tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76551179951836875072024-02-20T19:38:41.280-06:00Strickland ShenanigansDanielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-3368720998148221582015-08-25T11:24:00.001-05:002015-08-25T13:12:29.092-05:00"Real School" is here! Sydney started Kindergarten yesterday. Every time I think about that, I absolutely cannot believe it. I found her first school picture from daycare (in March 2010) with the sweet Ms. Jan and did a side-by-side to this year's open house with her Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Hartman. Can you believe this? I remember the day we took her to daycare like it was yes-ter-day!!!!!<br />
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Randall and I were talking over the weekend about the many adorable baby and toddler moments that feel like just yesterday. Of course we recognize she has changed and grown so much, but the memories of those first few weeks are crystal clear. She was the easiest baby ever --- maybe parents with difficult infants don't remember those first few weeks as well!<br />
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Yesterday was very exciting. And Collin was not to be left out - he started a new class yesterday, which is more like "real" pre-school. I'm really hoping he grows as much during his time in the Pre-School II class as Sydney did. It was her greatest year of growth, both socially and academically.<br />
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I'm not sure they could've looked any cuter, but that's a mama talking. Sydney had picked out this outfit - head to toe - during a recent shopping trip, and it was absolutely killing her that it had to hang in her closet until this special day. I really think it helped her overall confidence going to Kindergarten that she felt awesome in her fabulous new dress, larger-than-life headband and shoes (which kind of hurt her, I later found out, but it was worth it for the first day, I think). Collin felt all-powerful in his Spiderman kicks. What else does a 3-year-old boy need?!<br />
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(Side note -- I always hate when I see articles saying you shouldn't tell your daughter she's beautiful. It counts for a lot when girls feel confident. We also tell her she's smart, funny, kind, etc., but what is the harm in feeling pretty, too? I dare say a lot of the dumb decisions girls make as they get older are because they struggle with self-esteem, so if I can help with that even a little bit, I'm going to. UGH. Drives me crazy!) <br />
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So, the moment Sydney got on the bus, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. Not like I was sad, but she just seemed SO BIG at that moment. The bus is a very big deal. I always rode the bus, but watching my daughter do it was entirely different. She was so brave. It didn't hurt that her driver, Ms. Shirley, is about the sweetest woman I've ever encountered. She even let Collin come on and see what it was all about. <br />
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The recap of the day was exciting. I could not wait to pick her up from her after-school program to get the play-by-play. We have staggered entry, so there were only a handful of classmates there yesterday. The whole class will be there Friday. It was perfect for Sydney to ease into the whole thing. Her school is huge, and I was worried about it feeling overwhelming, but she was completely comfortable.<br />
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This is the child who was as shy as could be 2-3 years ago. It has been so enjoyable watching her personality evolve. I know she will make many new friends in the coming weeks, even though she misses her pre-school gang. I had hoped at least one of them would be in her Kindergarten class, but I actually think this may be the best thing --- force her out of her shell even more.<br />
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Last night, the teacher sent every parent a note about their child. She had the nicest things to say about Sydney --- how she was so fun and outgoing and "a very smart cookie." We will have to make sure she stays challenged academically, but I think this teacher is very aware already and will make sure all the kids are doing work to suit their ability. She already made sure of that yesterday. Sydney told me after she did some work in her assessment, the teacher looked at her and said "Lord-a-mercy!" Sydney telling that story was hilarious.<br />
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All we really learned from Collin's first day is that he made a happy plate at lunch and they got to explore their new classroom. I guess that's what you get when you're three. <br />
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It's going to be a great year for both kids! Collin is already asking when he gets to ride the bus. Two years feels like a long time, but I know it will fly by. He misses his sissy already!!<br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-38066948839196038202015-07-07T09:09:00.005-05:002015-07-07T09:14:47.280-05:00A Fabulous 4th of July (and a look back through the years)I absolutely love the 4th of July! It's such a fun, family, wholesome holiday, and I love how cute all the kids look in their red, white & blue at neighborhood and community festivities. This year, we spent the first part of the day at Latta Plantation feeding horses and taking a [rainy] hike. It was a lot of fun - just humid and a tad wet!<br />
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In the evening, we went to a community celebration at the Kannapolis Intimidators ballpark --- they have a little league game and activities for the kids. We went last year and decided to make this our "go to" spot on the 4th whenever we're in town for it.<br />
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One of my favorite things to do is to take a trip down memory lane and look back at how our kids have changed through their red, white & blue attire. Nothing is cuter! <br />
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<b>2010</b> - Sydney's very first July 4th. She enjoyed being at a baseball game with friends in Arkansas and <i>especially</i> adored the fireworks. It's been nice enjoying fireworks with the kids --- they have never been scared of them!<br />
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<b><br />2011</b> - The next year, she was still an only child, but we knew by this point this would be her last 4th of July without a sibling. :-)<br />
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<b><br />2012</b> - Our first year with two little firecrackers! This picture cracks me up. His shirt said "I love BBQ." <br />
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<b>2013</b> - Our first 4th of July in North Carolina. We left for the beach right around this time, so I don't think we did anything organized for the 4th. That's probably why I didn't get a picture of them together! <br />
