"Push the button, Max!"

Once again a lot of things have happened that has prevented me from blogging, but today I got such a cute call from Roxi and Anni, I had to find time to write. They are currently in Iowa saying goodbye to all of Jason's relatives for the last time before leaving for Zanzibar mid-March. The reason for the call, was that while they were in the car driving, Anni kept saying,"Push the button, Max!" Now if that doesn't mean anything to you, it is because you aren't familiar with one of our family's favorite movies, "The Great Race" with Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk, and Natalie Wood. While Anni has been staying with us, I have been trying to introduce her to many "real people, not Princess movies". According to her Mama, her addiction to Princesses is all Bibi's fault!
I first started with "Mary Poppins", then moved on to "Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang", both big hits with Anni, and then finally, "The Great Race!" One of her other favorite quotables from this movie that makes her laugh out loud after saying the line, is "General????", and then Jack Lemmon's character gets hit in the face with a pie, after the biggest pie fight ever filmed! I just love that I was able to introduce her to some golden oldies that she will quote, and remember watching with Bibi.
Before they left, she had her final dance class and 10 minute classroom recital. This event is covered in detail on Roxi's blog. It brought back many wonderful memories of taking Katy to dance classes everyday for years! Here is Anni with her ballerina doll that I gave her:

One day, I took Anni to the DuPage Children's Museum, where she and I played most of the day. Here are a few looks at our activities:
Anni times three! Wish I could keep one of her here!

This girl loves water, and bright lights!
Another day, Roxi and I took both of the girls to the mall to get their pictures taken professionally. I was able to get one picture of Anni before the photographer placed Evy into the shot. I had gotten them contrasting sister dresses, and we can't wait for the actual photographs to come.

After successfully getting their photos done, we played, shopped and Bibi took these shots herself of my little girls having fun.

Shopping for another Princes dress at the Disney store.
Anni and Mama enjoy a dizzy ride after lunch!

I suppose I'll never know what kind of damage I've done to Anni introducing her to slapstick movies like the "Great Race", but I do enjoy her sharing lines with me now. Whether she remembers these lines a year and a half from now, I don't know, but I know I'll never forget her laugh at "General??" as she pretends a pie hits her face.

A Girl's Best Friend

One thing we have here, that Anni does not have in Zanzibar is a dog. In fact, she has been busy playing with three dogs while staying with us. Dipity, our German Shorthair, Data, Rob's fluffy mutt, and Bella, a darling friend's puppy we puppy sat for a week. Data accidentally bit her finger once, so she has been very careful of petting Data. "Uncle Wob, says to pet her here!"as she pets her right behind her head. Bella was just more than she could bear to leave alone. "She's just me size!" as she carried the puppy around relentlessly. And Dip is her "best friend" on most days. (Today Dip ate half of Anni's cheeseburger from McDonald's, which brought about many tears.) Of course, Dip thought it was hers, since Anni is constantly feeding her under the table what food she doesn't want to eat normally. Here is Anni with her best friend (on most days):

Just chillin' with Dipity!

"Just me size!"

Data trying to play pool at the lake house! Anni loves to throw balls for her!
"Me really love, Bella!"

Every girl needs a dog of her own to love! Maybe when she gets back from Zanzibar for good!No one loves you like a dog, except maybe your Bibi!

Priceless

Saturday was our date to go see Disney on Ice! Wearing her Ariel dress, and sitting in our front row center seats that cost over $200 with tax and parking was worth it. The day was priceless! The best part of the day, was during the Celebration of Valentine's Day when all the Princesses and Princes were skating right in front of us. At the end of the number, Ariel and Erik stopped right in front of us, and after he presented Ariel with a rose, she turned and handed it to Anni!!! As you can see, she was excited! Well, maybe more in shock and proud that Ariel picked her out because she was wearing her dress! We called Roxanne to tell her (she and Jason were in Champaign to see Katy) and Anni was almost hyperventilating and in a high pitched voice shrieking in glee about Ariel. I had to explain because she was too excited to clearly communicate her good fortune!

As you can see ALL the princesses where there!

The only part Anni didn't like, and she has told everyone about, was Halloween, when all the Disney Villians came out. Cruella skated right at her, and she did not like "those bad guys!" It will be a day this Bibi will remember for a long time, and I hope Anni will too. See already wants to go again when Evy is big enough to go too. How thoughtful to include her sister in on the goodies. She was also very good about not asking for all the overpriced food and toys. The guys came by hocking their wares every 5 minutes. We had bought the program in the beginning so she could show her friends in Zanzibar, and when we left, she politely asked if she could get just one thing. After scouring about five booths of loot, we decided to get Jessie from Toy Story, so her Woody would have a friend. We had not been able to find Jessie at any of the Disney stores, so we were quite excited about taking her to join the suitcase of Princesses she is already taking home with her.

When we got back to Wheaton, we heard on the radio that the Illini won with a last second shot, so Mama and Papa had a good day too. We finished off our date at McDonald's Playplace! Who could ask for anything more?

Here is some footage of the good and bad guys that skated right by us: