My Best, Best Buddy

Emma Claire:

"You're my best best friend, Arnold...

I love you, Arnold...I don't ever want you to get lost in the woods or a monster to swallow you."

Christmas

Hope all of your Christmas wishes came true...

American Girls 2011

Three very luck and happy girls... Diane treated the cousins to our annual American Girls Christmas outing this weekend. We had lunch at the bistro with the dolls, dropped them off at the spa for hairstyling and then shopped.

Emma Claire chose a matching outfit for herself and Rosie - a fuzzy bunny robe and bunny slippers. Since that day, she has worn her robe and bunny slippers every night.

Thank you to Grandee for another special trip to what is a little girls paradise.

Arnold Slays Dragon

Santas of Christmas Past

~2008~

~2009~

~2010~

~2011~

Santa 2011

Emma Claire, Arnold and I went on our annual outing to the downtown Minneapolis Macy's Christmas display. Again this year, it was "A day in the Life of an Elf". Arnold loved all of the lights and moving parts. Emma Claire loved the elves and Mrs Claus. We are pretty sure that is what it is like where Marfa lives.

At the end, we had the opportunity to visit with Santa. Emma Claire went into full freak out mode. Not a chance was she sitting on his lap. Arnold was marginally better. He was less than thrilled, but didn't have the panic attack that Emma Claire did.

Yet another year of an unsuccessful attempt(s) to get both kids in a single photo with Santa.

Day 7

Found Marfa in the pantry this morning. She had been into the marshmallows...constructed a marshmallow snowman.

Day 6

Life Through the Eyes of a 3 Year Old

Emma Claire asked to take pictures with my iPhone one day. I enjoyed her perspective.

A budding photographer???

Arnold and Sophie

One of the 20+ reasons Sophie is getting fatter...

Arnold

Arnold was awfully quiet, so I went to see what he was up to...

A Dog house for Rudy

We celebrated Christmas in Alabama on Thanksgiving and Rowie and Opa shipped the toys north for us. They arrived in a BIG box, which was creatively decorated and converted into a "doghouse for Rudy", complete with bedding. (so far, Rudy has not taken to it).

Christmas Magic

Meet "Marfa", our Elf (on the Shelf)...

She came to us this week, straight from the North Pole. She is a magical elf. We adopted her and Emma Claire named her. Every night, she goes back to the North Pole to give Santa a "naughty or nice" report for Emma Claire and Arnold. Every morning, she appears in a different spot in the house, so Emma Claire and Arnold have to search for her new watching post.

So far, we think most of the reports have been good ones. Although, Emma Claire is afraid Arnold may get a lump of coal "because he hitted me" and Marfa probably saw that one.

The "rule" is that kids cannot touch her (only grown ups, if she has gotten into mischief).

Our first week with Marfa...

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Marfa is becoming mischievous...she turned our milk PINK!

Day 4

move over tree topper Santa!

Day 5

Marfa got into the cuties

MAGIC!

Tree Skirt

Emma Claire: "Our Christmas tree at school doesn't have a tutu like ours at home does".

O, Christmas Tree

This is the very first year we have put up a live Christmas tree. We said goodbye to the artificial one and donated it to Goodwill.

I LOVE the real tree. Emma Claire had fun hanging ornaments and Arnold had fun breaking them (round ornament = ball, in his mind).

Supper with Santa 2011, Brookview

Emma Claire is working through her fear of Santa this year, mostly because she REALLY wants a "pink disney princess scooter".

She still is afraid of "beards", but after a short panic attack when he arrived,

she had the courage to sit with Santa with best friend, Addie.

Arnold is not pictured with Santa, because he threw up all over Brad just after Santa arrived (which leads to another story of shared stomach flu in the Kadue house this weekend).

Daddy's Boy

Arnold loves his daddy. Without fail, he will always choose Brad over me. There is no other person that he would rather be with.

Playing

There is nothing I love more than seeing Emma Claire and Arnold play together. That is what siblings are all about, right? Having a playmate for life. Now... they don't always get along, but most of the time, they do. Emma Claire is very much in charge and is always looking out for Arnold. Arnold has pretty much always just followed her lead, but recently, is learning to hold his own.

Halloween

Was so much fun this year...

The kids had lots of opportunities to wear their costumes...Westwood Nature Center, All Saints Carnival, Costume Day at school.

