January 30, 2005

Another vacation in the Dells

We went to the Dells again - the Wisconsin Dells, that is. Another short family vacation, since both kids' were off on Friday due to their teachers being in a conference. Since it's winter, we looked at staying at a place with a good indoor water park, but not too expensive. John chose the Treasure Island Waterpark and Hotel. The room was a nice size, had two queens plus a sofa bed, plus fridge and microwave. The first night, we had Asia and Zach sleep in the same bed. Some time in the night, Zach woke up with a nightmare or something so John laid next to him. A little while later, Asia started crying. I woke up and found her on the floor, sleeping on a pillow. Zach was in her place and John next to him. I don't know how Asia ended up on the floor without crying when she first landed on the floor. So for the rest of the vacation, Asia slept in the sofabed. She did fall off the sofabed on her last night. There wasn't much we could do there. She's too big for the portable crib yet doesn't know to stay on the bed. Even Zach still falls off the bed occasionally.
Treasure Island has a pretty nice indoor water park, but we were pretty much done with it after a day and a half. The kids aren't old enough to really enjoy the faster water slides. John and Zach went down one of the big water slides many times. Zach is great in the water. He doesn't mind if he gets splashed or goes under for a few seconds. He'll go down the kiddie slides by himself as long as we're there at the bottom for some of the faster kiddie slides that have a big splash at the end. If he sees that we're okay, then he's okay.
Asia, on the other hand, isn't ready for all that. She doesn't like getting splashed, water on her face or head. Zach was like that, too, so I assume she will grow out of the fear. Asia did like just being in the water park and walking around. She also liked the regular pool and this other wave pool where I could hold her. There was also a small part of the main park that had a "river." You would sit in a large inner tube shaped more like a two-hole doughnut. Then just follow the current around. Some parts were a little scary for Asia because when the river flowed under a water slide, you'd get splashed. So Asia would bury her face in my chest. Also, getting in and out of the inner tube wasn't too easy at first when Asia would be clinging to me. Eventually, she'd be okay with me telling her to sit on the steps until I got on the inner tube. And thank goodness for the water park attendants. For the most part, they'd help you in and out or watch you when you come back around the river to see if you wanted out.
There were lifeguards everywhere. They would rotate from station to station. Zach took a liking to one of the lifeguards and at one point, he only wanted to stand next to the lifeguard instead of swimming when Asia and I were in the wave pool.
I also brought my computer so the kids could watch DVD's when there wasn't anything good on cable. There really isn't much on cable for Zach and Asia's age. Besides the ones that the kids like - Dora, Thomas, Bob, Blues Clues - the rest are somewhat vulgar.

Asia and the potty

Asia went potty in the potty chair! This happened last week. I didn't even know she went. Zach was sitting on the toilet before his bath, so I put Asia on the potty chair and told her to do what her brother was doing. That's a little tough during times when he's standing up to go potty. She's tried that before and doesn't understand why she can't always go the way Zach goes. And Zach will ask the same thing - I go potty standing up, why can't Asia? Or he'll sit on the toilet and say, "Now I'm going pee pee and poo poo just like Asia - sitting down!" The other day in the bath, Asia was putting soap on Zach, patting him on the back. Eventually, she was playing with his "wee wee" wondering what it was. Oh the joy of explaining the human anatomy to a 2 or 4 year old.
So anyway, back to the potty thing. Zach got into the bathtub first. Then when I picked up Asia to put her in the potty, there it was! A little bit of pee! And she did it again the next day, but in the big toilet with a different kind of potty chair on top of it.

January 18, 2005


Asia holding her big care bear ("Wish Bear") that she got from her cousin Lizzy. She's also holding a police car that her baby sitter Joyce gave Zach.

Asia eating cake and ice cream. She's still getting the hang of using utensils.

Zach after eating ice cream.

Asia Subdued


And here is Asia all subdued when 20 some people are all around her singing Happy Birthday. She got so serious and wouldn't blow out the candles, or didn't really know what to do. Lizzy and I helped her instead.

Here's Asia while I was lighting the cake.

Asia and Audrey sharing a chair.

The cake.

Asia's 2nd Birthday

We celebrated Asia's 2nd birthday today - a day early. Her birthday is tomorrow but on Wednesday, I fly out to New Orleans for a company trip until Saturday, so I figured it would be better to celebrate now when I'm not in a hurry packing and finishing up last minute projects. We had around 20 people over for dinner. I ordered a few party trays from Jewel (a real time-saver) - chicken wings, cheese tray, vegie tray, and shrimp cocktail. Marissa made a strawberry birthday cake. Joe A made a great spinach alfredo pasta dish. And Sue C brought some cookies. I also ordered a pizza from Pompeii and baked BBQ chicken. We had plenty of food! Asia had a ball with all her babysitters (past and present) there, plus cousins galore. Here's a picture of Asia with our neighbor and former babysitter, Ellen.

January 07, 2005


Little Bob, Lizzy in Aunt Shirley's jacket, and Wendy, and Big Bob.

Asia in her cat outfit. As you can see, it's a little big. And by the end of the day, she had a lollipop stuck in the furry part of her sleeve. I found it days later before I put the outfit into the wash. And she wouldn't let me draw the rest of the whiskers on her face. But boy, did she enjoy trick or treating. She'd take the candy from people's outstretched hands and say "Thank you!".

Zach at pre-school. Next to him is Hailin as a lion and Ryan as Thomas the Tank Engine.

Zach in his Bob the Builder Halloween costume. Okay, so it's store bought from Jewel. He liked it and his friends liked it. As soon as he walked into the school and all his friends saw him, they yelled, "It's Bob the Builder!"

And here's my new closet.

I haven't put in pictures and all the furniture yet. But here's the office with new track lighting, window border, paint job, chair rail, and heater. Check out the "Blue Flame" in the corner.

Closet just before its makeover.

Home office just before major makeover. 12/04