March 2011

We went to the horse races at Fonner Park in GI for my birthday. Mark put a little message on the electronic board.

Horses going off the track after a race.

Izzy and Grandma D at the races.

Lindsay, Me, and Lisabeth at the races for my birthday.

Every year we go back to GI and my hubby puts on a fun day at the races for my birthday.

The Zweiner and Mulligan clan. Heather and her husband live in Omaha.She is from Pleasanton and came to the races with her husband Ryan, sister Melissa, and brother Gabriel.

This is my cool baby girl. She wanted to put on boots, hat and eyes.

Izzy in her shades and messy face after dinner.

 This is on St. Patrick's Day in GI.

We were in the yard taking pictures at my parents' house. My grandfather was cremated so we were in GI to say our good-byes before he was gone.

Gamma and Izzy

The Peace Lily I got from my Grandpa's funeral that I am trying hard to keep alive. I was taught that the chlorine in our city water can damage this flower so I have to buy distilled water to water my flower!

Izzy and Gamma at my Grandparents' house the day of the visitation.

Izzy and Gamma going for a walk to pass the time. It was a beautiful day the day of visitation but the funeral was freezing.

My little cookie monster.

Passsing time on the potty.

Izzy has been singing her little heart out. She walks around the house singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star non-stop. Other favorites are Old McDonald, Wheels on the Bus, and Little Monkeys Jumping on the bed. She has also been counting to ten with a little help. We still struggle with our ABC's.

Potty training is still a work in progress. We go in the mornings when mommy puts her on the potty and she asks for her M&M's when she's done. Gotta love a smart child.

We went to Grand Island for my birthday and bet our money at the horse races. We didn't get any big wins but I don't think we lost too much either. My friends the Mulligans, Lindsay and Lisabeth, and the Petersens came out to help celebrate. We also had some friends from Hastings, the Osbornes and Hermes join us too.

A week later we had a great loss in our family. My Grandpa Kalkowski decided it was time to go home to Heaven. He had been sick for about a year after suffering a stroke. He would be recovering very well and then have a set back. He finally decided he was tired. He will be greatly missed. He was a very successful carpenter and owned Kalkowski construction. It was a business started by my great-grandfather that came to the states from Poland. My grandpa was very intelligent and was always genuinely interested in what you were up to. I will miss the long conversations and his no nonsence approach to life.

I hope this finds everyone happy and healthy. I will write next month to keep you updated. Give your families an extra squeeze and tell them you love them.



Ariann

February 2011

This is Izzy reading to her little lamb.

Playing in the front yard after school one day. Izzy loves the neighbor's dog and that is what she is so focused on.

Mommy bought Izzy a new had for hanging around the pool this summer. Had to get a picture of it. She looks thrilled huh?

My little model.

This is Izzy saying "Cheeese."

This is Izzy in her Valentine's Day outfit. She is tuckered out from a big party at school. We ordered in Chinese and ate Valentine's dinner at home together.

                                                                         Izzy's little red outfit.


February has been a pretty uneventful month. Izzy had her 18 month check up (a little late) and everything is great. She now weighs 25 lbs. and is 33 inches long. My baby is growing so fast. She's actually not a baby anymore, but a full blown toddler. Her hair is thickening up and growing longer, though she is still often called a little boy. I try to keep bows in as much as possible.

In the middle of February, I had a conference in KC and Mark came with me. We had a great time seeing the girls from St. Louis. Izzy stayed with Gamma and they had a good time. Time out was only used once or twice. Time out gets used quite often in our house for standing on the couch, hitting, and doing the complete opposite of what mommy asks her to do.

Izzy's vocabulary is growing everyday. It is amazing at all the things she knows. I have been starting to work on her ABC's but she doesn't quite get it yet. A she calls an "O"  and she can say B, but for some reason they just don't stick. Oh well, it will come in due time.

