Cookie Night

Yesterday we went to church with my parents and my sister and Graham. Julianna went to Children's Church- because she and I both learn more when she is in there. As I sat in the row with my husband, baby, parents, sister, and Graham (and knowing that Julianna was only a couple rooms away) I felt that our family was complete. Not that there won't be more kids or changes, but at that moment I felt totally at peace. I remember feeling that way last year on Christmas Eve at my parent's house.

Last night was the annual "Cookie Night" at my Grandma Hazel's house. It is probably one of my favorite days of the entire year, and definitely one of my favorite memories growing up. Every year the family goes to Grandma and Grandpa's house for dinner and then we make Christmas cookies. Grandma has always made homemade dough and icing. All of the brothers and sisters, cousins, and grandparents gather in the kitchen and watch the magic. There is always a little friendly trash talking about who will win the contest- although there is never a winner!
Last night I didn't make cookies. I sat in the sun room with Ansley Claire and watched from the quiet room. It was like a movie with the carols in the background and the excitement just one room away. I saw my daughter making cookies with her dad. My sister making cookies with her fiance. And my entire family together.
We are so blessed.
4 Generations

Party Time

Thursday was Julianna's 6th birthday- I know, I can't believe it either. She woke up early and came and got in bed with me while Jason got ready- she was very excited about her day. Grandma Campbell came over and watched Ansley Claire while I went to Julianna's school to pass out snack. Since she doesn't like cupcakes we brought in cookies. Julianna picked Bella to help her pass out the snack. I was only there about 15 minutes, but that was long enough for me to realize what a saint Mrs. Fenimore is. Seriously, I don't know how she does it everyday!


Thursday evening Julianna didn't think that we were going to do anything special, but I had invited all the grandparents over for dinner. Jason took her out for a little while and I got ready for the party. Jason took her shopping for a necklace at Hand Picked. She picked out a necklace with blue beads on it- very sweet. No more plastic jewelry for her anymore. When she got home all the grandparents were here and she was surprised. We had spaghetti for dinner and a cookie cake for dessert. She got lots of nice presents, but her favorite was a $4 pointer that I got for her at the school book fair. Apparently it is what her teacher uses to point to things in the classroom. Julianna practiced running a classroom with the family as her students. She had her hands full with us.



Friday evening Jason and I took Julianna to see "The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever" at the Imaginon Theater. Diddy came over and watched the baby. The play was wonderful. Julianna was so disappointed when it was over. I need to try and find the movie for her.


Last night was the sleepover. Wow!!! We had 4 girls come over for the party. We ate pizza, decorated and ate cookies, and made jewelry. Jason stayed with the girls in the bonus room (since it isn't really connected to the house) and I stayed with the baby. I think this was probably the first time Jason wished that he could nurse. The girls watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and played. They had a lot of fun. This morning we planned on having waffles for breakfast. When Jason told the girls that we were having breakfast they requested pancakes, eggs, and bacon- I guess next time we will know!


Ansley Claire is doing really well. She has taken a bottle everyday this week- I don't want her to forget how. She has been rolling over and sleeping in her own crib. The first night I cried myself to sleep, but I think that she sleeps better in her nursery and I definitely sleep better. She tried green beans for the first time yesterday- not so sure that she will be a fan of those, but at least I got some cute pictures!

Kids Questions

Last night I was helping Julianna get ready for bed and she asked, "Mom, how do you meet a man?" She said she needed to know for when she is older...way older according to her father!
Isn't it funny the things that kids are thinking about. I am kinda glad that I can't read her mind!

Lately...

Well, honestly, we haven't been too busy to blog, I am just currently addicted to Facebook. The girls in the neighborhood were talking about it, so I checked it out, and now I need some sort of group to help me stop...
The girls are doing really well. Brian, Katie and Megan came down for Thanksgiving and stayed with us. Julianna and Megan had an awesome time hanging out together. They played so well with each other. I wish that they could see each other more often. While they were here they made Christmas ornaments, watched movies, played, and wrestled with their Daddies! Ansley Claire (I think we are going to call her by both) took a bottle from Uncle Bri Bri and from Daddy- we are making progress. Erin and Graham were also in town for Thanksgiving. Erin had an early birthday present for Julianna- a real wedding veil- you can tell by the pics that it was perfect.



Tuesday evening we went to Chuck E. Cheese with Grandma Hazel and Papa. They took Julianna and Mason there for their birthdays. The kids had a great time playing games and eating pizza. They didn't have birthday cake (neither of them like it) so instead they had Krispy Kreme donuts with candles.


