Finally an Update on our Banana Bell!

Anna turned 3 on June 11.  Where does the time go?  This girl is a skilled talker, climber, and is just quick as a whip in general.  A lot of it has to do with her keeping up with her idol (big brother Alex).  She has started calling him “Alex Bear.” 

Some highlights/stories about Anna:

If she sleeps in or has any sleep adjustments she doesn’t nap at daycare and tends to “disrupt” the others.  She does not nap at home.

Anna and Alex were given Root Beer Floats for dessert.  Alex was really gulping it down and Brent said, “Be careful buddy, you’re going to get a stomach ache.”  Alex said, “I’m not going to get a tummy ache!” as he continued to gulp.  Anna said, “I’m going to get an Awesome Ache!” in her dreamy, sing-song way when she’s eating something she really enjoys.

Ms. Glory says Anna is the most snuggly kid she’s ever had in daycare.  Ever.  And she’s been running daycare for over 30 years.

Anna has been fully potty trained, even overnight, for the past 4 months.  Unfortunately, her only major accident was on the Alexander’s couch last winter!  We went over there for supper.  She was in the thick of training and hadn’t had an accident in almost two weeks so I felt comfortable with her in thicker underpants.  Well, she wondered off on her own and peed while after climbing up on their couch!  I felt just terrible about it and Anna wore a pull up the next time we went over there!  Now Anna, like her brother, enjoys pooping in public restrooms.  No more worrying about accidents for us!  And no more diapers!

Anna has been to two Intro to Dance Classes now.  It is a drop-in only commitment and is for 2/3 year olds focusing on ballet and tap.  There is no recital; it is just intended to see if your kid likes it…. Well, Annie does!  She was walking around the house yesterday morning on her tippy toes with her arms stretched high overhead and touching fingers.  I asked what she was doing and her reply was, “Trying to catch the Stars!”   There are only 2 other girls in the class.  Their names are Ella and Annabelle.  Ella is the youngest girl and the teacher’s niece.  The teacher is Miss Angie and mommy goes to Zumba with her.

Anna eats continuously and tends to get into the fridge by herself for snacks.  Naughty!

Anna has started singing.  She sings Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; ABC’s; Three Blind Mice; Frozen songs; and made up songs.  Her voice is very sweet and she gets shy pretty quickly when you call attention to her. 

Anna tends to randomly exhale loudly, making a puffing sound (just like Mommy).

Anna had a sleepover recently with Baby Rosie for her birthday.  She was very pleased to see Rosie but was quickly leery of her when she noticed the attention Rosie was getting from her Alex Bear and mommy.  She was often watching Rosie interact with us like, “Why are You getting all their attention.”  Jealously was rearing its ugly head!  Despite these moments, the girls got along well.  My favorite memories were our trips to the park.  I put both girls in the bike trailer and they just chatted the entire way, snuggling into one another.  Anna also has a tendency to randomly stroke Rosie’s back when they are eating.

Anna loves all things girly.  Her favorite colors are pink and purple.  She loves shoes and dislikes socks (good thing it’s finally warm out!)

Anna consistently wants Mac-n-Cheese when we eat out.

Anna loves to sit on top of the dining room table when we are playing games or working on projects.  Brent and I just adore it.

We have this game called BeanBozzled.  It is a Jelly Belly game that mixes in fowl flavors with their regular ones.  For example, you spin a wheel and land on either Lawn Clippings or Lime depending on which one you choose (they look identical).  Anna kept landing on Skunk Spray or Black Licorice.  The kid showed NO reaction to the Skunk Spray.  I just asked her if I could smell her mouth (gross I know) and was bowled over because it was definitely Skunk Spray and she was just eating it merrily!  What a silly, cute kid!

Anna enjoys being topless.

A few weeks back we went to dinner at the Philips house.  The Naidu family was also there.  Anna is familiar with the Naidu’s and loves Abbey.  She quickly warmed to the Saramma and Preethy as well.  When it was time to leave she gave great big hugs to Abbey and all the women.  She looked into the living room at Christy, Ashok, and Vjay (3 Indian men) and said, “Mom, I don’t want to hug the boys!”  I just started laughing and said “Honey, I’m not hugging the boys either!”  That exchange got a good laugh!  Anna really charmed everyone!

Anna was recommended to go directly to Fat Free milk at her 3 year check-up.  Normally doctors recommend dropping from whole milk to 2% at her age.  I just started laughing because Anna skipped the whole milk stage altogether and went directly to 2% at 1 year old after finishing up with formula.  The doctor reviewed her growth chart and said, “Yes, Anna has always trended at solid, but I’m not worried about her weight.  She’s obviously healthy.”  The “solid” comment got another giggle from mom.

Anna has a bright, shining light inside of her that everyone can see.  She is welcoming, loving, and kind.  She is also feisty and stubborn so I am not intending to paint the picture of a perfect child.  She is perfectly Anna.

Anna when she ran out of cantaloupe, most recent pic

First time bowling with the Johnsons!  She LOVED it

First haircut

Library time with Grandma Penny

Sleepover with baby Rosie

kids helping prep for a March of Dimes bake sale

Topless and loving it

March of Dimes walk

Walk for Animals

Stillwater

Unky Matt!

taken on her 3rd birthday

first dance class

Color Vibe!

