This has definitely been Addy’s “adjustment month” as we’ve seen some comical yet frustrating behaviors. While she’s always been gentle with Stella, her attention-seeking activities seem to peak when Mommy is breastfeeding and unable to intervene. As with so many other things, it will just take a little extra patience, as time always brings a new phase with other challenges, making us completely forget the tough times and only remember the smiles, laughs, and happy memories!
We are almost to the point where Addy will repeat any words we ask her to try. Her favorites this month are WES (neighbor Wesley), SAU (sauce aka salad dressing), BER (berries), OU-SHIDE (outside), PEAS (please), BEBE (baby with hands connected in front in a rocking baby position), UP HIGH, PUMP (breast pump), PEE-PEE (urine), POOP, ADDY BACE ROLCHIN (Adelline Grace Roltgen), and SIS-SAHS (stickers).
Addy enjoys salad as a first course at lunch and dinner. She insists on SAU (sauce aka salad dressing) for dipping vegetables, and she can often be found using her finger repeatedly to lick up any extra dressing on her plate. She has also discovered that drinking directly from the sauce bowl is even faster than using her fingers. Light balsamic vinaigrette dressing is apparently quite tasty as a beverage!
Addy went to a children’s dentist for her first official visit. She enjoyed the appointment until the dentist attempted to move closer to her by asking if he could count her fingers. Addy was on to his tricks immediately, so Daddy decide to forego the cleaning this time. Addy was very excited about the tokens she received at the end of the visit that she could use in the toy vending machines.
Stella may be the best thing that ever happened to Addy. As Mommy’s fatigue level increases, Addy gets to try foods she has never had before including a donut after church and chips with our SUBWAY sandwiches. The second best thing that ever happened to her was Mommy writing a lesson plan on “feeding children” for NASCO. After reviewing best practice feeding recommendations, including a note about “forbidden foods,” Mommy reluctantly decided that Addy can try a few sweet treats now and then. Daddy is also very happy with this breakthrough, as he now can stop trying to sneak desserts when Addy isn’t looking.
A wind storm blew down part of our big pine tree in the backyard. Once the power company fixed the lines, they left us with a huge section of the tree, along with many branches. Addy helped Daddy load sticks into the wheelbarrow. She was very excited about her efforts and could be heard yelling, “MITE MITE MITE (Mike Mike Mike),” when she had another pile to show Daddy!
While Mommy is breastfeeding Stella, there are often shenanigans going on in the living room, hallway, and bedrooms. These include car “accidents” resembling WWF moves where the car is lifted off the ground and slammed on its side or upside down, digging through Mommy’s jewelry box to locate and then throw Mommy’s wedding ring and band around the room, pulling out all the cookbooks, and shutting the gate and slamming the door to her bedroom, followed by, “HELP HELP HELP.”
Overall, Addy has been a very good big sister, but she does not always like sharing Daddy’s attention. She will often direct him by saying, “STEL BOUNCE,” while motioning back-and-forth from Stella to the bouncy chair, meaning, “Please stop holding Stella and put her in the bouncy chair, so we can play!”
Aunt Britty, aka Supernanny, came down for a visit after Stella was born. She was hoping to teach Addy to use the potty while she was here. As it turned out, Addy can now clearly say, “NO POTTY,” in response to any sort of question regarding potty use! Aunt Britty was such an amazing helper. She was a pro at getting Stella to take naps, kept us well fed, washed and folded loads of laundry, and even found time to teach Addy how to launch eggs from her play kitchen using a hot dog bun and spoon. Now Addy keeps requesting, “EGG FLYS.” Thank you again Aunt Britty!
Addy loves monkeys. In the book “Hug Time,” there is a page halfway through the story with a chimpanzee on it. When we get to the page, it usually results in a five minute stop to make monkey sounds, give kisses, and stare affectionately at the chimp. If Mommy or Daddy tries to continue the story before Addy is ready to move on, she will promptly turn the page back to the chimp and start the routine all over again.
Addy is very attached to her three fleece blankets. She originally had only two, but Mommy purchased a third one with plans to rotate it out as we did laundry. Unfortunately, Addy now thinks she has three blankets and won’t allow the rotation to take place. When we do wash the blankets, we have to sneak them downstairs quickly, wash and dry, and then return them to her bedroom. Mommy tries hiding the blankets under her shirt, resembling a pregnant belly, when she’s sneaking them downstairs. Daddy’s tactic involves stuffing them down his pajama pants, so he looks like MC Hammer, and singing, “Can’t Touch This.” Clearly, the almost-two-year-old is in charge on this issue!
Addy was running haphazardly around the kitchen one day, as her sense of balance seemed to be out of sorts. As Mommy asked her to be careful and slow down, Addy took off running and proceeded to fall in a “banana peel slip” manner flat on her back.
Brooklyn Lust, our neighbor and Mommy’s former carpool partner from Wisconsin Heights School District, came over to pick up Addy one day when Daddy was gone for military duty. As Mommy explained Addy’s schedule, Brooke said, “Well, if she gets hungry, we’ll just have a snack, right Addy?” Addy perked up at the word “snack.” Brooke then followed it with, “Maybe a snack like a cookie, right?” Addy’s response was a bit more enthusiastic this time, as she said, “YYYYYYEAH!”
Addy loves watching Stella roll out of tummy time. She says, “MO ROLL,” and gestures in a circle with her hand as she asks Stella to do more rolls.
Addy has seen an increase in timeouts recently as she has discovered freedom from rules while Mommy is nursing Stella and Daddy is working military days. Incidents include dumping dirt out of the potted plants, throwing everything she can get her hands on, refusing to pick up toys, standing on top of her princess cruiser car, filling the toilet with paper, shoving food items from her play kitchen all the way into her mouth, and squishing tomatoes between her hands before throwing them on the floor.
It seems that Addy’s bed is still surrounded by invisible fence, as she will scream if one of her blankets or an animal falls out, but she will not leave the bed to retrieve anything. The game of throwing an animal out of the bed to avoid going to sleep has officially begun!
During a diaper change, Addy grabbed a wipe from the basket and started washing her face while repeating her new favorite word—POOP.
Addy continues to pet her little sister and say, “AWWWW STEL,” in a very high voice that sounds like a little old lady. Apparently that’s what happens when you name your children “grandma names” like Stella and Adelline!
Addy will have many stories to tell when she starts school. She recently ripped off her shirt and ran over to Mommy’s breast pump asking if she could PUMP.
Every time Stella is crying, Addy tries to locate PACI and shove it in Stella’s mouth. We’ve had several discussions about waiting to see what Stella needs before we give her the pacifier. When Addy is asked if she is a good helper with her little sister, she replies, “PACI.”
When Mommy told Addy we were planning to visit Great-grandma Adelle and Great-grandpa Lawrence at their house, she began asking for “BUS.” Apparently, she remembered playing with the Little People school bus that is now on its third generation. When we arrived, she began asking for the bus. After a bit of swinging outside, Great-grandpa joined us on the patio. He agreed to take Addy inside to get the bus, but he did not actually know what he was looking for. Addy led him in the house and began searching all the rooms. They came back outside empty-handed. Great-grandma and Mommy had a good laugh as we explained that “BUS” was the old toy from upstairs. Addy eventually found the bus and enjoyed loading it up with all the people. She insisted they enter through the door, but she would always forget to close the door before driving away, so there were quite a few accidents in the grass as the people fell out and were run over. Later, Great-grandpa became Addy’s new pal as he hid a ceramic dog figurine in his shirt pocket. She was thrilled with this game and kept saying, “WOOF WOOF!”
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