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<b>2014</b> - Last year, we went to the Kannapolis Intimidators (local baseball team) community celebration for the first time and decided that would be our "go to" event for this holiday. <br />
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<b>2015</b> - Our sweet American boy and girl --- going to school on July 3 and then at the baseball game on the 4th. I'm so grateful to raise them in the USA! They looked SO GROWN UP (and so stinkin' cute) to me this year. It's amazing the change from year to year. <br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-15631829515332783502015-06-30T10:50:00.005-05:002015-06-30T10:53:22.444-05:00Grateful It's Tuesday, and I'm at work on the last day of Davidson's fiscal year. Randall's at work, preparing to go on a work trip tomorrow. The kids are at school, playing with their friends. Everything is normal. But the past two days have been a whirlwind, and it reminded me to hold people dear, every single day.<br />
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Randall was in the hospital the past two days with heart issues. It was diagnosed as atrial fibrillation (or "a fib"), and he is on medication to regulate his heart rhythm moving forward. He is fine, now. At the time, however, we weren't sure he was fine. Was it a heart attack? Were the treatments going to work? What does this mean?<br />
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As they rolled Randall out of the room to shock his heart yesterday
morning, a million thoughts about single parenting and insurance
policies raced through my head. Were they going to roll him back in? How
would I tell the kids? How would I function without him? Realizing now
that this is a fairly common situation, those thoughts were crazy. But, I
was alone in a hospital room with nothing to do but worry. <br />
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There isn't a ton of information about why irregular heartbeats happen, but we know that healthier lifestyles can never hurt, so I promptly went into the kitchen when we got home from the hospital and got rid of everything we don't need. We love healthy foods, but we also like the bad stuff, so we need to focus on the good stuff for meals and snacks alike.We each weighed this morning (Randall and me, not the kiddos!) and are off to the races to get healthier! Nothing like a big ol' wake-up call, right?<br />
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It was a not-so-gentle reminder to (a) get healthy and start now, and also (b) love your people, and tell them often. We get so busy with life, I don't always show appreciation as often as it is deserved.<br />
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I'm lucky to do this life with Randall, and we need A LOT more years with him! <br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-70058805247440103182015-06-25T10:45:00.003-05:002015-06-25T11:12:21.895-05:00After a LONG Hiatus - We're Back! I haven't blogged since December of 2013. That's CRAZY. It also tells you what our lives have been like for the last 1.5 years. It's all my fault, but my work was insane, and I just didn't make the time to keep up the blog. But I will not let it go again. I love having this as a record of our lives, and it's an outlet to share thoughts and updates in a longer form than social media allows. It was a 2015 resolution to get back to it, so here we are.<br />
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So, what's the latest?<br />
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Randall's work wasn't great when we first moved to N.C., but now it's all good! That's the best news. From my perspective, it's like the client had to believe he was the best person to run their account, and now they know he's the bomb. I think that's a super simplistic way to look at it, but it's my summary. He has flexibility and isn't stressed all the time - win.<br />
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All is well at Davidson College --- now. I had a rough fall with some gigantic work nuttiness, but things seem to have settled back down, and I'm glad I stuck it out. I have wonderful colleagues, and some have become actual friends (like, friend friends, not work friends). That's always been so important to me, and it took a while to figure out how that was going to be here. We launched a $425M campaign last fall - yeah, just one reason it's been nutty at work! - and it's exciting to add some of that new work to my plate to liven things up. I also enjoy a great deal of flexibility when needed, which makes the whole working mom thing doable.<br />
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SYDNEY: Sydney is five going on 15, and she starts Kindergarten in August. She's SO done with preschool, both academically and otherwise. She reads on a 2nd grade level (my best guess based on what she's reading), and is now into chapter books. It's pretty phenomenal, and I take zero credit for teaching her how to read. She's a focused kid, and once she decided she was going to read, she did. Just like swimming. If she's into something, she's INTO it. If she's not, forget it. She may have training wheels on her bike forever. And guess what? She couldn't possibly care less. She just completed her second year of dance, and plans to add gymnastics to the list of activities in the fall. She has become quite a little person --- Love talking to her and getting her input on things. She's going to thrive in "real school" and whatever teacher gets her hit the jackpot --- in my humble opinion! <br />
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COLLIN: Collin is three, and he is all that that might suggest. He's our wild man! He's also the most loving kid I've ever seen. His teachers can't decide if he's the best or worst kid in the class, because he doesn't really listen or sit still, but he's so stinkin' sweet. What's a teacher to do?! Collin loves everything active. He loves to swim, ride bikes, play anything sports-related (a favorite being basketball right now), go for walks ... but if you expect him to sit for a complete book or work on coloring or tracing, you're wasting your time. Once in a blue moon he'll surprise us, but for the most part, anything that smells of academia is not on his radar yet. This is not to say he isn't smart because I think he is, and I get so tickled when he surprises us with new knowledge from school. I think he is listening, but it's his little secret. :-) The only still activity he likes right now is movies. He loves to curl up in our bed with the whole family and spend time watching a show or a movie on a Friday night. And I love that time together, too. <br />