Julianna got a report card this week and she had straight S's (that is kind of like straight A's for a kindergartner). We are so proud of her. She really loves school!
Grandpa Allen came over for a little while on Friday and hung out with me and Ansley Claire. We hung out and Ansley Claire almost rolled over!!! Friday evening we went to the neighborhood Christmas party. Santa Claus was there for the kids to see. Julianna and Ansley Claire sat on his lap and Julianna told him that she wanted a diamond necklace for Christmas (no, we aren't high maintenance). Ansley Claire also rolled over for the first time on Friday evening, but I missed it!


Saturday morning I gave the SAT at school. Jason stayed home with the girls and Ansley Claire took a bottle- no fuss, no muss- like she has taken them everyday. Yeah, we are finally there!!! I only have 4 weeks until I go back to work, so that is great news (especially for my grandmother).

Church

Well yesterday I decided that it was time for us to get back to church. It has been a while since we have been, in fact I almost made a wrong turn on the way there- luckily my mom was with us. I have been concerned about taking Ansley because I don't want to put her in the nursery yet. Julianna, Ansley and I picked up my mom and headed to church. Julianna went into her class and mom and I took Ansley into the sanctuary. Ansley really seemed to enjoy the praise and worship part. There are lights that flash on the ceiling and loud music- she was very stimulated. But as soon as the pastor took the stage, she started loosing it. So mom and I took her to the "Family Room." They have large screens with the service playing and rocking chairs. She was a little fussy in there, but we managed. She did pretty good considering it was rigiht in the middle of her nap time.
After that we went and got Julianna a Christmas dress. I can't wait to get Ansley's and to have their pictures taken.
Last night Julianna was playing with a nativity scene that was given to me when I was about 9. She showed Ansley the baby Jesus and said "Ansley do you know who this is? This is baby Jesus." Well Ansley got fussy right as she told her that it was Jesus, so Julianna changed her mind and said "I was just kidding, this is baby Ansley Claire." She thought that Ansley was upset that it wasn't her. It was really funny.

This afternoon Julianna came home from school and said that she missed her old school. I asked her why and she said because she misses touching people. She said that at her new school she can't hold hands and help people like she could at her old school because it is a school rule that you can't touch each other!

Christmas Spirit

We are getting in the spirit here at the Zak house. Last night we decorated the tree, put out the garland and the Santas and played the Christmas music. Julianna and I had a lot of fun decorating the tree, and we (I) only broke one ornament. After all the hard work we laid on the couch and watched tv and fell asleep. Having a Christmas tree up makes everything more exciting. Even watching tv and sitting around the house is more fun with a Christmas tree!


On a very cute note- the other day Jason and Julianna were discussing her sleepover birthday party. Jason explained to her that they would be sleeping in the bonus room and that he would sleep in the bed and all the girls could sleep on the floor (our bonus room isn't really attached to the house). Julianna said "Daddy, I am going to sleep with you in the bed." Jason explained that it wouldn't really be fair if she were in a bed and they were all on the floor. Julianna's response- "It's my birthday, I can sleep where I want." Well that it is. I told Jason that there are not many years that we will even be allowed in the same room as the party, maybe after the girls fall asleep she could climb in bed with him!
Ansley has been very busy lately, trying to suck on her toes. She is always trying to find something to put in her mouth and the newest thing is her feet!!! It isn't always easy to suck on toes, so I try to give her a paci, but no, she would rather fuss over those toes!

Lately...

Well, all of the days have seemed to blend together lately. Last Sunday I went to see Chicago with the girls in the neighborhood and I was gone for 7 hours- a normal day, but not for a nursing mother, whose baby won't take a bottle. Well Ansley (and Daddy) did fine. She took enough of a bottle to get through the day but I think that she was relieved to see me- I know Jason was. It was really nice to get out for the day though.
Julianna is doing well. She is getting excited about her birthday and Christmas. This weekend we are going to decorate the house (a little early, but we are celebrating next week with the family). We have decided on a sleepover birthday party for the big girl. I guess we will have pizza and Julianna wants to decorate cookies- since she doesn't like cake. It should be fun. Daddy will have to stay in the bonus room with them since the room isn't really attached to the house. I would like to be a fly on the wall that evening!
Julianna is really learning a lot in school and we are practicing reading and spelling at home. The past week we have focused on words that have an "oo" or an "ee" in them. We say the word and she spells it for us. I may be biased, but I think that she is really smart! She really loves learning which is wonderful. At night when I read her story I hold Ansley and we read together. Ansley just watches and listens- unbelievable! Mom says that she will be reading by the time she is two years old if I keep reading to her. Right now I am not concerned with having a genius- just a baby that sleeps through the night and takes a bottle!


oh, and I am finally admitting that the baby looks JUST LIKE her daddy...

Happy Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day to all the veterans including our Papa, Grandpa Ron, and Grandpa Tony! We are all home and spending the day together!
This weekend Julianna had two sleepovers. Friday night it was a birthday party at Bella's house and Saturday night one at Avery's. She had a great time at both parties and was exhausted by Sunday afternoon. Yesterday Julianna brought home an award from Art class. It was an award for behavior- that is 3 awards in only two months of school. She has gotten more awards this year than Jason and I received in our 26 years of school combined. We are very proud of her.



