Elmo

Everyone knows that Kelly LOVES her blanket that Grandma Peggy made her......if you don't, I'm sure she will tell you the next time she sees you! Anyway, besides her blanket, she always has to sleep with her pillow and Elmo too! Kelly has always been a wonderful "big sister" but today she decided to share her blanket and Elmo with Molly while she was sitting in her bumbo chair. Molly LOVED Kelly's ELMO! :)

a BIG difference!

For the past few weeks, a lot of re-modeling has been going on.....like wiring, electrical, etc. that you can't really "see" that things are being done. This last week, things REALLY started to look different. Here is a before picture of our old computer room.....and a current picture as of right now!!! There is a BIG difference!

Papa's sidekick

As everyone knows.....we are in the middle of re-modeling our house. At the beginning, they were not "in" our house. Now that they have moved into the house, Kelly is Papa's sidekick....ALL THE TIME! She always wants to be Papa's helper! My Dad is doing 75-80% of the work by himself. He is here almost everyday working from early in the morning until at least 8:00pm. Brian comes home from work and helps Dad and then they both work on the weekends together. We haven't had much help from other people......but Kelly is the first one to volunteer every day! :)

Kelly measuring for Papa, while Papa is wiring the old computer room.

Kelly measuring the walls! :)

Kelly helping Papa reach wire up to Daddy in the attic.

"I'm ready to help, Papa!"

Isabella's First Communion

Isabella made her first communion last night at St. Anthony's with Father Kutsch. He is a retired priest that is helping out at church while Father Dan is on sabatical. Father Kutsch was the priest at St. Anthony's when I went to school there too! After church we went to Isabella's house for "BELLA'S PARTY!"

Father Kutsch and Isabella

(Grandma Jackie made Isabella's dress out of Lori's wedding dress.)
Isabella and Kelly at the party.....Kelly changed into comfy crocs.....instead of her nice sandels!

Easter pictures

Here are some of the Easter pictures I got taken of the girls. We got two of them together (one in the outfits my mom gave them for Easter and one in their Easter dresses). Molly didn't want to smile for those pictures....she was still getting over being sick! Then I have my favorite one of the girls alone too!

Sisters in their easter clothes from Grandma Peggy!

Sisters in their matching Easter dresses!

My favorite of Molly!

My favorite of Kelly!

How tall will Molly be???

Today was Molly's 4 month doctor appointment (even though she is 4 1/2 months old now!) Here is how it breaks down....

Molly 4 1/2 months

Weight - 17 lbs. 3 oz. - 90%

Height - 26 1/4 inches - 97%

Head - 41.5 cm - 50%

Kelly at exactly 4 months old

Weight - 16 lbs. even

Height - 25 1/4 inches

Head - 40.5 cm

The doctor said everything looked good.......except we need to work with her on pushing on us or the exersaucer or a jump-a-roo (which we don't have)...since that is a developmental milestone that she isn't doing as of right now. We tried her in the exersaucer tonight.....but she doesn't fit her feet on the bottom, like the doctor wanted. We will just have to keep working with her. Other than her blocked tear duct in her right eye (which I have to take her to an eye specialist tomorrow morning)....all is well. She is a healthy little girl. Her lungs sounded great.....so she is over her first cold!!! :)

Molly in the exersaucer tonight.....even though her feet don't touch the bottom!

Papa's helpers!

Yesterday, I watched my sister Lori's kids for the day (as they were on spring break from school). Kelly had a lot of fun with Isabella (7 yrs.) and Brice (4 yrs.). We spent A LOT of time outside....riding bikes, sidewalk chalk, kicking the ball, bubbles, swingset, taking walks, etc. The three of them even found a baby bunny in our backyard! Molly was good, and enjoyed the weather too! When we weren't enjoying the beautiful weather....Papa put the grandkids to work on our house re-model project!

Papa showing Kelly & Brice how to take staples out of the floor in our old computer room.
Kelly mastered it....she has AMAZING hand/eye coordination!
(This is the edge of our hallway/computer room)

Happy Easter

The Snyder Family hopes everyone had a wonderful Easter with family & friends!

Tummy time!

Molly has never liked tummy time.....but she is getting better! :)

Tradition!

When I was a little girl, I always remember my Grandma Piersch having flower pot dirt dessert on Easter. This year, I am passing on the tradition to Kelly....hoping that someday she carries it on too!

