Keeping up

Hi all.

Just another "what's going on post".

We had an exciting event yesterday. Addison and Lily put together a 35 piece puzzle on their own. It is an ABC puzzle with animals. Up until yesterday they have always "helped" Mommy or Daddy put the puzzle together, but yesterday they were working on it and I turned around and it was done!

Also interesting, but not so exciting...today Lily called down to me from upstairs and said "Teresa, will you help me?" I did a double take and asked her if she called me Teresa. The answer was Yes. To which I said "Well, my name is Teresa, but what is it that you call me?" I was referred to as Mommy for the rest of the day (thank goodness).

Kelsey continues to develop at breakneck speeds. Today she said "Read that book." Up until today it has been "Read that." She says "Up. Please." when she wants to be picked up. Although sometimes she still says "Hold it, mommy (or daddy)." when she wants to be held. A really cool thing is that Addison and Lily realize that Kelsey can communicate. Yesterday Kelsey said "Hold it." and Addison was the one who replied "What do you want to hold, Kelsey?" Lily's response to the same request was "No, that's Lily's".

Kelsey now sings along with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. She counted to three the other day. Then today in the car on the way to Kindermusik she counted to five. Addison and Lily were watching their Notre Dame movie. The voice over said "One." And Kelsey, very clearly, continued with "two, three, four, five."

Lily has a sleep sack or wearable blanket that has become her security blanket. It has been referred to as "sleep sack", then "sleepy sack" and now has become known simply as "E". It is such a big part of our family life that Kelsey knows its name is "E". But apparently Kelsey hasn't clearly identified "E". She sees it as a piece of fabric that one normally finds lying on the floor somewhere. The other day she found an article of clothing on the floor (unfortunately an all too common occurence at our house), and picked it up, called it "E", "E", "E" and proceded to carry it to Lily.

Last week we had our first real trip to the emergency room. Lily fell down our stairs and complained that she hurt her neck. The crying and complaining continued for an hour or so, then she had a couple hours of napping and continued to say her neck hurt. Our neighbor is a PA at the ER, so Mike asked him whether or not we should get her checked out. His advice was better safe than sorry when it comes to injuries that may involve the head. So I got to spend quite a bit of time with a scared, hurting almost 3 year old at the hospital and work with the xray techs to try and get the xrays needed. The few that were successful showed no real injury. Lily had a good dose of Motrin when we got home and when asked if she wanted more medicine the next morning she declared her neck was "perfect."

Addison and Lily turn 3 years old at the end of this month. We are so excited that Jessi is coming back for their birthday and for a 2 1/2 week visit. Who knew that Athens would be so exciting that she would want to come back for vacation?! We are planning a Madeline themed party for kids and adults.

While Jessi is here, I'll be having surgery up in Columbus at OSU. I'm having the right lobe of my thyroid removed due to a large nodule. The indications thus far are that it is a benign growth, but because it is large, the recommendation is to have it removed. The surgery is scheduled for July 10. I'll stay overnight and my doctor says I should be feeling pretty good by Monday.

This summer Mike will be teaching the first summer session. In early August Mike will be going to New York for an Accounting conference. Then we plan to spend a while in Ocean City, MD with Grandma and Grandpa. And we'll finish the summer with a trip to Minneapolis for the wedding of our dear friends Ann and Dave. Mike is honored to be Dave's best man (as Dave was Mike's best man at our wedding). Gram and Pop are coming to Athens to stay with the girls while Mike and I go and enjoy the wedding.

Speaking of Pop, last week I took Kelsey to have her 12 month vaccinations. While we were waiting we saw an older gentleman in the hallway. Kelsey looked at him and said "Pop." I explained he wasn't her "Pop."