Lice!

On my way into the office on Friday, the school called. Lexi has head lice and I needed to come get her.  So I got on the train going the other way while I tried to remember who would be in early at the office so I could call and cancel my 8:15 phone meeting with Myanmar.

When I picked Lexi up, I could see a bug crawling in her hair.  The nurse gave me some literature and said that I had to show the receipt that I purchased the treatment to get her back into school.

We headed off to CVS and were soon home washing her hair with the special shampoo.  There were definitely lots of adult louse in her head. Yuck! We spent a fair amount of time combing it out of her head. 

I then proceeded to wash everyone's bedding, all Lexi's clothes and Natalie's,too, all the blankets and several pillows. Luckily, the daycare checked Natalie's head and said she didn't have them so I could leave her there while all this was going on.  Stephen, lucky guy, was in MSP for a board meeting. He missed most of the fun.

I also vacuumed and sprayed the furniture.  It made for a long day.

I think I washed Lexi's hair 3 times total on Friday and then twice on Saturday.  I decided I hadn't used as much of the treatment shampoo as I should have so did repeat that.  Even though I couldn't see my own head, I decided I had better wash it as well as it had been itching for a while.  I only found a few bugs in my head.

I re-washed Lexi's bedding and ours on Saturday morning as well as today.  I feel itchy all over!

Natalie is actually speaking to us

We learned recently, thanks to some help from Stephen's mother, who was here for a week in early February to watch both girls while we went on a cruise, that Natalie actually knows and is speaking some words. Granted, they are still baby talk, but we are actually starting to communicate with her and understand each other.

The words she says:

ha = hat
ba = bottle
ma = milk
ma/mama = Mommy
da = Daddy

Words/sentences she understands (she can identify or do these things when we say them to her):

hat
bottle
milk
nose (can point to her nose and other people's noses)
Get your jacket on.
Take your jacket off.
Get your hat.
Put your shoes on.
Take your shoes off.
Let's brush your teeth.
Take your food to the table.
Take this to the garbage.
What does the doggy say? "Woo, woo."

She can do the hand signs for "more" when she wants more food.

She is also nodding her head fairly frequently these days, and sometimes it means the right thing, but just as often she is saying "no" when we think she really means "yes."

Growin' in 2013

We forgot to post a photo of Natalie last month on her monthly birthday, so today, for no extra charge, you get two photos of her.

January 29, 2013 - 16 months

February 28, 2013 - 17 months

Thanks in part to Baba, Stephen's mother, who came and spent a week with the girls while Mommy and Daddy went on a cruise, we discovered that Natalie is understanding a lot of words and saying some things too, even though they are not real words - still just baby talk.

Moving on up!

Natalie moved up to the 2nd floor at day care today with the older kids. I am not sure what age of kids these encompass but she is big enough that she doesn't look out of place.  Her friend Bobby did not also move upstairs. He is 2 days older than she is; I think I understood that he didn't move because he isn't a good eater.

Both girls are happy to have us home.  Lexi has been a really good helper and continues to say the funniest things. This girl certainly has a dramatic streak and an amazing imagination.

Updates

No time, no time. No time to write so a quick update.

Stephen turns 40 a week from today so he and I are leaving on a cruise on Sunday to celebrate. His mom, plus an aunt plus a friend, will be here to watch the girls.  We are looking forward to it and hope the girls will have fun as well.

Unfortunately, Natalie is sick.  She threw up 4 times on Friday and while she hasn't thrown up today, she has only eaten a little and seems to just want to sleep. She definitely isn't her usual active self.  I am going to feel bad leaving her if she is not well.  I hope by Sunday midday she is at least acting a little more lively.

Lexi had a math test this week and it sounds like it went well. They are working on measurement.  She really seems to be picking up reading and enjoys reading a different book that they send home from school everyday.  She can get a bit frustrated when she doesn't know the word.

Another month, another year

First of all, a few days ago, on December 29, Natalie turned 15 months old. See what a big girl she's getting to be!

 

Second, it was our turn to spend Christmas this year with Sarah's family, and so we went to Iowa, where we were hosted by Sarah's parents. Here is our immediate family on Christmas Eve:

Sarah's sister, Miriam, spent Christmas with us in Iowa as well and came with her husband, Andy, and two daughters, Olivia and Nora. The cousins had a great time playing with each other, since they are close in age.

Nora, Olivia, Lexi and Natalie

 One night we made krum kake, a traditional Norwegian Christmas cookie.

Where does the time go?

I have been super busy at work - no time for personal things - and our weekends and evening seem pretty full, too.  Natalie lately seems really clinging and wants to be held for no reason that we can figure out.  You can tell she is learning things by leaps and bounds though she still doesn't articulate/say any words, except Dad.

Here's some of the things Natalie is doing now.

-Natalie knows to put her arms in her coat sleeves when her coat comes out.
-Natalie seems to be shaking her head no at times
-She blows kisses, waves and gives high fives goodbye.
-She says "more" in sign language.
-Natalie understands when I tell her it is time to go upstairs to brush her teeth - she starts heading for the stairs.
-She is learning how to color (per her sister) - she definitely seems to be holding a crayon in the right grip. :)
-I saw her back down 3 steps - this has only happened once, but maybe she has got it.
-She walked up stairs holding mom's hand and was able to lift her foot high enough to get it onto the next step.
-When we are leaving, she knows to get her socks and shoes and bring them to mom or dad for help.
-When we come home, Natalie knows to take her coat off.

Lexi is learning to read. She read "food market" all by herself and she didn't even have to sound it out.  She knows lots of what her school calls "sight words" and she reads a book each night from school.  She does a really good job of reading though sometimes she does get frustrated.