Meghan going down the slide. Unfortunately, the memory card ran out or I just had bad timing to stop recording...I don't remember which. (You can also see just how skinny Evan is in this video.)

Little Drivers

Meghan got a four wheeler for her second birthday. She's getting a bit big for it, but not too big. These videos are from the first time we pulled it out this season, and Evan's very first time with it. Traffic cop Meghan cracked me up! Notice Evan's concentration, too!

This may be a lot of video for most readers, but I couldn't resist...and I know the grandparents will enjoy it!

Evan Gets Stuck

Evan in the Driveway

When Evan was going down the driveway, Meghan ran to protect him-as Traffic Cop! Too cute!!

Meghan's turn to drive!

I hope you enjoyed!

Bikes!

Flying down Air Street.

Evan prefers to push.

Meghan loves to ride.

Push.

Grandpa is keeping a close eye on the children.

I'm sure you guessed by now. In addition to the table, over the weekend we bought a bike helmet for Evan and a big 14 inch bike for Meghan! Though I try to avoid buying licensed character items on things like bikes, the Dora bike was the least expensive of the three bikes we had to choose from. I guess 14" bikes are not in high demand.

These pictures were taken on Sunday. The children have been sick since then, though Meghan's fever is now gone. Her cough is pretty bad though. Evan also has a fever and cough. Meghan will likely miss the complete week of school since she only goes Monday through Thursday. If Evan is still sick tomorrow, we'll see the doctor.

Meghan is quite skilled on the bike. Though she had the four wheeled bike-tricycle, it was never mastered while it fit her. At school she often rides the big tricycles. Here are two short videos for your viewing pleasure.

Today I uploaded to You Tube for the first time. The videos are slightly larger than the space allowed here, so click the video to see the video in full if you want. Sorry about that.

Dance Partners

The kids were both doing the Hot Dog Dance, as usual. By the time I started using the camera, Meghan had new plans for dancing...it became a partner dance. I love how Evan just wants to watch the TV while he loves dancing. My memory card ran out of room, so it ended abruptly, and without injury!