The Hardmans

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Some Christmas

Instead of gingerbread houses, we decided to make Christmas trees.

Cousin Amelia and Anika

Cute neighbor

Anika's tree with Seth in the background

Some home made Christmas cards

Anika won a chocolate Santa on Christmas Eve

She and 3 of her cousins each found an almond in his/her bowl of rice cream.
Mondel Presong = Almond Surprise

Family!

Nativity

Angel Anika

My cousins and aunt singing during the nativity.

My sis-in-law and my two brothers

More nativity with Seth as Baby Jesus

Maybe Anika knew she would be more likely to convince Santa that she had, in fact,
been an angel all year if she kept her halo on.

Seth's first time with Santa

Seth's new ride!

Anika's new ride!

Seth @ 11 Months

(this post was written around early December)

Seth is growing up so fast. It is so fun to see all of the new things he can do and figure out,

but it is a little bittersweet too.

Just today he started walking! He has done one step a few times, but today he did a few steps a few times. That's when I think it is official, but not really effective or stable yet.

I have noticed that if Anika or I try to hand him something and he doesn't want it but we seem to think that he just hasn't noticed or something, he will eventually take it from us, and then throw it.

Seth tries to put hats on his head and shoes and socks on his feet. I usually set him down on the landing while Anika and I get our shoes on, and a few times he has gone over to the basket, pulled his shoes out, and tried to put one on (which is mostly just holding his shoe out and on his foot). It is very fun to watch him figure things out like that. One time he was struggling with his sock not going on his foot and then he pressed it into my hand for me to do it.

He is really good at scooting down the stairs on his tummy (feet first, or course), but he still isn't proficient enough for me to feel comfortable about taking the gates down. He gets very upset when we put up or shut our gates. I love watching him crawl over to the top of the stairs and then turning around to start scooting down.

Seth laughs at the most random things. He laughs when he pulls my hair, when he tackles Anika, when he climbs the stairs or drops something.

He is really into peek-a-boo right now. Seth and Anika like to wrestle. I am not sure what to call it but they are both on the floor climbing, nudging, pushing against each other...

Unfortunately he is starting to throw tantrums. He is also already starting to look at me while he is doing something naughty (like standing on the couch and pulling on the tree decorations) and give me an ear to ear grin or just laugh.

Animated Anika

(started this post a few months ago, so it isn't current)

For show-and-tell during preschool the other day, Anika chose a book to share. When she came up to tell us about it, she told the other children, "Okay, sit down. I'm the teacher." Then she started reading the book to them.

One day I came out of Seth's room after putting him down for a nap. Anika was at the top of the stairs holding her little toy chair. I asked what she was doing and she told me she needed it to get a sucker. When I went downstairs, I found this:

I love that the stool is on the chair... not.

And, yes, she was preparing to add her other little chair to her climbing structure.

We have been so glad to have some nice days lately. We were out in our

backyard the other day and Anika wanted to play "Sacrament meeting." I encouraged her to play nursery instead, but she insisted. She moved our storage seat over to be the podium and found a shovel for the microphone.

She began, "Today we are going to have sacrament meeting and then nursery.

Now we are going to have a prayer." She couldn't figure out how to hold the microphone and fold her arms. This is what she came up with:

Friday, November 16, 2012

Family Pictures

I've been wanting some new, official family pictures forever.

I finally made an appointment with a photographer. Then I cancelled it and had my sister

take some pictures of us. She isn't a photographer but has a really nice camera, and I think

she did a good job. Here are some of my favorites:

A good bad picture

A bit random, but kind of fun

We struggled a bit with the pictures all 4 of us were in... :)

Monday, October 15, 2012

My cuppy-cake

Lately Anika and I like to say to each other, "You're my cuppy-cake."

We love the song that Sam sings.

Notice Anika's new purse...?

Oh, wait. That's not really a purse! It is a paper with 3 headbands on it.

Now the green one is all stretched out.

I found her wearing her new "purse" at Kid-to-Kid.

What a cute and creative $10 purse :P

Anika got traced at preschool. I figured this might be the best way to save it :)

She is sure a character!

This is Anika's Anika cookie.

She also got to make this at preschool. So fun :)

We moved Anika back into her toddler bed. It has been soooo much

better this time around. She will even wake up in the morning,

and stay in her room reading books.

For the last month or two she has usually been calling me, "Lina."

Seth is 9 months old!

Seth at 9 months:

Weight - 22lbs 3.5oz (86%)

Length - 28.75ish squirmy inches (63%)

Head circumference - 17.9" (62%)

Seth has been a very busy boy these last few months.

He spent all kinds of time being sweet,

perfecting his crawl,

pulling to stand everywhere,

and mastering the stairs.

Now we have to keep the stairs blocked off. He is a champ when it comes to climbing up, but he doesn't know how to go down and doesn't quite understand that he can't just stop and sit anytime.

One of his very most favorite things is the vacuum! I often just leave it out (usually lying down) for him to play with. He has been known to bring vacuum attachments along to cuddle while I nurse him, and would surely take them to bed if I would let him. Unlike some other kids, he cries when I turn the vacuum off.