Kiersten is 2!

I can't believe that my little girl is already 2 years old today! She, on the other hand, thinks she is much older. We started the day off with a breakfast of Monkeybread and opening her presents. She was SO excited this morning when she saw all of her presents. She kept just saying her favorite word "MINE"!

She's saying many more words within the last month or so which is so much fun to hear what she has to say. She also loves, jumping, dancing, dressing up and singing (just notes, no words)!

She also loves to flash the cutest smile right before doing anything devious, then right after again to get out of trouble.

Last night while getting ready for her birthday, I was helping Annika wrap the presents that she got her and while going from one room to another, I stubbed my toe on the doorframe...it killed but I didn't think too much of it since this is a frequent occurance, until looking at it and noticing that it was sticking out sideways from my foot...gross! So, we packed up the girls in their PJ's, dropped them off at a friend's house and went to the ER to find out that it was indeed broken. Of course, when we got home, we still had to wrap the presents with Annika because you can't change things on a 4 year old!

First comes love, then comes marriage...

...Then comes the baby in the baby carriage!

Annika told me at dinner tonight that if she ate a lot, she would get a big tummy and have a baby. She really wants to have a baby. I told her earlier today that she had to be old like mommy first. She said that she IS old and is already a mommy to her babydoll so she's ready for a real one.

Tonight, I told her she has to be married first before having a baby. Later, we were looking at some pictures of a wedding and she looked up and asked if when girls get married, do they have to go right from the wedding to the hospital to have a baby?

Ice Cubes?

Annika cracks me up with her curious questions about me being pregnant. The other day when we were driving around, she asked me if all of the water and lemonade and orange juice that I drink is what the baby can float in. I told her that yes, what I drink helps protect the baby. She then asked if the water would dry up. I told her no, that God made this water special to protect the baby. She thought about this and then asked "Does God make ice cubes in your tummy for the baby too? I think the baby wants ice cubes!"

Big news!

Big news in the Hinson house! I'm pregnant with baby #3!

I'm 9 1/2 weeks along, but slightly wishing I was 39 1/2. My due date is May 17th, my sister Lisa's birthday. We had an ultrasound on Monday and got to see the baby's heartbeat and got to see the baby moving quite a bit which was very exciting. Amazing how a 9 week old baby is already moving it's head and arms and legs!

Ultrasound Video

Annika and Kiersten are very excited to be big sisters, especially Annika though. She asks me all of the time how big the baby is now and if it is growing strong. This is how I came across her yesterday in her room....HILARIOUS! Apparently, she says she remembers coming to the hospital to visit me when I had Kiersten 2 years ago! She said that I was the doctor and I had to push on her back to get the baby out. I guess she's heard people talking about pushing...so funny!

Self-Control

Tonight when I was getting the girls ready for bed, Annika told me that she was about to stick her tongue out at me and then she stopped herself(love the honesty)! So, I told her that she was good to stop herself and that it was called "Self-Control". She really loves learning new words. Because she makes about anything and everything into a song that she can perform to, she started singing a song about self-control. I couldn't miss another opportunity to tape one of her performances so here it is! The ending is my favorite part!

Growing Hamburgers?

Yesterday, we had Arby's Roast Beef Sandwiches for lunch. They have a sesame seed bun. As we were eating them, Annika turned to Craig and I and asked us if we have ever grown a hamburger. We were trying to tell her that hamburgers didn't grow when she held up a sesame seed and said "You just have to plant this little seed!" Craig and I laughed so hard! This was one of those moments when you don't want to correct your child because their own ideas are so hilarious! Maybe next Spring we'll have a nice garden of hamburgers!

Annika Started Preschool

Annika has gone two weeks now to preschool, two times a week. The first week was called a "gradual entry" week. They split the class in half and each half only came for an hour of the time. The first day, parents went in the classroom with their kids. It was fun for me to see the classroom and meet some of the other parents. Right when they get into the classroom each day, they go and wash their hands. When all of the kids lined up for this, all of the sudden every parent whipped out a camera and started taking pictures...so I grabbed mine too! We were asked to only post pictures of our own kids on the internet so I can't put any of those EXCITING pictures on the blog! The second day the parents were still there, but in a room across the hall from their kids. This was a nice time for me to meet some of the other parents too.

Then second week, you can just pull up your car and let your kids off. I had prepared Annika for this event, maybe a bit too well! When we pulled up she reminded me "Remember Mommy, you just pull up the car and let me out and I go in ALL BY MYSELF". So I pulled up, thought maybe she would be a little hesitant, and she just took off running to the door to her teacher...never looking back! I pulled away and got a little choked up! The second day, I could hardly yell goodbye to her before she took off into the door! I'm so glad she's loving it so much!

Sleeping in a Big Girl Bed

Craig and I went to Kansas City this past weekend to celebrate our 9th anniversary. I can't believe we've already been married 9 years! It was a great weekend of shopping, BBQ and sleeping in!

When we got home on Sunday night, we took apart the crib, seperated the bunk beds and put Kiersten in the Big Girl bed. She looks absolutely tiny in the bed! These two pictures are from the first night and the second night. She was just too cute not to take pictures both nights. She's done so well, although she's learned that now we can actually lay down next to her in bed too! Night one was great. Night two I had to lay down with her. Naptime today was a bit of a bust. Night three was great again (probably because she was so tired from a terrible nap).

Annika has "Cousin's Camp" next week at my parents house with the "older" cousins and while she's gone, she said we could put the bunks back together and she would sleep on the top when she got back. I'm planning on doing something to make it cool for her on the top to entice her to really want to do this (no firm ideas yet).

