A Quick Hello and Goodbye to February

Baba helping with art at the Hands On Children's Museum in Olympia

It's been kind of a mundane month, not much exciting, not much new.  We have been busy busy busy doing fun things, thought, and the kids still surprise us with their new skills every day, so that is super fun.

Rooooooaaaaaaar!  At the children's museum with Dedo

Second time hitting the slopes this season for Z.  Grandma tagged along this time!

Baby's first time bowling!  After her first turn she loved it.  I don't think
she understood the point the first couple of balls she rolled.  :)

Zoë has been honing her patience skills with her brother and life in general.  She has become a tantrum queen when she gets frustrated or doesn't get her way.  Like, put in a time-out in her room, kicking the door, coming out before her time is up, screaming at the top of her lungs kind of way.  Chris took her doorknob off her door the other day because she wouldn't stay in her room.  That was not received well.


She is continually using words and phrases I would never expect to hear out of a four-year-old's mouth.  One day she was describing to a friend how Oliver feels about his Dedo.  "Yeah, Bailey.  Oliver is kind of obsessed with Dedo."  Obsessed?!  Both true and a hilarious word to hear from her.  Also, we were discussing how she got her name when on our way to the store one day.  She asked who picked her name, which doctor it was.  I told her that mama and daddy picked it out and she responded, "But, did the doctor give you all of your options?".  Such a smarty.










She is showing more interest in learning her letters and can recognize more than I think she lets on.  She's definitely got her name down (and great at writing it).  She told me the other day that she wants to learn more letters and about which letters people have in their names.  A great start!

Picture from the dance

Zoë and Chris went to a Daddy/Daughter Dance at the Federal Way Community Center before Valentine's Day and they had a great time!  It was a princess themed dance so all of the little girls wore princess dresses.  So fun!  Z's friend Bailey and her dad were there, too.  After the dance Zoë and Chris went and had Japanese food (the Spaghetti Factory was way too crowded, sadly) and then came home to tell me about their great time.

We've been to two preschool open houses within the past month to check out our options for her in the fall.  One, our first choice, is at the Tacoma Nature Center and has all outdoor preschool, but they have a lottery with not very many slots open.  Chris says we tend to be very lucky people, but I'm not holding my breath.  Chris attended the open house at the Tacoma Children's Museum this week and actually enrolled Z in their 3 day a week play based preschool as our second (and very good) choice.  We opted for the co-op model to save $100 a month which will require me to come in 2 or 3 times per month to help, but that will be fun.  There are no other responsibilities like meetings, fundraisers, or committee positions, so it was worth saving the bucks.

Z has been spending a lot of time with her friend Bailey (and my with her mama Marci) and we LOVE the two of them.  It is so wonderful to have a good friend within minutes of our house who I feel I click with so well.  Our parenting styles are similar and Z and Bailey get along well (minus a few 3/4 year old glitches that are to be expected!).  They do ballet together, too.

Oliver's first snow!

Oliver is getting more and more vocabulary every day that he uses without being prompted.  The other day he walked into the kitchen and declared "book!" and pointed at the one he had in his hands.  I think it's his first 'b' word he's pronounced correctly.  :)  He also loves to declare, "down!", "no!", and "'side!" (outside).  My new favorite thing he says is "NOPE" in perfectly appropriate situations.  It's hilarious.

It didn't snow and stick last winter, so he enjoyed his first experience with it.

He is a MASTER storyteller.  He LOVES to tell stories and recount what happened during our day to Chris over dinner.  His favorite story to tell is about the peacock that stole his sandwich last summer at the zoo.  Yes, last summer.  He tells it with great expression and conviction of how traumatized he was.  I can't believe how animated he is and his facial expressions are priceless.

Typical morning...in princess gear by 7am.

Tried out a hike today...didn't go well.  

He's also really loving gymnastics.  He does an OK job of staying with the group and following directions.  Every once and a while he'll run away which makes me cringe, but he usually comes back.  He also can't wait to do ballet like his big sister.  Every time she goes into class he whines, pats his chest and points into the classroom as if he's saying, "Is it my turn yet?!"

