Cheeser

I'm so happy to say that Ainsley has finally started smiling and looking at the camera when I try to take her picture.  Now, it's only happened a few times over the last few weeks, but we're making progress.  She's such a little diva and has always refused to even look at the camera when someone pulls it out.

I told her the other day that we needed to take her picture for her birthday party invitations, and after a quick meltdown, she decided to let me snap a few pictures! 

I'm hoping she keeps this new attitude toward cameras/pictures and will cooperate for us when we go to get her 3 year pictures taken in a few weeks. 

Baby Holden

Holden arrived a few days before Christmas, but because of Christmas and all of us being sick, we weren't able to get over to visit and see him.  We finally managed to get over to Lou and Alaina's on Saturday before the snow hit.  It's crazy to think that just 8 months ago Lily was the size of a newborn.  You quickly forget how little newborns are!  I didn't get any pictures of Holden on Saturday, but Alaina sent me this picture today.

Isn't he cute???  He looks like his sister!

Ainsley couldn't wait to go over to Hadlee's house and play.  She talked about it all day and couldn't wait to go see her "friend".  The girls play really well together, and they only had a small fight over some grapes!

I explained to Ainsley before we left that we were also going to see Hadlee's little brother, which led to explaining that a brother is a boy.  Ainsley's been very interested in telling me who is a boy and who is a girl.  She knows that she's a girl and Lily and I am too.  She also knows that Joel is a boy, although she sings a song that goes:  "Daddy, Daddy, she's my girl."  She'll figure it all out eventually!

New Toys

Christmas brought all kinds of new toys and books for the girls, and it's certainly kept them busy trying them all out!



 

Ainsley's still obsessed with birthdays, and asks if it's her birthday multiple times a day.  Aunt Bessie got her a birthday cake with candles for Christmas and she loves putting them on the cake and blowing them out!  I don't know what we're going to do after her birthday this year and she starts asking when her next birthday is.  She's already been asking about her birthday for the last 5 or 6 months!



I think Ainsley's favorite Christmas present has been her microphone.  We just laugh at her, and wonder where in the world she picked up some of her mannerisms.  The way she holds the microphone and stand, dances, and bows and says "thank you" make us crack up.  Where does she get this stuff?!?!  Here's Ainsley's rendition of the Itsy Bitsy Spider and Jingle Bells before we put batteries in the microphone.  We finally got some batteries in the microphone and now she sings in it all the time!  Here's some more of Ainsley singing.  Pay close attention, and you'll hear her say "Thank you" and bow at the end.

Aunt Kathleen got the girls Minnie shirts for Christmas and Ainsley loves the tail on hers! 

The playhouse has been a hit, and Ainsley likes talking people into going in with her.  Daddy was persuaded to get in, but I think it was only because he could still watch the Packers game out the window!

I'm so glad Lily is laid back, because she makes up for Ainsley.  Ainsley thinks she has to have every toy and if Lily has one, then it quickly becomes Ainsley's.  Thankfully, Lily usually goes with the flow and lets her sister have it and finds something else.  I know this isn't going to last long, and I dread the day when Lily starts actually fighting back.  She's even laid back when it comes to her food.  Ainsley decided she likes peas (again) after Lily started eating them.  I'm hoping this continues as we introduce new foods to Lily, and Ainsley decides she likes more things!

She still loves guacamole!  Lily likes it too!

The girls do have their moments when they play good together.  I wish it happened more often, but I'll take the few times it does happen without any crying!

We've had quite a few lazy days lately, and I've even been able to lay down with the girls a couple of times for a nap!

Ainsley loves helping me clean, and as soon as she sees me with the broom or mop, she has to grab hers.  Of course, it takes me twice as long once she starts "helping", but she has fun doing it.

I hope I don't jinx us by saying this, but the girls have been sleeping so good.  I just asked Joel yesterday if he thinks it's the weather, or if they're growing/don't feel good.  They've both been sleeping until after 7 in the mornings (with a few exceptions).  I could get used to it, that's for sure!  Lily's been sleeping longer than Ainsley, and as soon as Ainsley hears Lily wake up in the morning, she has to be the first one in Lily's room to say "Good Morning, Lily!"  Of course, Lily gets so excited and starts kicking her feet as soon as she sees Ainsley.  I'm just wondering how much longer it's going to be before both girls are in the same bed.