Ansley is doing well. Still not taking a bottle. I thought that we had found the "one" but apparently I was wrong. Saturday I picked up a Nubby cup and tried that- she wasn't interested. We went to a friend's house on Saturday night and tried their Dr. Browns bottles- nope on that one too. Oh, and then on Sunday I picked up a Nuk bottle at Walmart- apparently those aren't like breastfeeding at all!!! Guess we will go straight to a big girl cup at this point. She has been enjoying cereal though. I figure that if I need to go anywhere, Jason can at least fill her up with cereal while I am gone.


Jason and I are doing well (except for fantasy football- don't ask). I have a sinus cold though, and he was sweet and stayed home with me on Monday. Of course the baby was great and practically slept all day. But it was still fun to lounge around the house together.
Oh, in the best news ever- my Grandma Campbell is going to be watching Ansley when I go back to school in January. It all came together last week and I couldn't be happier. I feel so much better knowing that Ansley will be in such good hands! Thanks again Grandma!

Fun Times

This weekend we had a lot of fun with the Halloween festivities. As soon as Julianna got off the bus on Friday she asked when Halloween started. I told her that it started that morning, but she was talking about the trick or treating part. I told her that started around 6:00, which seems like an eternity to a 5 year old. When went out for dinner, because lets me honest I had been snacking on the candy already and I wasn't really in the mood to cook. I always start out motivated on Monday and somehow loose that as the week progresses. After dinner Julianna got dressed in her Sharpay costume. We curled her hair and put some makeup on her. She looked great! She went trick or treating with Addie and Avery (her neighbor friends). She trick or treated for a couple hours and then came home to pass out candy to the other trick or treaters. Ansley sported her pumpkin hat and bib that Grandma Fran got for her- next year she will be able to enjoy it a little more (and next year I can get her candy!)
Saturday morning we counted Julianna's candy for her homework assignment. She had 206 peices!!! I am glad that she isn't keeping track of it because I have been helping her eat it without her knowledge. We also ventured to BJs on Saturday. We stocked up on diapers and wipes for the baby, so we shouldn't need any for another couple weeks- that is actually exciting for a mother! We also went to a deli and Ansley got her second taste of ice cream. She actually had the nerve to get fussy when I stopped sharing it with her- the girl already knows what she likes.
Sunday, figuring that if Ansley likes ice cream she may also enjoy a little rice cereal, I bought some and tried it out. No such luck. I know that she is a little young, but I am trying to get her excited about something besides nursing. The neighborhood girls are going to see Chicago in a couple weeks, and I had planned on going, but now I am thinking that I won't be able to. She refuses to take a bottle, and I am too much of a softy to push it. We will keep working on it though.

2 Month Check-Up

Yesterday Ansley had her 2 month check-up and the start of her immunizations. Grandmother Leete (Ansley's great-great grandmother) went with us for emotional support (for me). This is our 4th trip to the doctor's office and each trip has been awful. Ansley screams the minute we walk into the office and doesn't stop until we leave. This trip was completely different. She only got a little fussy right before the shots (it had been an hour of waiting), and right before she got the shot she fell asleep. Of course the shot woke her up, but she feel asleep again before we even made it out of the office. I think that our new scheduling has been working. She is really learning to self-soothe. Dr. Williams reassured me that I was doing everything right. We love Dr. Laramie!!! We are breaking up her shots, so we have to go again next week, but that is okay with me. She weighs 10 lbs 7 oz and is 23 inches long. She is only in the 25-50th% for weight, but her head is in the 75th%. So I guess that she is going to be an itty bitty with a big noggin- it could be worse.

Happy Halloween

Julianna has really been wanting to carve a pumpkin this year, and I have really been avoiding it. I always remember it being quite a hassel and pretty over-rated. This afternoon she came home from school and asked when we could carve her pumpkin. I couldn't put it off another day being that tomorrow is Halloween, and I didn't want her to end up in therapy as an adult because her mom never let her do anything messy-so we carved two pumpkins (to make up for the fact that I don't allow paint, glue, glitter, and other messy stuff). A friend "Booed" us earlier in the week and gave us a pumpkin carving kit, so we pulled that out and got started. We carved one ghost and one jack-o-lantern that Julianna designed. I have the pumpkin seeds drying out so that I can cook them tomorrow. We had a really good time and I have the pictures to prove that I am not always afraid of mess!