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We have missed our friends in Arkansas since the move, but we also are very happy to be closer to family now. You just can't have it all, and the move here was the right decision for sure. We are lucky to have had visitors from Arkansas and to have made a couple of trips out there (more R than me), so we're staying in touch. So grateful for social media and email, too! <br />
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We look forward to keeping up the blog (this time), and I'll be sharing thoughts on a variety of topics, including more info on our family!!! Thanks for reading.<br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-6695170790878371382013-12-23T09:04:00.001-06:002013-12-23T09:22:58.043-06:00BounceU Birthday BashLast Sunday, we celebrated Sydney's 4th birthday a little early. We figured since her birthday is between Christmas and New Year's, we might have a hard time finding a day that worked for her friends, so we bumped it up. We had it at BounceU, a pretty awesome place in Charlotte that was worth every single penny. They took care of everything; we only had to show up with cupcakes and favors. Needless to say, we had a very excited little girl on our hands!! (You can see this place does just a FEW birthdays every weekend. Ha!)<br />
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I love the picture of them lined up because Sydney was supposed to be at the front and she let Collin sneak ahead of her. Cuties. <br />
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We had 19 kids total, including most of her pre-school class and a couple of neighbors. They bounced like crazy for an hour, and then we had the party room for 40 minutes where we did cupcakes and drinks followed by presents. I was so impressed with Sydney as she made eye contact and thanked each child for his/her gift --- and she wasn't even prepped to do that! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROt9OoMQSMzGo1dmJZ_o0tKptLOrzP-RCM-Jptp2dCeuOo8wD2zzKjJ0xt2PpPqx8IXrP49ltui1Yt54kuY4casfrWTCL2MfyJ3KlVaeZ16Rzfsr0EgdOxfjvSdP0MknXFj0Jxuu2WVj2/s1600/image007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROt9OoMQSMzGo1dmJZ_o0tKptLOrzP-RCM-Jptp2dCeuOo8wD2zzKjJ0xt2PpPqx8IXrP49ltui1Yt54kuY4casfrWTCL2MfyJ3KlVaeZ16Rzfsr0EgdOxfjvSdP0MknXFj0Jxuu2WVj2/s640/image007.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> This picture makes me think of a teenager pose. I can just imagine these two precious blondes in about 10 years --- or sooner!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Collin hung in there with all the "big kids."</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">They were ALL OVER her while she opened the gifts. I love that all the kids were just as excited about her presents as she was.</span></td></tr>
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She's still making her way through all the gifts (perhaps the only downside of having so many kids), and of course Christmas is only two days away. She is a bit spoiled in December! I put a few of the bday gifts away so we can pull them out later. Check out the spread --- and I must say, she got GREAT gifts. <br />
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At the park yesterday (enjoying the 70+ degree weather!), she said that Santa probably didn't need to bring her much since she already got so many gifts. I almost cried. So sweet. Of course that won't be the case, but I am going to encourage her to choose a few of her older/less used toys to give away. Maybe next year Collin will understand this whole idea, too. :)<br />
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This Friday, Sydney and I are having a mom/daughter day to continue the birthday celebration. We're going to see Frozen, and I'm waiting to be told what else she wants to do. And as soon as we close our December, we'll be gearing up for Collin's 2nd birthday in mid-January --- busy time of year in our house!Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-18700859680567729502013-11-01T13:06:00.002-05:002013-11-01T13:06:46.384-05:00Halloween through the yearsHalloween isn't a holiday I cared about too much before having kids. Now, I'm crazy about the costumes and watching them have so much fun. It's probably my favorite day on Facebook, too, because all the kids look so adorable.<br />
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This year was our best yet! The kids are SO into it, and Collin had the cutest "Dank Yoooo" as he ran from house to house. At least he used his manners. :)<br />
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I thought it would be fun to take a journey through our first four Halloweens as parents. I must say - we do a dang good job choosing costumes! I can't even stand the cuteness. The wheels are already turning for next year, but it's different now that Sydney says what she wants to be (and means it!), and I know Collin may have his own opinions on this topic by next fall.<br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-69834772049125615712013-10-20T13:47:00.000-05:002013-10-20T13:47:33.687-05:00Fall is in the airYesterday was a little rainy and chilly, which meant it was the perfect pumpkin farm day to ensure limited crowds. Boy, were we right :) It was a lot of fun, and we didn't have to race to score a wagon; in fact, each kid got one to keep the peace!<br />
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After we chose our two big pumpkins and played around the hay bales, we went over to see the farm animals that were outside and the ones that were in the barn. We were so glad they moved the pony rides --- actually huge horse rides! --- inside the barn. We didn't think Collin would be steady on the big horse, and he didn't seem all that interested anyway, so we opted to pay the hefty $10 ride fee for just the big kid :) I think she may want to ride as she grows up, and our piggy banks are not going to be happy about that. Ha!<br />
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Check out how much our two cuties have grown since last year! Our visit to this same pumpkin farm last year was the week after we moved. It turned out to be a great choice; I think this will be our annual destination for pumpkins and ponies.<br />
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Following our damp fall adventure, we went to Target and added two small pumpkins to our porch display. Sydney insisted we get one to represent each of us, and the farm didn't have any kid-sized ones. We are just about ready for Halloween!Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-24040598242036514612013-10-07T13:48:00.000-05:002013-10-07T15:36:28.413-05:00Peanut Festival FunIn late September, we traveled to our hometown for the 51st Virginia Peanut Festival. I had not been home for this event in many years, and I must say, we had a ball. Not only did my mom have all her kids and grandkids together - a rare thing these days - but we caught up with old friends and really enjoyed seeing the kids have fun.<br />
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We started that Saturday with a 5K "race" --- a term I use loosely since our family pushing the double jogger came in dead last. I, technically, was dead last. It was pretty sad, but then again, no one else was pushing a total of 65 lbs in a stroller :)<br />
