This past week . . .

When I originally started a blog I intended to post at least every other day so I would have pretty good record/journal. I never thought I would be too busy to do that. This last week I was.

I was too busy because of: Earth Day, Anniversary (10 years thank you very much), speaking in church (my message=write your personal history), family history center training, baby shower, meal preparation, dentist, cleaning, gym, church activities, a visit from a friend, Andrew (but it's been fun), and so on.

EARTH DAY
Lizzie REALLY wanted to go clean up a park. We didn't have time on the actual Earth Day because she had dance class and had to spend all her free time throwing a fit over the tights she had to wear to dance class. Typical. . . . Anyway, we went the next day during her playdate with Jordan. Liz LOVED it. Mostly we found candy wrappers and cigarette butts (Liz explained to Jordan that people chew up the cigarettes and spit them out). She is pictured below with her bag full of garbage and a piece of cardboard too big for her bag.Two days later Liz found a discarded beer bottle on our way to a baby shower. I told her to leave it, but she said, "We can't Mommy. It's garbage we have to find a garbage can." So we showed up the shower with an empty beer bottle.

ANNIVERSARY

10 years! I can't believe it's been so long. On our actual anniversary the whole family went out to dinner to celebrate. And Drew and I enjoyed reminiscing about highs and lows of our decade together. The next night we went to dinner just the two of us.

I tried to recreate the top tier of our wedding cake. It didn't go so well. I made a rectangle cake, cut out two circles to stack on each other (Andrew later pointed out that we have round cake pans--I forgot), and did the "crumb layer." It was the chocolate curls that really tripped me up. I thought I could manage with a chocolate bar and a carrot peeler. No dice. I figure I'll try it annually till I get it right.

Shameful Sidenote: I'm attempting this recreation because I ate our entire cake topper six months after we got married and Drew was super pissed. He wanted to wait till our one year anniversary. I did too, but I worried that it had freezer burn so I opened it to check it. It tasted wonderful! And over the course of a week I ate it, despite Andrew's frequent requests that I put it back.

ANDREW
This past week I have enjoyed two childless meals with Drew and two with just Alaina in tow. One of them was a ward activity. It was an adult-only potluck dinner in which each table was a different theme. People volunteered to host the tables. They decorated and made food assignments. We were on the Mexican & Brazilian table (3 times bigger than the other tables). So fun. It was one of my favorite ward activities and we learned to make Tres Leches cake (well, Drew did).

On Monday Andrew got a new cast. Here he is waiting to have his old one removed:

Below is Drew's old blue cast. Drew surprised me by getting a purple one (for Liz) on Monday. He also got permission to put weight on it and try to drive (hurray). I think we are both happy that he has more flexibility now.

His right leg has already atrophied. So sad.

ALAINA
She's big enough to sit in shopping carts and restaurant high chairs now. She's growing so fast!!

LIZZIE

Liz is trucking along. A couple days ago she explained to us that her teacher moved her to a different table. Why? "Because I talk too much, but I still talk," she explained. Apparently this is also why she barely eats any of her lunch. She said, "I don't have time to eat my food because I talk too much and I play."

Polite, but still a little frustrating

Anyone who knows Liz, knows she's a bit stubborn and particularly about her clothing. Old news.

She's pretty opinionated and pretty vocal. Now, however, deciphering her clothing issues requires another step.

Lately when I show her clothing and ask, "What do you think of this?" and she says she likes it, I have to follow it up with, "Will you wear it?" Usually the answer is no.

Lizzie regularly tells me, "I like it, but I won't wear it." Polite, but still a little frustrating (and the reason I have to return so many things to the store). The thing is, I'm pretty sure I did the same thing to my mom. I definitely remember saying stuff like that as a teenager. . . .

Attack!

Today I visited my long-time friend, Kristen. We have known each other for seventeen years. Wow. I can't believe I'm old enough to have a friend for that long.

We were going to go to the Arboretum for a walk. It was raining when we arrived and the kids were sleeping, so we parked and ate lunch in the car. Almost immediately the rain turned to hail (or as Lizzie later explained, "it rained ice"). Ah, well.

