A Ride in the Gator

Sunday night I went to bed feeling blessed, but with one small regret. After a perfect day with my family in Lanesboro, I was kicking myself for not bringing along my camera. It has been a difficult year in many ways for all of us. But Sunday was a happy day and I wanted to preserve it. Hopefully this small story will help to protect the memory of a simple yet very sweet time together.

We all gathered at Elstad Church for a special fundraising concert Sunday morning. Each member of the family had a role in what really was an incredible show. Julie played some amazing piano duets, Isabelle wowed everyone on violin and piano, Keith sang in a barber shop quartet and I emceed. The music was uplifting and the brunch that followed was wonderful.  The morning was filled with laughter and hugs. As I watched Bereket play hide and seek with her cousins in the church basement, I thought how very blessed we all are to have one another.

After the brunch, we all went back to the farm. While sitting around the kitchen table, Bereket sweetly asked, "Papa, Gator ride?" Dad was more than happy to take us all out for an adventure. I squeezed in the back of the Gator with the older children while Bereket rode between Dad and Jason up front.  

Usually Gator rides are just a quick trip out to the pond and back. But today was different. Dad was in no hurry. He wanted to give us a ride to remember. He took us through fields and pastures pointing out empty patches of land where early settlers had once lived in simple cabins. He pointed out tall trees that had been planted by Civilian Conservation Corps workers in the 1930's. He told stories of our ancestors and his childhood.  By the time we returned back to the house, more than an hour had passed and Mom and Julie were about to come searching for us. We were all hot and sweaty and Isabelle's allergies were on fire. But looking back, I am so thankful for this special moment with Dad as he shared with us the land he loves so much.

Sunday was a day to celebrate our roots; our family, our family church and our family farm. I am so thankful for all of these things.

I may have forgotten my camera Sunday, but I did bring it on our family camping trip last weekend! And really, these photos get to the point of what this little story is all about, the blessing of family and where we all come from.  This was Nil's first time coming along on the annual camping trip and it was his first time at the beach! He loved every second of it and we loved having him along!

And these smiles, all this love between cousins..Incredible! Thank you, God for these people and another day together.

"Bereketspeak": A Dictionary

Bereket was not a huge talker in her first year or so with us. We were ready to anticipate and meet just about any need she could possibly have so she didn't need to talk a lot. Around the time of our trip to Sanibel Island in December, she really started to pipe up. And let me tell you, those little conversations can be interesting! But if you want to join in, you need a little primer in "Bereketspeak." Here's a sampler to get you started:

"Ket Ket":  Bereket's interpretation of her own name.  Example: "Sit, Ket Ket." (Mommy, I want to sit on your lap).

"Dee-Dah":  Daddy. When her message is extra important, Bereket  exclaims "Dee-Dah" five times in a row with great urgency. If she doesn't get the response she is looking for, she'll shout "Jay-sin!!!"

"Auntie" This simple affectionate term has always been reserved for Cousin Daniel. She has called him Auntie from day one, and he doesn't mind a bit. What a cool kid he is!

Bereket and her precious "Auntie"

"Hold You, Hold You!" Definition: Mommy Carry me. Usually used while half-way through an uphill hike or when B. is tired of riding in the stroller and we are still a long way from home.

"Pony, Pony!" No, not a small horse, but rather an urgent need to brush mommy's hair and put it in a ponytail. On a good day, she'll say afterward, "Mommy Pretty."

"Poopies! Poopies!" Exciting words heard before, on and after using the potty..often heard in conjunction with "Hello, Poopies!" and "Bye Bye, Poopies!" (The women who happened to be in the restroom at Frontenac State Park during our recent camping trip had many a good chuckle over her potty chatter and songs).

"Uncle Ik-Ik": Uncle Eric.

"Auntie Lean": Bereket's godmother, Jolene.

"Leana!!" Always said with great enthusiasm, Bereket shouts this when she wants to watch "Angelina Ballerina." And when she wants to watch Angelina, she wants to watch her right away!

"Boots!" A big rival to Angelina Ballerina in our house right now, Bereket is also a big fan of that big orange cat in "Puss in Boots."

"Nilk" Definition: milk.

"Treat!!" Perhaps the most utilized word in B's world, this one is self explanatory.

