Spring Break part 3: Beauty Parlor

Anna Kathryn, Nana, and Pop-pop

December 2008

Anna Kathryn also had lots of time with her grandparents (my parents) during our trip.  Nana and Pop-pop are two of her very favorite people and she just reveled in all the attention and love they lavished on her.  My dad does the thing where he pops his cheek to make Anna Kathryn giggle. We call that "pop-popping," since that's also what all the grandchildren (well, the one that talks-- my niece, Emily!) call him.  Anna Kathryn very quickly picked up on this trick and will imitate him; if we talk to my dad on the phone that's what she does to indicate that she knows she's talking to him.  In fact, all we have to do is say "Pop-pop" and she pops her cheek.  She loves to read stories with her grandfather, snuggle on his lap. show him her treasures,  and look at his very cool model train layout.  

A special thing happened while we were with my folks over Easter: Anna Kathryn said "Nana" for the first time!  My mom was SO excited.  Anna Kathryn loves to play games, read stories and do puzzles on the floor with my mom.  Her very favorite thing to do with my mom is to ride on Nana's lap on her scooter.  (When she sees people on a scooter or in a wheelchair now, she always says "Nana!").  

So when Anna Kathryn decided it was time to play beauty partner, she had very willing victims, er, customers in Nana and Pop-pop.

Once Pop-pop was handsomely styled, it was time for Nana's makeover.  It is apparently necessary to chew on one's favorite towel as one does hair!  

Off topic (at least as far as spring break goes):  head over to Allison's blog to see all the fun Anna Kathryn and Maggie had yesterday!  It's beginning to feel a lot like summer!!

Spring Break part 2: A Tea Party

We are so blessed to have been able to spend two days of our visit with my grandparents. Mamapa and Grandaddy are the foundation of our family and we are blessed by their leadership and love for all of us!  We haven't seen them since Christmas, so it was especially nice to have time now to visit with them.  They of course noticed right away how much Anna Kathryn has changed and grown up since Christmas-- she is now walking (often running), talking more, and definitely wants her own way in things!  She had a terrific time playing with and entertaining them. 

One of my favorite family stories is about the day my younger sister was born.  I was 2 1/2 them and spent the day with Mamapa while my mom labored at the hospital with my dad alongside her. Family lore has it that I hosted an all day tea party, and  Mamapa drank cup after cup of imaginary tea to entertain me.   If it had been real tea she would have been floating away by the day's end!

Anna Kathryn's favorite toy right now is her tea set (complete with a British-voiced singing tea pot), so she carried on the family tradition by having a tea party of her own with Mamapa and Grandaddy.  They enthusiastically joined in the fun!

Would you like a spot of tea?

I'll pour, Granddaddy!

Try the cakes, too; I hear the chocolate is the tastiest.

Mamapa, I think you need a refill.

This tea is delicious!

Why, I will take another cup, thank you!  This stuff's better than apple juice!

A happy hostess and beloved great-granddaughter.

Spring Break part 1: Easter Sunday

We enjoyed a short but relaxing spring break in Florida with my parents and grandparents last week.  We enjoyed the first day of our holiday on Good Friday, and spent the day at home doing chores, hanging out, and playing with Anna Kathryn. 

Saturday, after The Longest Car Ride Ever, we arrived at my folks' house.  We had a joyful reunion with my parents and grandparents, whom we hadn't see since Christmas.  Mom let AK sip some of her Vitamin Water (sounds healthy, right?)  and we watched AK run in circles for about an hour.  Apparently there is much sugar and corn syrup along with the vitamins in Vitamin Water, plus she'd been cooped up for the past 11 hours.  Whew.  Think we'll be sticking to apple juice from now on. 

Sunday morning arrived and with it Easter!  We skipped sunrise service, opting for a little extra sleep.  Not much extra, since Anna Kathryn was up, bright and early, at 5:45 a.m.  We had a blessed and relaxing day celebrating the Resurrection as a family.  I of course had AK's Easter ensemble planned to the last detail.  She looked so cute!  It was a different Easter service for me, since I spent it in the nursery with Anna Kathryn, who was more wiggly than usual in church.  She was able to make it until Children's Church, so I got to enjoy the music, but missed the sermon.  After church we feasted on ham and all the side dishes, watched movies, took a walk, played with all the "new" toys in Nana's toy closet, and enjoyed a family day together. 

Happy Easter!

Visiting with friends at Dad's church.

We attempted to take a "four generations" picture of my mom, Mamapa (my grandmother), me and Anna Kathryn... as usual, the results are more hilarious than frame-worthy. 

Attempt #1.  Anna Kathryn decides to examine the tree. 

Attempt#2: Anna Kathryn is not really into the photo shoot.  Escape is on her agenda. 

Attempt #3:  Oh well, it was worth a try!

Oooh, for me?? 

My mom, aka Nana, is the Queen of the Easter Basket.  For a couple of reasons, we ended up not doing a real Easter basket for Anna Kathryn this year.  My mom, though is a firm believer in the Easter Basket and always is prepared for surprises for little ones.  She had some goodies and so did I.   We combined our loot and Anna Kathryn had a great time digging in the basket to find all of her treats.  

Sharing her Cheerios with Pop-Pop.  I just love this picture!