We are back on the potty again. She took a number 2 and then suddenly got scared of the potty and wouldn't sit on it anymore. She is starting to warm up to the idea again. I hope to have her potty trained shortly after her 2nd birthday. Everyone tells me she will do it when she is ready so we won't push the issue too much.

Hope everyone is doing well and we'll talk soon.

Ari

january 2011

New Year's Eve drinks at Chevy's in Elkhorn.

Kris and I on New Years.

Izzy's first New Year's Eve party at the Darling's.

Our Cletus. Look at the grey beard.

Best buddies.

Play time with her leggo truck.

Izzy and Mark sledding in the driveway.

Izzy would hold on tight and down the driveway she would go to me at the other end.

Izzy in Mommy's "Barbie" shoes.

Izzy at the Children's Museum.

Izzy at the water table. She stood back and watched the other kids for a long time before she started playing in the water.

Izzy at the giant light up wall piano.

She loved the giant sized light piano.

Mark and I started off the new year with some great friends of ours. We went to a quaint Italian restaurant in Elkhorn called Bella Vita. We then went to our friends', the Darlings, house to finish out the new year. Izzy got to stay at the Darlings and play with their two girls, Lily and Charlotte, and the Hoys' kids, Coleson and Brynna. Fun was had by all.

Also in January came lots of snow. Izzy loves the sled and often fights us when it is time to go inside and warm up. She would stay out until her rosy cheeks froze off. We also went to the children's museum when it was too cold to be outdoors. Izzy loved it, but it totally wore mommy out carrying the diaper bag, camera, and trying to keep track of where Izzy went.

Izzy has also discovered mommy's shoes. She digs and digs until she finds my "Barbie" shoes. I don't know what it is about these shoes, but she always picks the same ones every time. She actually gets into them and walks around pretty good.

I'm sure there is alot more to come in 2011 and I am truly looking forward to it. Hope everyone else has a great 2011.

Hopefully we are back

Our two babies worn out after a great Christmas weekend whirlwind.

Izzy's new vacuum.

A new use for Christmas tissue.

Family photo at the Kalkowski Christmas.

Izzy and her doll that sings songs.

Cheese!

Izzy and Daddy at Darling's.

This is at our friends' Christmas open house.

Well it sure has been a long time. I'm trying to get back into this because Izzy is so busy and we have lots to tell you. I have been trying to upload pictures with no success....so here it goes.

Izzy has been up to so much these days. For example, she is tearing out everything she can get her hands on in the bottom kitchen cabinet. She definately keeps me on my toes. She is 19 months and already saying two word sentences such as, "No, no Mama...Cleda...Dada. She is talking so much.

This year she loved Christmas. Well, I should say most of it. She wasn't a big fan of Santa up close and personal. Pictures were fine, but the real guy was terrifying. She loved opening her gifts and trying them out right away.

She also got to experience sledding this winter. She went with our friends' daughters Lily and Charlotte and I couldn't get her off that thing. So for Christmas my aunt and uncle got her a purple one and she loves it. She may be completely frozen but by golly she is going to sled.

Our new adventure is potty training. We bought her her own little pink potty. She sits and wipes but hasn't figured out the peeing part. Everyone keeps telling me it will come in due time.

Hope you are well and hopefully we can keep you updated. TTFN Ariann

Halloween

A poodle on a mission.

What a poser. Has Mommy taken a few photos?

Love this pure delight.

The costume only stays on so long.

Daddy and Izzy.

These are our pumpkins from Pooley's Pumpkin Patch.

Our photo shoot in the front yard.

Pure innocence.

Now that I know we can post on Blogger again I will go backwards a little bit.

Izzy had a great Halloween. She was the cutest pink poodle ever. She even got to eat some candy from her Halloween bag and loved every bite of it. Leading up to that day Izzy had an outfit for everyday. She has a Gamma that spoils her.

That day we went to our friends' house the Mulligans. After we ate chili and did a little photo shoot with the girls we went back to our house to hand out candy. There were lots of cute little kids and some very creative costumes.

Hope you are all doing well and hopefully we can keep the updates coming.