Baby Bice Four

For anyone who is remotely interested, this is one of the best ultrasound pictures we've ever seen for any of our children. This one, of course, is still cooking, but should arrive mid-late April. ACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Word Play

Last week, I (Deb) was in the car with Mackenzie and Jenna. I had just picked up Mackenzie from preschool, and we were on the highway, headed down to Mason's school for the next pickup. On the shoulder of the road was a truck (a tow truck, I think). From the back seat, I hear, "Mommy, is that a *uck?"
"Oh! A teh-RUCK?" I asked.
"Yes. A *UCK!!" (said much louder)
"A TEH-RUCK!"
"Oh-KAY!" said with emphasis from the back seat.
Turns out, Mackenzie doesn't pronounce "tr" words very well. She substitutes an "f." You can't be angry, because she believes she's saying it properly. It's also hard not to laugh.
A couple days later, Alan was home with Mackenzie and Jenna. He was reorganizing a bottom drawer in the kitchen, full of kid-friendly dishes. Jenna, in her usual form, was foiling him every step of the way.
"You're getting on my fricking nerves!" said Alan playfully to Jenna.
Mackenzie, who was at the table, heard this and said, "Daddy, is Jenna getting on your *ucking nerves?"
What's a dad to do? Keep laughing. We are!

Halloween

The leadup to Halloween was definitely most exciting for Mason this year. We contemplated her costume for more than a month. At one point, she said she would like to be R2D2. We thought that was cool. But then, she decided on Ariel the Mermaid. Much more conventional. After a couple weeks insistence, we purchased Ariel the Mermaid, with hair and shoes, to boot. A couple weeks before Halloween, Mason went to a birthday party and needed a costume. We found her devil costume, complete with horns and pitchfork. She had worn it two (?) years ago in Germany. It still fits. Imagine that, for our little pipsqueak. From that point on, we were informed that she would wear the Ariel red hair with her devil costume for Halloween. Fine fine fine. But, on Halloween day, Mason's school said they could come with funny hair. She planned to wear her wig, but at the last minute said no. We put eight ponytails in her hair instead. That night, she also opted out of the wig. I told her she would have to make next year's Halloween costume, because the outlay of money was a bit much for a costume that was never worn. Fortunately, it can still become dressup clothes.

As for Mackenzie, she was not at all interested in dressing up for Halloween. We asked her if she would like to wear a fairy dress. She said, "Oh, yeah!" Then she followed that with, "No. I can't." What????? For school, the best we managed was an orange Halloween bat shirt. For trick-or-treating, she refused to remove the bat shirt, but Alan successfully got the fairy dress (sans wings) over the shirt, so she could join in the fun.

Jenna was agreeable to most everything. For the afternoon, she was a ladybug. By evening, she was a turtle, and a real ham about it! Jenna fell asleep on Alan's shoulder while out trick-or-treating, but fun was had by all. Enjoy the pics.

One last note - Mason entered a coloring contest for the first time. It was held at the local library. Her pumpkin picture won her a real pumpkin. The pictures were voted on by age group. Our little girl has won her first contest! Yay! They equated her rendition of the pumpkin to Indian corn. We're certain that wasn't her intent, but she was excited. So, here's a picture of the winning pumpkin, as well as our carved pumpkins. The skeleton face was on the pumpkin she won.

We Voted!

Today, the Bice adults took part in what will no doubt be a historic election. We cast our ballots for the 2008 presidential election, and most significantly in California, for the Proposition 8 measure about equal rights. While standing side-by-side at the foldout cardboard booths (no curtains), with Jenna in Alan's arms, we were gripped by laughter as we heard a little "toot." Alan said to Jenna, "did you toot?" She said slyly, "yeeaaaahhh." Fun fun fun! Happy voting to all! We'll blog with our Halloween photo shoot later today (if possible).

P.S. It's raining in CA. What a great day for elections! We haven't had rain in months!!!

Day-to-Day...and Then Some...

Wow! Have we ever been busy! Between M & M going to school, Alan going to work, and Jenna and Deb driving for 3-4 hours a day, dropping everyone off, picking them up, and running errands in between, it's a wonder that this blog ever gets written!

As far as school goes, Mason seems to really enjoy kindergarten. She struggles a bit to get ready in the morning, but she's always in a good mood when we pick her up from school. She always shares a little about her day, which she never used to do, and she's thrilled to come home and do homework! If only we knew that excitement could last forever! Ha ha.