So there you have it. A few new and exotic words to use the next time you are around our little family.  And if we're all a little lucky, Bereket may say the best words of all, "Of  Ooh."  Definition: Love You!


   

Our Very Happy Camper

The campfire smell has been washed out of our hair, the beach towels are in the dryer, the wet tent is all dried out and put away, and Bereket is sitting at the table having a bowl of her beloved cereal and milk.  In other words, we are settling into Home Sweet Home after a short but sweet escape to Frontenac State Park.

The Amazing Rebhahn Family Campers!

Mother Nature did all she could to keep us from camping this weekend. Severe weather forecasted for Friday trimmed the first night off our trip,  but we braved the sporadic showers on Saturday and Sunday for a much needed change of scenery.  After the tent was all set up, we enjoyed a beautiful family hike on one of our very favorite trails.

We also enjoyed all of our family camping activities like the beach and cooking hot dogs over the fire (I love it how Bereket yells, "Yay! Yay!" when the hotdogs are done). And we took a little time to just chill out. Bereket enjoyed reading all the story books I brought along for her, but she found this one especially interesting!

Yes, "The New Strong Willed Child" is the must read book in our household right now! Our incredible child has definite  ideas on how things should be in the world around her. I am sure it will help her to accomplish great things one day. Right now, we are all  learning together how to channel that energy and will in the right direction. That being said, I have noticed that when Bereket is camping, she is almost perfectly behaved! She is helpful, so very happy, and almost always up for  Mommy and Dee-Dah's ideas and instructions.  In fact, things are so great while camping, I am thinking of moving the family into a tent!

 

Yes, I love that little camper! Oh, and in case you ever find yourself in the woods and need a little touch up on your hair, Bereket's hair salon is portable..You just need to be able to fit in her little chair!

Because everyone should be happy while camping!

A Ballerina Birthday

We are in a phase of life right now where EVERYTHING is Princess! Princess pullups, princess potty, princess babies, princess shoes, princess kickball, princess books and of course princess pajamas. So you can imagine the excitement when Bereket was able to transform into a real-life princess for her dance recital recently!  She had been wistfully looking at that pink and purple princess dress in it's special protective bag for weeks, now she could finally put it on!

Bereket's first vision of herself in the costume was pure amazement! She kept proclaiming, "Ket Ket, Princess! Ket Ket, Princess!"

Bereket got to be a princess for two Saturdays in a row! First came the dress rehearsal during her normal Tippi Toes class on May 11th. 

After we went through all three recital numbers a few times, Miss Ashley gave Bereket some glitter for extra sparkle!

Then came the real thing on May 18th! When we arrived at the Hill Theatre at RCTC, there were A LOT of people backstage, and Berket got a little petrified. When the tears started 3 minutes to showtime,  I was very worried about how things were going to go. Bereket was not a happy dancer. Even flowers couldn't make her smile!

But then, right before we went out on stage, there was a total game changer! Bereket's three cousins ran up to her with big hugs and great excitement! Suddenly she was all smiles and ready to show off for the crowd! She rocked "I'm a Little Teapot!"

Bereket and her fellow Tippi Toes dancers did amazing on her other two recital songs, too! The crowd went wild!

Think the fun ends here, no way! With all B's special people in town for her recital, we decided to have her 3rd birthday party afterward. She had so much fun playing with wrapping and tissue paper in her princess dress!

But the big fun came when her three cousins arrived. The giggles were non-stop (as always!) First, came birthday tickles...

 And then the cake! (I especially love Daniel's expression in this photo!)

And Bereket had lots of extra hands and encouragement when it came to opening her gifts!

 

And here's a picture of the adult table to prove that the kids weren't the only ones having a good time!

There is someone very important missing from this picture. Grannie could not be there. She was admitted to the hospital for heart surgery the day before the party. I thought about postponing all this fun until she felt better, but Granny insisted the show go on! I am so glad she did. It was a beautiful day to celebrate Bereket. I know Grannie was there in spirit. She gave me this special gift for Bereket in advance, knowing her health might keep her from being at the party. It is a Rhyme Bible and as you can see, Bereket treasures it.

I am so grateful for my little three-year-old and for all the people who love her and made her birthday so special! Happy birthday, Ket Ket!

All Clean and Dry!

