Allie News

Allie has her first loose tooth! She told me, "I can even push it with my tongue." She is very excited about having the Tooth Fairy (aka The Molanator) finally pay a visit.

Christmas

Christmas was filled with family, fun, food, and loads of presents. We spent Christmas in Palm Springs with Kristi's family and it was crazy as ever. Allie finally fell asleep at 10:30 because, as Allie put it, "I'm just so excited!" She woke up briefly at 5:00am and wanted to get up to see if Santa brought her a dollhouse. Thankfully, she fell back to sleep and had to be woken up at 7:30. Santa pulled through and brought the dollhouse. Allie didn't get dressed all day because she played with it all day long. Melanie received a new baby from Santa and carried it around the house until it started to cry. That's when she handed the baby to someone to deal with the crying. We ended up turning the sound off. Kristi received several cashmere sweaters and gift cards. But Brett was the winner in the gift category: Guitar Hero World Tour! We've been having a great time being the family band. But I think the neighbors are getting tired of listening to Kristi sing "Band on the Run". However, Allie does a mean rendition of "No Sleep til Brooklyn" by The Beastie Boys. Next stop: recording studio.

Melanie Update

Miss Melanie has given up crawling for walking and started to say some words, which has been quite interesting in trying to decipher what she wants. We can understand when she says "apple", "mama", "dada", "up", "down", "juice", "shoes" and her version of Allie. She signs more, milk, shoes, and all done. She said "nana" for banana yesterday in the market. She makes animals sounds for cow, dog, lion, cat, sheep, and sticks her tongue out for a lizard. She LOVES Elmo or "eh bow" as Melanie calls him. She has become attached to one of Allie's baby, Gabby. She carries her around the house and sometimes to the car. She rocks and kisses her, which is really sweet to watch. She follows Allie around the house and plays with her dolls and other toys. If Allie closes her bedroom door, Melanie gets really mad and tries to tattle on Allie. I can't imagine what things will be like in 10 years.

It's Snowing in So Cal!

Well, not in San Dimas at least. I took the girls up to Mt. Baldy after school to see and play in the snow for the first time. Allie threw snowballs and did snow angels. Melanie just stood there laughing at Allie. Had I planned a little further in advance, I would have brought the camera and weather appropriate clothes for Melanie. Allie and I both had on snow-friendly shoes and heavy coats. Melanie had on her winter coat but only sneakers for her feet. Both girls didn't have mittens but they did have their hats on. I may take them tomorrow but with better clothes and definitely the camera.

Brett's Update: I wasn't sure today would ever come.

I am feeling a bit emotional today.
Tonight is my last class in my quest for a Bachelor's degree. It took four years in the Corps, and nine years of going to school at night to get here. The last couple of years has been the hardest. The seemingly never ending long days; balancing career, school, house, babies, and everything else really wears on you. The constant looming stress of papers, reading assignments, and exams is bad enough, but when you are trying to simultaneously provide for a family and grow a career, it's exhausting. Every weekend, homework. every night (after work), class or reading for the next one. If you take a break, you get behind and the stress mounts. Pouting or even crying kids when you leave, pleading with you to stay and play. Just be here, Dad. Do that for NINE years straight, and I don't know the words to describe how exhausting and daunting that is.

My support has been wonderful. I will never thank Kristi enough for everything she has done to help me. She has shared much of this burden along with me, and sometimes it was probably harder on her. She's the Sam to my Frodo.

I will take the time to personally thank everyone who has helped me along the way. It will take a while because there were a lot. If you are reading this, you are probably one of them whether you know it or not.

After so long, it's kind of hard to believe that it's finally over. I feel like Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride, who struggled his whole life to avenge his father, once he had done it, he didn't know what to do.

Well, kind of. I do have plenty to do. I am never at a loss for projects or new hobbies. It's just that this quest (yes it was truly a quest for me) has been such an overarching driver in my life for most of my life, and now it's done.

It's done. Wow.

