www.sharonanddoug.com

No Training Wheels

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 04:50:00 +0000

About 3 weeks ago we took the pedals and training wheels off Ainslie's bike, and she's been riding it as her "scooter bike" ever since. Today we asked her if she wanted to put the pedals back on without training wheels. She said yes without hesitation. I cautioned Doug to take it easy with her and if she got scared to just take the pedals back off. I didn't want to intimidate her into not wanting to try it again when she was a little older. Wow was I wrong. Doug put the pedals back on and Ainslie immediately jumped on and pedaled away. Really? That's it? I didn't even get a chance to grab my camera.

Happy Birthday Van!

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:56:00 +0000

Van turned one today. Hard to believe. The year flew by and I have to say that I am a bit sentimental. What a sweet, sweet child and what joy he brings. I love his smile, his hugs, his chubby tummy and thighs, his belly laughs, and especially how he lights up when he sees his sister. He's a special little boy and a blessing in my (our) life.

Happy Easter

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:18:00 +0000

Wonderful to celebrate Easter with our family in our "new" house.

Van 11 Months

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:16:00 +0000

Nana's 70th Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:11:00 +0000

We were fortunate to celebrate Doug's Mom's 70th birthday in March. It started with a celebratory breakfast with the kids and then dinner and a show in San Francisco. Wonderful that they were able to come out for a visit and help us get things ready to move into our new house.

Van 10 1/2 Months

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:08:00 +0000

Van 9 1/2 Months

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:06:00 +0000

He's Crawling

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:07:00 +0000

At 9 months, Van learned to properly crawl and he hasn't stayed still since. He follows Ainslie everywhere and she thinks it's the funniest thing ever (for now). He got his 2 front teeth this month and is getting be be a BIG boy. At 9 months he was 23lb 4 oz and 29". He's also got a HUGE head (97 percentile). I hear that comes from his Dad.

Real Men Wear Pink

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:32:00 +0000

Well, that is if you have an older sister. Van's now 8 1/2 months old and his latest milestone is pulling himself up to standing. I think he would rather stand than sit, and he may not ever properly crawl. He can't quite hold up his pudgy tummy (stripes are not his friend). He's really come alive the last few weeks. I would describe his personality as pretty laid back as long as the minimum requirements are met and he's entertained. He definitely lets you know it if he's bored or frustrated these days. He's also learned the game of dropping things from his high chair and then getting frustrated because he can't reach them. I remember that game well with Ainslie. Cute at first, old quickly.

The biggest thing for the month is that Van is finally sleeping through the night. Our life is so much better! Sleep deprivation is so hard especially with a job and a 3 year old. We are all benefiting, even Ainslie. A great way to bring in the New Year!

Loving the Teeth

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:42:00 +0000

7 1/2 Months

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:45:00 +0000

I like to post updates on our blog. It's a quick way for me to capture our kid's milestones in hopes that one day I will be able to look back, grab the baby books and jot down a few things.

So here's the latest. Van started sitting by himself at 7 months and started "creeping" or dragging himself across the floor. He's trying to crawl now, but can't quite figure it out. Last week he got his bottom teeth with only a little discomfort. Kept blaming the teething for his sleepless nights, but I think I was fooling myself. But tonight? SLEEP TRAINING. He's not going to be happy about it. "They say" it takes only 3 nights. We'll see. Stay tuned.

Gearing up for the holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:40:00 +0000

Ainslie helped us unpack all of our Christmas Decorations.

Anniversary in Tahoe

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:25:00 +0000

Doug and I spent our 5th Anniversary in Tahoe with the kids. Not the most romantic anniversary, but still one of the best. Enjoyed so much quality time with my family and Ainslie loved the snow.

Thanksgiving 2009 in the ATL

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:14:00 +0000

Had a great Thanksgiving in Atlanta with my siblings and their families. We visited the Aguarium and "hiked" to the top of Stone Mountain. Ainslie had a great time with all of her cousins.

