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.

October + November in Review

Oliver has proven to be a very difficult and LOUD toddler for the past month.  He screams when he doesn't get fed IMMEDIATELY after the pantry door even cracks open.  He throws a tantrum like the best of them.  He sleeps horribly (wakes up in the wee hours of the morning, usually before 5am) and then is up around 5:30 and when brought into our bed only 50% of the time will fall back to sleep.  He HATES riding in the car...screams every time he gets into it and all the way to our destination, usually.  I have a feeling he'll do better the minute we turn him to forward facing, but I wanted to wait on that long after 2 if he could stand it.  He is getting more and more words every day.  It is incredible how much he understands (two part directions, questions, can point to all sorts of things in books) and still eats like a champion.  He is the SLOWEST eater, though.  It takes forever to get through a meal, but we'll try to take his plate away or ask him if he's done and he'll use his slow, signature, "Noooooooooooooo".  If we're having a conversation and we point something out to him he'll use his surprised and pleased "ooooooooooh" which is totally endearing.  He loves to do forward rolls and is bonkers about jumping.  Jumping on the ground, jumping over things, jumping off the furniture onto Daddy.  Loves it!  Jumping is usually paired with body slamming, also.  His favorite songs are "Run Baby Run" by Caspar Babypants and "Let it Go" from Frozen (which he sings along with on Zoë's Frozen microphone. "Goooooooooooo")  At his 18 month check-up he had dropped to the 75th percentile for weight and 80th for height (still 90th for head size, though), which makes me sad because he's not so roly-poly any more.  He's growing into 2T clothes now.


Zoë has been sleeping much better and our only complaint is that sometimes she is up early when O is and prevents him from going back to sleep when they're both in our bed.  She is attending a preschool at the Federal Way Community Center which is nothing like BCP in that it is in a super small room with 10 kids and definitely not play-based.  I'm having a hard time with it, but she seems to like it ok enough.  They spend about 20-30 minutes outside in a 3 hour time period and I know she would love it if there were more.  They do parent pleaser crafts about letters and Z can't tell me the letter she learned about each day.  I'm not worried about her learning her letters, I'm worried that she's missing out on playtime when they're doing so-called learning.  We have a lead in at the Nature Center preschool which is outdoors most of the time they have together.  I think she would love it.  We'll know in the next day or two if it's a possibility.

She is loving ballet and has her first recital in two weeks.  We are very excited!  She is attending up at the local community center and it is (cheap) wonderful.  The teacher is fantastic and there is nothing cuter than 10 three year olds in tutus prancing around a dance studio following their teacher.  I can't wait for the showcase!

I ran my first half marathon at the beginning of October, and was ready to run my next one within 24 hours.  :)  I had the best cheer-squad ever, even when, at 11.5 miles, I saw an unexpected hill ahead of me and was ready to quit.  I ran the Fall City Half, self-proclaimed as the fastest and flattest half in Washington and it was ALL flat except for that one hill (at the end!).  It was a beautiful course.  Chris says I'll enjoy running the Seattle Rock and Roll Half better because there are more people cheering and more energy.  I'm looking forward to it (crazily enough)!

And, Chris ran the Stein Dash, a 5K during the Oktoberfest festival at the Washington State Fairgrounds.  It involved chugging a beer at each mile.  He did great and ran like the wind!  It was fun to watch him run off the start line and then through the finish.  And then, of course, we enjoyed the festivities in the hall afterwards.  Something we'll do again next year for sure!

We enjoyed Halloween festivities all month starting with a party at the Center at Norpoint a few weeks ago and two fun parties the last two weekends with good friends.  Zoë had wanted to be a ghost since the first time we mentioned Halloween costumes a few months ago and she stuck with it.  I was disappointed because it didn't seem like a fun costume to make, but I think it ended up pretty great with some fun lights wound around her tutu.  I was trying SO desperately to come up with a fun family themed costume around Zoë's ghost request, but didn't think Pacman was cute enough for Oliver...so Chris came up with The Hungry Thing from the children's picture book and he fits the part perfectly.  :)  Trick or Treating was almost cancelled because both kids were sick but Zoë perked up at dinner time so we (as the amazing parents we are) took both out in the slight rain and cold.  They had a great time and were absolutely adorable.  We went around our street and cul-de-sac was the perfect amount of time for them to collect enough candy and to feel pretty accomplished.

November was busy with getting outside playing and, well, not much else that is super notable.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at the Seaman house and are ready to roll into the holidays with full force.  This year is going to be so much fun!!!

Preschoolers

What a big week last week!

Both kids started preschool.  :)  They'll be attending the Burien Cooperative Preschool in, uh, Burien.  Which is also where I am teaching this fall.  I'll be teaching the 1s and 2s classes (Fireflies and Dragonflies), so I'll have Oliver in my classroom every Tuesday.  For the first few weeks Chris is going to be coming with us, thank goodness, so I can concentrate on being a teacher rather than worrying about Oliver.  Last week, however, it went really well and Oliver was pretty excited to be getting as messy as he wanted to (see: paint EVERYWHERE).



















He continues to be quite the charmer and INSISTS that you watch him do all sorts of things by yelling until he gets your attention.  He has pretty much given up riding in the stroller (screams much of the time he's in it) but really does like the hiking backpack, which is good, because we've been using it a lot.  Is almost has mastered getting up on the couch by himself (sometimes he does it just fine and others he screams until we help him) but can get up at the dining room table no problem, has mastered stairs (mama won't let him do the flight of stairs inside by himself yet, but he does the front steps to the driveway just fine), runs and chases his sister like a pro, and is a dancing fool.  He. loves. to. dance.  He has also mastered flinging himself down onto the ground in a full out tantrum.  But, if he's standing on the wood floor when he ramps up to this he'll make sure he runs over to a carpeted area before he does so.  It's hilarious.  He still only has mastered mostly words that start with the letter B (balloon, ball, baba, bubbles, baba), but he is slowly adding more words to his vocabulary (today he said car several times, he knows dog, and he attempts tons).  The way he gets us to "cheers" with him is absolutely adorable.

Zoë's first day of preschool was later in the week and had me a bit more teary than Oliver's first day.  Because she was ready.  And excited.  And looks like a preschooler with her backpack and cheesy smile and big bow on her headband.  I cannot believe she is old enough to have a preschool picture and be dropped off without one of us with her.  Every Thursday her Grandma and Dedo will be trading off being the "serve day" parent in her classroom since I will be teaching and I'm so jealous they'll get to watch her play.  Last week she played with shaving cream, climbed on the playground, and created some kind of art with glue and glitter that hasn't come home yet.  She has a spot for her backpack and is just oh-so-cute talking about Teacher Gloria.  She sang the ONE song she learned so far ALL. DAY on Thursday after she came home from school.  Something about monkeys and alligators in a tree.  I'm pretty sure her first day of Kindergarten is going to wreck me completely.

We went to the Puyallup Fair last week and enjoyed eating our way around the fairgrounds.  :)