Allie Makes a Sandwich

On Saturday, while Brett was hanging the Christmas lights outside, Allie decided she was hungry and wanted a sandwich. Instead of coming to get me (I was making sure Brett didn't meet his Maker while on the ladder), she decided to make one on her own. I came inside to get something and there was Allie at the counter, table knife in hand, cutting breakfast sausage to put on her buttered bread. I was disgusted and proud at the same time: disgusted by the whole sausage and butter sandwich thing but proud because she collected the necessary ingredients herself, opened a new loaf of bread, cut the bread in half, and made the sandwich herself. Today I told her that I bought turkey for her lunch and she replied, "Yea, that's what I was looking for when I made my sandwich but the sausage looked way better." All this and yet, I still have to help her get dressed for school.

Allison Update

Allison had her first parent-teacher conference and report card this week. Academically, she is doing fantastic- well above grade level in all areas. She just needs to work on controlling her body and following the classroom rules. Today, she received an award for perfect attendance with a free dinner at Sizzler. I took her to Carl's Jr for an Oreo milkshake instead. Last week, she received an award for being in the top 10 for raising the most money for their fundraiser. She, along with 9 other students from grades K-5, gets to have lunch with the principal and help name the school mascot.

Brett's Update: Date night humor

So, Kristi and I are going out to dinner for her birthday. Allie tells me to wear something nice.

I put on a nice Brooks Bros shirt and khakis. I come out and ask Allie how I look. She says, "hmm, work clothes."

"But how do I look?" I say.

"Do you have a tuxedo?"

"No!?"

"Okay, that's fine then."

She's in the bedroom now telling Kristi "You will not wear that, you will wear a dress."

Allie and Melanie Take The Train

Brett took both girls on the Metrolink to downtown LA to see a puppet show at the Los Angeles Central Library alone. He braved the rain and shuffled the girls through Union Station onto 2 trains alone. He thinks Melanie was more excited than Allie. However, Allie called me from the train to tell me about their journey and I couldn't understand half of the things she said due to her excitement. During their adventure, I received a text message from Allie that read, "We left the library and catched the train". She told me all about where they sat on the train, the puppet show, and her running through the rain without her jacket and umbrella. As she was falling asleep, she told Brett what a great time she had. I think we'll be making this trip again.

Melanie is Walking!

Melanie has been taking 2-3 steps for a while now. But today, she walked about 8 feet! I think Allie was more excited than I was. If Allie only knew what Melanie walking means for her...

Look at the Big Brain on Allie!

Allie's teacher gave me a paper this morning showing that Allie is reading independently at a 2nd grade level. Imagine my surprise! We always knew she was reading well above grade level, but 2nd grade? The paper reads: "Her reading skills are therefore comparable to those of an average second grader after the sixth-month of the school year. She has mastered most of the basic sounds related to word recognition. Allison is blending sounds and word parts to read words more quickly and smoothly. Students at this level begin to spend more time reading silently and can read unfamiliar easy-reading materials." The teacher will now be sending books home for Allie to read and comprehend so she can take a quiz on them.

Michael is Engaged!!

My brother called this morning to share the happy news! His lovely lady, Rumi, is wonderful and we love her. They're getting married in Fall 2009 upon his return from deployment. Congratulations to my baby brother and his fiance!

Allie First Month of Kindergarten

Allie will complete her first month of kindergarten tomorrow. She has done amazing. She had an assessment 2 weeks ago and wowed the teacher. She is reading at a first grade level and can count to 100 without help. She is bored with her homework because she already knows how to read and write. I tell her almost everyday, "I know you know how to do this. You have to practice so you can get better." She does have difficulty sitting still but she is improving. I volunteer in her class every Thursday morning. She is so proud and excited that I'm there. I'm having fun watching her interact with the other kids and her teacher. It's also fun to see all of the work she does.

Melanie's First Birthday

Happy Birthday Melanie! It was one year ago today that we became a family of four and Allie became a proud big sister. The time has gone by so quickly. Melanie is starting to say words, like more, daddy, mama, up, and out. She is starting to take a step here and there. She is also giving open mouth kisses on our cheeks. (When do kids close their mouths and pucker up?) She wakes up happy and smiling every morning and goes to bed with such ease. She has brought so much joy and happiness to our lives. Happy first birthday to our sweet little Melanie.