Cousins

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Van gets entertained by his cousins

Pune morning commute

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:49:00 +0000

It is a good thing I'm not driving myself. These streets are crazy.

Happy Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:06:00 +0000

We had such a great time with Ainslie tonight. We started the evening in our neighborhood with a parade and pizza in the park. Then, we headed out for a little Trick or Treating. Ainslie wanted to ride her bike. We ran into a couple of her friends from school. It was so fun to watch 3 little girls run from house to house going absolutely CRAZY. Doug and I couldn't stop laughing. It was hilarious to see how silly and excited they were. At 3 years old, they really got into it this year. Van? Not so much. He loved the swing in the park, but slept through the rest.

Pumpkin Carving with Daddy

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:43:00 +0000

Van 6 Months

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:35:00 +0000

Van turned 6 months last week and with the half year mark came a big growth spurt. He's now a whopping 16lb 15 oz. He looks so different to me than he did a month ago and probably more similar to Ainslie at this age. Van had a lot of "first" this month. He took his first plane ride to Palm Springs, he ate his first "real food", he started Daycare, and he had his first fever thanks to his Big Sis.

Today is my last day of maternity leave. Back to work on Monday. I feel very fortunate to have been able to stay home with Van for over 6 months. It has been a real blessing, and I will miss spending so much time with the little man. Luckily, I will be going back only 3 days a week, and I know that my 2 days off with him and Ainslie will be even more cherished than they are now.

First Eats

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:34:00 +0000

Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Only problem... Ainslie thinks you can manipulate all computers, phones, and TV screens with just one finger.

The Friendly Dentist

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:07:00 +0000

When I was little, I distinctly remember going the the dentist. The best part by a mile was the part where my Mom and I would stop by the Mug -n-Cone on the way home for a soft-serve chocolate and vanilla swirl ice cream cone. Otherwise, it was a fairly miserable experience. I guess in the small town of Water Valley, Mississippi there were only a couple of dentist and probably no dentist that just liked to hang out with kids. Just an old dentist with a cold, sterile office who I'm sure to this day forgot to give me numbing medicine at least a couple of times before filling my teeth with ugly silver fillings. OK, maybe I'm still a little bitter.

I took Ainslie to her first dentist appointment last week. The whole office specializes in children. You can tell by the huge stuffed animals and toys in the waiting room. The dentist came out to the waiting room to "warm" Ainslie up for the trip inside. Once seated, the hygienist gave her a stuffed dragon with teeth to brush, a "Hello Kitty" mirror and sang songs while she showed Ainslie how to brush her teeth. Ainslie even got to hold "Mr. Thirsty" while the hygienist polished her teeth. Both dentist in the office came by multiple times making a big deal out of her. And of course, she got to pick out a couple of toys to take home. Everyone was so warm and friendly.

Except for the instructions not to eat or drink after the cleaning, I wish I could have taken Ainslie to get ice cream after her appointment. I guess I'll save that memory for me and my Mom. We'll have to think of something else for the two of us.

First Nap in the "Big Girl Bed"

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:56:00 +0000

Ainslie got a "Big Girl Bed" for her birthday along with bedding that she helped me pick out. We've been talking about it with her for a couple of weeks, but just got things set up this morning. I was a little worried about the transition and also very sentimental. She LOVED her crib, and I enjoyed watching her sleep and play in it. After all, as long as she was in the crib she still seemed "toddler-like". Now, she's a little girl. As you can see from the picture, the transition was a lot easier for her than for me.

Happy Birthday Ainslie!

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:44:00 +0000

Yesterday Ainslie turned 3 years old. Hard to believe for sure. She had a great birthday which included playing with Nana and Big Dad who were in town from Ann Arbor, opening lots of presents, and eating birthday cake. Last night we celebrated with our family and extended family (Carmen and her Mom "Mamma Mia"). Tomorrow we'll have another party in the park with friends featuring Ainslie's favorite, a Jumpee House.

Another Milestone

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:01:00 +0000

Van was able to sit by himself today, well at least long enough for me to take this picture.