Worship and Blessing...

This week we went to the "Family Dedication" class at Wheaton Bible Church.  Every time we walk out of there I turn to Steve and say, "I'm so glad we go here!".  It is truly a blessing to be in a place where we are taught, challenged, and have oppotunities to reach the world both locally and globally.  Even though this year we didn't do Puente del Pueblo, an after-school ministry to struggling public school kids in West Chicago, we hope to do more like this when we don't have trouble driving a half hour without screaming in the car!:)

Anyway, Aunt Bo and Uncle Jonathan came to watch the kids...

Anna likes the Wi that we share with among 4 family households.  She wakes up in the morning and says "EEE, EEE".  It has now left our house so her affections are returning to normal.:)

Anna is like her Daddy in that she takes a long time to wake up.  This is what she looks like each afternoon after her nap.  Usually the hair is worse:).

Anna blesses Elizabeth.

Anna now likes to eat in a "big girl" chair.

A normal day:

She is getting to be quite the cute little girl!

Anna didn't get her way...life is hard being 1.

The OneWay album is now complete, to be released in 2 weeks!  One of the songs on there is in some African language.  Anna was holding here hands up in the air while we listened, and we got a little on video.

Grandparents and Great-Grandma

It's been a whirl of activity around here!  

Elizabeth met her Great-Grandma for the first time, and Great-Grandma said she was "such a baby":).  Anna entertained us all with her new blankie to which she is quite attached.  

Elizabeth can now turn 270 degrees all on her own while keeping her head in one place.  She must get bored of one view and want to see what else is going on.  This is exciting as it shows she is not only more in control of her motor functions but also more interested in what is around her.  THIS is exciting because it enabled her to sit in her carseat for a whole shopping trip this morning, without me having to "wear" her in the carrier.  I am free to kneel down and get the raisins off the bottom shelf at Aldi without Elizabeth turning upside down!

Sisters...

Elizabeth now drools ALL the time ALL over EVERYTHING.  This stage will likely last at least 3-4 more months (if similar to Anna).  Many, many wet bibs hanging to dry!

 

Steve's parents came down this weekend, and Anna was quite happy to have more people to interact with.

The Willies brought the Wii Fit PLUS, which incorporates many new games for the Wii Fit board.  We had much fun with the obstacle course, and tired Elizabeth who doesn't like to fall asleep all that much, watched with great intensity.  Steve is a master at many of these games due to the afternoon.  I took a nap while he strove to get 4 stars on each game.  The rest of the Vater family (with whom we share the Wii - it travels between 4 households) will have to work awfully hard to compete with Steve.

And when I went to go record oboe for the OneWay album, Steve was on kid duty - Elizabeth and the dolly hung and swung.

And Steve and Anna did many self-portraits, this being the best one!  (If anyone has a way to get a toddler to sit still while cutting bangs, let me know, I am in great need!)

Halloween Week

Our 2 girls!

One highlight of this week was Halloween Storytime, where all the kids wore costumes and paraded around the library (mostly for library staff - who else is at the library on Tuesday at 10am?).

Our friends Yu-ting and daughter Sophia 

We tried to get a group picture of some of them, unsuccessfully.  Notice the other bee in the picture.  Anna was one of three in the storytime hive.:)

Occasionally at Dominick's Anna gets a cookie, which she likes to eat slowly and smear all over her face...

On our way to Aunt Bo's house on the big day!

We went trick-or-treating and everything...

Anna particularly liked a sucker she got.

Kim and Elizabeth!

Anna, Kim and Jonathan played ring around the rosy, to Anna's delight.

Let's Compare...

Anna and Elizabeth, both almost 3 months in two poses:

Pose #1: (Anna, then Elizabeth)

(Bethy evidently isn't as ROUND.)

Pose #2: (Anna, then Elizabeth)

(Bethy was very interested in her fist and wouldn't look at the camera.)

Family resemblance, ahhhh.

Ring Around the Rosy

So the jury is out on the background of "Ring Around the Rosy" (see here).  Does it refer to sneezing or falling down or death?  The mystery remains, but Anna gleefully enjoys the rhyme at any time.  (Anna's pants under her dress are courtesy of Steve.)

Tickling is another favorite activity, and she makes a fun sound when she does it too.  She also likes to throw stuffed animals or dolls in the air, in this case, Brookfield the Penguin.  "Wheeeeeeee!"

Sometimes I find Anna trying to pick up Elizabeth.  I do hope that if she ever does succeed in this effort that Elizabeth will not be thrown into the air while Anna yells "Wheeeeee!"  Elizabeth is not quite as durable as Brookfield.

"Dids"

Anna likes to play with "dids", or "kids".

Yesterday my friend Erin from California brought her 2 kids over and the 4 kids played and played...

Anna showed Leo her book

Some group shots:

Elizabeth

This post is for Grandma Estrella, who constantly asks for more pictures of Elizabeth!

She turned 3 months old on Wednesday.