Back at Kristen's place we attempted to get a shot of our kids together (Peter, 13 mo & Lainey 7.5 mo). We didn't have much luck though because Alaina kind of went crazy and kept attacking Peter's foot. She'd grab it and growl/screech while she tried to get it in her mouth. We pried her fingers off, but she just attacked again. Eventually Peter had enough.

The celebration continued . . .

For my birthday I asked for a day trip. When Andrew hurt his leg, I thought the trip was off, but he insisted that he was up for it and surprised me with a day at Harper's Ferry. It was really fun and Andrew was a real trooper hobbling around on his crutches, resting on a bench while I went a walking tour, and holding Alaina while Liz and walked up to the church, Jefferson Rock, and a cemetry. Drew held sleeping Laina while Lizzie and explored uphill. I think he kinda looked like a beggar what with his hurt leg, babe in arms, and location just off the sidewalk.

There were several kids activites (thankfully). Liz got to paint (it's a raised railroad, but she decided to go to lunch instead of finishing the sky) and decorate a headband (for the wedding reenactment complete with cake and cider for us, the guests).

First picture: I told Andrew that since it was my birthday I wanted him to take a nice picture me meaning "take several shots until one turns out and doesn't look like this." I demonstrated the face and of course Andrew took a picture in that instant.

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Second picture: Ah, me and my girls. My girls. I love saying that.

Liz was a real trooper. I couldn't believe how long she lasted and how much she walked. Sometimes she complained that she was tired and it was no fair that Lainey got to ride in the stroller and why couldn't she just sit in the stroller and hold Laina in her lap and blah, blah, blah. I couldn't believe she didn't fall asleep on the way home. Andrew and I certainly wanted to.

Liz still loves to hold Alaina, and Lainey is still pretty mellow about it (usually). I think her mouth is open because she wants to eat the camera.

For some reason Liz was crazy about stairs. Everytime we saw some she excitedly yelled, "Stairs!" and ran for them which is how we ended up hiking up to a cemetry when we only set out for a church (roughly half way to the hilltop graveyard where Liz asked to see Jesus' tombstone).

Alaina didn't nap--naturally--so she was super giddy and giggly. And of course she wanted to eat the camera.

I took this picture right after Liz and I walked across a bridge and down a flight of stairs (naturally Liz had to see where they led).

I decided to put Alaina in the umbrella stroller for the day. She's still a little small for it, but it worked. How Alaina spent her time: sleeping, playing with her feet or binki or an empty waterbottle, trying to eat the camera, or just chillin.


Other birthday fun:

Andrew made me breakfast in bed this morning. No easy task for a man on crutches.
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Liz called me "the birthday girl" all weekend. Super cute.

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We played a family, then parents-only Scrabble.

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Other random info:

Drew drove himself to bell choir practice using his left foot. He made it there and back safely, but I'm hoping he doesn't try it too much.

Pictures for the previous post

Lizzie decorated my cake: The finished product:

My darlins. Liz gets a kick out of matching Lainey.

Lizzie poses next to her multicultural doll at school. She wanted to make one from "where they speak English and we live." I did England instead of USA.

Birthday night photos (after Liz went to bed).

I had a splendidly self indulgent birthday yesterday. Thank you everyone for your emails, calls, texts, cards, and other well wishes.

As I said I was self indulgent. I went to the gym, soaked in the tub, a friend took me to lunch, and then I napped ALL AFTERNOON with Alaina (my lunch friend, Wendi, took Liz). Lovely.

In the evening we had to go to "Multicultural Night" at Lizzie's school which was fun (especially the kindergartners performance), but tiring (especially for poor Drew on his crutches). We were happy to get home, deposit the kids in the beds, and veg out in front of the TV.

Because it was my birthday Andrew agreed to play games. We played Yahtze and I beat Drew by more than doubling his score! Awesome! I'm looking forward to a few more nights of games and a day trip tomorrow.

Aside from the game nights and a day trip, Andrew gave me a gift: a label maker! I have wanted one for years and love it (total dork, I know). I'm already labeling things.

Side note: On Monday I joined a gym (for the first time ever) and finally went yesterday. Hopefully I can finally make exercising a habit.