Allie's First Day of School

Allie started kindergarten today! She was up at 6:30 and grumbled a little bit when she realized that she had to get up at that time EVERY morning. Her response? A sighed "Oh, man". She wanted to get dress immediately. I persuaded her to wait until after breakfast (she is her father's child). Once she ate her French toast and drank her juice and it was off to get dressed. I couldn't remember that last time she got ready so fast. We were out the door and ready for pictures at 7:30. Once at school, she could hardly contain her excitement. She met her teacher and we stayed with her until 8:45. When I picked her up, she told me it was a long day. She was out of school at 11:20. I thought to myself, "Wait until you get out at 2:00, then you'll know what a long day feels like".

Poor Kitty and Elmo

This weekend we lost 2 special family members, Hobbes, the kitty, and Elmo, Allie's beloved stuffed buddy. Both were so precious to her.

Hobbes was accidently backed over by the car by Brett's sister Molly. She didn't see him nor did he move when she started the car. Hobbes ran off to the bushes but was in bad shape when found. He suffered from severe internal injuries and Hobbes went to Kitty Heaven on Saturday Aug. 16. He was the best kitty ever and will be sorely missed.

Elmo was last seen in the Mickey and Friends parking lot at Disneyland on Monday. We looked and scoured that parking structure to no avail. I have contacted lost and found in hopes that some nice soul turned him in. Allie has been lost without her beloved friend. I hope he returns home soon.

Recovery Time

Well, we finally recovered from Allie's birthday weekend. We spent 2 days at Disneyland and California Adventure and her birthday party at Pump It Up, a bounce house. Our feet hurt, our shoulders sun burned, and our bodies were completely exhausted. But nothing compared to the joy and excitement on Allie's face. She had a fantastic time and it made us so happy that we were able to give her the best 5th birthday ever.

Happy 5th Birthday Allison!

Today we celebrate Allison's 5th birthday by spending 2 (long) days at Disneyland and California Adventure. We are amazed and little sad that our little girl is growing up so fast. It seems like yesterday when Brett was white knuckled driving home from the hospital and now in 2 weeks, she'll be off to kindergarten.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll

Today we experienced a strong earthquake, magnitude 5.4, centered about 5 miles from our house. Everyone is doing well, except for a few rattled nerves. Allie was at school and said that she was scared (mostly because a couple of her male counterparts cried). Melanie and I were home. The rattling started slow and then things in the house started to shake. I found Melanie in the living room between the couch and table, where nothing could fall on her. She yelped at little but was fine. Brett was at work and quickly evacuated once the tremor stopped. Most of the picture frames either fell down on the floor or on the shelves. Melanie's dresser drawers opened all the way. The mirror above our fireplace bounced around but didn't break. Thankfully, no structural damage but we have earthquake insurance for times like these.

Melanie's Eczema

I finally took Melanie to the doctor yesterday about her on-going eczema problem. For those of you that don't know, we have been trying to moisturize poor Melanie's body, specifically behind the knees and elbow pits, to death, in hopes that lotion would cure the problem. Yeah, right! After the trip back East and her break out on the plane, I decided to get her medical attention. The doctor prescribed 2.5% hydrocortisone for the severe breakouts and 1% for the mild daily episodes. As a child, I remember my dad lathering on cortisone to soothe his eczema and I don't want Melanie having to go through that. And with Brett's rough and tough skin, it's no wonder she has skin issues.

Her stats: weight 20 lbs 12.8oz (75th percentile), length: 29.5 inches (90th percentile)

Maryland

We just returned from Maryland showing off the newest member of our Larrimore crew. I don't think Melanie's feet touched the ground the entire time. Everyone wanted to hold and snuggle with her. In the rare times Melanie was on the ground, she learned to crawl and climb one step. She also perfected waving bye-bye and clapping. She was the star of the show. She did well on the plane, making the surrounding passengers smile. One gentleman commented on how well our girls behaved.

Allie had a fantastic time with her cousins. They played until they passed out and then continued the next morning. The highlight was catching fireflies with Matthew. They giggled every time one would glow in their hands. She is already asking to go back to Maryland to catch more.