Catchin' Up

Things have been great at the Zak house the past week. Jason didn't have class, so I had extra help in the evenings- very nice for the frazzled mom! Julianna is still loving school. Thursday was "Special Person" day at ther school, so Ansley and I packed up and headed to Porter Ridge Elementary. It was great to see her in action with her class. She shared her poetry book with me and the class sang a couple songs. Julianna also had to write on a leaf why the person that was visitin gher was special. She wrote on her leaf "you make me brownies." Little does she know that I made those for her afterschool snack because I was craving brownie mix! After that we made a tissue paper fall tree together. Her teacher said that she is such a little teacher. Last week her job was to be the paper passer outer, and before she would pass the paper out to students she would say "I'll give you your paper when you are quiet." I am not sure that she will be the most popular with the other kids, but her teacher loves her! (I have pictures, but I can't seem to be able to rotate them clockwise on this laptop).

Saturday morning the girls played together on our bed. Julianna read and did puppet shows for Ansley. Ansley watched her for about 45 minutes. I can't believe how crazy she already is for her sister. Julianna is quite the big sister and so sweet to try and entertain the little one.

Friday night Julianna went with her friend Avery to see HSM 3. It was her first time going to the movies with a friend and she had a great time. Ansley and I went to have dinner with the grandmas for Grandma Linda's birthday. Ansley was a bit of a fuss pot at first, but then after Grammie introduced her to ice cream she seemed to settle down- thanks Grammie. Ansley won't take a bottle, but apparently she has no problem with vanilla ice cream!

Ansley and I are working on getting her on a schedule. She has only been able to fall asleep by being rocked or in her swing since she was born. I have been that mom that prays that when I lay her down she is asleep enough not to wake up. And when she is fussy and I can't calm her down I am a little to quick to breastfeed her-even when she is not hungry. So Sunday I decided that it was D day. For her afternoon nap I put her in her bassinet and allowed her to cry. I read that most will cry about 15-20 minutes. Not my baby. ONE HOUR! Yes, she screamed for an entire hour, and then finally fell asleep for an hour! I did check on her every 15 minutes to tell her that I loved her and that I was sorry. That afternoon she fell asleep again in her bouncie seat (she's never done that) and on Grandma Fran's shoulder. Last night I put her down and she screamed for an hour and a half before finally falling asleep for an hour. When she woke up in the middle of the night, I fed her, rocked her and put her back down while she was still a little awake and she managed to settle herself down. We'll see how today goes. I hate to hear her cry, but I really hate not being able to eat dinner out or go to the mall without nursing or swinging her car seat back and forth until she falls asleep. I am hoping that she is a quick learn and that it won't be too bad!

Cradle C(r)ap

Okay, so Ansley has finally gotten over the baby acne, but we have moved into new territory- Cradle Cap. Or Cradle Crap as I like to refer to it as, because it looks so awful. I have been kind of picking at it- I know I shouldn't do that. The other afternoon I was talking with my neighbor about it and she said to rub baby oil in it and brush it. I did that before her bath that evening and noticed that it was better the next morning, but there was still a good amount of flaking. That morning I soaked the poor baby in baby oil and brushed her hair- but she was so greasy looking that I had to make her wear a hat all day. Poor thing- good thing she looks cute in a hat!

Wild Weekend

This weekend Papa and Nanni and Erin and Graham were in town for a visit. On Friday we had a Jeans Party. Since Ansley had her first pair of jeans, Aunt Erin decided that was reason enough to have a party- and I am always up for some cupcakes. It was funny, because a lot of the neighbors were outside wearing their jeans, so they were invited too. They probably think that we are a bit nutty, but it was fun.

On Saturday I decided that I was going to fix dinner for the entire clan. A neighbor made homemade pasta shells for us after Ansley was born and I loved them, so I thought that I would make them. It did take all day, but it was worth it. My husband was impressed! Grammie did some shopping while she was in Florida for Goosie, so she is now rocking some really cute fall outfits- if we could just get the fall weather to cooperate.

Sunday Ansley and I went to meet the family for pancakes to see Erin and Graham off. The baby slept the entire time- thank goodness. Sunday afternoon Daddy watched the baby while Julianna, Nanni and I went shopping. Nanni bought Julianna her Halloween costume- Sharpay from HSM. We also got Goose a couple pair of shoes to wear with her new outfits. When I got home Papa was feeding Ansley a bottle- this is a really big deal. She has only taken a few bottles in her short life. Papa is so good with the little girls! Sunday afternoon Julianna and Papa went to the park together and had a fun time. They found a rock and Papa cut it in half and put a hole in it. Julianna decorated hers with paints and glitter. Papa is going to fix his up in Ohio.

Forever in Blue Jeans

I have been dying to get Ansley a pair of blue jeans- all girls need a good pair. Yesterday we went to The Children's Place and I got the cutest little pair for her. They have little ruffles at the bottom. I washed them as soon as I got home and couldn't wait to put them on her this morning. Jason gave the SAT at school, so while he was gone and Goose was playing dress up, Ansley had a photo shoot in her new jeans. Oh, and then she pooped in them...nice.