Mackenzie is adapting to school. She rarely ever cries when we drop her off anymore. She does mope sometimes, though. But, she's eating lunch at school now, instead of after school, in the car, which she did for the entire first month. She's participating in activities too. She apparently really likes sticking things that have glue on them to paper. The latest was making paper jack-o-lanterns. She stuck the eyes, nose, and mouth on them. She had so much fun, she made three, although the faces were a bit crooked, they were generally in the appropriate locations.

Jenna is turning into a little terror. She is mischievous, she is not interested in words like "no" and "stop." We try to change her attention to activities more appropriate, when necessary, but some days, it seems there's little we can do, without being completely terrorized or made crazy by her actions. She's also so cute that it's tough to get angry, but easy to be frustrated.

Just over a week ago, we took the girls to a pumpkin patch out in the desert mountains, about an hour from home. There were pumpkins still on the vine, and plenty of them. We had a great time walking all around looking for good carving pumpkins. Mason picked out two of the three. But ultimately, we decided to go for one, really big kahoona. It is classy, too, with whitish stripes where the natural grooves would be. It weighed in at 39 pounds. We still aren’t sure how we will carve it, but that is yet to come. We’ll be sure to take pictures.

So, other than that, we have one last thing to share on our blog this time around. It’s a poem that Alan and I composed, with a little bit of help from a special friend. We hope you enjoy the read as much as we enjoyed wordsmithing it to perfection. It’s very rare that we compose anything, let alone poems. :-) You can read it to the right of this blog. Enjoy!

Day at the Beach

This past Saturday, following Mason's very first, successful sleepover at a friend's house, we caught up with her at the beach. It was a slightly overcast day, and the girls were content to play in the sand all day. However, we learned that further down the beach, there was an area where you could wade in the water and see swarms of leopard sharks. Apparently, leopard sharks have no interest in people, so they are safe...or so we were told. :-) We took the kids (in our arms), and waded out. Not only were the leopard sharks harmless, they were beautiful and plentiful. It was an amazing sight to see, on a typical day at the beach. Mackenzie hoped to stay out in the water watching them for a long time, but Mason was tired of being at the beach, and Jenna was out of the water with Alan. Did I mention the water is chillingly cold? Once you adjust, it's fine, but if you go back and forth? Chilling! Unfortunately, we did not have our camera with us for this event.

However, we did have one other funny thing happen at the beach. We usually pack a picnic lunch when we go, and this day was no different. Alan made several peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which we packed between two containers to share with everyone. One container is rectangular shaped. While it was open, it was inadvertently set down on the towel next to us. Jenna, being our most mischievous and always finding "innocent" trouble, was walking around while eating part of a sandwich. She walked right through the open container, leaving a perfect, Jenna-size footprint in the remaining bottom row of sandwiches. She also left a good amount of the sand that was on her foot. It was incredibly funny, and the seagulls loved it. But, a bummer for us.

Swimming and School

Wow! Where has the summer gone! We spent all of August focusing on Mason's new "passion," if you could call it that. Swimming. We enrolled her in Tiny Tots swim lessons. She used to have a fear of getting her face wet. After two weeks in the lessons, she was putting her head in the water and having a blast! She couldn't quite float on her back without help, so she had to retake the class. Second time was a charm for Mason. Within the first week, her teacher told us she should have been in the next level, and he would try to work with her individually on more advanced techiques. Mason now loves having water poured over her head, taking showers, and blowing bubbles in the water. In fact, she loves swimming so much, she has asked to continue lessons. We begin again next week! Mackenzie and Jenna enjoyed going to watch, but Mackenzie would have preferred to get in the water. She and Jenna both love to swim. We try to take all the girls on the weekends, when we can manage it.

Besides swimming, this was a big week for us. School began on Tuesday. That meant kindergarten for Mason and preschool for Mackenzie. Mason, dressed in school uniform, with braids on each side of her head, marched right into her classroom on day one without looking back. At the end of a long day (six hours), she marched out and informed us that there was no play time. Recess doesn't count as play time. On day two, a short day (just under four hours), she marched in successfully again. When she came out, she again informed us that there was no play time. By the time day three rolled around, we had to drag her kicking and screaming out of the house, kicking and screaming into the car, and kicking and screaming out of the car. The kids all line up outside, and their teacher comes to retrieve them. Once she greeted all the children in the line, Mason informed me that she would like to walk up without me today. So much for the tantrum. I followed, out of sight, and she did great! What was the point of the tantrum? Guess what she said at the end of the day, though? Yep. That's right. There was no play time.