Time Flies

It was recently brought to my attention that there haven't been any new posts since April. Once I thought about it, I realized we had been busy every weekend since April 26! I do apologize to those of you who check here often and thank you to Cousin Joyce for letting me know.

It's Official!

Allie is officially registered for Kindergarten. We learn who her teacher is in August, about 2 weeks before school starts. She's very excited about becoming a kindergartener. There is a parent-child orientation June 25 & 26 to help the kids get acquainted with the school, teachers, and their peers. Luckily, she already knows 2 kids from her playgroup, which will hopefully make the transition a little easier.

Sisterly Love

As I'm writing this, I can hear classical music playing in Allie's room along with Melanie squealing in delight and Allie jumping around. The other night, Allie read books to Melanie and was so sweet and gentle when Melanie tried to grab the books. She kept saying, "No Melanie, look at the pictures." Allie is more gentle and sweet with each passing day.

More Teeth

Melanie woke up this morning with 2 more teeth and another 2 ready to push through. That explains why she slept really horrible the other night. I will miss her 2-teeth smile.

Allie Update

This morning I picked up Allie's Kindergarten registration packet. I can't believe she starts elementary school in August! Where has the time gone? Her immunizations are update to date, except for a TB shot. Her next adventure will be to the dentist. Here's the problem, she's never been to the dentist and not due to lack of insurance or procrastination on my part. The last couple of dentists Brett and I have had were horrible and not child friendly. The last dentist tried to get Brett to pay for an antibacterial rinse that cost over $200! Needless to say, he never went back. Hopefully, this new dentist will be better.

Allie wasn't feeling well this weekend with an ear infection, runny nose, and fever. She was so excited about getting the orange flavored antibiotic. I remember when she would spit out any type of medicine that came her way. So, I guess there's still hope for fruits and veggies.

Melanie's Dr. Visit

Melanie had her 6-month check up last week. She weighed in at a hefty 19lbs 2oz and measured 26 inches. She's in the 90th percentile for her weight and head size (it must be her huge brain). She received her immunizations and was a champ. She doesn't have to see the doctor until September.

Melanie is 6 months today!

Can you believe Melanie is 6 months already? She's gone from this skinny newborn to a plump, grabbing-for-everything infant. She is still sleeping from 8pm to 6:30 or 7am! Something that Allie never did (and still doesn't do). Melanie loves to watch Allie dance and make funny faces. Allie has finally stopped asking, "Is she awake?” Melanie laughs and smiles from the moment she wakes up to the time she goes to sleep. We've been feeding her baby food. Her favorites are sweet potatoes, squash, and all of the fruits. She's not too sure about carrots and peas. She sticks her tongue out when I try to feed her. When she laughs, I sneak a spoonful into her mouth. She goes to the doctor on Monday for her 6-month check up that includes shots and recording her weight and length. We'll see if she's off the charts in both areas. Until Monday...

Ouch! That Hurts!

That is what Brett said after Melanie bit him with her 2 new bottom teeth on Sunday. Now we're waiting for her to bite Allie.

Allison Update

Allie has been doing great. She's doing wonderful at school and being a great big sister. If she would only use gentle hands and kisses. Allie told me the other day, when asked why she was so rough with Melanie, "Oh Mommy, I just love her so much I want to kiss her all of the time". Her vocabulary is growing by the day. The other evening at bedtime, she asked me to pick up her accessories. When I asked what she meant, she named her glasses, necklace, and hat. She then went on to explain they were for the club. I think she needs to stop watching Strawberry Shortcake's Friendship Club movie. People are going to think we're letting her go clubbing in Hollywood.

Melanie's 4-month check up

Miss Melanie went for her 4-month check up this morning. She tipped the scales at 17lbs 3oz, which puts her in the 97th percentile. She measured at 25.5 inches and that puts her in the 89th percentile. To quote the nurse, "She's quite a big girl." We got the okay from the dr. to start feeding her rice cereal once a day. We'll see how that goes. Melanie is sleeping through the night (8:30pm to 6am!) and would rather suck her thumb than the pacifier. She laughs and coos at Allie alot. Now if she could only defend herself against Allie. One day...