--well, we started out the month being sick sick sick! sierra got that monster stomach virus and threw up in her sleep on tuesday night…twice. stayed up with her for a couple hours to make sure she didn’t do it again before going back to bed. the next day she was out of it, didn’t want to eat, and every time she nursed, she threw it back up. by thursday, aidan had it, and that afternoon we went to see the doctor…hoping for medicine…but really knowing it was viral and we wouldn’t get any. they both had the nasty bug, and the doctor said i’d probably be next. on the way home…yep, i was next. spent the rest of the day cleaning up after sick kids (both ends), running to the bathroom, and being completely exhausted since i couldn’t keep anything down either. by the weekend, we were better. thankfully (and not thankfully) billy had duty on thursday (the worst day of it all) and missed the whole thing. by the time he got back on friday evening, he never caught it…however, he wasn’t there to help either. i truly think that thursday was one of the worst days ever.
--now on to more pleasant things… :)
--sierra has many new accomplishments these days. for a while she was doing this fake cry thing. i think she thought it would get her more attention, however, it didn’t really work since i knew nothing was wrong, and she’s already stopped that little drama.
--something she started that’s super cute, is what we call the “scrunchy face.” aidan did the same thing when he was her age. i think it’s a face that i make at my kids, cause they both have learned to make it back at me.--another of her latest feats is dancing. when she hears music, she’ll bounce up and down and nod her head. and she’ll do it kneeling, standing, or even being held. it’s really cute. she also claps, waves, and plays peek-a-boo. she still claps with her head tilted most of the time, which just makes it cuter. she waves with whole arm action, just the hand, and even waves at herself sometimes. for peek-a-boo, she doesn’t use her hands, she hides. she hides behind some piece of furniture, and then looks around and laughs!
--she has started letting go when she’s standing up. she doesn’t go anywhere, but down, though not always right away. she can let go and balance before squatting herself down slowly…she doesn’t fall (always), and she doesn’t have to drop down immediately either (usually.)
--another favorite of hers lately, is emptying things. she likes to empty the diaper bag…over the edge of the shopping cart, onto the floor. she likes to empty the tupperware cabinet in the kitchen…and crawl in, trying to get up on the shelf. she likes to empty drawers of clothes or toys, one piece at a time, (not so) carefully depositing them on the floor, looking at each item as she lets go of it. :)--her vocabulary is progressing. she makes a lot more sounds…and LOVES to hear herself. she’s started “singing” lately, and she does it loudly. pretty funny. she says, “bye-bye,” “da-da,” and “ma-ma.” when she hears billy come in, she starts calling him…too sweet.
--sierra turned 9months on the 22nd. she has slowed down in her rate of growth a bit…she’s 28.5” long, which is in the 74th %tile, and 18#10oz, which is in the 45th %tile. i think the drop in weight is due to our sicknesses…we all lost a bit of weight in those couple days…and when you weigh less than 20pounds, then any drop is significant. i’d say she would normally be at about 19.5pounds, which is in the 57th %tile, and since she’s eating really well again, i think we’ll be back up for her next appointment.
--easter was really fun this year. besides the fact that they both looked totally and completely adorable in their outfits that weekend, we also had a good time. 
--we dyed eggs for the first time this year...we'd skipped it for the past couple years since aidan wasn't old enough to even try it. he loved it. of course we made a little mess, but we were prepared for that...and the eggs ended up looking really nice!
--the day before easter, the kids and i (billy had duty) went to an event sponsored by the base near our house. it was at the base stables (which i didn’t know existed). they had pony rides, a hay ride, picture-taking with the easter bunny, and an easter egg hunt. they both had a good time, but aidan really did. the only thing sierra did was the hay ride and the picture…though she had fun watching everything, and sleeping through the egg hunt.
--aidan rode “da black horse” all by himself…looking very manly in his helmet. the hay ride was pretty fun with lots of bumps!
--they looked too cute on the pink pony with the easter bunny. sierra was either trying to grab the pony’s mane, or grab the easter bunny. we had to take LOTS of pictures just to get
a couple good ones.
--aidan didn’t quite get the fact that the egg hunt was a race. he spent more time crawling on fallen trees and playing with sticks, than looking for eggs. so much so, that he found zero eggs!!! he didn’t seem to mind though…and he wasn’t the only little one who found nothing. they gave him a treat anyway, so he was happy. :)
--the day before easter, the kids and i (billy had duty) went to an event sponsored by the base near our house. it was at the base stables (which i didn’t know existed). they had pony rides, a hay ride, picture-taking with the easter bunny, and an easter egg hunt. they both had a good time, but aidan really did. the only thing sierra did was the hay ride and the picture…though she had fun watching everything, and sleeping through the egg hunt.
--aidan rode “da black horse” all by himself…looking very manly in his helmet. the hay ride was pretty fun with lots of bumps!--they looked too cute on the pink pony with the easter bunny. sierra was either trying to grab the pony’s mane, or grab the easter bunny. we had to take LOTS of pictures just to geta couple good ones.
