Family- March 2010



STACEYALECK.COM	Amanda Rachel & Robin Beatrice Amanda was born on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 at 3:16 pm Robin was born on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 9:24 pm March 2010 At the end of last month, Robin was almost crawling. Well, this month has been an explosion of development. She not only started crawling at the very beginning of the month, she also began pulling herself up to a standing position, cruising, and even climbed a stair. She was moved into the next room at her daycare because she is such a good crawler. She is one of the youngest in her class now, as most of the other kids there are older and are even starting to walk. Robin is moving very fast and we are not quite sure what to do about it. This is all new to us, as Amanda didn't move independently until she was close to ten months old, and even then we had to force her to learn. Robin needs no external motivation, apparently. We assume she is just trying to keep up with her big sister. Another development that surprised us was Robin's first teeth. Amanda didn't get any until she was almost a year old, so we were not at all expecting to see anything for a while. Robin seems to like them, though, and often makes various noises with her tongue and teeth. Most exciting this month was Amanda's first ballet recital. It was a bit like organized chaos shrouded in pink leotards, but it was fantastic. We have many, many pictures and videos from it. Amanda was happy with the recital, but didn't understand that this meant that ballet was over. That was a sad day the following week when she had to accept that there was no more ballet. We also celebrated Aleck's birthday this month. Amanda and Robin were instrumental in making a spectacular birthday cake. In addition, we also celebrated Passover, both at the temple with Tot Seder and also with family. We also spent a little time outside and enjoyed a visit with Grandpa Dave and Aunt Lois.







	Robin is 7 Months Old!
	Time for a photo shoot!










	Robin offers to help Amanda with any paper eating needs she may have.


	Overheard this month
	Stacey:	"Please be a good listener."
	Amanda:	"Ok, I’ll try. But sometimes I don’t hear so good."




	Robin thinks: "How can I best make my parents crazy?"


	I can climb into the dishwasher and try to grab the knives!



	I can crawl into the pantry and attempt to pull myself up on a box of crackers, risking falling and cracking my jaw on the wood below!



	I can pull up on the chair that swivels easily and on which I frequently lose my grip!



	I can continuously hang out on the stairs... and finally learn how to ascend! (She might have kept going up had we not stopped her.)



	I can pull up on the coffee table and force them to find higher ground for all of their valuables!



	Overheard this month
	“That fence is a little bit dead.”



	Sleepy Eater


	Our dinner conversation must be pretty boring.




	Spring Has Sprung

	Amanda finds the lone remaining bulb blooming in a sea of weeds. She's an optimist, I suppose.



	Robin tries out the swing. She likes it!
	And yes, at first glance it does look like those are her enormously disproportionate feet.

	Click here for a video of Robin swinging (video is 27 seconds)



	Overheard this month
	“I took off my nametag. You guys know I’m Amanda.”



	Time For School!


	Amanda's school had a visit from the animal shelter.



	Amanda and Casey build a town; Amanda the lefty tries to use righty scissors.









	Painting with celery; Making red paint; Making a matzah cover.





	Robin Goes Green




	Thanks to Sean for this wholly appropriate loan of a shirt.



	Overheard this month
	Reading a book about a school of fish: “Where’s the teacher?”



	Watch Out World, Robin Has TEETH!
	Two of them, even, poking through on the bottom.






	Happy Birthday, Aleck!


	Amanda and Stacey make the cake (with some help from Robin steadying the step stool).



	Then Nathan, Tonya, Elijah and Maggie help us eat the cake.



	Overheard this month
	Stacey:	"It’s not nice to keep secrets."
	Amanda:	"I keep secrets from myself."



	A Visit with Grandpa Dave and Aunt Lois












	This is what happens when Aunt Lois sits in the back seat of the car with a camera.


	Overheard this month
	Amanda:	"What was your favorite part of the day, Mommy?"
	Stacey:	"Having lunch with you."
	Amanda:	"No, that’s not right. See if you can try again."





	Amanda's Ballet Recital


	She has grace like no other.


	Click here for a video of Amanda doing her ballet moves (video is 34 seconds)

	Click here for a video showcasing Amanda's raw talent (video is 11 seconds)














	Amanda is third from the left.



	Amanda is the one greatly displaying her flowers (right in her friend's face).


	Overheard this month
	Running by herself: "I’m almost winning!"





	Some Cute Pictures of Some Cute Kids





	Overheard this month
	"Guess what? Tomorrow we can pretend it’s my birthday for real!"





	Amanda decided to put underwear on her duck and Robin's old shoes on her monsters.



	Lotsa Matzah. Happy Passover!

	The Annual Tot Seder at the temple. Of course, there were frog hats abound as the kids got to recreate one of the 10 plagues.


	Amanda made a hat for herself and then one for Robin.






	Amanda turned her sister into a Gangsta Frog.


	Overheard this month: Behind The Wheel
	In the parking lot: "I see your car. It’s right there. It’s the one that looks like your car!"
	"Keep pedaling the car until you see the building we’re going to."



	Seder with family, expertly led by Samantha and Emma









	Amanda the princess with her tiara, gown, shoes, and... flag.


	Overheard this month
	To Aleck: “I don’t really like to be like you.”




	See all of these pictures and more at our photo gallery