Merry Christmas!

We woke up to a wonderful surprise on Christmas morning! SNOW! I think it was our first white Christmas in 10-15 years. The weatherman missed it badly--said we might get an inch. It snowed all day long--we got more like 6 inches or so. The girls went sledding. Kennedi was in the middle of it this year--unlike last year. Read that post here.  They are out sledding again this morning before it all melts! And yes, I still think their Daddy is pulling them much too fast.  Annsley wants him to go fast enough that she catches air on a hill.  I don't think so!

Building ammunition stockpile for the snow ball fight.

Oh what fun it is to ride!

Afterwards...

Getting the hang of this Christmas thing!

Sugar Cookies!

The girls love making sugar cookies every year. Last year we didn't make anything. I can't even remember the holidays with all the rushing to and from Russia. Here are some pictures from this year's sugar cookie round up! It was Kennedi's first year to really "participate", and she ate just about as much cookie dough as she cut out into shapes. Annsley was rather put out with her as well when she used all the white icing. That meant her candy canes had to be red and green. Not cool for that 7 year old little girl...

All Andrei can manage to do is go around the house saying, "Gooo-kieee." He won't say "Momma" for nothing. He calls me "Daddy." Doug is now trying to bribe him. "You can have a cookie if you say Momma." So far it's not working. He's now screaming for a cookie...(sigh)

Milk Stand Off!

Andrei has been taking his "nearly 2 year old" wheels out for a spin lately.  At least I hope that is what it is.  His temper tantrums are mighty and lengthy--complete with foot stomping and throwing.  The last one was a few days ago--over 1 1/2 hours long.  I actually blogged about it, posted it, and then deleted it.  It was a sad diatrab of my morning, and I realized that noone really wanted to read all about those woes.  Just know he is a usually happy and obedient child, but when he gets a good mad going on it is a sight to behold. 

He's become very opinionated lately as well.  He has decided that he doesn't like milk.  Today I decided that I had had enough.  He would drink his milk.  And so the standoff began.  I handed him his milk and put him in his high chair.  He swallowed once and didn't want any more.  I fed him his oatmeal.  He wanted down.  I said, "Drink your milk."  He shook his head no.  "Drink your milk and you may get down."  He shook his head no. 

So over the course of the next hour and 45 minutes (no exaggeration) he played with his sippy cup, jabbered to himself, wailed to his sisters, cried, kicked, played with his sippy cup again, said "down", kicked, screamed, jabbered, etc.  Trust me, after about 20 minutes I was ready to let him down and "win", but I knew that since I had started this battle of the wills, I'd better win, or it might be tough goings around here pretty soon.  Battling with a 22 month old...interesting...anyway at approximately 10:10AM, he stuck his sippy cup in his mouth and drank all his milk in one swoop.  He looked at me, shook it to let me know it was empty, and said, "Down."

I have The Strong Willed Child by James Dobson on the bookcase...

Today marks the first time we met Andrei one year ago.  I posted a short video of that visit on our adoption blog.  Check it out when you have a chance!

Wanted: Snow Plow Driver

Here is the conversation between my two girls this morning as we made our way to their dentist appointments.  I love how they converse like I'm not even there... To give a little background, we're having a some nasty wintery weather today, and we got stuck behind the snow plow on the way. 

Annsley:  Mom, what's that big truck?
Me:  It's a snow plow.  See the front of the truck?
Annsley:  That gets the snow off the road? Why?
Me:  Yes, it's like Katie!  (We have read Katie and the Big Snow before.)  It makes the road safer without the snow on it.
Kennedi:  Oooo! I want to be a snow plow job! (That's not a mistype.  That's what she said.)
Annsley:  Is that what you want to be when you grow up?
Kennedi:  Oh, yes! A snow plow job!
Annsley:  (in her motherly voice) That is a great job, Kennedi.  You wouldn't have to work very often.  Just when it snows. (Hmmm...should I be concerned about this lackluster motivation of working?)
Kennedi:  OK
Annsley:  Now Kennedi...I don't know how to tell you this...(big pause) but you could work as a snow plow job here and then when it's not snowing, you could go somewhere where it is snowing to work all the time.  That would be good. (Obviously she is concerned that her sister will not be employed full time.)
Kennedi:  (totally enamored with her sister's wisdom, she nods her head) Yes!  I want to be a snow plow job. I'll go to work where it snows.
Annsley:  That would be very good! (Is she trying to get rid of her little sister??)