It is with much joy that we declare that we have "outgrown" this blog, and its time to move on to another blog now that our family is expanding. We want to keep up with both Anna and Kate's adventures at our new site for both girls. Please come visit us there! (And, please forgive the general lag in updates these days...we're still adjusting to our new "schedule" as parents of two...)
In anticipation of Kate's arrival, Anna and I went to the local pottery place and did a little painting. Anna painted a monkey for herself, and a little piggy for Kate...such a good big sister! We were also able to get Anna's "three year" handprint plate made...amazing how big her little hand is getting! I'm afraid we're going to have to upgrade from the salad plate to the dinner plate for next year's handprint!
Daddy and Anna had fun decorating brownie bites at the Spring Fling at Challenger Park...
Hunting eggs was definitely a popular Easter activity with Anna this year. While she's not quite to the age yet that we're getting creative with hiding them, so thought running around and picking eggs up out the grass was a blast! The top picture was taken at her MOMS Club egg hunt, and the lower picture is her hunting with her school friends. We definitely got some mileage out of her Easter basket this year...
Ok, so we're a week and a half late...we were a little occupied on Easter this year...:-).
We took Anna to a "Super Siblings" class this Saturday to help her get ready for Kate's nearing arrival, and she had a great time! They learned all about what babies eat, what they can play with, how to hold a baby and support their head, etc., etc. I think Clint and I appreciated the refresher as well...ha! Here, Anna is learning how to swaddle a baby. If Kate is anything like Anna was as a baby, this will be an invaluable skill...that Anna LOVED to be swaddled! I think I finally stopped swaddling her when she was about 10 months old because I realized that it had reached the point of ridiculousness...
Especially since I know our carefree "mommy-daughter" days are likely coming to an end for a while pretty soon, I've been wanting to do some special activities with Anna in these last few weeks before Kate arrives. (Does that sound like I think our life is going to end when Kate gets here?? I don't mean it that way at all...I just know that things will definitely get more complicated for a while...:-) ). Yesterday we went to Build-a-Bear so that Anna could make a bear for her to give Kate when she's born. We of course also made something for Anna--she picked out a beautiful white seal as her "friend". Above you can see her putting the stuff in Kate's bear (dubbed by Anna as "Care Bear"), and then giving him a hug. 
After Anna finished stuffing the animals, she went and gave them a bath. She thought that was the greatest! We followed up our animal-building morning with a lunchtime trip to Chick-fil-a and the Great American Cookie Company (a special treat!), and a visit to the Easter bunny. We had a great day...
She and Natalie seem to have struck up a special bond during these last few visits (her birthday and the trip to the country). I think they're finally old enough to really "play together", instead of just play beside each other.
Ok, I'll admit...my sister and I are raising a bunch of city girls! Their idea of "roughing it"--eating Cheetos out of the back of Grammie and Bucko's car.
Anna did have her first experience with crossing a barbed wire fence. Mommy was WAY too big to get over or under the fence, so Aunt Kel helped her across and did the rest of the hike with her. Thanks Aunt Kel and Bucko for taking her the rest of the way (and thanks Grammie for staying back with me!)...
While the weather is certainly warming up here in Houston, we're still not quite to "pool season" yet. But, the heated hot tub seemed to satiate the need to swim for Anna and her cousins last weekend. Forgive the photo quality--everyone was having way too much fun to stop and look at the camera...
Ok, we have one last birthday wish and posting for Anna...yesterday was Anna's 3rd birthday party at a local "bounce place" called Jump N Jungle. We had a blast! We had originally planned her party for her favorite park, but the weather in Houston yesterday was terrible (rain + 40 degrees...that's FREEZING), so made a last minute reschedule to a drier, warmer option.
This place ended up being a great alternative! They took care of all of the real-time logistics like setting up the room, getting pizza and drinks for the kids, serving cake, etc...a big relief given that I'm about 13 months pregnant.
And, the kids seemed to have a blast! The pictures aren't the best...turns out taking pictures of a crew of 3 year olds jumping and bouncing around in close range requires significantly greater photojournalistic skills than I possess. Oh well...these may be blurry, but they capture some of the joy!
We attempted to take a "group photo" of all of Anna's friends, but had some lack of cooperation from the party attendees. Oh well...this was as close to a quorum as we could get...
Last Saturday, after our full day of birthday celebrations, we decided to conclude the day with a trip to the Rainforest Cafe in Galveston to celebrate Anna's birthday. We had attempted to go the night before on her actual birthday, but she had a bit of a tummyache so we decided to wait for her to feel better.
