Milestones

Annah had a small milestone today--at least Mommy saw it as one.  Annah walked all the way from the Post Office back to our house holding Mommy's hand today.  That's the farthest she's really walked (actually traveling to some place) like that.  Yes, I'm a very sentimental sap, thank you! ;)

    

In other news:  My new little business of hand-crocheted items is open for customers!  The website is still very much under construction, but is up enough for people to take a look if you want to!  Here it is: www.craftedwithcare.com  Check it out, pass it on, and please give any constructive feedback you have--positive or not-so!  It is much needed!  Thank you!

Annah likes to crochet too...  ;)

Saint Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Is it time for spring yet?  We're sure ready for it!
    
Jeremy spent the entire 3-day weekend being Daddy and Mommy!  And, he did a great job--even cooked, cleaned, and took care of Annah all by himself!  On Friday, I had the opportunity to attend the Hearts At Home National Conference for stay-at-home moms, which happens to be held here in Normal, Illinois.  It was thoroughly enjoyable, encouraging, inspiring, uplifting, educational, and energizing!   In fact, I hope to attend both days next year!  
    
After I got home from the conference and put Annah in bed, I came down with the flu.  So, Jeremy got to spend Saturday and most of Sunday too taking care of her and Annah and the house.  I'm feeling mostly better now, thank goodness.
      
Annah decided last night in the middle of the night that she was suddenly scared of her bed.  She didn't sleep much at all during the night, and refused to nap this morning either.  We decided that problem wasn't going to last.  She slept in her bed for 3 hours this afternoon and is sleeping there soundly at this moment.  Whew!

Water, water, everywhere and all the boards did shrink!

Our basement is flooded with hundreds (maybe thousands?) of gallons of water this morning.  The only thing we can do is try to bail it out with the wet-dry vac, but it is coming in through the floor in fountains!   And, it's not even raining outside.

Website, Weather, Wishes

Well, the site should be shaping up quite a bit now!   I'm having fun playing with FrontPage Editor.  You should notice some changes in the site soon, if you haven't already.  Please excuse the in-the-meantime/in-between sloppiness!  Our counter site is temporarily down, so we're surely missing some hits getting counted, but hopefully it'll be back up soon.  We're having patience with them for now. ;)
     
We had snow over the past couple weeks, and even lost power for 12 hours last Saturday night.  That was fun.  But, now it is in the 50°-60° range.  I guess "they" do always say that if you don't like mid-western weather, just wait around for couple hours and it will change!  
     
Best wishes to both of Annah's Grandma's.  We hope you're feeling better soon!!
     
Congratulations to Pastor Todd and Kim and big brother Adam on the arrival of their beautiful new baby, Jillian Grace, born February 28!

Rising Stars

We love to go to Rising Stars Academy during their toddler open gym!

COLOR!

Annah's favorite thing to do now is, "COLOR, COLOR, COLOR!!!"  She walks around the house with a marker (cap on because she doesn't know how to take it off yet, and doesn't care to yet) looking for "papey" (paper).  

     

And she loves to wear her purple leopard "sippers!"

And her Libby's Lids hat!

Jeremy is taking his 6th C.L.U. exam as I type this, so hopefully he's doing well on it!  How would you like a test on Life Insurance Law?  Ick!

---------     

UPDATE:  Hallelujah!  There is joy and dancing at the Lopshire household tonight!!  Jeremy not only passed his exam today; he was notified that he's receiving a promotion!  Yahoo!!!!!  :-D

Mommy instead of Mama

   

We hope you had a nice Valentine's Day yesterday.  We'd like to say a BIG congratulations to our friends Aaron and Marcy on their extremely romantic engagement on the radio in Columbus yesterday!  Our best wishes to you!

     

Here in Illinois, things are pretty calm.  Annah had a bit of a rough week.  She had a nasty cold for a few days, though not much of a bad reaction from her vaccinations.  She is doing better now though.  

This week she learned how to say, "Mommy," instead of "Mama."  And, she can repeat back all of her ABC's!  She has trouble with "N," since it seems a lot like "M," but her "W" is actually kind of impressive! ;)  She can also recognize a few numbers, and a few colors too.

She loves to play in her cupboard, and has discovered she can fit in there and hide from Mommy!

I'm working on a new website for my new crochet business out of our home--www.craftedwithcare.com.  Stay tuned for more details coming soon!

15 months

     Annah had her 15-month well-baby visit with her doctor yesterday.  She finally  weighs20 pounds! and 14 oz.  Now we can turn the carseat around to face forward...as soon as we find that instruction manual.  ;)  Annah is also 31 inches tall.  She is in the 25% range for weight and just above average for height.  She had 3 shots yesterday: DTap, MMR, and Verivax (Chicken Pox).  She's doing pretty well so far; maybe just a little fever.  But, the doctor and nurses said 2 of the shots have a delayed reaction, so we should be on guard through next week.  

Annah practices her walking most all of the time now, hardly ever crawling or doing the "one leg scoot" at all.  She tells Mommy  and Daddy, "La-loo" (I love you.) without being asked for it now sometimes.  That sure melts our hearts!!!!

Annah and Daddy went for a walk outside this week.

     

Over the weekend, our friends Matt and Suzanne came to visit us.  It was so wonderful to see them and have them here for a while!  We really appreciate them making such a long trip out of their way "on the way back" from Wisconsin to Columbus. :)  Thank you Suzanne and Matt! 

Playing around in January

This is Annah's cupboard between the refrigerator and oven.  She loves to take everything out, put it all back in, throw things around and play, play, play while I cook.

Annah loves her Tigga-Tigga-Tigga!

 Annah tried on some Libby's Lids outfits.

playing with magnets on the 'fridge

reading books with Uncle Trav and Aunt Erin

Krampa loves to read to Annah.

So does Grandma L

walking with Daddy

Annah's First Steps

SHE'S WALKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     Yep, she's walking!!  Annah took her first steps by herself today!!!! This evening, she walked, without coaxing, a few steps--from the table to Mommy.  Then after supper, she walked all over the living room for more than an hour!!  She was so excited about walking, too!  She would walk a ways and then start panting and doing what Jeremy calls the "bear crawl" (walking with her hands and feet on the floor, and her "bum" in the air) for a ways, then she'd go back to walking.  She was having a blast!  (As Taryn was video-taping, taking pictures, cheering and crying all at the same time.)  We had started helping her walk around the circle inside our house this week.  Apparently that was just what she needed to help her get over the fear of walking and helped her realize she could do it by herself.  So, (*sniff*) our baby is an actual toddler now!
  

Saying "Laloo" (I love you.)