Mackenzie is a completely different scenario. She is going to Die Rasselbande, the preschool where Mason went all of last year. She was very excited to go to school, but when we walked into the classroom, the separation anxiety was beyond anything we had expected. Mackenzie is always so easygoing. But, there were screaming kids in the room whose parents had already departed. I stayed with Mackenzie for about 45 minutes. The screaming kids never stopped screaming. Mackenzie cried and grabbed for me every time I tried to leave. In the meantime, Jenna hopped up on a chair and started playing with whatever was available at the time. Jenna must've been ready for school. But, she's too young. Mackenzie did survive day one, but when I came to pick her up, she repeatedly asked, "Mommy, are you here?" She refused to eat her lunch at school, telling her teachers she would eat in the car, which is exactly what she did. Today was her second day of school. I left after only ten minutes, and she did cry. I stayed outside, where I could see her. Eventually she stopped crying. But the report was that she stood around and watched everybody, but wouldn't participate. Again, she wouldn't eat her lunch, except in the car. When her teachers offered her the water bottle we brought, she wouldn't drink either. They asked if they should write her name on it. She must've been indifferent, so they did. She told them, "I don't like the ABC's on my water bottle." Hmmpphhh. If you ask Mackenzie if she likes school, she says "yeah!" We'll see.

Enjoy the swim pics and the first day school pics.

Busy, Busy Times

We have been so busy lately! Mason is taking swim lessons, and although she still doesn't like putting her face in the water, she is trying it every day. She enjoys the lessons and playing in the water. The only other news for Mason is that we ordered her school uniforms and bought her a backpack. She's heading off to kindergarten on Sept. 2. They grow up so quickly!

Mackenzie is completely potty trained. She is an amazing success. Not too many of you probably can imagine how great it is to have only ONE in diapers now. It's fantastic!! Mackenzie is a champ. She talks more and is truly becoming a "big" girl.

Jenna watches Mackenzie on the potty as a several times a day activity. She loves to watch it flush. When we have the little portable potty out, as soon as Mackenzie is finished and we've emptied it, Jenna sits down, fully clothed. She's very proud of herself. She is starting to put sounds together and try to make words. Popular words are: mama, dada, duck, bubbub (bubbles), bye, and anything else she can repeat the first sound of, before the word becomes gibberish.

In the absence of regular candid pics, we've been meaning to post these professional photos (for which we bought copyrights) of the girls. Mason is nearly five, Mackenzie is two, and Jenna is 14 months.

Successes Continue...

Mackenzie has pooped in the portable potty for the first time today. Big, big event! It happened while we were at a restaurant, sitting in the outdoor section (thankfully, by a wall, so not many viewers). She's being a real trooper. We have gone full force out of diapers. She is not 100% yet, but she seems to do better when we're away from home. How ironic. So, the portable potty is busy! That's today's big news. More later...

She Did It!

Mackenzie just peed in the little potty for the very first time today! Hip hip hurray!!!! We've been trying for days, and having minor accidents in her underwear. This is big news. We thought it was blogworthy. :-) Have a great day!

Mackenzie and Jenna

Can't post blogs all about Mason and neglect her two little sisters! The most exciting thing for both of them is that they have learned to ride bikes. Mackenzie can now ride the little two-wheeler without pedals (Laufrad) AND she has finally learned to pedal the tricycle. Yay! Jenna is now able to climb on and off all the toy cars herself. She can move forward instead of always backward. She is also able to ride the little four-wheel bicycle without pedals (another Laufrad), moving forward. It's exciting!

Besides that, Mackenzie is not only amazing us with her parroting skills, but she continually improves her speaking and vocabulary on a daily basis. We're attempting to begin potty training her. The thought of only one in diapers is what keeps the effort going! Jenna, on the other hand, can be very loud with her few sounds. She now can say "Mama," "Dada," and a few other "ah" sounding words. She is a true climber. She uses whatever she can to leverage herself up onto furniture. She's making us very nervous! Did we mention, the kids fall a lot? All kids do. And so, the epic journey continues...

First Graduation and First Ballet Recital

Would you believe that Mason "graduated" from preschool this year? It is crazy to think about her going off to full-day kindergarten in September, but that is where she's headed. Believe us when we say, she's ready! Mason is our bright little protege. Her potential to succeed is amazing. Nothing like a little parental pride to plaster all over our blog, right? Actually, in her progress report, her teacher labeled her "one-of-a-kind." For anyone who knows Mason, no doubt! :-) Here's a pic of Mason receiving her "diploma" and a special German traditional cone filled with goodies.




