Imagination at work

Caroline has really turned on her imagination in the last few months. Everything is an adventure. We really had to turn it on when we had a rainy day a couple of weeks ago (no a rainy day does not happen very often in CA!) So first we played outside in the rain and then proceeded to don our hula costumes and dance the afternoon away. The diaper was a great accent to the grass skirt! But our most recent occupation is that of "Dr. Brown". Caroline wears her stethoscope (or heartbeat thing) as she calls it around the house at all times. It is on when she eats, rides in the car, in the stroller and on her tricycle. Poor Hannah is subject to at least 50 examinations a day and her baby dolls more than that. Everyone has a runny nose and is very sick for about 3 minutes and then they take a nap and they are all better. It is getting to be the running joke around here! Enjoy the videos of her!

Back in the swing of things...

Well, finally we have somewhat of a routine with the two girls. Caroline started a little preschool that my friends from the neighborhood put together. We (each mom) has to teach once every nine weeks so that is great and the kids seem to love it. Caroline gets very excited for school and the possibility to wear her "art smock" -- which she talks about all the time! They only go one morning a week so it is a good introduction. She says such funny things now too. A couple of examples... on one of my crazier days I said, "Caroline, I've lost my mind" and she replied, "Well where do you think it is, I can help you find it" -- so sweet ( on a day she wasn't being so sweet as I was obviously losing my mind!). And the other day I said, "We need to drive Aunt Laurie to go pick up her car" and Caroline looked at me puzzled and said, "Mommy, her car is going to be toooo heavy to pick up"! Hilarious. She seems to pick up on everything and has added words to her vocabulary like actually, eventually, cooperate and organize and uses them all in the right context. Always amazing.... and exhausting at the same time!!

Hannah is our little sweetie so far. You know the kind where, if she was your first, you would think, why does everyone think this is so hard? Well, we had busy and energetic Caroline first so we know! Hannah is mostly sleeping through the night and has a very sweet disposition. She is very smiley when she isn't sucking her two middle fingers and loves to watch all of us in action. She rolls over all over the place and can sit up for 10 to 15 seconds by herself now. She loves giving raspberries as the all time and is still a spitter upper. Can't wait for that to end but otherwise, I don't want her to get big yet!! Hard to believe the time is flying by so fast.

On the Road Again.... part 2

From Florida, I flew with the girls by myself to visit my parents in St. Louis. First time flying by myself with the two of them and I wasn't sure I wanted to step back onto the plane to fly back home. It was a little rough the first time around. Hannah had her own seat and was pretty good. Caroline, well Caroline was her usual energetic self (a jumping bean) except on an airplane which was a little challenging -- but we made it and had a great trip to St. Louis. We visited the Magic House with my friends, went the St. Louis Zoo and got to ride the choo choo train which was VERY exciting!! We saw lots of friends and family including Grandma Julie, Aunt Rita and Uncle Wayne and all my cousins who live there. We even made it to Mount Vernon, IL to meet my friend Kate and her little boy Mack halfway. It was great to see them since it had been 3 years!! The weather was beautiful and we had a great time. Thanks to my sister Katie coming up with the "airplane" game -- we had to pretend we were on an airplane almost every night -- our flight back home went great which I was very thankful for. We are back home safe and sound and happy to have seen everyone and happy to be home!!

On the Road again...

Since Hannah once four months old, we decided it was time to start traveling again. It had been almost 6 months since I had been on a plane (nearly a record for me!) and so we were ready to go. First, we flew to Florida to visit Trent's family. The girls did great on the flight out and Trent was there to help me which was wonderful. We had a great trip visiting Gaga and Papa. We went out on their boat a number of times and Caroline even had her first experience being towed behind the boat with Daddy and a boogie board. We went to the beach, the pool and the Palm Beach Zoo spending as much time outside as possible and in the water as much as possible!! We were able to see our newest nephew Dean and see cousin Abby and Uncle Tye and Aunt Kelly. What a great trip we had!!

Fun in the Sun

It has been a busy last month (obviously since I haven't posted in that long!!). Caroline took swimming lessons and has learned to put her face underwater and blow bubbles - she is so proud of herself and wants to show you any chance she can get including in the bath tub. Hannah is just getting cuter by the day. She has started "talking" baby talk all the time as evidenced by these videos. She is such a smiler and a roller as she is good at rolling around (too bad I haven't been able to catch her on video yet!). She is always smiling and has such a sweet demeanor - we feel very lucky!! We took the kids on a hike recently and they really seemed to enjoy it. Now, Mommy and Daddy's backs hurt a little bit but all in the name of exercise, right? My mom and sister Katie came to visit and help recently as well which was wonderful (and much needed I might add!!) We had a great visit and Caroline, for the first time, actually realized what it meant when they left and was crying hysterically. It was very sad and made it even harder for Laurie and I. She can't wait to take her own trip on an airplane and asks every morning when she wakes up where she is going!

Big milestones

Looking at the animals at the zoo
At the zoo

Lots of things happening at the Von Gunten household this week. First, Hannah rolled over from her back to her stomach and woke herself up in the process. She loves to lay on her side when she sleeps and sucks on her fingers and I imagine she got a little overzealous and flipped herself right over. It's amazing how fast these things start happening!! Second, Hannah moved to her own room to sleep at night. Very sad for me as it means a little of that infant stage is over but I think she is sleeping better not hearing us so that is a very welcome thing! Finally, Caroline got rid of her binkies for good (or so we hope). For those who don't know, binkies are pacifiers and Caroline religiously has them for bedtime and naptime. Well yesterday, she refused to take a nap so I told her that girls who don't take naps don't need binkies and that they would go in the trash if she wasn't going to nap. Well, much to my surprise, she agreed and we threw them in the trash. I was scared to death thinking, oh no, she is not going to sleep. Well we have had some struggles and are working through them so hopefully she will get over them soon. But when she lays down to go to sleep she says, "They're gone forever, the trash man came to pick them up." and it almost makes me want to cry but I guess she couldn't have them forever. My baby is growing up.

A new baby cousin!

My sister Laurie and her husband Crispin just had their first little baby. It was a surprise to all of us as we did not know if it was going to be a boy or girl. We were convinced it was a boy since so many girls have been born and baby Madeline surprised us all. She is a beautiful baby and they are all doing well. Caroline is excited as she has a new baby to look at and "play" with! My parents also came out to see the new little one and to help out. Needless to say, Caroline loved having that attention as well and Hannah, well Hannah, just loves any attention she can squander away from Caroline.

Welcome to the crazy world of parenting Laurie and Crispin (and as Trent would say, it is about time!!!)