Soccer

Libby and Mary completed a successful soccer season on Saturday.  The season ran for three months of indoor soccer and over that time, both girls learned the game, improved and had lots of fun.  For Mary, it was her first time playing.  So it took her awhile to get used to how the game works.  But once she figured it all out, she enjoyed running around and kicking the ball.  Her favorite part, however, was the fact that she had her own special water bottle that she brought each week to use for water breaks.  She might be the kid whose favorite class in school is recess...

For Libby, this was her fourth go-round with soccer, but her first in over a year.  She did a great job.  She was a great teammate, always making sure to pass the ball and cheer for the other players when they scored.  Judging by what we've seen of her game, if her soccer career were to continue, she has a future on the defensive side of the ball.  Libby seems to have more fun trying to stop the other players from scoring than scoring herself.  She has even taken it upon herself to play goalie.

 

 

The best part of the whole season was on Saturday, as for the first time, Mary went to see Libby play.  Without being prompted, Mary vocally cheered on and encouraged her sister.  It was great to see her yelling and screaming FOR Libby instead of AT Libby.  Who knows, this sister thing might work out, after all!  And to put a bow on the season, Mom, Dad, Libby and Mary went to Bearden's for burgers and milkshakes!

Happy Rainy Halloween!

The Ladies all dressed up!

Halloween 2013 was a rainy one.  But the Yandek Ladies made the most of the event.  It started a few weeks ago with Boo at the Zoo and continued with a Halloween Party at school and trick-or-treating at Aunt Reen's store.

This is the best we could do...

On the big day, the girls dodged rain drops to score some major piles of candy.  Grammie and Papa Yandek came over for the traditional homemade apple pancakes with apple syrup dinner.  Of course they brought cookies and candy, too.

Libby and Mary with Will and Henry (and no, that's not Libby's beer)

After a soggy jaunt up and down the street the girls played with their friends, Will, Henry and Ellie, before visiting with Aunt Holly and Uncle Matt.

Not bad.

The evening ended with Libby on the couch with Mom and Dad watching The Great Pumpkin and eating candy.

The end of a rainy night!

Not a bad way to spend a Halloween, IMHO!

So, How Have You Been?

The Wicked Witch and Sophia

 

When last we left, you, Catie was 6 months old, Libby was finishing up her first year of ballet, and Mary was barely speaking.  Six months later, Libby and Mary and in ballet, Libby started pre-school, and Catie had a birthday and started walking...TODAY!  There's been so much happening, it's been hard to keep track.  We're going to do our best to get everyone caught up, but I'm sure we'll miss some events along the way.  What's most important is that the girls are doing great and Mom and Dad are surviving.  With Halloween just a few days away, the girls have their costumes all ready, and gave them a test drive at Boo at the Zoo on Friday night.  Libby chose the Wicked Witch, Mary is going as Sophia the First, and Catie Bug is, well, a Lady Bug.  If it was an indication of what Halloween is going to be like this year, there will be all sorts of craziness.  Which isn't always a bad thing!  

The Yandek Ladies

 Libby is two months into pre-school.  She took to it rather well, quickly shooing Mom out of the classroom on the first day.  And, proving my point that it is something they teach kids in school, when Libby was asked what she did on the first day, her response was "Nothing."  Great, so we're paying for nothing.  That said, she must be enjoying it, as she is excited to get up and go every morning, and she can't stop talking (ever) about school, her friends, and her classes.  Libby is also in her second year of ballet (more on that another time) and playing soccer and taking swim lessons.  She likes each of these activities and has shown some ability in each.  The important thing is that she is keeping busy, which helps her (and Mom and Dad) sleep better at night.

Miss Mary is also playing soccer and taking ballet.  She's not quite to the paying-attention-all-the-time stage, especially with soccer, so some days are better than others.  Mary has come a long way in her speech and communication, as she currently challenges Libby for air time.  Her sense of humor continues to develop, as well as her mischievous streak.  Of the three girls, Mary is going to be the one to push the limits of Mom and Dad's patience.  It's tough to get angry with her, however, as she still needs her daily cuddle time with Mom and Dad.