Mason's first ballet recital was great fun, and most amusing! It was a Lion King dance, and Mason's class were meant to be birds. Two other classes made up the lions. It was a one-dance recital. The kids were about as coordinated as, well, how about if we just say they were not well-coordinated, but very entertaining to watch.

This picture shows Mason in a rare dance move during the recital. Mostly she was shepherded around by one of her friends who seemed a bit more coordinated.

Mason Turned Five!

On June 28, Mason turned five. Crazy how fast the time goes. Because her birthday fell on a Saturday, we had her party the same day - very convenient. She wanted the party at home, but being that we live in a tiny 1100 square foot house at the moment, and we're constantly stepping over toys to get anywhere, we did not want to crowd 10-15 little kids AND their parents in our home. So, we went to Chuck E. Cheese's. What a scene of chaos! Never again! Some of the kids were scared of the Animatronics. Others were scared of Chuck E. Cheese himself, walking around. Mason was so angry at cake time, that she refused to blow out her candles and mom had to hold her next to the cake, just to make all attempts. The kids did have fun running around playing games, though. There's something to be said for that.

Each year, we try to make a special cake for the girls' parties. This year, Mason asked for a Care Bear with a rainbow on its tummy. On her third birthday, she also asked for a Care Bear. As much as we hate to do repeats, we opted to improve upon our previous design. Not bad for amateurs, eh? We even had some extra help from Aunt Tammi on this one (especially the face). Daddy made the rainbow. Go, big daddy!

Fun Moment

The girls have developed a new dance they all like to do together. Here is Jenna's demonstration of how it goes.

Our Farm Adventure

Today, we visited the Stein Family Farm. The Steins were a German family who moved to San Diego in the late 1800s. They built a beautiful farm about twelve miles from our current home, although it is much smaller now than it once was, as it is situated in the middle of a suburban city. The farm is open to visitors on Saturdays. It is a historic site, with a caretaker living in the original house, and working with volunteers to plant and grow fruits and vegetables. We were invited to pick or take any produce that was to our liking. Talk about heaven! We picked apricots and plums right off the trees (all organic). We picked several large zucchinis that were going to go untouched otherwise. The caretaker also requested that we pull up all his remaining elephant garlic. We brought three large bulbs home. If you have any great recipes for zucchini or garlic, please send them our way! They don't have a license to sell the produce, so it's free for the taking. Alan helped move compost in a wheelbarrow to "earn" our fare. We're going back next week, when the apricots are completely ripe, and plan to do a cleanup job. Fun fun fun! The girls were fascinated by the worm farm, the potbelly big who eats apricots, the chickens, and the goose. No pictures of this adventure, though. Maybe next time.

What Mom and Dad Do

We are trying, I stress trying, to become not only visions, but realities of our former selves. Yes, it's true. We once looked younger, slimmer, and, well, younger. That about sums it up. For those of you with small children, you know just how difficult it is to find time for exercise of any kind. Here's what we've done so far. We've joined a co-ed softball team, I've joined a women's softball team, and we bought Wii Fit. Let's talk about the co-ed team first.

This is really Alan's team. I'm an alternate and do not play every week. Mostly, I play when needed, or on early game nights, when we can get someone to watch the kids, but not have to attempt bedtime. We had a game tonight where we both played. We were playing the #1 team in the league. Our team is decent, but not great. We started off very poorly. But, then came our big inning - Alan hit an inside-the-park homerun! Yay! Who knew the little guy could have such a big hit? He's still running like a madman, re-living the victory. Unfortunately, the other team hit an out-of-the-park homerun in the bottom of the last inning to take our hard-earned lead and turn it into a loss. Sigh. Good exercise, nevertheless.

The women's league is not nearly as exciting, and we are yet to win a game since I joined, but it's fun to get out there and try to pretend that I still can play like the teenager I once was. Not. It's really quite self-defeating to realize that I'm older, slower, chunkier, and more prone to injury.

Thus, we jumped on the Wii Fit bandwagon, and it's great! Every day, I hop on and take a body test. Then, I do some aerobics, strength training, yoga, and balance exercises. All of this focuses on posture and center of balance. I wake up feeling sore after my nighttime exercise. It's a great change from sitting in front of the tube after the girls go to sleep, even though mindless TV watching is sometimes necessary after a day with these three.