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We then changed clothes and went to the parade. It's so nice that we can walk from my mom's house to all the activities --- the parade, the rides, the crafts - it's all right there. Collin danced and danced at the parade. I think he may join the band when he's older. The drum line was calling his name!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love this photo of Sydney and Collin with their cousin, Aidan. Stealing goldfish is an important stage of every relationship :)</span></td></tr>
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We then went over to the petting zoo/craft area and then the rides. Because she was a tad too short, Randall had to pay off a carny so Syd could do the big slide by herself, but it was totally worth it. She loved it! I<br />
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It was really awesome to have the whole gang together, and I look forward to getting everyone together again sometime during the holidays, and definitely for my mom's 60th birthday in January. And what would the Peanut Festival be without a little Peanut LOVE?!<br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-66697139761743617032013-09-22T12:38:00.001-05:002013-09-22T12:38:18.810-05:0020 monthsCollin hit the 20-month mark last week!! He has changed so much lately, and he's such a loveable, funny boy.<br />
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All of the pictures in this post are from our Labor Day weekend trip to Myrtle Beach. It was a last-minute decision and we found a little room right on the beach, which was our only requirement. We had a blast at the beach, pool and walking around Broadway at the Beach. We kept the kids out late, and we all had a great time. We get to go back to Myrtle in just two weeks to spend a couple of days with Uncle Mike and Aunt Muzette! <br />
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This week, we are going for a consultation about getting tubes in Collin's ears, so if we move forward with that, I hope it will mean less infections (if any!). He's currently recovering from his 6th infection since November. It's miserable, and we're ready to be done with that.<br />
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At 20 months, Collin:<br />
<ul>
<li>is wearing 24-month bottoms and 2T and 3T shirts</li>
<li>has a wonderful appetite and will try most foods</li>
<li>is talking more and more --- common words are bye-bye, juice, shoes, Mama, Daddy, Sydney, no, uh-oh, mine, not nice (when Sydney gets in trouble)</li>
<li>started riding Sydney's little tricycle just this morning, and he's got the idea pretty well figured out</li>
<li>loves to be outside at a playground, in our yard, going for walks, anything </li>
<li>is a dream at school - the teachers definitely favor him</li>
<li>still bites, unfortunately, thought it hasn't been as much lately</li>
<li>has had his first few experiences with time out; it's heartbreaking</li>
<li>has been 100% bottle-free for the last few weeks! That nighttime one was hard for mama to take :)</li>
<li>loves to have his shoes on; even if we just have him in a diaper and t-shirt around the house, he wants his sneakers on</li>
<li>favors all toys that make noise, especially music of any kind because his favorite thing in the world is dancing</li>
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Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-29024070638997979082013-08-29T12:13:00.000-05:002013-08-29T12:13:16.674-05:00Ready to dance!I took dance for 15 years ... from 3-18 years old. I love, love, loved it! Ballet, tap, jazz and even some clogging and hip hop. It was one of my favorite activities. I never wanted to quit, and there were several years where I took classes at two different studios.<br />
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I always knew if I had a daughter, I'd encourage her to consider dance as one of her activities. If Sydney's excitement during open house at <a href="http://www.dance-expressions.com/" target="_blank">her new studio</a> is any indication, she's going to have so much fun with it. And the new shoes were a hit when they arrived this week!<br />
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Her ballet/tap combo class starts next Wednesday, and I always took classes on Wednesdays. It's a sign of good things to come! ;-)<br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-8400785230803553312013-08-01T11:53:00.002-05:002013-08-01T12:02:08.633-05:00Miami favoritesWe had the most wonderful vacation in Miami Beach this summer! We went with my mom and step-dad, and it was the perfect set-up. We were in the same building with condos right near each other, so it was very convenient, but it also allowed for some separation when needed (nap time, etc.). It was great. And the kids loved going back and forth between the two places. We walked out of our building and there was the pool. A few feet beyond the pool was the ocean. You can't beat that with a stick, people!<br />
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The weather was perfect, and it was actually cooler in Miami than in N.C. and V.A. We were so lucky. There was a delightful breeze every day. It rained the day we started the drive home. Speaking of the drive, it was about an 11-hour trip, and we stopped in Jacksonville, FL overnight each way to break it up. The kids were rock stars. I guess we've always been an on-the-go family, so they do great with travel. Having the DVD player didn't hurt, either. :-)<br />
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While in Miami, we spent most of the time at the beach and pool, but we also spent one day at the Seaquarium (where it was really, really hot) and we drove the few miles further into South Beach for a couple of nice dinners out as well. It was just the right balance. Randall and I even fit in a date night which was my favorite thing - a walking culinary tour in South Beach. We stopped at 6 or 7 different restaurants. Mmmmmm So delicious; I could do that every weekend!<br />
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Here are a few favorites from the trip. <br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-62506904012260367142013-07-18T15:40:00.000-05:002013-07-18T15:45:21.067-05:0018 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been one and a half years since we welcomed Collin into the world!! I'm not exactly sure if the time will ever slow down, but I'm sure soaking up this precious age. We could not possibly love him more.<br />
