3 Girls, 1 Guy and a Zoo!: January 2009

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Since the complaints have started...

I decided I would get up bright and early this morning and get everything together to do a post. Thats right Chelsea...I have been up since 4 am just for you... don't you feel special! Life has been a little crazy around here but has been a lot of fun! Of course I missed most of it with the camera, but thats oh well, what can you do! I have started to realize that I need two of me or something. Its so hard to participate with the girls and catch stuff on the camera, mostly for fear of smashing or somehow damaging the camera while having it on me during these activities. Sunday, January 18th, we took the girls ice skating for the first time. They had little carts they could push around the ice. Madalyn just wore her boots since they don't make ice skates that tiny, but Marissa wore skates. They both had a blast and just kept saying "FASTER" as Daddy and I pushed them around the rink. Wednesday, January 21st Jonathan and Liz arrived to spend some time with us. We had so much fun with them and very much appreciated their taking time out of their busy schedules to drive 4 hours to spend time with us! We all got to know Liz a lot better and even though the girls already call her "Aunt Liz", I can't wait till the day she actually joins our family. I couldn't ask for a better woman for my twin. We went tubing on Thursday the 22nd and boy was that ever fun. We wore the kids out, (they fell asleep on the hill) and ourselves. Doug even got all fancy and clocked one of the trips down the hill and have us going 14 mph. Marissa even went down the hill all by herself and was oh so proud. We all had a lot of fun! Mom and Chelsea came in on Friday evening. We enjoyed visiting with them and Marissa camped out in the living room for the night they were here. She thought that was pretty cool! Sunday, January 25th, Marissa had special music and we got that on tape. She was all excited about singing but when it actually came to standing up there and singing her got a little shy, but thats okay! One thing I learned this week was that Madalyn is THE most PARTICULAR little thing I have EVER seen or heard of. I washed her puppy on Wednesday and dried him. When he got out of the dryer, Madalyn grabbed him and went to suck her thumb and threw him on the ground proclaiming that he was YUCKY! So I figured the only way to solve that was to wash the spare puppy as well so both smelled clean. Yeah, that didn't work. Then she just proclaimed both puppies were YUCKY. We went through 2 or 3 days of her not sucking her thumb and not going to bed very well. I thought we were actually going to break her of sucking her thumb just by washing her puppies! By day 3 they must have started smelling enough like her by laying in her bed that she took them back. I'm never washing them both the same day again. I'll wash one and leave it in her bed till it is accepted again and then wash the other one. That kid!

Getting ready to go tubing

Marissa is faking

So cute!

The Junior Church group singing "If your happy and you know it"

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Pictures as promised...

So I really didn't plan on doing a picture post today, but I couldn't help myself. Madalyn's hair has started coming in a bit more on top since I trimmed her up a little bit a few weeks ago. So I gave both the girls a bath this morning and couldn't help but put little teeny tiny pig tails! Of course I couldn't take pictures of just Madalyn, so Marissa joined in the pictures. Enjoy! I LOVE MY GIRLS!!!

Nice smile

Little Miss Madalyn

Laughing before a kiss

Awww!

Half a hug

So sweet

Bear hug

Still hugging...

Okay Madalyn, time to get off!

Being bashful

Cute...

Is that a worried look, or what is that?

Being silly

Don't you love the pigtails?

Preoccupied

Madalyn's turn to be goofy

Being a puppy again

Madalyn peeking around

Its been a little while...

I havn't been good in the pictures department so I don't have any for this post...I promise next time! Doug is off this week, well from milking anyhow, so we have a new schedule for the week. He goes up to the barn, around 4:00 pm, to feed out the mix for the big cows and then comes home around 4:30pm. Then I go up and do all the heifer chores and clean stalls. I LOVE it, and he loves that he gets time with the girls. He has Madalyn out playing in the snow...not sure how he accomplished that, but hey at least he did! He has supper ready and girls fed when I get home around 7ish. Its kinda nice for him to have a break from the barn and more time with the girls, and nice for me to have some time with my big babies! Last night Marissa went up with him to feed mix out to the big cows and plow all the driveways. I think this is the biggest job perk. If the girls want to they can go with him and if they get sick of it or cold, Doug can just bring them home! So nice!!! I doubt they will be going to the barn or playing outside for the next couple days as its suppose to be VERY cold! Doug nor I are excited about the cold temps, but at least he isn't milking and can stay pretty much in the warm heifer barn. I guess thats it for now...I'll post again soon with pictures!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Madalyn's first "Boo Boo"

Someone needs to inform this kid that she is not part monkey!

My animal lovers...

I'm so blessed! One of my fears when we started having kids was that they would grow up not sharing in Doug's and my love for animals. They would in turn be miserable because we have a million animals in the house and work on a dairy farm. Turns out I worried for nothing!

