bike riding and walking

On Monday, Adelynne was finally able to pedal a bike (actually a trike) all by herself!  She did have troubles getting started when she stopped, but she was practicing really hard.  Yesterday she was doing even better and seemed to have no trouble at all getting started after a stop.  It is great to see her hit this "milestone" in her life.  She's been paddling with her feet for so long, I wasn't sure when she would actually use the pedals.  

Amy also has achieved a great accomplishment:  She's started using a walking toy and pushing that around while walking.  She's really taking off.  We borrowed a neighborhood toy to get her going, and today she grabbed a little stroller and was pushing that around.  It won't be long before she's off on her own.  I know I'm not supposed to be too anxious for her to walk, but I really am excited for her to walk.  Then she can chase after her sister and Minnie and really annoy them!  (Of course it will probably be more like I chase Amy around and she really annoys me).  

Today is an absolutely beautiful day!  We had playgroup outside with our friends, and I (Tracy) played hopscotch with Doreen, Christina, and Sarah.  Doreen and I were teaching Christina and Sarah how to play.  Well, we were trying--I think we were just making things up.  The kids drew on the sidewalks with chalk and kept us busy chasing after them as they wandered off to the playground.   I hope this weather lasts!

Amy

Now at 11 months Amy is quite a character.  (Well, she's been one all along).  I am always amazed at how she attempts to do everything her big sister does, whether its dressing up with necklaces, or standing at the window to look outside.  She loves to participate in everything going on, including picking up toys and putting them away.  Amy has also learned how much fun it is to climb.  She loves to get on the little chairs that are children sized, and from there onto the table.  She then proceeds to dance with joy at her accomplishment.  Like her sister, Amy also enjoys a good game.  Her favorite game is "pull out all of the diapers from the basket."  She will grab one diaper and turn to look at mommy with that adorable little grin on her face.  When I smile back at her she throws it on the floor and then grabs another one.  

Amy is great at crawling and cruising along furniture.  We're not sure when she'll start walking. Although yesterday she happened to stand all on her own for a few seconds!  She was climbing on mommy and holding onto her Easter bucket.  She let go of me but was still holding her bucket so I don't think that she realized she wasn't holding onto anything stable.  

Amy really does have the sweetest temperament.  She loves to smile and flirt with anyone willing to look her way.  Though she doesn't like to be far from her mommy. She's definitely more of a "mommy's girl" than Adelynne ever was.  It takes her some time to adjust when mommy's not around.  But Amy loves it when people talk to her, which is much different from her big sister.  Adelynne becomes very bashful when people talk to her, and usually won't say anything back.  But Amy is the opposite.  It is quite interesting to see the different personalities in our girls.  

So one more month and our baby will be one year old!  Its so hard to believe.  This year has really gone by fast (at times).  Unfortunately, Adelynne and Amy don't always get along, and it will probably be quite some time before they will, but we have experienced some sweet sisterly moments in the past year, and we look forward to many more.  

Adelynne

Adelynne's newest enjoyments are games and puzzles.  She has mastered a 24 piece cinderella puzzle, and four 16 piece dinosaur puzzles.  So we thought she should get a few more for Easter. She is learning to master them now.  Can you take a guess at what her favorite game is?  What child doesn't love the classic game of Candy Land.  She loves the game, and always requests to be the yellow gingerbread cookie.  She doesn't really care about making it to the candy castle as much as she cares about getting all of the special cards like the gum drop (which she so cutely calls "gum drum").  Her favorite of course is the ice cream cone with Princess Frostine.  If the game ends to quickly by chance she gets quite upset and cries to play more.  And regardless of who wins when, the game does not end until the cards run out.  (Which actually works out for the best most of the time).  After Candy Land an immediate request is made for another classic "Memory."  

Now when we started Adelynne out on Memory, we picked out ten matches.  She has been playing Memory with those ten matches for over a month now.  Well on Saturday I decided to play Memory with the other 28 matches, and then combine all 38 together.  Adelynne seemed to adjust rather well.  Okay, so yesterday when Adelynne asked to play Memory she didn't want to play with the old 10 matches that she used to play with.  So we had to go through the pile and sort them out.  I showed all the matches to Adelynne one at a time, and she would say "no" or "yes" to each match.  When we got through the stack she had picked out all the original 10 matches that she originally learned to play Memory with.  I have to admit I was quite amazed. She really does have a good "memory."  

Adelynne also enjoys playing Hi Ho Cherry-O!  And her favorite spot on the spinner is the one with the tipped over bucket.  She loves spilling that bucket.  It is so fun now to play all of these games with Adelynne and to see her skills get better and better.  She's growing up so fast!

Easter Sunday March 23, 2008

Adelynne and Amy woke up to new books and puzzles which were immediately enjoyed by all.  And then the girls put on their beautiful Easter dresses, (made by Grandma Biggs), and mommy started snapping pictures.  

After church, the Easter bunny hid some eggs for the girls to find.  Although it was sunny outside it was still cold, so the girls were warmly dressed.  Adelynne had a great time hunting for eggs and was just chatting up a storm.  It was so cute!  Even Amy crawled around grabbing a few eggs in plane site.  

Once we got inside it began snowing.  Yes snowing--on Easter Sunday no less!  Indiana has crazy weather!  But we were glad the girls got to enjoy an egg hunt outside.  We had a great day together and it was wonderful to be able to share the Easter story with both the girls, and to remember what a wonderful gift our Savior Jesus Christ has given us, and to reflect on the miracle of Jesus rising from the grave.  We are grateful for our knowledge and testimony of our Savior and we hope that all our friends and family know that we believe our Savior does live and He loves us all!