Stanick Family Updates: Happy February

Hi All,

Yikes! Once again it has been a long time again since we last blogged.

Makenna is now a great walker! She is really stable but teeters when the ground is uneven. She is also starting to talk!! She can say 'ma' 'da' 'mo' (more) 'up' 'no' 'a' (Anika) and we think we are starting to hear two word sentences 'up mama' and 'what zat'. She will say 'no' to any question you ask her. It is too funny. Sometimes I think if her 'no' sounds a little like 'na' she actually means 'yes.' Who knows? Sometimes Makenna aggressively shakes her head when she says 'no.' Then we really know she means 'no.' She nods once in a while but not that often:) She can also clap and is starting to give hugs. We think she is brilliant but we may be biased:)

Anika is enjoying Makenna more and more every day. I love to see them playing together like they did yesterday in the kitchen. Anika had set up the chairs to make a space in the kitchen and had a bunch of dolls and stuffed animals on the chairs. She let Makenna into her play area (with a little guidance from me) and then directed her and included her in her little make believe party. It was wonderful:)

Ken celebrated his 39th birthday last weekend. Anika now thinks all cakes should have candles on them:)

Earlier in February we went to Mexico for a vacation and visited my parents who spend 5 months a year down there. The girls did really well on the flights and we had a great time down there. It was great to see them playing together in the sand. My parents also got to see Makenna walking and we got to meet all of their friends down there.

Well, I guess that has been our last month and a half or so. Enjoy the photos:)

Anika

Makenna crawlling over Anika - they both enjoy that:)

Makenna

Makenna and Anika in a cart at Superstore - they like that they can both fit in the seat part

I thought this one was too cute:)

Makenna

Grandpa, Makenna and Anika playing in the sand

Anika in the blow up pool that Grandpa set up in their yard in Mexico for the girls

Grandpa watching the girls in the pool in Mexico. It was great having my parents help watch the kids so that I could relax a bit. We had to hold on to Makenna the whole time because I was worried that she would fall and crack her head on the tile flooring. That was a bit stressful.

Anika and Makenna playing in the sand

The beach at La Manzanilla. This was down the road from 'our' beach. Mom and Dad drove us there in their car. It was great that they had a car.

A crocodile at the La Manzanilla lagoon. I couldn't believe how close people were getting to it!

Makenna hanging out the high chair that Grandma and Grandpa's friend lent us in Mexico.

Anika hanging out at Grandma's table in Mexico.

Each day we would usually walk to Grandma and Grandpa's place in the morning from our hotel. (about 5 blocks). We would get our sand toys, beach umbrellas etc and Grandma and Grandpa would walk with us to the beach (about a block). We would set up at a table at the beach with a large umbrella for shade. Grandpa would set up the beach umbrella up in the wet sand so the girls could play in the sand in the shade. Grandpa was a master sand castle maker! Anika learned a lot about making sand castles this trip:) At the end of the day we would walk back to my parents' place and each have a shower and get cleaned up and then I would help Mom make dinner and we would eat there. Then we would clean up and Ken would take the girls into the trailer to play while my parents and I had a chance to play some cards. At about 8 pm or so we would walk back to our hotel for bedtime. It was wonderful that my parents were there and so willing to take care of us! We were spoiled!

Anika picked a 'few' flowers off Grandma and Grandpas bushes

Makenna

Anika spent most of her time in Grandma's hammock when we were at their place:)

My Mom and I with Makenna at a table at the beach

Every Wednesday there was a street market set up in town. Anika thought these little chicks dipped in different coloured dies was pretty interesting.

Ken and Anika enjoying a drink. Anika really liked the margaritas - virgin of course!

Anika finishing her margarita

Anika - after her margarita :)

Makenna playing in the sand:)

Makenna trying out a motorcycle ride

Anika trying out a horsey ride

On Sunday nights people would gather at the town square. Anika paid about 60 cents and she got to paint a ceramic star.

Anika at the beach

Anika, Myself, Ken, Makenna and my parents at the beach under our umbrella

Makenna, Ken, Myself and Anika our for lunch - Anika with another margarita! One day Anika had a little bit of money in a little purse Grandma had given her and we asked her what she wanted to buy and she said she wanted to buy Daddy a Senorita! Daddy said, "Oh, maybe not. Mommy might give me a time out for that." Anika was getting margarita and senorita mixed up:)

Makenna

Ken enjoying a beer at the beach- it was a regular occurance.

Ken and I unexpectedly met up with some friends, Dave and Allison and their three boys, Jacob, Ben and Trevor (and Dave's Mom, Doreen), while down in Mexico. This is Dave and Allison with Ken and I during an evening out. My parents babysat so we could go out. It was a fun night.

Anika was so happy to be holding hands with Trevor as we walked back to our hotel after a burger night at my parents' place. It was too funny. Trevor was not too pleased I was taking a photo. He was fine with holding her hand to make her happy but not with it being documented in history with a photo:)