Oliver has also attempted to sit on the potty a few times in the past two days...but only for "numanumanums" (M&Ms).  We'll see if this has any momentum but this mama would LOVE for the potty training to start to get rid of these diapers!

I've been doing the Whole30 this month which has been easier than I expected.  The Whole30 consists of only eating whole foods and avoiding dairy, gluten, processed sugar, and preservatives.  I have 8 days left and will debrief more when I'm done, but I feel as if I've been eating really good for me food and conscientious of what I'm putting in my mouth.  I'm pretty sure I prefer Weight Watchers for the weight loss aspect and the fact I can eat whatever I want, just in moderation, but we'll see when I start to reintroduce some of these foods into my diet how I feel then.

Chris' birthday was celebrated at Smash Putt with friends!

Chris signed up for the triathlon in Sunriver in June and I'm training for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Seattle in June, so we're both trying to get ready for our separate events.  Should be a fun summer and I can't WAIT for the weather to be more conducive to getting outside (as I just looked up from my computer and outside, I see that it's trying super hard to SNOW...really?!).

ABQ and a Special 4th Birthday Party

Teta reading to Oliver

Boy cousins

Chris with his hands (and legs) full

We spent a wonderful week in Albuquerque with Angela and Jed and nephews Mason and Russell a few weeks ago.  Russell had just turned 2 months old and he is absolutely wonderful.  So sweet and an easy baby (minus the middle of the night party sessions he likes to have...poor Angela and Jed).  Oliver, Zoë and Mason had a great time chasing each other around the house and playing with each other.  It was fun to see the three of them together having fun.  We mostly hung around the house, went to the park most days for the kids to get their wiggles out, watched Football, and ate.  :)  We went out for Mason and Russell's first trip out to a restaurant together (their mom and dad did great!) and went and played at a fun playspace one morning.  It is incredibly fun to have little kids at the same time as my sister and we get to share a lot of fun stories about how crazy our children are.  Poor Zoë got super sick a few days before we left...projectile vomited ALL over the front of me twice (I've never been hit by puke moving that quickly before) and was down for the count for about 24 hours.  Luckily, Angela, Jed, Chris and I spent several hours scrubbing the entire house down with Clorox wipes after the kids went to bed so no one else got sick (amazing).

Oliver and Mason on the move as usual

Story time with Uncle Jed

Getting all of that crazy energy out at the park

Baba painted the kids' faces at Zoë's birthday party!

Making a wish on that beautiful Rainbow Dash cake

Zoë's fourth birthday party was so much fun!  It was My Little Pony themed, including "Pin the Cutie Mark on Pinkie Pie" and an amazing Rainbow Dash cake made by Chris, of course.  My favorite part of the party was when the kids played hot potato.  It was SUPER cute.  Even Oliver played and followed the rules.  Each kid wanted to leave the circle because they knew they would get a piece of candy.  Ha!  We had spaghetti and Asian Cashew Salad for dinner (Zoë's favorite request) and then went for ice cream at SubZero afterwards.  All in all, a great day.  Today she had her wellness check and she's 31 pounds (25th percentile) and 39.25 inches tall (40th percentile).  The doctor said she has "marginal" eyesight, but he says that kids are so unpredictable with eyesight tests that it's hard to say how her eyesight really is at this point.  We'll hook her up with an optometrist before she starts Kindergarten to get a really good grasp on what her eyesight really is.  Otherwise, she's growing and developing like a perfectly "normal" four-year-old.  Pretty great to hear about our micropreemie!

Face painting station

Zoë and her friend Jossi

Pancakes, rainbow fruit kebabs, applesauce, and egg cups.  Yum!

Pin the Cutie Mark on Pinkie Pie

Oliver was closest...but refused to wear the blindfold.

Hot potato

The last three standing sitting

Opening presents

Playing with her new princess castle with Grandpa

Grandma loves those princesses, too

Rainbow Dash hat from brother!