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At 18 months, Collin is starting to talk a little more, though it's still not his favorite activity. His voice is sweet and small - not what you'd expect from this 95th percentile boy! He is super loving and laughs all the time. He LOVES his sister more than anyone else in the world, but I think Mommy is a close second. Sorry, Randall ;-) We are starting to see signs of his toddler temper, which was going to come along eventually. Right now, he loves Sydney's toys the most - strollers, dolls, jewelry. He loves to wear my shoes as much as Sydney does --- I tell Randall it's just because he loves to copy Sydney; it's not a sign of what he'll be doing when he's 15. Or maybe it is... whatever. At least he's in an accepting family. :) He loves to eat -- healthy stuff, unhealthy stuff, he doesn't discriminate. He does still have a bottle at bedtime. I know, we're awful. And I do intend to lie to the pediatrician at his check-up, but I don't know if I'll be able to stay strong when she makes eye contact. Ha!<br />
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We love you, sweet Collin, and we cannot imagine our lives without you. You are the BEST son we could ask for, and we can't wait to see what you do next. Our house brings a daily adventure, and you and your sister are the best kind of fun. xoxo<br />
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Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-77247288498886943202013-07-04T19:25:00.001-05:002013-07-04T19:25:50.636-05:00America the BeautifulI have been slack with blogging lately!! I hereby pledge to do better.<br />
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Today, we've had a crazy busy 4th of July, but we've had fun! We leave for vacation tomorrow, and packing a whole family is work. I'm sure it will be worth every task when we get to the beach for a full week of sun and sand.<br />
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Here are our all-American babies today. We decided against fireworks tonight since they don't start until 10 p.m., and we're hoping to hit the road early tomorrow. The neighbors say there will be no shortage around our area if we just sit outside, so that's the plan. Sydney is excited; she doesn't know if we're at a big show or not :)<br />
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Here are our firecrackers' comparisons over the years. I love seeing how they grow!!!!<br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-86207599038847372712013-05-24T08:12:00.001-05:002013-05-24T08:12:03.699-05:0016 Months (about a week late :))Collin hit the 16-month mark last Saturday! The last month has been full of developments, and most of them are really good ones ;-) Seriously, couldn't you just eat him up? Love.<br /><br />
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At 16 months, Collin:<br />
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<ul>
<li>is wearing 24-month and some 2T clothes, so clearly the growing has not slowed down!</li>
<li>still has a great appetite - refer to the first bullet :)</li>
<li>remains a fabulous sleeper; he's the best napper in his class, we're told.</li>
<li>finally says a few words that we're sure about - mama, dada, bubbles, all done, bye bye, dog... and my mom taught him "Hola" in Spanish which is absolutely adorable and pretty funny when he waves and says it</li>
<li>loves to play outside; it's our nightly activity after dinner now - t-ball, swing, slide, trampoline, sidewalk chalk, you name it.</li>
<li>is really showing his personality more and more; he is so, so funny but has also shown his temper a time or two</li>
<li>has had two haircuts. I think he likes getting pampered. </li>
<li>is still very affectionate; he either puckers up big or wants to give you a less-cute open-mouth kiss. :)</li>
<li>has started to show more interest in his fine motor skills (puzzles, etc.). </li>
<li>has unfortunately started biting. He has bit the same kid three times at school. He was getting bit all the time, and now the tables have turned. No fun.</li>
<li>loves his sister. Can't even explain it. He looks at her like she is the whole world. And he laughs and laughs and laughs. It's THE best thing ever.</li>
<li>is holding steady with only six teeth. </li>
<li>will almost sit still long enough to listen to a whole book. It's a work in progress. </li>
<li>is fast. We can't keep up with him. He's up the stairs in five seconds, down the stairs in five seconds - and he thinks it's hilarious when we can't find him.</li>
<li>is all boy!!! He's huge, he's rough, he's noisy, and we can't get enough of him!</li>
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<br />And here he is with his BFF. I hope they always like each other this much, although I'm sure the fact that she thinks she's his mother will get old pretty soon. <br />
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-71975585657092248112013-05-16T08:38:00.000-05:002013-05-16T08:38:31.577-05:00Mother's Day WeekendSadly, I have all iPhone photos to document my Mother's Day weekend, but the photo quality does not accurately communicate what a wonderful weekend I had!!<br />
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The Thursday before Mother's Day, I began my trek up to the DC area. I stayed overnight at my dad's and then continued the trip Friday morning. I got to have lunch with my boss and co-worker from my first job out of college. LOVED seeing Jennifer and Elizabeth! Failed to get a picture with them, though :(<br />
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Friday afternoon and evening, I spent with Katie, one of my college friends and roommates. We had a blast catching up. There's nothing quite like seeing your old friends and visiting. We laughed A LOT. Again, failed to get a picture together. Thankfully, she's planning a visit down to see us soon, so we'll get pictures then.<br />
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Saturday, Carly got married! Carly is also a friend from college, and I am so, so, so happy for her and Jonathan! The wedding was so personal and pretty. She was beautiful. And they seem to be so in love. (This was the first time I met the groom.) I'm very jealous since they are now enjoying a week in the Dominican Republic.<br />
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I had to change at Carly's reception into my "go out" clothes because my other friend Katie - also from college! - was having her bachelorette party. We had the best time. The nine of us managed to pull together a $450 tapas and sangria bill and it was worth every penny. Many of us didn't know each other, and we all meshed perfectly. That isn't always the case, so we were very happy about that. :) Katie is so sweet; it's no surprise all her friends were sweet, too! <br />
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Then we went to the Ritz and gave her lingerie gifts and laughed and talked. When they were about to hit the town again, I headed back to Katie #1's house so I could get a good night's rest and drive back home the next day for Mother's Day. Of course I didn't go to sleep, because Katie and I stayed up til 2 a.m.... you guessed it.... gabbing away.<br />