Speaking of these three, I'll just write one quick blurb about Jenna. Jenna is sick. Teething and just plain sick. So sick, in fact, that when she is awake, her face is soaked from runny nose, watery eyes, and drool, and she walks around whining. There is no comfort. Especially since she is now completely weaned. Mommy is free! See, I knew I could bring this blog back to Alan and me. No pics, though. Sorry.

And for those of you who are wondering what Wii Fit is, I highly recommend you google it. It's a fantastic workout regime using our wonderful video console, and a special board that measures your balance, weight, etc. It's amazing technology, and since it is impossible to get to a gym, this is certainly a great alternative! I'll let you know when I've lost my extra girth. Alan is working on his too. It's late, and we must sleep now (if Jenna will let us).

Birthdays and Poop

Mackenzie's birthday was great fun for all of us! We had her party at a playground near home, during a heat wave on the 18th. We had no problem getting a picnic table in the shade, to be host to the party, because no one else was dumb enough to be out at the park on such a hot day. :-) Regardless, we had four little girls show up for the party, ranging in age from 1-4. Everyone played great together. The two 1-year olds (Jenna included) found respite by sucking on ice from the cooler. Fun fun! When it was time for birthday cake, we unveiled "Hello Kitty," known to Mackenzie as "kitty cat." We lit two candles, sang "Happy Birthday," and encouraged her to blow them out. She stood there despondently, probably thinking we were all crazy. After continued prodding by everyone to blow out her candles, she finally muttered, "No way!" All the other big kids helped blow them out. Ewww...spit all over the cake! But, before cutting into the cake, we pulled out the cupcakes and showed them to the kids. That was the real hit. Cupcakes with Elmo on them. Mackenzie was so excited!! Elmo!!! She ate Elmo. She did not eat the cupcake.

Present time was fun too. Mason kept encouraging Mackenzie to open her presents and tried to show her how. It took quite a bit of coercing and constant prodding, but it finally happened. Mackenzie was quite pleased with her loot.

On Wednesday, the 21st, we celebrated her real birthday, just us and our cousin Erica. We had more cake (an Elmo cupcake for Mackenzie). She once again ate Elmo, but no cake. Her first present of the day was a new tiger suitcase. She dragged it everywhere and called it "kitty cat." She even took it in the car with us on our normal errands.

Mackenzie also saw an opthalmologist on her birthday. She has always had teary eyes, so we thought it was worth having it checked. They would like to perform a procedure to try and clear her tear ducts, assuming that is the reason. We'll keep you posted if and when that will happen.

After the birthday came bathtime, and hence, here comes the poop story! Okay, many nights are bath night, but last night was poopy bath night. There is a difference. After having a very large water bill after we moved in, we have been very conservative with water, and we tend to bathe all the girls together. Alan was doing the bathing while I was cleaning the kitchen. "Deb, I need some help." I went to the bathroom to see what was the matter. And what should I see? There was such a poop splatter! (Okay, that's my extent of Dr. Seuss rhyming.) All the kids were standing outside the bathtub, dripping water. Inside the tub was floating poop shrapnel. The culprit? Jenna. How cute. Ha ha. That was her fourth, yes, fourth poop of the day. Who would've thought? But, who's counting anyway, right? Needless to say, the kids had to be bathed again. Hurray! And, the very next night, she started to poop again in the tub. We yanked her out and sat her on the toilet. No more poop. Whew!

So now, almost one week after our heat wave, it's barely 60 degrees and very stormy. Global warming. Need we say more?

Why Are We Always So Busy?

It's been almost a month since our last blog. What have we done? Ummm...school for Mason. Ballet for Mason. Work for Alan. Softball for Alan. Softball for Deb. What about the two little ones? Well, we go to the playground a lot. Jenna climbs stairs now, and ladders, too. Scary! Mackenzie is finally starting to play with other kids and talk to them. She is slowly relinquishing her need for a "binky." We don't allow her to have one at the playground or in time out. We keep it away from her much of the time besides.

We are now preparing for Mackenzie's second birthday party. It will be tomorrow, at a playground (imagine that), in the heat wave. Temperatures will be in the 90s at least! We have borrowed a big canopy shade to put over a picnic table. We hope we will survive. Mackenzie's actual birthday is not until Wednesday. She'll be visiting the opthalmologist on Wednesday. Lucky girl! We're having her tear ducts checked, because she has frequent watery eyes. We'll keep you posted.

Oh yes. We attended a fest a couple weeks ago, right here in our little community of Allied Gardens. It was bigger than our usual Nussloch, Germany fest. There were several rides that Mason could ride. Only one for Mackenzie, though. Lots of food, entertainment, and big jumpers to be had. We watched a parade and collected candy and of all things, a beach ball. I guess that's San Diego for you! It was good fun for all of us. It brought back memories.