The whole family

I really toned down the home-made decorations this year for the birthday party, but I did hand make a front door sign :)

Thank you, Red Robin, for giving us a balloon every time we come in so
I could use the sticks for decorations :)

The, very pink, food table

Kolczynski family tradition, crepe paper and balloons

The room PUKED ponies.  :)

Happy 4th Birthday Zoë Maxine!

Zoë,

Zoë's 4th Birthday

You have been growing so fast into the most amazing girl over the past year that I can hardly recognize my little girl from the 3 year old she was last birthday.  You are funny, smart, curious, kind, and beautiful.  This year has been such a busy, fun, and challenging year for your Mama and Daddy but I can hardly believe it is gone already.

August 2016

This year you:
-started ballet and had your first recital
-started and quit two different preschools
-went back to The Little Gym
-hiked (a lot)
-camped
-visited your Teta and Uncle Jed
-took a family trip to Sunriver
-cheered (LOUD!) for Daddy during the STP and Mama during her half-marathon
-overcame your fear of Santa, tall slides, and 'cary' movies (mostly)
-made a new best friend in our new neighborhood

August 2016, Franklin Falls

Watching for the Garbage Truck with your brother.

We are pleased that your heart has grown and you have become more patient and kind to your little brother.  You hold his hand during scary parts in movies, make sure he has his needs met when he is thirsty or hungry, and help to soothe him in the car or at home when he is hollering by distracting him as only a big sister could.  He LOVES his big sister Zoe Zoe.  I'm pretty sure Oliver is your biggest fan.

You are creative and funny!  You've finally started to learn the words to songs; namely the Frozen soundtrack, of course.  The Muppets Soundtrack is a close second.  It is hilarious to listen to you sing the songs in the backseat.  Your dad and I look at each other in the front and enjoy every minute.  You've gotten into crafting and love to color, stamp, and create new things.  Your "craft room" in your closet is expanding with tools and paper and stickers.  I LOVE it!  You often spend quiet time in the afternoons kneeling on one of the stools at your desk and chattering away to yourself while you craft.  You have become quite the builder, enjoying building things with Daddy like K'NEX creatures, train tracks, magnetic tiles, mega blox, etc.  I know he looks forward to each new set of building materials you're interested in.


You are resilient.  We moved from the first home you ever knew.  We have enrolled (and un-enrolled) you in two different preschools this fall and, while the first was much harder to leave than the second, you seemed to understand the grown-up reasons we had to leave.  And on your first day of school(s), you walked right into the classroom and started playing no problem.  I am pretty sure your time at daycare has a lot to do with how comfortable you are with other kids and I am glad you have no problem walking away from us and getting busy with a teacher and other kids (and a little heartbroken that sometimes I have to remind you to give me a kiss goodbye).  Now that you are back at The Little Gym, you miss your old teacher A LOT, but I think you still know it's a special place and will enjoy being back there until we can find a school we (mom) are happy with.

You LOVE to read.  Still!  I am so excited at the prospect of reading some chapter books this year and enjoying some of my favorite old stories with you for the first time.  It warms my heart to come back upstairs after we've turned out the light and tucked you into bed and find you with the light back on and quietly reading in bed.  :)  Of course, I'd much rather you stay up a little later to read than to fall asleep in your doorway because you don't want to sleep in your bed; another habit you broke this past year.  You've learned how to write your name and are so proud to do it.  You never forget your umlaut, either. :)

My favorite moments are the ones where you ask to snuggle at night for "three minutes because I'm three", when you come in early in the morning, climb in next to me and whisper "I love you mama", where I see you lean over your brother to comfort him with your head down towards him and your arm wrapped around him, when you yell "come on Oliver!" to play with him or get him downstairs with you in the morning.

2017, ABQ

You are loyal and thoughtful, never forgetting to mention how much you love family members and your friends.  I hope you always remember that they are your lifeline and you are so lucky to have the circle of people who love you the way they do.  2016 was a rough year for the rest of the world but for our family we were continually reminded of the joy you bring to us and other people.  We LOVE you sweet girl and can't wait to see what this year brings for you.