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Sunday morning I hit the road at 6:45 a.m. (yes, I'm a rockstar), and came home to the most wonderful gifts! The previous owners of our house had a big B&W picture of each child in their rooms, and I mentioned how much I loved that. So, that's what Randall did! He took these pictures at the park and I just love their sweet faces. He also had smaller ones framed for my office so I can look at them all day long.<br />
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We spent a casual day together, and it was really perfect. I didn't have the energy for a big activity, but as is always the case, I loved seeing my sweet family after some girl time away :)<br />
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I am so thankful for my Mother's Day weekend. I know not all couples make time to spend with their friends, and I am very happy that Randall and I balance that part of our lives so well. It's really important, at least for us, and I know it wouldn't be possible if he wasn't such an awesome dad. I have to make sure his Father's Day is just as wonderful!Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-57299498612711319942013-04-26T09:33:00.004-05:002013-04-26T14:04:44.816-05:00Lazy 5 RanchLast weekend, when I was up north attending my grandmother's funeral, Randall was Super Dad once again. Saturday, he took the kids to Lazy 5 Ranch, a place very similar to the safari we so loved in Arkansas. The drive-thru part isn't quite as long, which is a good thing for our kids, and then the petting/feeding part doesn't have you in the areas with the animals, which is a very good thing for me! There is also a playground = bonus. I can't wait to see it for myself!<br />
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And here is a video of Sydney feeding the animals. I cannot believe she did this. This child has changed so much since we moved. She is now an outgoing, adventurous gal. It's wonderful to see!<br />
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The second video is of our sweet girl calling the hogs. She is an Arkansas girl at heart!! <br />
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Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-45491676467481615252013-04-22T07:37:00.001-05:002013-04-22T07:37:31.630-05:00A time of lossWe moved to N.C. just about six months ago, and since then, we've said goodbye to three very important people in our lives. It has made our transition pretty hard. We are grateful for the time we spent with each of these wonderful people, and we are sorry for all of the things they will miss out on moving forward.<br />
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It's impossible to place a rating on how tough each loss has been, but it's safe to say that losing Randall's mom at age 69 has been the worst. We wanted her to know our kids and to be a part of their lives --- ball games, dance recitals, a good report card --- whatever those things might be.<br />
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I also know I'm very lucky to have had three of my grandparents still living into my 30s. Now, we're down to one. There's really no other way to sum up the last six months - it's been hard. <br />
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I look at these pictures and wish we had a little more time. RIP Betty (Meme), Morris (G-pa), and Margaret (Grandma). If you have any say-so in the matter, might you send us six months of happiness? We think we're due. xoxo<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Betty with her baby boy. I'm thankful every day she raised such a wonderful<span style="font-size: small;"> person.</span> He is the best husband and father because of her.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My grandpa with his wife of nearly 68 years and their two kiddos. My dad and Aunt Gail will carry on his incredible legacy.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grandma with her three --- my mom, Aunt Steph, and Uncle Tom. They each got different strengths from her, and I know she gave my mom her strong but tender heart.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-64968039079834819462013-04-17T08:04:00.002-05:002013-04-17T08:09:24.578-05:00N.C. ZootasticThis past weekend was bee-yoo-ti-ful! Randall was back in our old stomping grounds of Northwest Arkansas for a golf tournament, so my mom came down to spend the weekend with us. Saturday, we took the kids to the North Carolina Zoo, which is a little over an hour from our house. Wow! It is my new favorite zoo. My boss had given me tips on where to park, where to start, and where to end up to have a less hilly experience... and now I am even more grateful for her advice. The zoo is gigantic and VERY hilly. We got our exercise for the day, that's for sure! We ended up buying a membership for the year, so I can't wait to go back again and again. Randall is going to love it. The kids were in heaven. Here are just a few pictures from the day. The animals have so much room (hence, all the walking). It is truly a lovely space.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the tram from Africa to North America</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first exhibit we saw --- yuck. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bison!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Baboons</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Loved how the giraffes, zebras, and ostriches all live together</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sydney's #1 favorite - the ostrich!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mrs. Lion</span></span></td></tr>
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My favorite!</div>
Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-6038463042877404092013-04-16T10:50:00.001-05:002013-04-16T10:50:52.093-05:00Boston loveI woke up today, still completely overwhelmed by sadness. There have been far too many horrifying moments in our history, and they seem to be happening more and more with less time in between. My heart goes out to everyone affected by yesterday's tragedy. Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-74836954187935458272013-04-02T18:33:00.002-05:002013-04-02T18:33:56.786-05:00Easter 2013We had a wonderful Easter weekend in Virginia. Sadly, my mom wasn't in town because her mom isn't doing too well up in Connecticut, so she had to be there with her. She still managed to spoil us from afar... with Easter baskets and a free place to stay! :) We spent a lot of time with Randall's brother and his family and several of our friends. As always, it went by way too fast. I will tell you - as tough as this move has been at times, weekends like that remind us how nice it is to be able to hop in the car and see family.<br />
