Chick or Cheet

Chick or Cheet is how Cori was saying Trick or Treat last night. After two houses she had the idea and was running from house to house. I could see the wheels turning in her head, "ok, Chick or Cheet, they give me something, thank you much and i'm outta here!"

Cori was singing and doing her bee impression all through the neighborhood. I guess maybe i should back up and explain that we went to Kerry and Scott's house in Englewood for trick or treat night. It is easier for us as we get to see the kids in their costumes, Cori has someone to trick or treat with, and Adam's shop isn't too far from Kerry's house so he can get off work and come right to trick or treat with us.

Mom was a HOOT!!! That is her in the Cruella DeVille costume!

Shots and a Check-up

Cori had her 18 month check up today and Adam and i went with her. I made Adam come because i knew she was getting shots today and i had to hold her the last two times for them, so it was his turn this time. And it isn't fun to hold Cori while she gets her shots. She cries GREAT BIG tears and it breaks your heart. I am sure that it isn't a picnic for her either.

She weighs 23 pounds, and is 30 inches tall. She had moved from the 25th percentile to the 30th! Whoo hoo! Now i guess i get to brag a little... the doctor told us that Cori is off the charts developmentally. She knows about 100 words now, can use a fork and spoon, knows her body parts and animal sounds and is quite the little chatterbox. She can stack about 6 blocks at a time, walk backwards, read books to herself (well, Cori's version of reading) and run. She is also using sentences from time to time. Two nights ago, she told Adam and i that she needed a snack. "Umm, i need a snack". We made her repeat it just to be sure.

So now that i have bragged shamelessly about my smart kid, i hope that she never feels like i am pressuring her. I just want her to be the healthy, happy kid she is now for a long long time.

Cori's Pumpkin Purse

This is a picture of Cori and her new Pumpkin Purse that her granny made for her. We received it today in the mail. Cori had been carrying around old purses of mine, but now she has her very own purse to put her things into. Thank you Granny!! Cori just woke up from her nap so she still looks a little sleepy.

It's a Miracle of Technology!

So Adam bought this thing for $25 and now i can download pictures right to the computer from my camera. No more going to the grocery and copying them to disk. I hope you enjoy these. They are pics of Cori singing into her microphone and picts from the Pumpkin Patch. And whatever else i can find.

Sickness

Sickness has invaded the Haines' house. First Cori had a rash that covered her entire body front and back. It pretty much sent me into a panic and i was sure she had some mysterious disease or worse! My Mother came over to see the rash and Dr. Grandma said it wasn't chickenpox. Thank you Dr. Grandma! The doctor's office was very kind and patient with this panic stricken Mother and recommended some Benadryl and hydrocortizone cream. That cleared the rash up in a day. The origin of the rash is still a mystery.

Then I got sick. I was pretty sure it was just allergy related but no, i am sick with a stupid cold and now i think i have given it to Cori as she is coughing and hacking just like me. Being sick sucks!

Adam is next i am sure. So now i am spraying everything with Clorox Anywhere Spray and wiping down surfaces with Clorox wipes. Yuck yuck yuck.

What's Been Happening?

I know, i know. I have become that slacker blogger that i swore i wouldn't become. But we have been really really busy. Cori's speech is just taking off. She knows about a hundred words now and while she still seems to prefer her little "Dutch-speak" when she is randomly talking, she is using sentences when asked and learning new stuff every day!

She has a big book of "Things" that has pictures of animals and foods and vehicles and household items that she loves to look at. She used to point to the pictures and we would tell her what the picture was. Then she progressed to pointing to things and when prompted she would tell us what it was. Now we go through the book and ask her to find the apple, or the pig, or the bowl and she looks over the page and points it out to us while telling us what it is. It is really fun to watch her learn.

Every day Cori and i go for a walk. Usually it is right after her nap. When i ask her if she wants to go for a walk she yells "Socks and shoes. Socks and shoes." It is really cute. She talks to people on the phone now. And has a "Dutch" conversation with them. Although the other day my brother was asking her some questions and she responded to them with actual answers.

She will talk to anyone while we are out and they all comment on how talkative she is. I wonder where she gets that from?? We have been looking at photo albums of our wedding, our trip to Alaska, and various other life moments. Cori likes to pick out her relatives and if she doesn't know who they are she asks me and i tell her. She is so inquisitive.

Right now she has boycotted all foods except, PB&J, Mac and Cheese, Fruit (of anykind), Goldfish, sweet potatoes and yogurt. You will notice there aren't any vegetables listed there. Anyone have any ideas on how to get this child to eat a vegetable?? I would love to know!

Where's My Box?

When Adam's Mother came to visit she left us with a box that Cori likes to play with. The box is probably 2 feet wide and about 5 inches deep. At first, Cori would just put things in the box and then sit in the box and kick things out of the box. After a few days, she realized that if she turns the box over, she can stand on it and use it like a stage. So that is what she has been doing. She takes her "microphone" onto her box stage, sings a song, does a little dance, claps for herself and then takes a bow. Mind you, Adam and i didn't teach her this stuff, she has figured it out on her own!! The bow at the end of the performace is hysterical and sometimes after the bow she says "thank you" and walks off the stage.

All i can say is that she gets this all naturally. My little entertainer!

Has it really been a whole week??

Wow! A whole week since i posted?! Cori and I went to the Fall Fair at Newton High School. It is an annual event sponsored in part by the FFA. Since my Dad is the FFA advisor, we usually try to go and show our support. And they have a really really good pulled pork dinner! Cori got to see some baby animals, a calf, a goat, some sheep... and two HUGE Belgian Draft Horses. I think if Cori could have taken them home with her she would have. And she probably could have convinced Grandpa to keep them at his house. LOL We also looked at the exhibits people brought in from their gardens and fields. Molly and Abigail and Erin participated in the Kiddie Tractor Pull and all three of them did very well.

Abigail sat by Cori while we ate our dinner and she was so helpful at entertaining Cori and helping her eat her dinner. It is always nice to see Brian and Jen and Abigail and Jacqueline. We caint wait to meet the new cousin when he/she comes in February.

Kerry and Erin and Molly were also in attendance and Erin and Molly helped Cori navigate through the throngs of people and make her way to the baby animals. Erin is getting to be such a young lady. I can't believe how quickly she has grown up.

After visiting with some people i haven't seen since graduation, Cori and i had to go so Cori could get to bed. When she gets tired and cranky it is just best to make a hasty exit. Otherwise, Cori isn't shy about letting the whole world know she is tired and cranky!

Sunday, we went to Fulton Farms to pick out pumpkins. I have some great pictures of Cori wading through the maze of pumpkins in her quest for the right one. I think she actually had a better time petting some random puppy that was there rather than looking for a pumpkin. We picked out a Daddy pumpkin, a Mommy pumpkin and a Baby pumpkin. I can't wait to see what it is like to carve a pumpkin with Cori! I will get busy posting some pictures.

Ho Hum

It's been a ho hum week around here. But sometimes those are the best kind of weeks! Adam is still working tons of overtime and i can tell that Cori misses him but i think she would like to have heat this winter as well. (hence all the overtime) Every day after her nap we have been taking a walk. She loves to be outside and she loves her walk. It is good for Mommy to get out and about too.

I just ordered her the cutest little snowsuit from Ebay. Although i think i am going to have to stay away from Ebay... it is just too tempting to buy her all sorts of little outfits. And my competitive spirit doesn't like to be out bid on the items i like and that could make for a dangerous passtime!