2017 ABQ

Ballet Recitals and December Fun

Merry Christmas!  We have been enjoying the holidays so far with a lot of fun activities and being so busy.  We went to a new tree farm this year and found a beautiful tree.  It is much smaller than the ones we could fit into the Des Moines house but it is a perfect shape and height for our ceiling.  And holds our collection of growing ornaments well.  The kids had fun putting ornaments on it together, all clumped in one spot, Oliver pulling them off almost as fast as Zoë put them on.  :)  He has, however, mostly left them alone since, which is a freaking miracle.

Oliver is in LOVE with any lights.  He ooooohs and aaaaaaaahs and gasps when lights are turned on or he notices them.  Or if anything sparkles.  Or is generally exciting.  Zoë gets EVERYTHING.  She loves the music, and the lights, and the presents (giving them, too), Santa, crafting, cookies, Christmas movies.  Everything!  She asks SO many questions about Santa and her elf, Alice, that I feel that I need to write my answers down so I can be consistent from year to year.  :)







We hired a Santa along with about seven other families from the NE Tacoma area and he came to our party to deliver presents to the kids and spend time with each one.  It was so cute and Zoë was so surprised!  Oliver was not, um, pleased.  :) He was so adamant about not talking about Santa or saying hi to him for the rest of the month until we finally went as a family for pictures.

By the time we finally went to have our pictures taken with Santa, we had seen Santa in so many places that I think some of the novelty had worn off.  She and Oliver BOTH sat on his lap without ANY tears (something that was a complete shock and surprise to me since every other time we saw him at the mall or elsewhere he wouldn't have anything to do with the big guy in the red suit).  On our way home Zoë asked us if all of the Santas were the same (I told her yes...not expecting the next question) and then, if so, why do they keep asking her what she wants for Christmas?  She is WAY too smart.  :)







































We went to Snowflake Lane with Baba and Dedo, which was really fun.  Zoë FINALLY was excited about all of the dressed up characters and the dancing (she danced with a ton of the performers) and Oliver was tentative about the characters but loved dancing to the music.  It was magical, as always.


We've been busy busy busy with all of the activities of the season (Zoë went ice skating for the first time with Grandma last week and had a great time, we've made gingerbread houses, visited Zoolights, baked cookies, delivered treats to neighbors, did storytime with Mrs. Claus) and yet my most favorite activity this month was Zoë's first ballet recital.

She LOVED getting her make-up done.  :)

Zoë has been taking ballet at the Center at Norpoint since September and has really enjoyed it.  Her friend, Bailey, is also in the class so I enjoy ballet because I get to chat with her mom, Marci.  There is nothing cuter than seeing a handful of 3 and 4 year olds follow their teachers' lead up on stage.  They were distracted by the audience, by the stage lights, and by their own tutus and SO adorable.  Zoë did a great job of following the steps and was even, much to my delight, the last one on the stage just staring at the audience until her teacher, Miss Madeline, beckoned to her from offstage and scooped her up to run off stage.

Zoë and her friend Bailey.

Dance family...eating a hurried dinner before the recital.  My dad says this is completely normal. 

My little elf enjoying one of his favorite books
about an Elephant named Oliver.  :)

Oliver has been an absolute terror lately.  Screaming in the car wherever and whenever we go, throwing kicking and screaming tantrums when he doesn't get his way, and testing every limit he can.  He refused to wash his hands before dinner tonight and stubbornly sat on the time-out step until dinner was on the table and everyone else was sitting down.  He IS saying more words (Sazza-->Santa, Zoe Zoe, Nona-->Fiona, and num-i-num-i-num-->M&Ms!) and really starting to be vocal about what he wants (and doesn't).  His sleeping is still erratic and he's consistently an early riser (thought sometimes will fall back to sleep in our bed in the morning).  And, as much as I want to pull my hair out daily with his tantrums and screaming and lack of falling asleep easily, he is still my sweet little mischievous boy.  :)

We are eagerly awaiting Santa's arrival in a few days and enjoying the magic of the holiday through our children's eyes.