"Mama"!

Nearing on 20 months, I finally hear the beautiful words come from Kiersten's lips...."Mama"! I love it! She mostly communicates through lots of pointing, and inflections in her grunts and squeels. She is a very very active girl who aspires to do everything that Annika does. She is currently trying to go on strike from sleeping in her crib, and wants desperately to switch into a big girl bed. We're thinking of switching her in a week and we'll see how that goes...I'm a little nervous about it. She went potty on the big potty 4 times last weekend. I'm not potty training yet, but just want to get her used to sitting on it. I'm NOT all about baby potties because they completely gross me out to clean them. Her hair keeps getting lighter and her eyes couldn't be more blue. She's so beautiful! She still smiles constantly too...what a great girl!

Scandinavian Days

We went up to Story City to their Scandinavian Days. We didn't make it for the parade because we thought it was going to be a stormy day, but it cleared up and last minute we decided to go up for a little while. Annika had just gotten this Norwegian costume from her cousins. It is actually our friend, Ida's daughter's costume. Ida is a family friend from Norway and lived with us during her Senior year of high school. We had fun walking around, and Annika even dressed up as a Viking for the picture.

Memorial Day at Clear Lake

Kiersten and Annika had their first ice cream from an ice cream truck on Memorial Day. They loved it and were absolute messes!

We had a great time at the Wilson's cabin. It was a beautiful day!

Little Artists

Annika has started to get quite good at drawing. She prefers drawing her own pictures as opposed to coloring books. The people look a little goofy right now because she's started drawing teeth too. This is a picture of Kiersten (orange) Annika (pink hair) Mommy (red) and Daddy (purple) at Daddy's softball game. Annika is mad because she wanted to stay and I made her leave (this really happened a few nights before)!



Not to be outdone, Kiersten has started doing her artwork on our walls, chairs, floors, tables, etc.

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a great day with the girls and Craig for Mother's day. It was very special. I am blessed!

On Saturday night, Craig went to a movie with friends and about 3 minutes after he left both girls woke up and were WIDE awake....sometimes you just gotta say "to heck with it". We came downstairs and laughed and giggled and cuddled and played. Here's a picture from our time...as you can see, there were NO blurry eyed children!

On Saturday afternoon, I ended up working for a few hours and while I was gone, Annika and Kiersten and Craig baked me an Angel Food cake for Mother's Day. It was very sweet. I think I liked seeing the pictures as much as eating the cake! Annika and Kiersten LOVE "helping" in the kitchen!

Annika's Shoe Store

Last week I was driving with both girls to a park when I came across a GLORIOUS sign on the curb "FREE"! I picked up a baby doll high chair, a toy grocery cart, and an old Fisher Price cash register (Grandma and Papa have the same one so Annika was very excited). On Sunday morning we were ready for chuch early (shocker) and so Annika had time to be a little creative....she opened a shoe store in the living room. It was so cute and she was SO proud of herself. Craig bought a pair of shoes for a quarter...but when it came time for me to buy a pair, I guess word had gotten out that it was a happenin' place and she raised her prices to 35 cents.

Annika Goes Shopping

Annika told me that she was all ready to go to the Mall. This is how she dressed herself. Oh, and I guess I didn't inspect her face after lunch too well. Kiersten thought Annika really was going to take her to the mall and was disappointed that she didn't go.

Where does the time go?

Here is a picture of Annika at 1 week old, and another of her at 3 1/2 years at Reiman Gardens. When did she get so big?

Annika's First Bike!

Annika got her first "big girl" bike. We let her get a sticker for every day that she was a good listener, and mostly that she would go right to bed at night and stay there. She did such a great job! We went to Walmart and bought her a 12" bike. She loves it and got the hang of it pretty quickly too. Kiersten saw Annika's new helmet and wanted one too...this is the best we had!

Kiersten's Dedication

Today we had Kiersten's Dedication at our church. It was a really special time for us to go up front at church and agree to teach Kiersten about Christ's love and ask for the church to help us in our journey of raising her. Auntie Lisa, Uncle Ryan and Sam came down for it and we had a lunch after with them, and our small group Bible study friends at my parents house. We've got a big job ahead of us in raising our kids! We pray that they will come to know God's love in a very personal way. When I was dedicated in our same church as a baby, the church elder who prayed, prayed that "I would never remember a day in my life that I didn't know that God loves me". This is also our prayer for our girls.


In front of the church with Karen Heiligenthal (Children's Ministry)

Our family with Pastor Staff

Kiersten with her almost twin cousin Sam who came for the event

Cousin Visit!

Craig's sister and brother-in-law and their two boys, Wyatt and Owen came for a 5 day visit! We all had so much fun together. Too bad they have to live over 600 miles away!

Here's Annika praying for her breakfast (at the top of her lungs everytime). She makes it quite difficult for us to remain reverant! It's just so cute!

It wasn't as nice of weather out as the snow was melting and it rained most of the time so we went out to the Plex to let the kids run around one morning. They loved it as usual!

She's a Climber!

Kiersten will be 15 months next week. All in one day, these are the places we found Kiersten (actually, these are just the places I got pictures of...add to this the coffee table, the TV chest, on top the stereo, and the couch)! How are we supposed to keep up with this crazy girl!

That's right, she's in the sink...

...On the Dining Room table...

...let's not forget on top of the buffet cupboard...

...On the chair in the Living Room

I mean, how on earth is she learning to do this?????? Hmmmmm

Father/Daughter Date Night

Our church had a Father/Daughter date. Craig took Annika and Granddad took Kiersten. It was so special sending them off on their dates!