You're Fired!

I was getting Anika ready for bed while Mary was down stairs. Anika wanted to read books in mom and dad's bed, I told her we could read one book, since it was so late. She yells down stairs to Mary:
Anika: Mom come up and read a book.
Mary: Ok, I am coming

About a minute passes and Mary hasn't come upstairs yet.

Anika: Mom come up and read a book or you're fired!

Christmas photos

Anika had so much fun this Christmas, she loved the tree and opening presents. But mostly she loved watching Rudolph. We DVR'd it and Mary's parents had it on DVD. She still asks to watch it now.

Here are a few photos from the season

"I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT PRESENTS!"
Mary and Anika enjoying the photo book about Anika that aunt Sue made for her

This was the closest we could get to her looking at the camera.

She loved playing with her cousins
A duet from Ivory and Ivory

Trying to catch up...

It's been over two months since the last post, so here are some photos of Anika over the holidays.

She likes to become Dr. Anika. However she only treats babies which requires whoever her patient is(usually Mary or Me) to say "whaaa" like a baby.

We spent one day sliding out at Tom and Sue's. Anika was pretty excited to go out with mom and dad.

I would love sliding more if someone carried me up the hill every time.
She loves sliding until the snow kicks up and gets in her face.

Big Girl Bed

We moved Anika into a big girl bed this weekend. The bed had been in the garage for the last couple of weeks and that was all she would talk about when we went in there.

Here she is waking up for the last time in her crib.


Before we could bring it in the house it needed to be cleaned up. Anika was so excited about it that she wanted to help clean it, although I think she enjoyed pulling the wipes out of the container more than the actual cleaning.


Finally the payoff. She took her first nap and had her first full night in it on Sunday. Things went well and she never got out of bed, even in the morning. Now every time she runs in her room she jumps in her bed and giggles.

Coming out of her shell

I wouldn't say Anika is shy, but she is cautious. When someone she knows but doesn't see often, or even someone new, comes around, Anika will cling to me or Mary. After about a half an hour or so she usually warms up and is talking and playing with the other person.

The other day at Target we were looking for Halloween candy. An older gentleman was working right by us and said hi to Anika. I was expecting her to turn and grab my leg, but she surprised me and said "Hi. My name is Anika. This is my daddy". When Mary came over she said "This is my mommy. Her name is 'my mommy'".

Anika and Theo sit out front and get there picture taken just before going trick-or-treating.

Halloween

 Since last year Anika had to be carried and couldn't say "trick or treat', this was her first Halloween.  She did great.

The day started with a little pumpkin carving.  Both sets of grandparents came over as well as Pau, Sue, Sam and Theo.

After we finished dinner we headed out for trick or treating.  Anika went as a lady bug.  We weren't sure what to expect, since in the past she has been real shy around people she doesn't know.  She loved it from the very first minute.  We stopped at our neighbor Ornell's house first.  When Ornell opened the door  she said "trick or treat" and her face just lit up when candy was put in her basket.  

After she said thank you and walked away, she yelled to my dad, who was handing out candy at our house, "Grandpa, look I got candy for me!"  She was excited the whole time. After a while we had to carry her pumpkin because it was so heavy.

We were going to hit one final house, figuring she was tired and done, when came down the walk and turned to head home, she wouldn't let us go.  She wanted to keep heading down the street.  Finally about 5 houses later she willing to go home, even though it wasn't her idea.

Once we were home, she loved helping hand out candy to the trick or treaters coming to our door, and was dissapointed when they stopped showing up.

Mary and I (and Anika) couldn't have asked for the night to go any better than it did.

Anikas Birthday and her 2 year check up

Anika turned two on the 6th of October. The family came over for a Dora and Boots filled day.


Here's the birthday girl blowing out her candle.

Enjoying the fruits of her labor.
Of course what would a birthday party be without hats. Here is grandpa Tom wearing his, I am sure this will replace his Norseman's baseball hat as his favorite.


Cousin Sam looking sharp with a combination hat.

I think great uncle Scott is enjoying his hat a little too much.


So along with turning two comes the two year checkup. Neither Mary or I were looking forward to this.

From about 6 months on, anytime Anika had to go to the doctors office it has been a nightmare. She would go into full out melt down mode. As soon as Becca the nurse would come out she would just start screaming and crying. She would flop like a fish when trying to get her weight and height. When Dr. Gobel would do the routine checks Anika's screaming would be as loud as when she got her shots.

So we went in expecting the worst and got the best. She didn't cry once until the end when she got three shots. In fact before her shots they gave her a finger prick to draw blood, I was preparing for the crying, but nothing came. She just kept watching, interested in what was going on.

So here are the final stats: height 37", weight 33lbs. Both above the 97%.