A day at home

I was so excited for school to start again because last week felt so crazy with Andrew convalescing and me sick and Liz wanted to play all the time. . . . Today was my first day really home (since yesterday was spent with Drew and his leg and whatnot). I intended to meet friends for lunch and run errands and so on, but Alaina was sick. What is it with this kid? Always under the weather. . . Now that I'm getting back into my schedule and I have a previously neglected apartment to clean, I really miss the fun of last week such as our brief visit to the American History Museum (where Liz finally participated in the experiments).

It was in telling Andrew about our museum experience that I realized Liz pronounces explosion as "consplosion." Andrew tried to correct her, but she resisted. Much like she refused--for probably three months--to call her left hand, LEFT, and her right, RIGHT. She switched them and explained to us (not always patiently) that she could call her hands whatever she wanted. Until about a week ago--when Liz finally announced that she was going to label her hands our way--it was "your left" (actual left) and "my left" (actual right).

*Warning - Gross Pics*

Earlier today I had the staples removed from my leg and the splint replaced with a firmer cast. Part of the purpose of the cast is to 'stretch' out my tendon. The doctor helped me bend my foot so it is no longer pointed. It was a bit painful, but it was kind of a good pain (if that is possible) -- at least I'm sure from the painful stretching that the tendon is now connected. Of course 'stretch' is a relative term, since even with the cast on, my foot hasn't even made it to a 90 degree angle with my leg. In two weeks the doctor will remove this cast, stretch the tendon a little more and put on another cast for another two weeks.

Jill was kind enough to come along and document the occasion for me. Here are some nice pics of the staples before they came out: My leg sans staples: My new blue cast:Staple removal:

Easter Activities

Painting Easter Eggs - We didn't do much (because I was tired, not Liz) but it was fun. Lizzie insisted on leaving her eggs out on the table Easter Eve so the Bunny could see them (kind of mixing holidays there).Egg Hunt #1 (the ward) - Lizzie collected only pink and purple eggs and insisted on wearing last year's Easter dress (very similar to the one she picked this year) to the event.

Easter baskets - I'm all about practical gifts so the "baskets" are actually bins for Elizabeth's bookshelf. Laina got a toy, a swimsuit and hat, chocolate bunnies (really for Mommy & Daddy to eat), and baby fruit snacks (those melt-in-your mouth things). Naturally Liz got a bit more.

Alaina licked some of her loot, but mostly she was excited about playing with just one egg (more so than the toy we got her).

Egg Hunt #2 (at home) - Sometimes I miss those easy early days when I filled eggs with candy Drew and I liked then put my latest consignment sale finds in a basket (mostly for the photo), but Lizzie's innocent enthusiasm is certainly fun. I hid eggs around the apartment so she could do an egg hunt when she first woke up. I thought it would enable Drew and I to sleep in (after all they were filled with goldfish and teddy grahms--an okay breakfast), but Liz ran into our room after she found each egg to excitedly announce it's contents and location. No sleep.

The dresses - I wanted the girls in matching or at least coordinating outfits, but there aren't a lot of options when you need size 5 and 6 to 12 months. . . . Plus, Liz refused to wear certain colors, so no matchy matchy, but still super cute. I especially loved the hats which each girl dutifully wore through much of the day.

Easter dinner - We had Easter dinner and an egg hunt at our friends, the Lines', house. The food was wonderful (and plentiful). Quite a spread.

Egg Hunt #3 (after dinner) - Liz was very focused on finding eggs--too focused to pose for pictures. I only got blurry pictures of her running away from me, but I'm excited to eat the candy. Liz is crazy picky and usually passes the bulk of her candy to Drew and I.

Other fun - chasing bubbles and playing in the backyard, decorating sugar cookies, and coloring decorative bags.

What We Did Today:

PRACTICED SITTING:

PRACTICED BIKE RIDING:

SENT A PACKAGE TO NANA:

Hallelujah!

I got a microwave off Freecycle today! Love it!

Liz Bit

We just told Liz to go prep her bath (push the plug down and turn on the water).

Shortly after she went to the bathroom, we heard her singing and dancing around.

"Liz! Start the bath!"

Finally she turned on the water and ran out.

Andrew asked, "Liz did you put the plug in?"

"Oops!" She ran back in, turned off the water, and returned singing, "I put the plug in."

