Katja's Third Birthday

So, much has happened. It has been three long months since I last posted. With five children, I am amazed when I get the laundry caught up and shower. Let alone write a post on my blog!! So, I will attempt to catch everyone up on the last three months. I will start with November.

Katja Turns 3

Katja turned three years old a week after the twins celebrated their 2nd Birthday. She was in full princess mode with a crown and everything. There is no doubt that this little girl is that, all girl.
She was so proud of her crown. She told her Oma about it here on the phone in German and then Grandpa Taylor about it on Skype on the computer. She talked about it for weeks. She actually got two crowns, and a pretty white shirt that said Princess on it. Pretty pink play earrings. Man, she has it made. I still am amazed that I get to go through this whole princess stage with five girls. I am so lucky.

She got a new babydoll.


Not that we need another one but she was a bit jealous that the twins got one the week before and I wanted to avoid all fighting. But, give me a break. They still are fighting over them. Anyway, she really was proud of her baby and her crown.
Michael had a friend from work over but we kept the party small. I cannot imagine doing a big party for each child, every year. So, we are trying to do an every-other-year rule and then maybe it wont get so crazy.


Nanny Sarah's parents in Canada sent a present for Katja.
That was really nice.
See here here wearing both crowns
and holding the gift from Canada.

Nanny Sarah's parents are always sending things to the girls. I think they want Sarah to sneak one home with her in her suitcase when she leaves.

So, now she is 3 years old. I am talking to her about how big that is and how important it is to be my big girl helper. She seems to like her status. She is very stubborn though. I am also concerned because she seems to have a very anal cleaning streak. This sounds okay in theory but Katja wants to control everything and keeps everything meticulously clean. It is scary. I cannot even get the chance to cut her nails because she has bitten them down so short that there is nothing there to cut. I may have to read up on this type of child. Never seen anyone like it in my life.
She is speaking English again to me. That is so nice. Ever since Nanny Sarah arrived, things have gotten so much better as far as the verbal side of the children. Katja and I have real conversations. I am really hesitating sending her to a German preschool. I have heard from other mothers and seen it out in the public, once the child enters the German school, they stop speaking the mother language. They understand it but speak back in German. I have seen so many Turkish and Russian families here where the parents are speaking in the mothertongue and the child is answering in German. I think they should be able to speak both. I have had so many Germans tell me that I should not want my child to speak in English to me. I should give up my culture and embrace the German one. We will see about that.

Anyway, November was a success. That leads us to December. Christmas was coming and I was actually not pregnant and able to go to a Weinachtsmarkt. I will write about Christmas in my next post. I have to go and nurse baby Sarah.