Our tradition has been to trick or treat with Addie. It was at our place this year. Suzanne and I took the girls out in the neighborhood (Brooks and Arnold tagged along in the strollers). Emma Claire and Addie trick or treated for Unicef. They got pretty good at their pitch by the end of the night. "Please may we have coins for the sick kids". The most memorable line of the night for me was by Emma Claire. Addie did the pitch at a neighbor's door: "Please may we have money for the sick kids". Emma Claire chimed in: "I'm sick."

Arnold's First Haircut

The finished product...

Banter

Jenn, one of Emma Claire's teachers happens to be an Auburn alum. She is also a football fan. Ole Miss plays Auburn on Saturday.

Note Brad's response to the following:

"Hi Dino Parents,
After our conference last week both Cristy and I were talking about the children and the dinamics within the room. We feel like it would be best for us to start a zero tolerance policy with our children. We started implimenting it this week and are already starting to see some results. We have asked both Becky and Margaret to help us with this.
Zero tolerance is basically once a rule is stated to the child and they continue to disobey that rule they are automatically told to walk away from the area and take a break. We have rules at school to keep children safe and to make sure everyone is able to have fun. We are no longer giving two, three or four reminders. We feel like three and four year olds should be able to remember the rules to keep everyone safe and be able to have a fun time.
We highly suggest to make this easier on the child to start practicing this at home as well. We are all here for support and encouragement! Please let us know if there are any questions or concerns!
Teacher Jenn and Teacher Cristy"

"Thanks for the update. We certainly support this and will be consistent at home. I will say that the zero tolerance policy has been effective for us with Emma Claire at home and this is a good reminder to us to be consistent.

Thanks for all that you are doing!

-Emily"

"I concur with Emily’s sentiments, though let me add that for this week only we’ve told her it’s OK to curse if it’s pursuant to “Hotty Toddy”. We’ve also told her it’s OK to play rough with any stuffed Tigers or Eagles that may be at school. And finally, she’s only to use Red and Blue paints this week…no Navy or Orange. Thank you.

Bradley Kadue"

Halloween Costumes

Tuna - rainbow
Bean - a rainbow cloud


I was enlightened this week with the news that Bean is a boy... Who knew?!

Halloween Dress Rehersal

Last night, we went to the Westwood Nature Center Annual Halloween Party. This was the first time we had been and I think we may make it an annual event. Emma Claire and Arnold really enjoyed it.

Emma Claire has been excited about the Halloween Party for days. When she woke up yesterday morning (still groggy), the first words out of her mouth were "we're going to be late for the party!". She was in heaven when it was time to get dressed. It was like magic when she put on her Sleeping Beauty costume. She played the part. Arnold magically turned into a prince and she definitely felt like a real princess.

When Arnold had a loud fall, Emma Claire rushed to his side and told him "it's OK, Arnold, don't worry... I'm a princess!". There was much excitement (noise) and energy in the house.
Arnold is the cutest skunk I have ever seen "P-U", said Emma Claire. He was certainly the happiest skunk I have ever seen.

At the party, we walked through the nature trail and Emma Claire filled her pumpkin with treats from all sorts of animals and nature creatures (there was even the North Star). She did not like the red fox one bit, but I think we've come a long way with costumes since last Halloween. There were games and music (Emma Claire and Arnold both enjoyed dancing - I think Emma Claire liked it because that's what real princesses do).

We are looking forward to a fun Halloween.

Reading to Calin

Sophie

Livin' the good life..

Project Arnold Cam

The Arnold cam has been broken for a while now. Brad and Arnold are on it.

Mornings

Emma Claire is far from a morning person, so we have learned to approach her mornings with routine. It is just best for everyone present (and I have learned this through trial and error) if: Arnold does not sit in the orange highchair in the mornings, if I give her a polka dot spoon, if the Ipad is allowed and if we sort of just give her time to wake up. She, and now Arnold, sit at the end of the island and watch whatever the favorite cartoon of the week may be. Oh, it is also best if Arnold is just far enough away that he can't touch her. Arnold, on the other hand, wakes up with a smile on his face and a pep in his step.

Fallen Leaves

Emma Claire has been asking for weeks now if it is Fall yet and when are we going to be able to make a leaf pile. At last...