Andrew smiled and said, "Liz, did you forget to turn the water back on."

Oops. Back again.

I love 5-year-olds.
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Other things I love about Liz right now:

She still mispronounces words (or just plain uses the wrong ones) like fridge-a-later (refrigerator), jenny-jolli-G (geneology), dangers (strangers), stilts (crutches), mines (mine).

She struggles with th = mudder (mother), fodder (father), teet (teeth), someping (something), healfy (healthy), noffing (nothing) fourf (forth), din (then), dem (them).

She struggles with v = balcano (volcano), laba (lava), boice (voice).

Is sweetly/painfully honest = to me " Mommy you are boring," to the soldier in the Costco bathroom "I like her hair. I like her eyes. She has pretty eyes," about a babysitter "I was going to come out of my room and ask for water, but I saw that she had crazy hair."

Surprises me with her questions = "What are the things the police do before they have to shoot someone?" "What are all the things that are against the law?" "Do you know the names of any girls that shoot guns?"

She is a daddy's girl = Whenever Laina has a dirty diaper she announces that it's for mommy, not daddy and she always plays guessing games so that Andrew wins not me (even when he is not with us).

She is way into animals (lately cheetahs) = she has always preferred to play with toy animals instead of dolls and whenever I tell her a made up story about a little girl she interrupts me and says "Um, mommy, can she be a cheetah?" Which is how I ended up telling her a story today about the rainbow birthday party of Clover, a green-colored Cheetah whose spots were shaped liked shamrocks.

Monday fun

Today Liz went to her friend Taryn's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. Loads of fun. The girls are about 18 months apart. They get super excited to see each other, but inevitably they fight like sisters. Afterwards we went to Taryn's house for a visit. I had to get a couple shots of the little sisters (especially since they just happened to both be dressed in lavender). Meg and Alaina are only a few months apart and we are looking forward to many future playdates.

For their first official playdate the babies looked at each other, smiled a little, and Lainey tried to suck on Meg's hair bow.

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In other news: Andrew is trucking along. Still resting and elevating that leg, still in some pain (but the pills help).

Forwards

My brother, Dave, sends me forwards. Yesterday's was a list of random thoughts. These were my favorites from the list:

Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. (My Mom can testify to this--at least when her kids and husband were "helping" her.)

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. (This is why I have so many tweezers and nail clippers.)

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'

Who was the first person to say, 'See that chicken there? I'm going to eat the next thing that comes out of its butt.'

Convalescence

So, day two of Drew's convalescence went well. He and Liz were kind enough to let me sleep in. Liz carried cereal and milk to Andrew and he turned on a movie for her while Lainey and I cuddled in bed. The other highlight was when we slipped off to Lea's house for a fondue dinner. Delicious.

I originally planned to go to my parent's house tomorrow but have decided to stay to help out Drew--mainly to drive him around since his right foot is out of order. Drew seems to think he can hobble two blocks to the bus stop to get to work each morning. I'm sure he can, but it seems pretty unnecessary when I can just as easily drive him (like I do most days anyway).

I broke the news to Liz yesterday. She was pretty upset. Not only did she have to leave the Cherry Blossom parade early (in order to pick up Drew), but I cancelled her trip to Nana's house. She cried most of the way to the hospital. And then of course she was slightly disturbed by Andrew's groggy state. After running to him excitedly she sidled up to me and said with concern, "Daddy's not talking good."

So, now we are here for spring break instead of South Carolina and we have already done some fun things like another walk around the Tidal Basin and a day at the Baltimore Aquarium.

I originally planned to get a year pass to the Aquarium, but by the end of it the day, I had changed my mind (actually it only took about an hour). It was fun, but exhausting (I had to carry Alaina b/c no strollers allowed) so I don't think I'll go back for a couple years.

One of the highlights: Liz got to be part of the Dophin show (waved a flag on the side of the stage at the end). I thought she wouldn't dare participate, but she happily volunteered. The only problem was that we had to sit in the "splash zone" and the "splashes" were HUGE. We were drenched. Twice.

I asked Liz if I could take her picture and this is how she posed. Hands clasped, slight smile with no teeth showing. It's one of her standard poses.