Kelly adding gummy worms to the dirt dessert.
The finished products....they will all have flowers in them tomorrow! :)

Easter Egg Hunt # 2 (Dyersville Park)

This afternoon we went to our second easter egg hunt (in one day!) This one was at the Dyersville Commercial Club park. We met up with Kelly's best friend Sophia....the two of them had a great time picking up eggs! Kelly sat on the Easter Bunny's lap again....and even got her picture taken by the local paper. She might be a celebrity this Wednesday....when the new addition of the paper comes out!

Best friends.....Sophia & Kelly
Kelly sitting on the Easter Bunny's lap!!!

Easter Egg Hunt # 1 (Murphy Park - DBQ)

This morning, we were invited to a friends and family invitation only easter egg hunt at Murphy Park in Dubuque (through my Dad & Jackie). Kelly had a ton of fun!!! She got 48, yes you read that correctly, 48 easter eggs! She had so many that they didn't all fit in her basket. She went right up to the Easter Bunny and sat on her lap! We all had a great time!

Kelly with the Easter Bunny!
Kelly gathering eggs......in the park grill!

Kelly showing off her FULL basket of eggs...plus more in Mommy and Daddy's pockets!

Molly enjoyed her first easter egg hunt in Papa Mike's arms....awake, and eventually falling asleep!

A day in the kitchen

Kelly, Molly, and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen today. Kelly has always enjoyed being my BIG helper. Today, we colored easter eggs and made sugar cookies. (The sugar cookies were Kelly's idea! We made cookies in Chicago, and Kelly asked me to make egg cookies....so we did!)

Kelly coloring easter eggs....with Molly watching closely!

Having fun!

Molly enjoyed her time in the kitch too.....watching her big sister, while sitting in her high chair.

Kelly sprinkling easter sugar cookies!

Our finished products!

Trip to Chicago

I took my two girls to Chicago this week....to meet my friend Sarah's new baby...Riley Louise Bathan. We left Monday morning and stayed until Wednesday. Most people think we are crazy....7 kids....3 years old and under....but we wouldn't change it. The three of us love to get together anytime we possibly can! Our husbands didn't come on the trip this time....I don't believe they enjoy the craziness, like we do! It was Molly Ann's first trip...and she did GREAT! Here are a few of my favorite pictures....there will be more on facebook soon....as I am really behind from our trip!

Michaela (2.5 yrs.), Riley (3 weeks), Myka (3.5 yrs.), Eli (10 months), Kelly (2.5 yrs.), Molly (4 months), Sam (1.5 yrs.)
The BIG GIRL Band! Michaela, Kelly, and Myka playing in Michaela's bed!

The three littlest ones....Eli, Molly, and Riley!

M is for MOLLY!

Decorating Easter Sugar Cookies is SO MUCH FUN!

Kelly and Michaela making their masterpieces!

Kelly is excited about the sugar cookies that she decorated.....they have LOTS of sprinkles!

Grandma Pat's birthday

Today is Grandma Pat's birthday! We invited Grandma and Papa to our house for banana pancakes this morning. We told Kelly it was Grandma's birthday and of course she said "Happy Birthday Grandma Pat!" She also said "We eat cupcakes and blow out candles!" Well, we didn't have cupcakes made, so Kelly and I made some this afternoon. Grandma and Papa came back up to finish celebrating Grandma's birthday tonight!!! It isn't a birthday without cupcakes and candles......at least in the eyes of Kelly!

Kelly helping Grandma blow out her candles!

Molly - 4 months.....I tried!

I tried to take Molly's picture with the lamb today (since she was 4 months old on Friday)....but she wouldn't SMILE for anything! Normally, her sister gets her to smile...but no such luck today! Since she is still not feeling 100%....this is the best I could do!

Molly - 4 months with her lamb
"What about me?"
What Kelly says when I'm only taking a picture of Molly!

"No, Mommy.....What about JUST ME!"

Molly - 4 months....and sick!!!

Today....Molly is 4 months old....and sick for the first time in her life! It's not TOO bad....she just has a little bit of a cold......with a really bad runny nose! Plus, she still has a clogged tear duct which looks a million times worse when she has a cold. I didn't get a picture of her with her lamb today....but will do it this weekend. (Kelly just got over being sick.....she still has a cough! She passed it onto her little sister!!!)

Herrig visit

Last Friday we had a wonderful visit from the Herrig's. Jen and her three kids came for the day. It was a wonderful break for Jen and I....even though we had 5 kids the entire time. The three older girls played REALLY WELL together....and Myles and Molly just hung out with us.

Molly (4 mo.) & Myles (7 mo.)
Ana (5 yrs.), Kelly (almost 3 yrs.), and Madison (6 yrs.)