Bereket's diaper days are slowly coming to an end as the Mickey Mouse Huggies have now been replaced with her beloved "Princess" pullups. Such a big girl! Being older, wiser and more experienced means that Bereket is taking on new household responsibilities! Like making sure her babies are all clean and dry.  She gave me this little demonstration on how it works!

1) Start with a baby and a clean diaper. Huggies brand are best, but since they're so expensive, dollies get the generic kind!

 2) The perfect diaper is selected and the procedure can begin!

3) It isn't easy getting such a big diaper (size 4!) on such a little body!

4) If at first you don't succeed, try try again!

5) Help, Dee-Dah! Help!

6) Teamwork always saves the day!

7) A successful diaper change means a happy baby and a happy mommy!

The end!

The Spring that Never Came and the Princess Potty!

Other than Jolene's wedding, there have been two main highlights in our family this spring: the weather and the potty!

The weather is much less fun to talk about, so let's get that one out of the way first. It has been TERRIBLE! In early May, Bereket is still wearing her snow boots and her winter coat whenever she leaves the house.  But the spirit of an almost three-year-old can not be broken...and she reminds me to keep my spirit bright even when the weather isn't!  Just check out at this fashionista prepared for any condition Mother Nature might throw her way!  I love this girl!

Now, onto the potty! That is something exciting to talk about!  Bereket has been potty training for the last few months and she is doing great! She even did great on our trip up to Lutsen Resort last month. Forgive me, Bereket for posting this picture from Lutsen...but it is so cute!!

Jason and I have been so proud of all of Bereket's progress and when Jason went to the store recently on an errand, he surprised us all with a special gift for B. He bought her a princess potty!  Bereket is obsessed with anything princess right now, so this was very exciting!  Here she is in the living room examining her new pink commode! She's pointing out Cinderella!

And here is Bereket overseeing the installation process. (Notice the little blue box on top of the toilet. Jason got her princess wipes, too! Nice move! She excitedly says "Princess, Princess" for a wipe every time she is done!)

Perhaps what has been the most fun during this potty training process is seeing Bereket's personal satisfaction in her achievements. She is really proud of herself and I am so proud of her!

Sweet Little Flower Girl

Dear Bereket,
I am writing you today as a very proud mother! On Saturday, April 13th, you had the incredible honor of being a flower girl in your godmother Jolene's wedding. You did such an incredible job! I am still beaming with pride!

The wedding was held at Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior. It is a little further north of where we went camping last summer. After watching a lot of movies on the drive up there, you were so excited to explore our lake-front room where we would be staying for the next 3 nights!

We then went for hike around the resort. Since the wedding was in April, it should have been spring outside, but we arrived just after a big snow storm! The snow was beautiful though and you and Daddy enjoyed making some snowballs and exploring!

 

After our little outdoor adventure, you put on a pretty dress and then we all went down to the beach for the rehearsal.  You must have paid close attention because you knew exactly what to do the next day for the real thing!

Then came the big rehearsal dinner. You had so much fun playing with John's niece Delia, your co-flower girl!

"Auntie Jolene" loves you so much and after we ate, she gave you some special gifts including some fun toys and a beautiful silver bracelet!

The next day was Jolene and John's wedding day!  You enjoyed swimming with Daddy in the morning before it was time for pictures with the wedding photographer. You smiled in all your photos just like a little model!

 

After you tried on the special dress John's mother, Karen, made for you, you proudly proclaimed you were a princess! And you certainly looked like one! Karen also made beautiful coats for you and Delia to keep you warm during the ceremony. The lace on the coat was from her own wedding gown! You both did wonderful walking down the outdoor aisle!

The service was beautiful!

After the vows, we enjoyed some family time on the beach!

We went inside for a little socializing and then dinner. All the activity was a bit much for you though and you fell asleep in my arms on the way to our table. You slept sweetly through the entire meal!

But you were re-charged and ready for action just in time for the dance! And "Auntie Jolene" made sure she got in a few dances with you on the dance floor! You both looked like princesses!

The wedding was so much fun and the great memories continued the next day with more swimming at the hotel, a trip to Grand Marais, and more family hikes in the snow! This time the sun was out!

On Monday, we sadly made our way home. What a great weekend it was! Bereket, you were such an important part of my dear friend's special day. Thank you for being you...such a sweet, beautiful little girl and an amazing flower girl! I love you and so does "Auntie Jolene"!