Franconia

Summer Recap for Anna Banana

Anna is definitely in her toddler stage!  The phrase "Only Me, not YOU!" is pretty common in our house these days.  She is very opinionated about her socks, clothes, rubber bands in her hair, etc.  She is super girly and very much owns it.  Anna has loads of personality and is becoming more affectionate with people outside of our family.  Just last night we had the Alexanders over and she insisted on hugging Ms. Jacquie before they left.  Not the boys, but only Ms. Jacquie!  

One thing that really tugs at us right now is Anna saying she wants to sit on our "tops."  Brent and I have been carrying her on our shoulders at some of the events we've been going to and she says, "Dad, I want to sit on your top!"  Once she's up there she says, "Mom!  I'm on dad's top!"  Just adorable.  She is talking in full sentences.  Another great one is "I'm happy to see you!"

Tonight at story time she was getting upset because she wanted daddy to read to her.  It was mom's turn and she was just adamant saying, "No mommy!  Not you!  Only daddy read to me!"  I actually teared up like a big baby and she said, "Ohhhh!" then hugged me.  Then she said I could read to her.  I couldn't really help my reaction but it was nice to see the kid took pity on me!

Anna is singing and loves the songs from Frozen.  We also love dance parties!  Her ever-strong appetite is starting to dwindle at home and at daycare.  Ms. Glory says this is normal and good at her age so she doesn't develop a weight problem.  Anna is currently in size 6 diapers due to her broad hips (like her momma).  The kid is only 28 pounds so she isn't heavy, just broad.  Grandma Penny joked and said, "She's a broad Broad!"  She is still on and off interested in potty training but I am trying to develop the routine of getting on the potty in the morning and at night.  She gets so excited when she's successful but her willful nature is fighting the efforts.

Enjoy the pictures of our bubbly little girl!

Anna at the Twins game.

Quick picture in the glove!

Alex and Anna on the bus ride to the State Fair.

She sure loved the misters.

Anna in her pretty dress at The Highground.

"Only Me!"

Gun fight, Anna never once pulled the trigger.  LOL

Sweet Bellie.

Enjoying her swing and Care Bear.

Me Nan-Na!

Anna is just a doll.  Her second birthday is quickly approaching and she is just a doll.  She is snuggly, considerate, and very smart.  She takes care of all of us.  If mommy, daddy, Alley, or Maw-dy are upset Anna is the first to come up, rub our shoulders, and offer a hug.  She still struggles with her toddler emotions.  She still loses her temper with us and her brother, but she is such a sweet little girl.  I had the pleasure of taking a few days off with just Anna last week.  Our first day together we packed a picnic lunch and took a long bike ride.  We stopped at a park for Anna to play then went further down the road to a second park.  We played some more then settled under a Willow tree on a picnic blanket to eat lunch.  Anna is typically very antsy and cannot sit still but she just sat and ate peacefully.  We listened to the birds and crickets and just enjoyed one another and the food.  Lunch consisted of turkey slices, a cheese stick, pickles, apple slices, and saltines.  Anna’s favorite kind of meal!  I watched the wind blow throw her curly hair and just loved her minute of it as I stroked her hair and back while eating.

Anna is just a doll.

The rest of the long weekend was just as magical.  We were attached at the hip.  We went shopping, baked cookies, and just took advantage of the time together.  She is a very easy companion as long as she has snacks and is hydrated!  Going back to work yesterday was quite hard for me.  I missed her snuggles and “Mommy – come!”  Anna just gets me.

We are seeing more and more that Alex is a nice combination of his parent’s personalities.  Anna is all Mom.  She is “all in” all the time.  She is a very fun, spirited little girl.  She does everything a full blast. 

Her accident from months back with her front tooth is barely noticeable now.  The tooth dropped back down and is just slightly crooked.  She has a little scar on her chin which will get smaller as she ages.  We are so happy to see her full smile again and she has two more teeth coming in!  Her appetite and sleeping have been slightly off the past 4 weeks because of it but nothing major.  She insists on having a graham cracker and water each night before bed then she is pretty much good to go.  If she can’t fall asleep, what she really wants it to watch a show and snuggle.  A “show” meaning Sesame Street.  She has no attention span for anything else!  I was shocked when she wouldn’t even sit through Disney’s Frozen!  Parts of it capture her attention (mainly the singing) and then she is back to coloring or covering her dollies or cooking.  The girl is very domestic.  Brent has always said, “How does she know she’s supposed to like dolls?!  How does she know that?”  I just laugh at him.  Anna is all Girl just like Alex is all Boy. 

Anna is dancing and singing now.  Her vocabulary has also blown up.  We all enjoy dance parties at the house so it came as no surprise when Anna started busting out moves all her own!  Below is a video to Anna dancing to Pharrell William’s “Happy!”  Enjoy it and the pictures of our sweet Anna.

Visiting Great Grandma Drinkwine

Ah... the Cobra.

At the March of Dimes walk in April

Visiting with family on Mother's Day

The sweet little blondes going for a spin

Anna enjoying a picnic lunch with mom

Ingenuity

Spring!!

Cake!

Hello?

Easter Dress 

Finger paint