Grateful For Today

I'm feeling grateful today. For these things...

• Beef stew in the crock-pot. How delicious food can become from simple ingredients.
• Living close to the interstate. And for our quiet neighborhood streets.
• Taking the time to blow-dry my hair.
• The ability to return items and get your money back.
• Our neighborhood Kroger. And the cashier, Judy, that loves Anna. And how Anna says "Udy" and looks around for her.
• Hot chocolate while watching some TV.
• And as always, for everything Anna. How she makes my day worthwhile and wonderful.
  

Static Hair!

Check out Anna's static hair from the slide today at the park!!

SO FUNNY!!

Busy as a Bee

We had such a full and fun day yesterday. Anna was busy as a bee! We met some friends at the zoo in the morning. We are really lucky to have the Detroit Zoo nearby. It's only a 15 minute car ride. Anna loved the zoo!! She went once last year, but was too little to remember. This year she was excited and she loved seeing the animals. Her favorite yesterday were the monkeys ("unkeys") and she tickles her armpits and says "ooh-ooh-ooh". I am lucky to have found a great local group of moms with little kids. We do playdates, meet at the park, and now the zoo. Anna really, really likes other kids. She tries to say their names ("Ett" for Brett and "Ella" for Bella, etc). She likes being with them and she also loves the other moms! She is so friendly and I am so glad we have friends to get together and share fun times with. I'll look forward to more zoo trips this spring and summer! Anna has been carrying around the zoo map that we brought home yesterday. She brings it to me with BIG eyes and says "Uh-Huh!" when we talk about liking the zoo.

After Anna's nap, we played outside in the yard. Bubbles and balls galore. I brought out her little stroller to push around her baby doll. Anna would get running so fast down the driveway with it that she would tumble down on her knees! After a few falls, she decided it wasn't worth it and went back to the bubbles. Oh, and the watering can. She has a little tiny watering can. She likes to fill it from the hose and water things - mostly her shoes!

Brent came home and we had dinner. After dinner, we walked down to Starbucks. Anna rode in the wagon halfway and then wanted to walk. She likes to hold on to Jo-Jo's leash with Brent. It's so cute. She walked down the sidewalk like quite the big girl. Finding all kinds of neat things to see - dandelions, flags flying on the light posts, a big clock outside of a store, and Easter eggs in a store window. She is so observant! And Anna got her first Starbucks drink - a kids size apple juice. A cute little size cup for a cute little girl.

We had a great day - busy and fun. And Anna slept for 12 1/2 hours that night!

April Update

April is one of my favorite months. Spring weather, tulips, and green grass. And this April was Anna's second Easter! We had a beautiful Easter Sunday this year. It was sunny and warm and we were with our family in South Bend. And Anna made the day perfect. Her joy is our joy. She was so happy on Easter! She loved her Easter basket goodies, the walk home from church, her first taste of marshmellow Peeps, and her Easter egg hunt. What a child won't do for a holiday. She makes it fun and special again. And we are here to happily make memories with her.