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Saturday afternoon, Randall, his brother, Mike, and his brother's wife, Muzette, took the kids to an egg hunt at their church while I visited with Brandy — the one friend I always, always make time to see when we go home. Muzette got these cute t-shirts for the kids that say "Chillin' with my Peeps" --- perfect for an Easter egg hunt!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We call this one "determination!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sydney ended up with 21 eggs; poor Collin only got three, and then Sydney stole one of those. Haha!</td></tr>
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Saturday night, Mike and Muzette hosted a delicious shrimp boil! YUM. They did it right, too - just throw it all out on tables and let everyone feast. I could eat shrimp every single day.<br />
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<br />The weather was perfect, and the kids had a ball. Collin even went to sleep in their house so we could stay a little later. Sydney played and played and played with Cadence, who is Muzette's brother's girlfriend's daughter. Still family, right? :) I can just imagine them when they are teenagers. Trouble! (I don't think my joke about the sippy cup turning to a beer bottle went over too well.)<br /><br />
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<br />Easter morning, we enjoyed baskets that my mom left for us... even us, the "big kids."<br /><br />
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It was raining like crazy, but after breakfast, we got ready and went to church. Muzette sang, which Sydney thought was so cool. The kids got restless about halfway through, so we took them to the nursery and preschool class, but overall, they did pretty well. I thought they looked so cute!!! Sydney's dress was a Christmas gift from my mom, and I love it.<br />
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<br />I looked back at our family picture from last Easter, and the kids are so big compared to then!! I also realize that next year, I must wear something other than stripes. Oops!<br /><br />
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What a difference a year makes!!!!!<br />
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Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-52310351725690917302013-03-19T08:12:00.002-05:002013-03-19T08:12:23.271-05:0014 monthsHow has it been 14 months since we welcomed our angel boy into our family?! I'm not sure, but yesterday marked the date, so I took some cute playtime pictures after school.<br /><br />
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At 14 months, Collin:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>walks so fast, we can't keep up</li>
<li>still only babbles mostly, but we have clearly heard him say baby, hi, dada, and mama. According to all milestone charts he should say between 4 and 10 words by 18 months, so we're working on it!</li>
<li>wears a lot of 18-month clothes and some 24-month clothes already! Can you say left tackle?</li>
<li>is in the 85th percentile for height and weight.</li>
<li>loves his big sister and plays so rough with her!</li>
<li>really enjoys banging all toys together or on furniture. Lovely, right? Boys will be boys!</li>
<li>is an excellent sleeper: one 2-3 hour nap each afternoon and 12-13 hours each night.</li>
<li>eats everything... and I mean everything. It is wonderful having a non-picky eater, especially now that Sydney is much less picky, too.</li>
<li>loves to be outside, and he has now figured out going up and turning himself around to go down the slide feet first but on his belly to ensure a smooth landing. It's precious, and here's a video of it at an indoor playground. He much prefers the outdoor ones, though.</li>
</ul>
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<br />We are thankful for you every single day, Collin!!! And I'm sorry that Sydney thinks she's your second mother. I'm really working on that. It's really only a problem when she tries to discipline you, right? :) But then again, how can you not love this face?<br />
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Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-20713017003236876832013-03-12T10:38:00.001-05:002013-03-12T10:38:12.885-05:00Spring is Near!This past weekend, I flew up for a quick weekend in Connecticut, celebrating my grandmother's 90th birthday with several family members I hadn't seen in YEARS. It was such a fun weekend, and I wish we could have all attended. It just didn't suit this time. We'll make a special trip soon, hopefully. (Fun fact: BOTH of my grandmothers celebrated their 90th birthday yesterday!)<br />
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I was back home by 12:30 Sunday afternoon, and the weather was GORGEOUS. So, we went straight from the airport out to lunch and then to one of the great parks in Charlotte. There were tons of families and dogs enjoying the weather. We spent time in the big open park space and then went over to the swings, sandboxes and slides. The kids were pooped and ready to start the week. <br />
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Here's a photo recap.<br />
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I know two children who are ready for warm weather and for our beach vacation in July!! Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-85717613597152279372013-02-15T11:50:00.001-06:002013-02-15T11:50:53.725-06:00American Idol Jr.I'm so happy to see another season of American Idol on TV, but I am hating the judges. Seriously. I miss Simon, still, and now I also miss Steven and J.Lo. However, I love watching talent shows, so I'm sticking with it.<br />
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Maybe in 15 years or so, we'll see this little star take the stage.<br />
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First, here's our performer in pajamas singing Doe A Deer from the Sound of Music.<br />
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And here she is singing one Randall taught her recently, Old Man Tucker. I'll put the lyrics here in case you love it so much you want to learn it (or if you have trouble understanding her) :) I've since learned that this is a variation of "Old Dan Tucker" from Little House on the Prairie. Who knew?!<br />
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Old Man Tucker was a fine old man<br />
Washed his face in a fryin' pan<br />
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel<br />
Died with a toothpick in his will<br />
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Gone away is Old Man Tucker<br />
You're too late to get your supper<br />
Supper's over and dinner's cookin'<br />
Old Man Tucker was just standin' there lookin'<br />
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And to finish out this video-filled post, here are our two sweeties the other night when Randall was out of town. I wanted to send him a video. They were going berserk in the tub. It is their favorite time together, I think! Are Collin's little waves not the SWEEEEEETEST things?</div>
