We hope April Showers will bring May flowers!

April has been a month of growth, mostly verbal growth. Lindsey is also able to stand up from the floor on her own to, climb stairs with little help and she can do most things on her own, including helping mommy clean, take on and off her socks and shoes, pretend to cook meals..etc.

We've been having a great time learning about things. Easter was fun, and we had the pleasure of seeing how Lindsey responds to large quantities of sugar!! We also played more at the playgrounds. (when the weather was good) We have a bit of cabin fever over the past few days, but the sun is going to shine this weekend!

Lindsey is saying all kinds of words now, and she loves to imitate mommy and daddy. Monkey see monkey do.... It's so funny. Whenever she gets a speck of dirt on her she exclaims "OH NO!". I guess she's learning too much from mommy. Now we need to teach her how to get out in the dirt and play. She did like the sand box at the park though, and the slide.

Lindsey and Maddie are also becoming good friends. They have a good relationship, Lindsey feeds Maddie the savory treats she's not interested in, and Maddie gladly accepts them.

It's hard to believe we've been back from China for over two months, and it's also hard to believe how much a person can grow and develop in two months. This has been such a wonderful experience, and we think Lindsey is enjoying the experience too!

Lindsey turns 2!! Happy Birthday!!!

Lindsey celebrated her second birthday last weekend. She had a party on Saturday with her friends and another party on Sunday at Auntie Cheryl's house. Lindsey received so many wonderful presents. She enjoyed both days and was in a very good mood each day.

Lindsey is learning so much these days. She recognizes so many words, and understands what we tell her. She's learning about animals, the kitchen and all kinds of things. She continues to be a sweetie. She visited the doctors a lot over the past month. She's walking quite nicely now, and she needs to work on bending down so she can develop the muscles in her legs more. She loves being held and she loves being hugged. She takes her babies for a stroll down the road. She takes excellent care of her baby dolls.

She's opening up verbally too, although mainly in the comfort of her own home. She doesn't talk too much when she isn't with mommy and daddy, but she's starting. She tells us if she dropped something, she knows how to say tissue, and she knows how to throw things in the garbage. We've been having some very wonderful days.

She also is showing some traits of a two year old, and she wants to be independent, so if you do something for her and she wanted to do it, she will tell you for sure!

Is it March 13th already???

Lindsey hanging out at home

Lindsey playing with her friend Katie

My goodness how quickly time passes. We've been doing very well. We're getting into the swing of things and have a routine together. Lindsey continues to be adjusting nicely. She's walking more and more, and can switch directions etc. She had her first swim lesson yesterday and she really likes the water.

She starting to talk more too. She can say hello, hi, ot oh, bye bye, all done, bath, mama, dada, rosey, no, yep, baba, up, out, go, bubbles, I love you, shoe, and she is adding more words each day. She's also very animated, and she can point to her nose, ears, eyes, mouth, teeth, and can stick out her tongue and show you her tummy. It's amazing how much a little person can learn so quickly. She's also starting to like books more. She will look at the pictures and she starts to mimic them. For instance if she sees a picture of a little girl clapping she'll clap. Or if she sees a kitty she will meow.

Her routine is getting better too. When we first came home, she would cry when it was bedtime, now we tell her "good night living room"..."good night stairway"..."good night maxy" etc and she knows it's time for bed.

We went back to the doctors last week and she had an ear infection in her other ear, so she's still taking antibotics. The antiboltics are irrating to her stomach, but she's a toughy with a smile that will melt you.

A Very Nice Weekend!!

Lindsey in the sweater grandma made!!

We had a busy weekend. Saturday was a beautiful day. Our friend Shirlon invited us over in the afternoon for a get together for Lindsey. In the morning we went for walk around our neighborhood, and Lindsey fell asleep in the stroller. Chris's brother Paul and Norbert came over for lunch and came to Shirlon's with us.

Shirlon had a wonderful party for Lindsey. Audra and Shirlon made a delicious cake, and some wonderful dishes and they gave Lindsey presents. Bernard, Jonathan, Jim, Denny, Annette, Leigh, Christine, Sharon and Lynne and Gigi were there and they all made some wonderful food and brought Lindsey presents. Lindsey loved opening the presents and she was very grateful too!!! She got a toy chest too!!!! She needed that! Shirlon's husband Jimmy tried to break the ice with Lindsey, and even gave up his remote control to her, but she wouldn't budge. It was a wonderful day! We can't believe how generous everyone is! Thank you everyone!

Lindsey and Audra

Lindsey, Daddy, Gigi and Bernard

On Sunday Tracy, Bob, Matthew and Nickolas came over for a visit after church. We played with all the toys and the dogs and had a nice lunch. Nick and Lindsey are so much a like, and they are close in age. At first they were both a little leery of each other, but were pals by the end of the day.

Lindsey, Matthew and Nick playing

Lindsey and Nickolas

Yesterday at home, today on the road

Yesterday Lindsey and Mommy spent the day at home. The weather was wonderful, and we went for a stroll around the neighborhood in the morning. After lunch, Lindsey had chocolate pudding, which she loved!!! When daddy came home we went to the Japanese restaurant for dinner. Lindsey loves miso soup!

Today we signed up for swim class at the YMCA. Lindsey will have her first class on Monday. She loves water and taking baths, so she will most likely like swimming. We picked up Gigi (Kelly) and went out to lunch and then up to Litchfield for Kim's mother's memorial. We stopped into grampa's house for a while and Lindsey still didn't warm up to grampa, even after he gave her an ice cream, but she did like his harmonica.

Tomorrow should be low key. A big storm is coming and we don't have plans. On Saturday we're going to Shirlon's house so Lindsey can spend some time with Audra and our friends, and then on Sunday Tracy and Nickolas are coming over.

We went shopping today

Yesterday afternoon, we went outside to play in the snow, but Lindsey was very skeptical of the snow. Mommy jumped around and flopped into the snow and Lindsey watched. Mommy threw a little snow to Lindsey and she started to cry. Mommy never really cared for the snow much either, so we packed it in, and came back inside away from the cold.

Today we went to Baby's r us, to get a diaper genie, then to Target and grocery shopping. Mommy couldn't figure out how to close the stroller, so we were lucky it fit in the back of the car. Lindsey liked going shopping and she helps mommy put the groceries on the conveyor. In the evening, we had our friends Tim and Paula over with Sarah, Mitchell and Katie. Lindsey and Mitchell like each other. She had a hearty appetite again today. So far, she'll eat almost anything we put in front of her.

My friend Carly Came Over Today

Today Kim's childhood friend Dee and her daughter Carly came over. Dee brought Lindsey four chocolate kisses, which was a good ice breaker! Lindsey wouldn't let Dee hold her yet, but she did give her a hug. Lindsey had a lot of fun with Carly. Lindsey and Carly played on the four wheeler, and had peanut butter, fluff and jelly for lunch. Daddy went back to work today, and came home for lunch too.

This week we are having Tim, Paula, Mitchell, Sarah and Katie over on Tuesday for dinner, and then we will be having Val and AJ over on Thursday. We are going to Kid City!! AJ and Lindsey are just a month apart in age. We can't wait for Lindsey and AJ to meet!