Bug the bug!

Catherine celebrated her first birthday in style, destroying her entire birthday cake before any of her guests were able to enjoy it.  She has been crawling for quite some time now, and over the last few weeks has been pulling herself up and taking an unsteady step here or there.  Today, however, bored with watching yet another Browns loss, Catie decided enough was enough and walked clear across the room.  Was she realized what she was doing, that's all she wanted to do for the rest of the night.  Catie continues to be a great sleeper and is slowly starting to eat some real food.  Maybe she'll start eating vegetables, so Mom and Dad can say at least one of their children does...

Remember Us?

Catie getting ready to get her grub on.

 

Okay, so it's been a long while since anyone has made an appearance on the blog.  Let's just say that three kids are a lot of work.  We're talking like, so much work, that even when Mom and Dad are asleep, they're awake changing diapers, cleaning puke and making bottles.  Or is it cleaning diapers, making puke and changing bottles?  Whatever.  It gets done.  At some point.  That said, everyone is doing extremely well at the Yandek house.  It took awhile, but everyone recovered from Christmas and we were able to celebrate Mom and Libby's birthdays--she's FOUR already!!!--St. Patrick's Day and Easter.  There're been so much to do and see, including a trip to Rochester to visit Uncle Tony and Aunt Nellie, playdates with cousins and friends, and a Chuck E Cheese birthday party, we don't know where to start.

 



Libby and Mary rocking their Irish sweaters.

Miss Libby turned four in early February.  It already seems like months ago.  Which it was.  It truly boggles the mind how quickly she has grown.  Libby is writing, doing some reading, is an expert in all thing potty related (including jokes) and has developed into quite the young lady.  She is almost finished with her first year of ballet, which culminates in a recital in June.  A recital in which her lithe and nimble father will have the pleasure of sharing the stage with her.  It is almost time for another summer of soccer, and most notably, Libby will be starting preschool in the fall.  Along with all the activities, Libby has taken quite the liking to her youngest sister.  She tries to help out with Catie whenever she can, she loves to hold her and to help get her ready to go in the morning.  Although, much to Dad's chagrin, she hasn't quite mastered the art of changing diapers...

An Irish Princess.

Mary Frances, has developed her own very unique personality.  She has almost caught up with her big sister in terms of speed, frequency and rapidity of speech.  Between the two of them, it's a wonder either Mom or Dad is ever able to string together more than a few grunts.  Seriously, Mary is doing a great job with her words.  She loves telling jokes, playing tricks on Libby, and cuddling with Mom and Dad.  And while Mary is oh so adorable, don't let her looks fool you.  She is full of fun, wonder, excitement and MISCHIEF.  Mary has honed her skills when it comes to push people's buttons.  She knows how to push all of them and to push them very well.  That said, she is a big helper around the house.  She loves helping clean up, emptying the dishwasher and "looking after" Catie.  By the end of the summer, she will be three and starting ballet and other activities that have, up to this point, been for Libby only.  And that's a good thing, for despite all the tomfoolery, Mary does love her big sister and they really do play well together when they want to.  They have been sharing a room for quite some time, and they are actually to the point where they can go to bed at the same time and not annoy each other.

Firefighter Libby with Firefighter Joe.

 

 

Last but not least (or clichéd), Catherine is six months old and growing more every day.  She is rolling over on her own, eating all sorts of "real" food, and holds her bottle all by herself.  Her favorite things to do include puking on any and all relatives, bouncing in her jumper and saucer and laughing at her sisters.  Seriously, she gets the biggest kick out of Libby and Mary.  And they enjoy it just as much when they are able to get her going.  While the house is pretty much Thunderdome all day every day, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible.  Things will calm down.  The Yandek Ladies will be friends and playmates and leave Mom and Dad alone.

