Debbie

Debbie turns 4 this month!She was born full term at just 5 days early, weighing a healthy 8 lbs 1 oz. However, she aspirated the meconium when she was born so she had to have a little help at the beginning.
But only two days later she was healthy as could be!

Here she is at 1

2 years

3 years

And now at 4!

Debbie is our little princess full of drama and emotion! She's very sweet and eager to please, forgiving and willing to help out. She loves to play dress up and pretend and she has a wonderful imagination. She's VERY intuitive! She loves her brother and sister and looks for ways to help them be happy. She's loves to dress pretty and wear lipstick but she also loves playing in the mud with worms and bugs and rough-housing with the boys! She can write her name all by herself. She has a great sense of humor and loves to be the center of attention. We love you so much Debbie!

Bathtime

Debbie was taking a bath this morning when we heard her yell, "Mom, Cosette just fell into this water!" And sure enough, this is what we found! Check out that look on her face, she's such a stinker!

Skinny

When I need the kids to get undressed and I'm helping them take their shirt off I'll say to them "skinny rabbit!" (you know, arms sticking straight up like rabbit ears) My mom said this to us so it's one of those things that you just say unconsiously, and it's cute too. :) A few months ago when Debbie was eating her breakfast she looked at Chad and myself and then laughed and said, "Daddy, mommy's skinny than you!" I was soooo thrilled!! I told everyone about it and thought it was hilarious! Then a few weeks later she got herself undressed and danced around and said, "Look mommy, I'm skinny!" It was then that I realized that, to her, 'skinny' meant not dressed... I noticed a little while ago that we have unconsiously integrated that meaning into our vocabulary. For months now, and without even realizing what we were doing, whenever we needed the kids to get undressed for bath or bed or whatever we would tell them to "get skinny" instead of telling them to get undressed. "Okay, get skinny! It's time for your bath!" The kids know what we're asking and they respond, it's pretty great! And kinda quirky too, I know. :) Whatever works though, right?

April so far

Easter Sunday before church
Isaac is becoming quite the silly little boy. :)

We 'watched' my niece Samantha for a few days a couple weeks ago. I put 'watched' in parenthesis because she was certainly more help to us than we were to her! I had been feeling so overwhelmed with life and been feeling like I needed a getaway BAD, but then she came and helped me with the kids, keeping them entertained and stuff so I could get things done. Having her here was break enough for me apparently, because after she went home I no longer felt the urgent need for a getaway! She was so sweet and helpful! Thank you Samantha. The kids miss their "Mantha!"

Debbie wrote her name all by herself!!! She's done it a few times now, it's so exciting!

Trouble

Cosette is becoming a bit of a climber. She can be so mischievious!

Don't say...

Okay, we've had this conversation too many times with Debbie. Any ideas on how to teach her the concept?
Mom (or Dad): "Debbie, I know you want to go outside but,-"
Debbie: "Don't say butt!"
M: "Thank you Debbie, but sometimes-"
D: "Don't say butt mom!"
M: "Ok, fine."
It mostly just cracks us up. :) How do you not laugh at that conversation!? At least we know she's listening to what we're teaching her, right?