What else is there? We're always too busy to write, let alone remember our lives day-to-day. I must not forget Mother's Day. That was a brilliant weekend for me. I was told to "go take a hike." Ha ha. Actually, I asked if I could go take a hike. Really! Alan needed the girls to prepare my Mother's Day present, and he needed me out of the house. I hiked for three hours and had a blast! A little lonely, but great, nevertheless. I also was sent out shopping on my own, so I visited Target (without kids) and Borders. What a joy!

Just to catch you up, these pictures of the girls were all taken within the last week. Plus, a picture of my Mother's Day masterpiece, which traumatized Alan. Afterwards, he said, "imagine having three plates of paint on the ground, and trying to keep Jenna out of it." I am at home with them every day, and I DEFINITELY would not have undertaken that task alone. Brave man! Enjoy the pics.

A Mishmash of Updates

In the normal chaos of life, and in the past week, we have had such fun things happening! Let's see, it started when Jenna woke up with pink eye last Monday. This was the second time in less than two months. Fun fun fun! It means constant washing hands, daily bedsheet changing, separate laundry washing, etc. Thank goodness, no one else in the family contracted it, either time.

Jenna is now walking like a crazy kid. She is even learning how to stand up without holding onto anything. Her favorite pastime it to pull all the DVDs off the TV stand. Mackenzie has determined that it is great fun to help, so we find piles of DVDs, several times a day, all over the floor.

Mackenzie, for that matter, is starting to enter her terrible twos. We must have had some sort of delusion when we thought she was too sweet for that. But, we were wrong. Within the last two weeks, she has had at least three timeouts. The first, for a karate chop on Jenna's head. I can't remember the second, and the third for biting me on the back of my leg. (Could that have been avoided if I had listened to her from behind, as she said repeatedly, "Mommy. Mommy. Mommy! Mommy!!) At least Mackenzie sleeps through the night. There's always something positive to find in the midst of the day, right?

Mason has been claiming to have dreams of dogs and giants that scare her. So, she had relocated her bed to the floor of her bedroom. This went on for about a week. Last night, she moved back into her own bed...finally. Or so we thought. When Jenna cried out at 2 AM, I discovered Mason in the middle of our bed. She didn't wake Alan nor me. It seems, after her monster unexpected nap yesterday, she wasn't tired after getting in and out of bed from about 9:30 PM until past 11 PM. Alan and I were exhausted, so we went to bed anyhow. Mason was back in her bed when we retired. Ahhh...what would one night of restful sleep be like?

On Saturday evening, we had our Passover Seder here at our house. We invited our neighbors, Chuck and Mary, from across the street, and our cousin Erica, who lives a couple miles away. It was a fun event for all, and it was truly like a Thanksgiving feast, with all the food. Unfortunately, we forgot to take ANY pictures to commemorate the event.

Mason is at school, Alan is at work, and my two other charges are probably getting into trouble. I must be off until next time. Enjoy the rare pic of Alan and me, as taken by Mason, where we both look halfway decent. :-)

March Like a Lion We Did - All Month Long!

Well, March came and went with a fury, or did it? We saw so much happen in March. First, Deb's parents came for a visit, sort of... They arrived for two days and then we dropped them off at the cruise ship terminal in San Diego. How envious we were, thinking of them walking on to that big ship and a week of complete relaxation. There's just something about having three little kids and not knowing what relaxation can be like, isn't there? So, life went on as usual for the Bice clan. The girls continue to come up with new words, new sounds, and more actions. Jenna started clapping and giving five on demand. She also learned to wave when we said "bye bye."



Then, cousin Tracy came for the first time to our home. She spent two nights with us, overlapping with Grandma and Papa, who returned for another two days, during which we did nothing much...although Mason went to a bowling birthday party and become quite adept at pushing the ball down a slide that she pre-aimed, and ultimately bowled a 99! It was fun to be with all the family, yet relaxing when everyone was gone again.



But, we needed serious help preparing for Jenna's 1st birthday. Yes, her 1st birthday was on the 20th of March. Unbelievable! So, Grandma and Papa came back again, this time for a week. They pitched in and helped with preschool dropoffs and pickups, playing with the girls, baking hamantaschen (a traditional Purim cookie), and running to Costco with Deb, to take advantage of their membership and get food for the party.



