Allie is 2 1/2 (and some)!

Here are some random things we have been up to the last two months...

I started teaching her Sunday school class this year with another mom and it has been fun!  This past week, Allie has finally adjusted to me being there and didn't act up.  In fact, she was the perfect student- singing and following every thing I said!  I could not believe it!  She LOVES to learn about Jesus and knows 2 verses already.  Some of her favorite songs right now are : Lord's Army, Deep and Wide, Jesus loves the little children, He's got the whole world, and Blessed be the Name.  She marches around the house singing and she knows the words and tunes really well.

 Jordan's 2nd b-day party and she had an Elmo cake!

 We made homemade pizzas one night and Allie and Jon did a great job and they were yummy!  Allie likes olives, pepperoni, and mushrooms on hers!

 Waiting for them to cook- and it is a fun picture with her reflection in the oven.

 Doing "crafts"  she really likes to paint and is really good about not making a mess!

We started a "Responsibility chart" 4 weeks ago and so far it has really helped!  Although she is only 2 1/2, she is capable of doing so much more than I give her credit for- and she LOVES to accomplish things on her own!  Right now we are working on saying "thank you and please"- especially in public  (like when she got  a balloon at Luby's) because she gets very shy.  No whining is one that is VERY slowing being worked on...  She is better at letting me brush her teeth and staying in her bed at night now.  And she does SUPER at feeding and letting the dogs out!  She gets mad if I do it because I forgot to let her!  After 20 smiley faces, she gets a reward: ice cream, do-nut, cupcake, extra book at bedtime for the week, and still figuring out other rewards.
 Jon took her the first time to Chick Fil A for a Daddy/ daughter night.

Eating her ice cream with sprinkles of course!  So far each week she has chosen ice cream for her reward, which isn't all bad for Mommy either!!!  

Allie's hair cracks me up!  She has the best bed head and her curls are so fun!   I hope they stay big like this!

First day of School and 2nd haircut

Allie is now 2 1/2 and such a sweet little girl who loves to squeal with delight and flap her hands when she gets excited!    I have been behind in posting things about her so these next couple one will be about our sweet little girl!

She started Mother's Day Out the first week of September at Sugar Creek Baptist.  This is the same place we had her last year and she was excited to go back again and she kept asking if her teachers were going to be Ms. Amy and Ms. Christie!  I wish they could be her teachers again!!!

First day...

And although they don't "read" in school yet, Allie loves her books and we do a lot of reading at home!

And she LOVES Curious George!  We have checked out every book at the library and read them all the time!  She said to me one night, "I wonder if George is still curious, let's find out!"  HA!

Allison and I decided to take Allie and Meagan to get their haircuts together at a super cute place called Sweet and Sassy back on Sept. 26.

We had lunch at Chipolte first

 Sweet Meagan went first and did fabulous just sitting there!She even enjoyed every moment of it and this was her first haircut!

Allie did MUCH better this time, but still had to sit on my lap and was very nervous.  Notice the lollipop that she is holding...  She never ate any of it until she was completely done with her hair!

Still thinking about this thing!

There's a smile!

 OK- so this isn't too bad!

 "Are you done yet??"

 She finally let me put her in the chair by herself!

 They got glitter stars on their face!

 Best friends- hopefully for a very long time!

two super sweet, pretty little girls!

 How about running??  YAY!

 Grandma came to watch as well!  Love this picture of them!  Thanks Grandma for being a part of Allie's life!

Walk to Remember 2011

Saturday Oct. 1 was one of the first "cool" days we have had in months and it was a beautiful day to have the M.E.N.D. Walk to Remember. 

 It was at a different church this year, so it felt like our first time again.  This year, we decided to invite some family and friends to join us in remembering Michael and Jake.  My parents, Jon's mom, and my super dear friend; Allison and her oldest daughter joined us.

 Each balloon represents a baby that is in heaven.  Everyone who came was able to release a balloon or balloons to remember them by.

 They have a"rememberance table" so you can put whatever you have/want to remember them by.  I used the wonderful card that Heather designed for the boys' birthday and their picture.

 The only downside to the day was that I was having a severe migraine that had started teh day before and I had just gotten some medicine  that morning to help it and it didn't go away until the next morning! So needless to say, if I look like I am in pain in the pictures- it's because I was!

 Lindsey and Allie

 Hanging up the ornaments as they called out their names.

 Allie is the only one who looks happy here...

 Our three sweet babies.

 They have all the children come up to the front to sing "Jesus Loves Me"- Allie was not so sure!

 My mom getting a balloon

 Allie was writing her message to her brothers!

 Mommy's turn

 Walking...

 My dad and us.

 Jon explaining  to her that we are sending the balloons to Michael and Jake in heaven.

 Here they go...

 Bye Bye

 One more time...

 She was happy this year becasue she understood that she was giving them to her brothers

 I love this look she has!

 So thankful for such a great organization and support group to help us celebrate our babies' lives and to remember that they are a part of our family!  We are also so thankful that we have something like this that we can have family and friends go to to help us celebrate their life.
A couple days later, Allie woke up from her nap saying "Mommy, Michael and Jake got their balloons in heaven- I saw them!!!"  She was so happy.  I am glad that we can have memories of them and incorporate their short lives into ours!  And I did have a profound thought about them...  We actually have something a lot of families don't have- a whole another family in Heaven that we will get to meet!  What Joy to know that I have 3 kiddos waiting for me and although I won't know them here on earth- I get a BONUS in heaven!

My dear friend, Allison- Thank you SO much for wanting to come and share in this with me and for taking great pictures!  You have cried when I couldn't, you have loved them without even meeting them, and you have held my hand through one of my darkest, hardest times. I am honored to call you friend!  And thank you also for honoring our boys with your donation to MEND!  "May you be blessed as you have blessed me!"