The girls and their bunnies.

With the school year coming to a close Dad is looking forward to spending lots of quality time with the girls.  It will be a busy summer with Aunt Holly's wedding and such, but there will be plenty of time for trips to the zoo, Kiddie Park and other fun places.  The girls still spend time each week with both Grammies and they see their friends at daycare.  Libby and Mary were invited to their first "friend party" and they had an absolute blast.  Mom and Dad enjoyed seeing them interact with their friends as if we didn't even exist.  Honestly, when we got out of the car at Chuck E. Cheese, they were four and two.  By the time we got inside, they were 14 and 12.  It's not going to be long...

Simply Having Another Christmastime!

Mary the Christmas Elf

So, after a more than three month long unintentional hiatus, the Yandek Family is back, having decided to make at least one more appearance before 2012 goes the way of the Dodo.  It's not like you've missed anything since mid-August.  To be honest, it's been kind of boring, Dad started a new old job, Mary had a second birthday, there were some holidays, other birthdays and, oh yeah, WE HAD ANOTHER KID!  No big deal.  It goes without saying that life has been hectic in the Yandek House of Estrogen.  Rather than trying to cram all the happenings into one post, we're going to focus on the here and now and get everyone caught up over the next few weeks. 

A rare moment of sisterly love and affection.

Although it's still November, today marked the official beginning of the Christmas season, as Santa paid a visit to the Yandek Ladies.  Despite the fact that Libby and Mary were literally bouncing off the walls in anticipation of his arrival, they immediately went into socially inept mode when he showed up.  It was like Ralphie in the department store trying to get Libby to say "Monster High Doll" or to get Mary to say anything.  Catie, however, was just fine.  She cozied up to Santa, won the award for "Best First Picture Ever with Santa" among the Yandek Ladies, and then puked all over the guy.  He should not feel special in this regard.  SHE PUKES ON EVERYONE.

Catie and Santa

The girls did warm up after a time, and they enjoyed the visit.  Santa has been educated on what to bring next time he comes, he got some cookies for the road, and he left some presents and candy canes for the girls.  It certainly was a great way to officially kick off the season, even though Libby did comment to Mom that this Santa was different from last year.  Pretty astute for a 3 year old...

The Fam

Christmas is going to be a lot of fun this year.  Libby and Mary are really excited about the whole "package."  They helped put up the lights outside, they helped decorate the tree and set up the nativity, and can't wait to help make and eat Christmas cookies.  After cookies were made for Santa today, Mary took it upon herself to put a hurtin' on the finished product.  Let it never be said that Mary got cheated out of something.  Ever.  Safe bet?  Mary will dominate Christmas!

An Eventful Week

Libby and Aunt Holly in the wild

This past week was the last week of Summer Vacation for Dad, and it also happened to be a week off for the girls from daycare.  This worked out in the girls' favor, as it turned in to a week of all of Libby and Mary's favorite summer activities (plus one or two of Dad's!).  On Monday, Libby and Mary went to Kiddie Park with Dad and Grammie Yandek.  No matter how many times the girls go, every time they pull in the parking lot, it's like the first time they've ever been there.  Mary, especially, can't even control herself.  She starts shaking and laughing to the point where strangers offer her a paper bag...

Libby and the Browns at the Stadium

Tuesday was a regular day with Grammie and Papa Hanna and the girls spent some time with Aunt Reen and Claire and Corinne on Wednesday morning.  But Wednesday night was Libby and Daddy Time!  It was off to Cleveland Browns Stadium for Browns Family Night.  Libby and Dad had a great time, although they stayed out way past Libby's bed time.  Libby's highlights of the evening, in order: 1) Fireworks, 2) Ice cream 3) Popcorn 4) Video games on Dad's phone 5) Browns football.  For Dad, the highlight of the night came after the fireworks ended and Libby turned, with a big smile and said "Thanks, Daddy" and followed that with a kiss.  It doesn't get any better than that...