Anna had a fun-filled Saturday yesterday making her rounds on the birthday party circuit. She started the morning with an indoor pool party for her friend Ava. Mommy opted to not exhibit her now whale-sized tummy by getting in the pool, but stayed on the sidelines for photo ops of Anna and Daddy. Anna loved spending some time swimming and then having a yummy lunch with the birthday girl, Ava!
After the pool party, we headed to a "jumping" party for her friend Kara. Anna has definitely turned over a new leaf when it comes to these bounce houses! We went to a party at this same place a few months ago and Anna spent most of the time being held by Mommy and watching the other ones jump. Well...she decided her days of being a wallflower were over, and we basically had to pry her from the jump area when it was time to go have pizza, cake, and ice cream with her friends. She's growing up!
Happy Birthday to our little doodlebug!! Anna had a fun day today, starting with a birthday serenade and presents at home this morning, a trip to the donut shop on the way to school, and then a fun school day with her friends. We had thought about keeping her home today, but Fridays are the most fun school day filled with Tumblebus, show & tell, and her school birthday party. So, she was pretty insistent on going today!
...the mice will play! Daddy had to go to Denver for work for a few days this week, so Anna and I were on our own. We took full advantage of the opportunity to break all of the rules--of nutrition (one day did actually consist of donuts for breakfast and McDonald's for lunch--what?!?), personal hygiene (who needs a bath?), and bedtime routines (we had a "slumber party" in Anna's bed one night). While we missed Daddy immensely, we did have a good time! 
She also enjoyed a little reading (and snuggle) time with her friend, Zachary, who went with us (with his mom, my friend Rynee). 
It seemed like a little harmless toddler snuggle time until the shot above. I'm not sure how I feel about Anna sharing a small chair with a boy who's drumming his fingers, licking his lips, and looking mischevious...hands off my daughter!!
Happy Valentine's Day! Anna shared the love with one of her most favorite people, her teacher Ms. Monica, at yesterday's Valentine's party at school. Anna was awfully excited that she and Ms. Monica had on matching shirts...she pretty much thinks Monica hung the moon! (To put it in perspective, her prayers before dinner recently have been "Thank you for this food....and for Ms. Monica"...at least we know she's happy at school!)
Anna went on her first school field trip this past Thursday, and had an absolute blast! They've been studying penguins in school all month, so went to the Aquarium at Moody Gardens to check out some macaroni and king penguins (among others!) for themselves. While the kids loved all the things they saw at Moody, they were just ecstatic about the penguins, and were giddy when the penguins swam up to them. Above, Anna's getting some face time with a macaroni penguin with her friends Ava and Kara.
Almost as tall as a King penguin (but he's still got about 10 lbs on her...)!
As I think I've probably noted in previous postings, we have had so much fun over the past few months doing Little Gym. While it was theoretically supposed to be a "mommy and me" activity, my sickness with this pregnancy often resulted in Anna and I skipping our normal weekday time for Little Gym and Clint and her doing it together on Saturdays. So, fun for the whole family! Anyway...Little Gym has come to an end. While we had entertained the idea of signing her up for another semester, her interest in it seemed to have waned during the last few weeks, and she had become extremely adamant that she wanted to do "Tumble Bus" at school instead. So, remembering who's the boss, we of course complied...
We are excited to report that Anna has officially transitioned to her "big girl bed"! We were attempting to let her stay in her crib until she demanded to move out or started climbing out on her own, but realized with her size that she might be in 4th grade before that happened. So, we decided it was time to go ahead and make the move. She decided she wanted to move into a different bedroom of our house and leave her old room "for the baby" (which logistically was a huge blessing for us...thanks Anna!). So, Daddy spent some time over the Christmas holidays getting her new room painted and furniture arranged, and Mommy followed up with some decorating, and we decided last weekend it was time!
As you can imagine, there are many viruses going around Room 4 of the Childcare Center this time of year. Just before Christmas, Anna got hit by one and wasn't feeling good for a few days. Here's a pic of our little patient. Blue's Clues + lemonade + cereal + Teddy + blankies seemed to be the be the best way to treat this particular virus.
We rang in a very Happy New Year with a trip to the Houston Children's Museum. They have an annual "countdown to noon" for the kiddos, complete with New Years crafts, float-making, and a big brass band parade. They even have a ball that drops at noon! We did it last year as well, and had a blast! We think this may be an annual tradition. Here, Anna is waving a the "Wild Thing" (from "Where the Wild Things Are")...sorry for the sleepy eyes...this is photographic evidence of our dire need for a new camera...