--aidan didn’t quite get the fact that the egg hunt was a race. he spent more time crawling on fallen trees and playing with sticks, than looking for eggs. so much so, that he found zero eggs!!! he didn’t seem to mind though…and he wasn’t the only little one who found nothing. they gave him a treat anyway, so he was happy. :)
--on easter sunday we went to church, where again they looked adorable. since billy had duty the day before, the easter bunny didn't come until nap time sunday...he has a flexible schedule, apparently! ;) anyhow, kiddos loved their toys and the easter egg hunt in the back yard. 
--sierra was content to chew on her toys, leaves, grass, etc, while adian looked for eggs. (he found a few more this time...haha.) one of aidan's toys that the bunny left was a jumprope. he was too cute trying to do it. he'd hold the handles and the rope would be on the ground, and he'd jump back and forth over the rope, without turning it.
--again this month, aidan was helping daddy with the house projects. he helped destroy the bathroom wall for our new tub. he had a ball smashing tile off the wall. and he just looked so cute with his miniature hammer (which used to be billy’s.)
--sierra was content to chew on her toys, leaves, grass, etc, while adian looked for eggs. (he found a few more this time...haha.) one of aidan's toys that the bunny left was a jumprope. he was too cute trying to do it. he'd hold the handles and the rope would be on the ground, and he'd jump back and forth over the rope, without turning it.--again this month, aidan was helping daddy with the house projects. he helped destroy the bathroom wall for our new tub. he had a ball smashing tile off the wall. and he just looked so cute with his miniature hammer (which used to be billy’s.)
--we had a playdate with our friends at the park one day. we went with málie (molly-AY) and kala’i (ka-LA-ee), and their mom nani. sierra, again, enjoyed trying to eat the grass and wood chips. aidan and kala'i had a blast! they were chasing each other, screaming, and tumbling down the slide together. they even shared a sandwich at the mini picnic table. it was cute.
--aidan is officially potty trained!!! yea!!!!!!!!!!!!! he (usually) will tell me every time he needs to go…either kind. there are times he gets distracted or engrossed in something, and we’ll have an accident…or he’ll wait so long that by the time he tells me he can’t quite make it to the potty in time. but still we’re doing well, so i’m not complaining (too much, that is.)
--aidan and i have been working on different concepts this month. he’s learning about yesterday versus before. if he’s ever done something before, he says he did it “yesterday.” how cute is that? (i had trouble with yesterday/tomorrow for a long time.) another confusing concept is why/why not. at first, he was asking me “why not” when he should say “why.” he’s learned that one, and now says “why, mommy, why???”
--aidan is officially potty trained!!! yea!!!!!!!!!!!!! he (usually) will tell me every time he needs to go…either kind. there are times he gets distracted or engrossed in something, and we’ll have an accident…or he’ll wait so long that by the time he tells me he can’t quite make it to the potty in time. but still we’re doing well, so i’m not complaining (too much, that is.)
--aidan and i have been working on different concepts this month. he’s learning about yesterday versus before. if he’s ever done something before, he says he did it “yesterday.” how cute is that? (i had trouble with yesterday/tomorrow for a long time.) another confusing concept is why/why not. at first, he was asking me “why not” when he should say “why.” he’s learned that one, and now says “why, mommy, why???”
--one concept that’s particularly tough in our family is our actual family. both billy and i have step parents and step siblings. try explaining to a three year-old how grammy is daddy’s mommy, but grammy’s husband (poppy) isn’t daddy’s daddy…it’s grandpa…who lives with grandma. wow…gets confusing even for adults to figure out. he does understand who our sisters are, that he has a sister, that he’s a brother, that i’m a wife…though he thinks daddy is a wife too. any kids he sees on a playground are “aidan’s friends,” and any of our friends that we see, he calls his friends too!
--the thing i’m having trouble with the most this month is the arguing. he argues with me about nearly everything i say. i can ask him to do something, and he’ll whine and argue that he doesn’t want to. i’ll ask him to stop doing something that he’s doing, and he’ll whine and argue that he’s not actually doing it. not that he doesn’t want to stop, that he’s not doing what he’s doing!!! in the three year-old mind, if he says it, it must be true…he’s not actually lying, he’s trying to please me (cause inevitably, i get the “mommy’s happy???” question, just to make sure), he says he’s not doing the annoying thing, so that means he’s not doing the annoying thing…right?????? ;)
--just a bit more…aidan’s latest sayings include: “i don’t think so, mommy,” “what’s going on here?” “you love to help me /to give me juice/ to do it,” “put on these her” (put these on her), “you’re not will” (you will not), “aidan’s upset,” and “i’m not a monster.”
--the thing i’m having trouble with the most this month is the arguing. he argues with me about nearly everything i say. i can ask him to do something, and he’ll whine and argue that he doesn’t want to. i’ll ask him to stop doing something that he’s doing, and he’ll whine and argue that he’s not actually doing it. not that he doesn’t want to stop, that he’s not doing what he’s doing!!! in the three year-old mind, if he says it, it must be true…he’s not actually lying, he’s trying to please me (cause inevitably, i get the “mommy’s happy???” question, just to make sure), he says he’s not doing the annoying thing, so that means he’s not doing the annoying thing…right?????? ;)
--just a bit more…aidan’s latest sayings include: “i don’t think so, mommy,” “what’s going on here?” “you love to help me /to give me juice/ to do it,” “put on these her” (put these on her), “you’re not will” (you will not), “aidan’s upset,” and “i’m not a monster.”