Libby and Mary with Noah and Maddie

On Thursday, Libby and Mary went to their other favorite place--the zoo--with Dad and Aunt Holly.  It was the normal routine: "zoo bus", elephants, McDonalds, stinky rhinos, giraffes, cotton candy, monkeys, etc.  Then, Libby and Mary spent Friday with Grammie Yandek and Aunt Holly, and they got to help make (and eat) cookies, which is always a fun treat.  Then, on Saturday, it was Sean's 1st Birthday Party.  The girls had a great time eating and playing with everyone.  It really was an eventful and fun week for everyone involved.  While there is still plenty of summer left, school has started (already?!?!?) and the new baby is coming soon, so things are really about to get weird...

We're Still Here!

The fam in Lake Erie

There's lots to report since the last post, as summer has flown by (as it usually does!).  And, while the heat even lets up from time to time, Libby and Mary haven't stopped going--it's been one exciting adventure after another for the ladies, as they try to get as much "Mom and Dad Funtime" before New Sibling compromises Mom and Dad's time.

The Splash Sisters

The high points of the summer so far, along with June's Salt Fork vacation and the Fourth of July parade were a trip to Uncle Ed and Aunt Cathy's house in Vermilion and a week in Marblehead with Mom's family.  It was in Vermilion where the girls got their first-ever encounter with Lake Erie.  Libby was a little tentative at first (more on this later), while Mary had no qualms barreling right in.  Libby finally warmed up, and the girls each enjoyed the lake in their own way--Libby floating lazily on a raft and Mary jumping head-first into the waves!

The annual "How Tall Am I" shot at The Patio

The week in Marblehead was a great success, because it entailed a week-long sleep over with cousins Claire, Corinne and Declan.  So, no matter what happened or what the plans were, it was going to be a good week for the girls.  The big hit of the Marblehead week was the pool in the backyard complete with waterslide!  Once again, Mary was thrilled to try out the slide and swim in the pool by herself with her swimvest.  While Libby enjoyed swimming and jumping, it wasn't until Wednesday that she finally went down the slide.  Of course, she loved it, but she wasn't quite ready to try it more than a few times.

At Marblehead Lighthouse State Park

 Events of the week included multiple trips into Lakeside, where the girls enjoyed donuts from The Patio, went shopping for jewelry and Libby played her first round of putt-putt (with Dad, Uncle Jerry, Claire and Corinne).  It didn't take her long to figure out how to best manage the course--rather than "teeing off" from the designated area, she would place the ball just inches from the cup to better maximize her putting ability.  After a bogey on No. 1 (to be expected on her first hole ever), Libby found her stroke and finished with a 19.  She liked it so much, and did so well, that she and Dad went back and played again later in the week.

She's already a better putter than Uncle Tony

The girls also got another go-round with Lake Erie, this time at Bay Pointe beach.  The conditions were much different fromt their first time, as the waves were rolling in pretty high and pretty fast.  The girls were much more comfortable this time around, and they especially liked jumping head first into the waves as they came crashing in.

Mmmmmmmm, Patio donuts!

Of course, vacation wasn't all swimming and playing.  There was lots of eating as well.  Along with the aforementioned Patio donuts, the girls made multiple ice cream runs to Dairy Dock, went to Bruno's for pizza and made cupcakes with Dad.  The other highlight of the trip was the old arcade games in the rec room.  All the kids enjoyed the sights and sounds, although they didn't really have a clue what they were doing!

Superfly!

There has been more than just vacation, however.  The girls have continued to "decorate" their bedroom and have really gotten used to bunking together.  There have been trips to the zoo and the park as well as hours spent in the pool, both at home and elsewhere (thanks cousin Emma!).  They've also played with their friends Will and Henry, had a surprise visit from Aunt Nellie and had lots of fun during their regular weekly visits with their grandparents.  Suffice to say the girls are loving life right now.  Which is good, as it's all going to change.  Soon.  Very soon.