I had Ladies prayer meeting one night and when I do, Doug keeps the girls and puts them to bed. When I got home around 10, I went to hang up my coat and found "horse" all cozy. Sometimes I wonder if she realizes they are not real! I love her imagination and how much she cares for animals!

She is such a good Mommy!

Madalyn has finally decided Sid is pretty neat...

...but is starting to realize that he doesn't sit still long at all!

"What if I hold him like a baby?"

Yelling at Sid

"Hmm, if I stand up he stays put better!"

"See Mom?"

Marissa wants some camera time!

Even a smile!

"OK, thats enough Mom!"

The girls can't always take after me...here they are practicing their dirt bike riding skills!

"How, exactly, do I get this thing to move?"

Little Cow Girls!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Well in case you have been anxious to be updated...be prepared...I just posted like 4 posts in one day with a TON of pictures! So, I warned you!!! These are some random pictures of the girls and then pictures of their room now that Madalyn is in a big girl bed. Marissa chose where she wanted Madalyn's bed to go and wanted me to set everything up Christmas day, which of course we did. Madalyn did great. She sleeps exactly the same as she did when she was in the crib. I have no complaints! The only negative at all is that she won't yell or cry or anything when she gets up, she just stands at the door with her puppy and wiggles the door handle. So I have to have the monitor cranked so I can hear her when she wakes up, before she gets in trouble or something! Switching a toddler to a toddler bed is so much easier the second time around! Not that Marissa was difficult, but Doug and I spent many nights in there holding her hand till she fell asleep, where Madalyn has Marissa so she is good to go! They are so cute to watch or listen to. Every night we kiss and hug them, and say our prayers and then start Baby Tad, turn off the light and shut the door. As soon as the door closes you can hear Madalyn do a fake wimper and then you hear Marissa say, "Madalyn, I'm right here...see?" Its so cute! I'm so glad they seem to get along so well....MOST OF THE TIME!!!!

Marissa got plenty of chap stick or lipstick as she calls it that MUST be put on everyday and every one has to be used during one sitting!

Madalyn learning how this works.

Marissa decided she needed some too, but informed her that you can't lick it all off because then you won't be beautiful any more!

She needed two kinds too I guess...

The new playroom! I think Mommy is more excited about this than the girls are, but thats ok!

The girls bedroom... set up exactly the way Marissa designed it!

I have My Little Pony Curtains that I will put up once I get the rods, and wall stickers that I will put up once I get the room painted this summer.

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Geiger's House

We made plans to go to my parents house on Friday morning when Doug was finished with his heifer chores. He is usually back to the house for breakfast around 9 so I had the car packed and kids ready to go. Things didn't quite go as planned! The silo broke first, so Doug had to fix that...then the barn roof started to collapse due to the fact that the snow had not slid off and then it rained Christmas Eve all night. So instead of heading to Mom and Dad's early in the morning, we headed down to spend the morning with Owen and Ashton at Grandma and Grandpa Benedict's house. We finally got to pull out and head for Brasher Falls around 3:30. We spent the weekend there and even convinced Jonathan to stay another day and Dad to call in sick...we aren't very good influences I suppose! Here are some pictures of our visit!

The two cuties!

She doesn't have a clue but that is a barn...and its NOT easy to put together unless you are Uncle Jonathan!

Aunt Chelsea helping Madalyn with her Tadoodles

Marissa opening her first gift

The ornament for the year... The Very Hungry Caterpillar book in ornament form

More Tadoodles

Madalyn checking out the famous barn

Checking out Madalyn's fancy purse

Digging for some animals

Uncle Jonathan and Marissa playing with the barn

Doug's self photo...pretty good huh?!

The oddest shaped present ever...

My breeze blocker in a cow form!

Stuck in the tree

Being all big

Apparently something is funny!

The girls match!

Aunt Chelsea takes on two kiddos

Madalyn isn't sure about this...

Riding on Uncle Jonathan

Do you think its a coincidence that they have the same look on their faces?

If you were to ask me where I would see myself in 10 years, I never would have guessed that I would be here. However, I couldn't be happier! I'm very happily married to the love of my life and have two girls. We have begun our journey towards adoption and I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for us over the next couple of years. I'm a stay at home mom who home-schools. I enjoy researching and finding things out for myself. This blog allows me to share with others my passions and keep in touch with family that I wouldn't normally be able to keep in such close touch with.

Daddy is such a blessing to me. We met in college and became best friends. About one and a half years after we met we were dating. The rest is history. Together we have grown in the Lord and learned many lessons even in our few years together. Things haven't always been smooth, but together and with the Lord's help we can accomplish anything. He is the love of my life and my true soul mate. He is 100% committed to his family and the Lord. He is currently working for Dairy One in Ithaca. He loves to ski, ride dirt bikes, tinker on things, mow the lawn :) and spend time with his girls.