These lazy winter days have been nice to slow down a little and relax.  We're all happy to have Joel home with us, too.  It really makes a difference having him home to help with the girls.

Crawling

Lily started scooting around right around Christmas.  It didn't take her long from then to figure out how to crawl.  She's officially into everything, with cords and paper being her favorite things to get into. 

She's carrying around a lot of weight, so she doesn't really get her body off the floor, but rather army crawls to where she wants to go.  She has started getting her belly off the floor a lot more and getting faster, though.  I forgot how easy babies are before they start moving around!

Of course, she's whining the whole time, but here's a video of her getting around.  She's doing a lot better now.  It's amazing how much difference a few days can make!

"Mamamamama" is also something we're starting to hear quite a bit of.  She's definitely Mama's girl right now and if she even gets a glimpse of me she whines because she wants me.  I've become a pro at sneaking out and into a room.  I haven't got the "mamama" on video, but here's some of her jabbering.

Lily has also discovered Little Einsteins.  I still don't understand what is so fascinating about that show, but both girls love it.  If it comes on, nothing else in the room matters.

Little Einsteins is on!

Lily's also found a doll that I had bought for Ainsley in hopes she would play with the hair on the doll instead of mine when falling asleep.  It didn't work on Ainsley and she wanted nothing to do with the doll, but Lily loves it! 

Bike ride

Last Saturday afternoon it got up to almost 60, and Joel and Ainsley took advantage of it!  Ainsley was able to take her new bike for a ride.  Joel let her "ride" her bike up our street, but she refused to let him help her pedal.  Instead, she walked her bike all the way up the street and back home.  She told us she was riding it though! 

  

Joel must have been feeling brave because he then took Ainsley to the park for a little bit.  He let her walk to the park.  Granted, it's really not THAT far, but it's a long walk for an almost-3-year-old.  She was wore out by the time they got home!

It was so nice a little over a week ago, and yesterday our high was supposed to be a high of -7.  Yep, that's a negative!  Wind chill values were predicted to be -30 to -35.  You gotta love the crazy Illinois weather!

Freeman Christmas

We headed to Jim and Rita's Christmas afternoon for the rest of the day.  It was nice to sit around and relax for the afternoon, especially since I started feeling terrible that morning.  I even got a quick nap that afternoon.  A nap was the best Christmas present I got, especially since Santa didn't bring Mommy anything!

When Drake's around, there's sure to be trouble.  Lani didn't feel good, so she wasn't her normal self running around making all kinds of noise with Drake.  Instead, my daughter stepped up to the plate to be Drake's sidekick.  I found the two of them trying to get Rita's carolers to sing by clapping their hands.  Well, one of them got a little excited and took out one of the carolers while trying to get them to sing.  (I'll just say it wasn't my kid!)  We stood the caroler back up and got it working again.  Ainsley thought they were pretty cool!

I don't think any of Jeremy's family felt good, and I know I didn't that afternoon.  Halfway through the afternoon, I could tell Ainsley wasn't feeling the greatest either.  Her poor little cheeks were bright red and she just looked terrible.  She wasn't even excited to open presents, and kept asking when we were going home.  

I'm just going to eat this shoe, Mom....until I can get some of that wrapping paper in my mouth!

Yum!  Finally...some of that wrapping paper!

 

Drake got a new guitar!

We didn't stay long at all after we opened presents.  We went home, got the girls in the bathtub and then pajamas and they were even able to play with their new toys for a little bit before bed that night.  I woke up the next morning feeling absolutely terrible and finally went to Prompt Care that Saturday morning.  I had influenza, and they gave me some Theraflu.  It took me almost an entire week to start to feel normal again.  We had to miss going to Grandma and Grandpa Bowman's the evening after Christmas because I felt so bad.  I hate getting sick around the holidays, but am happy to say that currently everyone in the Freeman household is healthy again!

Even with everyone getting sick, we still had a great Christmas.  Ainsley made it so much fun this year with her excitement.  I'm already looking forward to next year when Lily understands it better and we have two excited little girls!