On party day, we had a great time. It was in the 80s, and we planned the party to be in our backyard, where the trampoline stands center stage. We had cousins, neighbors, friends, and co-workers here. Will Jenna remember them? Probably not, but it was nice anyhow. She had the cutest bumblebee cake. The picture was taken just before the wings began to melt (they were made of white chocolate). Jenna loved her traditional American lunch of hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and lots of fresh berries. She especially loved decimating her birthday cake. What a mess!



Grandma and Papa stayed on for a few days more, during which time we spent a day and a half at SeaWorld. We saw Shamu, the dolphins, the penguins, polar bears, beluga whales, walruses, the Sesame Street characters, a pet show, and more. It was good fun, especially since it was Mason's first of two weeks on spring break. Unfortunately, Grandma and Papa left, leaving Deb running the show solo again. Such is life right?



We took a day off at home before venturing out to the nearest playground in walking distance. The walk took more than 40 minutes, so it was decided we would stay at the park as long as possible. Four hours later, we trekked home, and by the time Alan called to say he was leaving the office, Deb was done. Ready to hand off the kids. We spent a few hours at the Zoo, later in the week, and then were visited by our Aunt Naomi, Uncle Neil, and cousins Jess and Maddie. Jess and Maddie stayed with us, which was great fun for the girls. Mason had a playmate and can't wait for Maddie's return.



When they left, we went to a Pump it Up party. The girls had a blast jumping on all those big bouncy things. What are they called anyhow? After that, would you believe everybody crashed. We all took a simultaneous nap after the crazy weeks that had preceded this time.



Now that things have slowed down again, we have had a quiet week. We've played some, we've been to the Science Center once, we've run errands (a true chore with three kids), and Jenna has taken her first steps without holding onto furniture. It's been fantastic...and exhausting!



Mason goes back to school on Monday. Hallelujah!



Did we mention also that Alan and Deb joined a softball league? Alan is needed for every game. Deb is an alternate so usually stays home with the kids. Alan has learned that he can field balls at third base like a pro, but can't throw worth anything. He had shoulder surgery back when Mason was a baby after tearing his rotator cuff. It seems he now has wussy strength in that arm (his right, of course). Maybe he'll have to try second base, where the throw isn't so far. Ha ha.



A little too much time has passed between blogs here. Sorry, folks. We just have to make time, so we don't have to write as much the next time. Until then...happy trails to you!

February? Where Did it Go?

Hmmm...so after Mason was accepted to Einstein, what happened during the rest of the month? Jenna somehow contracted pink eye. The source remains a mystery, but we had to give her drops for a week (which she absolutely detested). It ended up in both eyes, but thankfully, no one else caught it. It was a constant hand washing frenzy.

Oh, yes, Jenna also cut her two bottom front teeth. That made for very exciting times, because even though she was already eating table food, she now had the ability to use teeth on it. She even used those teeth to bite mommy one time while nursing. Very uncool.

I almost forget the most important advancement...Alan, while attending a Stammtisch (gathering of people) with other preschool parents (ironically, mostly dads), was pressured to break Jenna of her every 2-hour wakeup calls all night long that Deb was handling. He came home on a Friday night and announced that he would care for Jenna over the next few nights, and she was going to scream, but she would learn to sleep through the night. It was rough, but within five nights, we had success. For the first time since we started having this brood, we have restful nights. Hallelujah!

As for Mackenzie, her vocabulary continues to grow with new words such as "cookie," "bike," "thirsty," "sofa..." It's hard to think of all the wonderful words at 11 PM in the evening. Mackenzie is also excited to let us put little ponytails in her hair now. See the newest hairdo. They don't usually last long, as she loves to pull them out again, but they're fun while they last.

Mason started taking ballet this month and really seems to enjoy it. She knows that ballet is on Tuesdays, and is trying to learn the days of the week. She looks very cute in her little ballet outfit (no pictures yet, though), and listens to her teacher far better than her mom and dad would have imagined. Mason is also becoming a great big sister and helper. She likes to help out with Jenna, and is great at retrieving things for her sisters when mom or dad is unable to do so themselves.

