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!