Marissa is our oldest. She was born in May 2005. She is 100% Daddy's girl. She is a home body and usually isn't away from home for long and she is asking to go back to our house. She always claims a job and sticks with it till its done. She is very quick and catches on fast. You have to be careful what you show her, because before you know it she is going to be attempting it herself. Madalyn is her best friend. She loves church and loves learning and singing about Jesus. Marissa is now is school and she is doing great. She loves to read and do projects. She LOVES animals and has decided that she wants to be a Veterinarian when she grows up!

Madalyn is our youngest. She is 100% Mommy's girl (nice of them that they split us up so that one isn't quite so overwhelmed isn't it?). Madalyn knows what she wants and goes for it. She has no fear and is usually the leader of my two even though she is younger. She does love to shadow her older sister though. She is my girly girl, but also my one that is always getting messy. She loves her hair done, to get dressed up, and shoes! We are in trouble with this one! She loves school and is super smart. She has decided she wants to be a "snow plow driver" when she grows up. She is also going to build a house RIGHT next to us and live there so she can still see us every day ;)

Case was actually our "oldest child". Sadly we said goodbye to him on October 29th, 2013. He was a black lab/ red-tick coonhound. He loved to roam the fields, swim, play ball, catch frisbees, go hiking and spend time at the barn. He also very much enjoyed those black and white cats that roam in the dark and have stripes down their backs...or he must have because he kept getting sprayed! He hated to be abandoned by his family and preferred us to all be in the house by 9pm or he started pacing. His biggest dislike was winter. He hated the cold and would rather hold his potty all day long than to go out and pee. Even when he did go out he barely makes it out the door and he was starting to go! Haha He was our "little boy in a doggie suit" as my aunt says. We love him and miss him like crazy.

Cali is our first cat together as a married couple. Sadly we said goodbye to her on October 8th, 2014. We got her from the barn shortly after we moved. She had to be one of the softest cats you had ever felt and of course one of the best looking calicos. LOL She was a great mouser and spent alot of her time in the basement hunting. She had a funny quirk. When she got ready to settle down and sleep, she parted the hair on her tail so only a few hairs were sticking up and then she proceeded to suck on those hairs.

Beaker is a litter mate to Cali. She is a great mouser. She loves to sneak outside when she gets the chance but if you say her name she quickly darts back in. She is VERY attached to Doug and is always coming up to him purring just as loud as can be begging to be picked up. Beaker of course never does this to me. She doesn't like change and isn't fond of strange dogs, although she has gotten much better with the dogs. She will still swat at Molly but it's not angry, it's almost like she is playing.

Sid was our Marshall Ferret. We said goodbye to him in 2012. He was amazing! Great with kids and other animals, but a total goofball. He definitely lived up to the typical ferret personality and a total thief! Sid's favorite thing to steal was pacifiers. He would take them right out of a baby's mouth if given the opportunity and then take off running! He always hid everything in the same place, so at least we knew where to find them, but of course they were always ruined. Anything rubber was in danger of ending up in the said spot. We definitely miss having him around.

Chloe is Cairn Terrier. She is a blast to have around and I'm definitely sold on the terrier family! She is great with the kids and loves spending time outside. She is a great woodchuck hunter and will sit at an occupied hole all day till she catches one. Even in the winter time she will spend forever out there and come back looking like a snowman. She loves to swim and will swim in any temperature water. She loves to mother other animals. Whether it be kittens from the barn, Case, or her own litter of puppies, she is a great mother! We have since fixed her. Although I'm sad there won't be another litter, it's for the best with the probability of us moving and having to find a new vet.

Meet Molly, our newest dog addition :) After taking some time to heal after losing Case, we decided that our household wasn't the same without a big dog around and we were missing something. So we took the plunge and went full out this time. Molly is a purebred, mis-marked mantle, Great Dane :) She has grown into one good looking pup! I'm still in love with this old picture though, so I'm not changing it! She stands about 31 inches at the shoulder and weighs over 100lbs (although honestly I'm not sure how much over because I can't lift her anymore!) She is great with the kids and loves to cuddle. She shares our bed and is the biggest baby ever. She is very protective and does not like when anyone is pinned down. She is right there to break up the "fight" LOL We love her to pieces!

When Doug's sister and her husband started breeding rabbits, I had a feeling deep down that it was only a matter of time....Here she is! Peterette started out as "Peter". When Madalyn realized "he" was actually a "she", she settled with Peterette. :) Peterette is a flemish giant, which according to what I have read is the Great Dane breed in the bunny world! Figures right? She is super sweet, very laid back and loves to be cuddled and pet. She'll stick her nose out of her cage when you enter the room just so you will scratch it!