Life can be very enjoyable...at times! :-)

Mason's Interview

On February 6th, we experienced something you only read about and imagine, in a humorous way, under normal circumstances. We had to take Mason to the "big" school for an interview. We are trying to enroll her in the Albert Einstein Academies in San Diego. It is an International Baccalaureate accredited program where the instruction is in both English and in German. The interview was required to demonstrate that Mason can speak fluent German. We know she can. Her teacher in her preschool, Die Rasselbande, knows she can. So, we took Mason for her interview, telling her only that she would be meeting Renate, her teacher, at the "big" school, and should speak Deutsch with her. We were on pins and needles, because there were already more than 200 applicants for 80 kindergarten slots. The slots go first to siblings, then to fluent German speakers, and then it is a lottery. We desperately wanted Mason to prove her ability so we could avoid the lottery. She told me she had sand in her shoes, as we walked to the classroom where Renate was waiting. I suggested to her that she tell Renate this problem "auf Deutsch" (in German), and maybe Renate could help her out. Sure enough, Mason walked in and said in German, "I have sand in my shoes." It was the only complete sentence she said throughout the interview. It was enough. Thank goodness.

Last week, we received our notice that she was accepted to Albert Einstein for kindergarten. There are so many magnet and charter schools out there, it has become very competitive to get your children into any school but your local one. It's a crazy system!

Note: This is our future protege! >>>>>>>>

Disneyworld and Other Fun Events

At the end of January, we packed clothes for warm weather and for cold weather, from swimsuits and sandals to winter boots and snow pants. We flew to Orlando, and in addition to our plan to see Nana, our sole surviving grandparent, we decided to just have fun. We spent two days at Disneyworld and one day at Epcot Center. The kids had a blast at Magic Kingdom, where all the greatest rides are, and the kids could go on so many of them! Mason loved to drive the little drag racing cars. The girls enjoyed riding through Tomorrowland on the train, and way up in the air on rocket ships that we could control. Dumbo was a hit, as was the Toy Story ride where we're moving around shooting at targets like a video game. We saw a show with Mike Wazowski (I can never get his name right) from Monsters, Inc, where he interacted with the audience. Very cool. We saw a 3-D movie where Donald Duck flew over our heads and got stuck with his butt and legs hanging out the back of the theater. Mason thought that was hysterical. We saw an interactive show with Crush, the sea turtle from Finding Nemo. That was definitely cool. We went on a jungle safari ride, climbed a tree house, and so, so much! We also met some great characters including Ariel the Mermaid, Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio, and Jiminy (sp?) Cricket. We all had a great, but exhausting time. Here are some pictures showcasing our time.

From Florida, we flew through Chicago, to Minnesota. We left 80 degrees in Orlando, arrived late in Chicago, after departing late due to a snowstorm in Chicago, being diverted to Indianapolis, because we were low on fuel, and finally getting into Chicago and trying desperately to fly our family of five standby on the last flight to Minneapolis that night. We made it, but there was a lot of headache and chaos involved. Once in Minnesota, we happily crashed at Deb's parents, and let them and Aunt Tammi (pic on left) deal with the kids, who woke earlier than we were ready to wake. We visited with some of our good friends this time. We played at Edinborough Park, a huge indoor play area for kids. We played at the amusement park in the Mall of America. Mason was too small for many of the rides, but could go with a chaperone, which was good. We had an abundance of chaperones! She's about 40 inches tall. She needed to be 42 inches for the "big" rides. Just as well.

Although we had great fun on both legs of this vacation, we do not have any future plans to fly with three kids, their baggage (car seats, strollers, toys, clothes, etc.), and our own baggage, for that matter. It's TOO much work! Not to mention expensive. So, we will happily take driving trips for now. :-)

Recap of January

The New Year began in the most difficult way. First, we were dealt the loss of our dear Zadie, Deb's grandfather, who was 91 years old. While Deb and Jenna were in Florida, attending that funeral, we were dealt another loss, the loss of our Grandma Ida in Minnesota. She was 95. Both grandparents had moved to nursing homes in the past year. We had not yet seen them since our return from Germany, and ironically, had just booked tickets for the end of January, first to fly to Florida, and then to Minnesota, with the primary purpose of visiting all grandparents. Unfortunately, these two forgot to check in with us first. (If only it were that simple.) All five of us flew to Minnesota for Grandma Ida's funeral. To the right is Jenna with our Nana, our last living grandparent. Down below are pictures of our kids with Deb's cousin's kids, and then a picture of us with Deb's first cousins. These represent the good moments that were spent with family during such sad times.

Next up...what happened when we went to Florida and Minnesota...again!

A "re"-introduction to the Bice girls

For those who have been anticipating this website for months and months (maybe even years), we've decided to blog. Not as pretty as a homemade, personalized website, but better than nothing, right?

The girls are growing like kids do when they're 4 1/2, 21 months, and 11 months. See?

That's Jenna on top, followed by...

A rare display of sisterly love between Mason and Mackenzie...