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<br />Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-66816339746484567202013-02-04T15:25:00.003-06:002013-02-04T15:29:46.734-06:00Collin's 1st Birthday!What kind of mother waits weeks to blog about her son's 1st birthday?! Sorry. I'm so sorry :) We had a wonderful celebration of Collin's first year with
family and friends in Virginia. We held it at a local church hall and had
about 30 folks attend. It was great! Here are some pictures from the
occasion.<br />
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His invitation turned out so cute, first of all. Thanks to Elle Bee Designs in Arkansas (find her on Facebook!).<br />
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The room set-up was simple. The cake was vanilla and the cupcakes were chocolate - both were delicious! The cake was made at a local bakery in VA. And we asked Randall's brother's wife's mom (you got that?!) to handle all of the food. She caters on the side and is awesome at it. This turned out to be a very smart decision on our end. She did much better than we would have done, and it was a huge stress relief since we were coming from out of town.<br />
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Here are some of my favorites of the birthday boy enjoying cake and presents. Sydney wouldn't touch her cake, and he couldn't get enough.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I loved his little outfit. Kudos to Randall for picking it out!!</span></td></tr>
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And here are some shots of some of the guests. It was great to see family and friends; I just wish we had more photos of the attendees!<br />
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And of course Sydney was the best helper of the day. Collin's present opening went MUCH faster than at her own first birthday party because she didn't have an older sibling to basically take over the whole process. She had a blast and looked pretty cute in the process, I'd say. :)<br />
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At one year old, here are some highlights about our big boy:<br />
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<ul>
<li>He weighs 25 pounds and is 85th percentile in both height and weight (that's only 7 pounds lighter than his 3-year-old sis!)</li>
<li>He is walking, cautiously but surely. I think in the next few weeks, he will prefer it over crawling.</li>
<li>He moved up to a new classroom, where they sit in chairs at a table, and they sleep in cots instead of cribs. He's getting so big!</li>
<li>He isn't saying much that makes sense, but lots of things that sound like dadda, momma, baba, bye-bye... or something like that :)</li>
<li>He's facing front in the car (no judgement please) and loves it. We figure he's as big as some 2-year-olds, so we feel ok about our decision. </li>
<li>He loves all food. ALL. FOOD. I think walking will only help his ever-growing tummy :) </li>
<li>Collin is convinced his bottle is for milk and his sippy cup is only for juice. We're working hard to get him off the bottle! If his sippy has juice, he drinks it down. If it has milk, he throws it on the floor or just pours it on his face. Lovely.</li>
<li>He LOVES his sister so very much, even when she's not being a perfect big sister. I hope they continue to be as close as they are right now. They both laugh all the time at each other.</li>
<li>Collin is just the sweetest boy. I know we say this all the time, but it's true. I couldn't have asked for a better son.</li>
</ul>
Last but not least, here are our little ones at their first birthday parties. Are they sweet or what?!<br />
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Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655117995183687507.post-78073705939375785812013-01-09T18:30:00.001-06:002013-01-09T18:37:06.459-06:00Sydney's 3rd Birthday!<i>I figure I really needed to get this post up before Collin's 1st birthday rolls around!</i><br />
Sydney had been begging for ear piercing ever since her classmate had her ears pierced a couple of months ago. I thought for sure she'd chicken out before her birthday weekend rolled around, but nope. So, two days before her birthday, my mom and I took her to Claire's. Here's the tentative before picture, the immediate after picture, and then the tears gone picture. She only cried for about 10 seconds, but isn't that picture just heartbreaking? Other shoppers must have thought we were so mean! She chose the October birthstone because it is light pink. She looks SO CUTE. It worked out great because she was perfectly still --- the requirement for the Claire's workers to do both ears at the same time. I'm not sure she would have done the 2nd one if they did them one at a time. :)<br />
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Immediately after, we headed to a celebratory carousel ride. She was so proud of the earrings!!<br />
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Since we recently moved and had a crazy busy fall, I didn't plan a birthday party with her classmates. I sent cupcakes and candles to school, and she loved having everyone sing to her. Then, we just did presents and cake at home with Grandma and Pop. I feel terrible now that we didn't do a big party because she's been to a few here for her new friends, and she loves them. At least now I know, and next year we'll do it up big!<br />
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Now, we didn't sing to Sydney one time. Or even two times. We sang to her (and she sang to herself) with the big cake, then re-lit the candles on her piece of cake, and then again and again and again. I think we sang five times with candles. The third birthday must be when they really embrace the birthday fun. She couldn't get enough.
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At three years old, Sydney Drew is a very strong-willed yet loving little girl. She loves her baby brother more than anyone in the world, and she is such a Daddy's Girl. She loves school-related activities (flash cards, tracing numbers and letters, etc.). I hope she's always excited about learning. Sydney has strong opinions as well as a sensitive heart. She is like a different child in the last six months --- loves playing with friends and takes less time to warm up to new people. She has a memory like her Daddy (supernatural, really) and can learn words to songs in no time. She's hilarious, silly, and compassionate. We are surprised by her every day, and it's so much fun to watch her in the big sister role. She has moved out of overnight pull-ups, and her pacifier is gone. It almost makes me tear up! There are definitely challenges that come with having a three-year-old, and there are times I want to hide for a few hours (or days), but there are also times when I feel so happy and full because we get to be her parents. I can't wait to see what this next year holds!!Danielle and Randall Stricklandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05788276089271003657noreply@blogger.com1