Getting Older...

Bet you thought I was talking about myself, didn't you--but wrong, I was talking about my eldest daughter, Paige who turned "6" on the first of August--I after all have stopped having birthdays. Guess I should've titled it "Growng Up". I can't believe it sometimes, but then I'll look at her and she is definitely looking older and am proud to say acting a bit more mature as well. We no longer have to argue over hair and clothes--guess she finally figured out that it was pointless, because Mom always wins. But truly I'm seeing her really develop in such a nice way,so helpful and so loving.

Paige had a big year this past year--beginning Kindergarten in the US, then moving to Berlin and finishing up her school year in an outstanding school, where she did very well, and really enjoyed it. Now she is getting ready for Year 1. She's very excited about this year, knowing all of the kids in her class (as they stay together from the beginning here). Year 1 is a big deal in Germany. There is a big party on the first day of school for them and they are showered with all kinds of sweets and gifts. Every person you know is invited to come (Grandparents, neighbors, siblings, friends, etc.) I think it will be really fun for them, as most of them don't know about it--it's a big surprise!

After the school year starts then I am faced with birthday party, part II. On her actual birthday, I let Paige have her very first real sleepover with 3 other little girls(all American Embassy girls--their dads work with Craig) besides she and Claudia. They had a great time having all the junk food you could imagine(I had to make a special trip to the Embassy store to find that kind of stuff!) They did make-overs on each other, painted nails, did each others hair, danced to Hannah Montana, and finally made a fun palette in the floor to watch High School Musical on the projector, so it was like they were at the movies. They had a ball!!
All of her school chums were "on Holiday" in other countries--and I couldn't bear to let her special day go by without something so I told her we'd do one with our Embassy girls and another one with her school friends once the new year started. You can imagine there were no complaints from her!

For now, I'm enjoying having the girls at home with me before the whole school rat race starts again (Aug. 28th for Claudia and Sept. 1st for Paige). Both Claudia and Paige started tennis lessons this week and are going to take swimming lessons for the last couple of weeks before school starts. Between that and a few trips around in the city and maybe a weekend trip close by, we are going to end our summer with a bang! I'll update again soon and let everyone know all about the first days of school.

My Baby is "2"!!!

Well, we've officially made it to the terrible two phase for the third time--although I don't really remember it being so terrible with my other girls. I guess that is why Brooke is making up for it twofold! We started noticing her "outgoing" personality about 15 months, then she started walking and we'll let's just say the world wasn't quite ready for that. Now she is all over the place and as long as she is able to go and do what she wants and is eating a treat she's happy! So now when I leave the house, I make sure I stock up on some kind of cracker and beverage and hope it lasts long enough for me to get my errands taken care of.

Recently we had Vacation Bible School at our church. I was helping with snacks this year, so this was not only Claudia's first time, but Brooke's as well. The first day, she did pretty good, even made a little mask for a craft! The second day, not so much. She had to join me for T, W, and TH because she was a bit much for the sweet little high school girls to handle. She was so happy to be outside snacking away talking to every other child in VBS. It wasn't until Friday that my friend Peggy came through. Brooke starting throwing her typical fit with the girls, to get out of her class and come to me. My much wiser friend Peggy (has two older daughters, 8 & 10), went into the nursery for me. She simply knelt down and told her that she needed my help for a few minutes and that if she stayed in her class, that she would bring her a treat! No problem. Brooke stopped crying, went back and played and that was the end of that! Who says a little bribery never worked! After that we instructed the two young women that had been so sweet and patient with her to just keep feeding her--and it all worked out. And sure enough, Ms. Peggy handed her an ice pop at the end and now they are best friends! You would think I never feed her, but she's just a little snacker!

That brings me to her latest update--she weighs a whopping 25.2 pounds and is 34 inches tall.
She is such a ham! At her birthday party, we had to sing "Happy Birthday" to her at least 7 times! We would finish and she would start in singing again, looking at everyone, like why aren't you singing? She talks to everyone and isn't afraid of anything! A very busy little bee-much like her daddy! We are having so much fun watching her grow up. She loves to sing and dance. She knows every princess song, and is beginning to know some Hannah Montana and High School Musical songs as well. She's only 2 and poor thing is like--"Elmo Who?"
She loves playing Barbies with the big girls too, which is great. I love watching all of them play together. It reminds me so much of growing up with my two sisters.

He favorite thing though, is what we gave her for her birthday, a little kitten we named "Pearl". She absolutely loves her! I've had the best time watching her chase the cat (Pearl running for her life), picking her up and moving her place to place that Brooke thinks she ought to be, and throwing her over her shoulder, "cuddling" her. Very entertaining.

I have to say, she is a handful, but after two pretty easy kids, I guess I was asking for it. I think she was God's way of saying "Your Done". Truthfully, we do adore her and I think she's a GREAT one to end on. WE LOVE YOU BROOKE!!