Dance Pix

Yesterday Liz had her dance pictures. I wasn't going to buy any, but then she looked so cute and she asked so sweetly . . . so I happily gave in.

A bunch of older girls were also having their pictures taken and they had TONS of costumes. We asked some how many they had--11, 14, 15 costumes! If I remember correctly I had to pay about $100 for Lizzie's reindeer suit and if that holds true for the older girls, then their parents forked over more than $1,000 for costumes alone! At those prices I'm not sure how much longer I want to keep Liz in dance. . . .

White gloves and dark makeup. Not a good combination, but we made it through photos with only a little on her costume. I was willing to leave her makeup on for Drew to see, but she wanted to take it off immediately after pictures.

Blogging Again

I've been in a bit of a bummed out funk the last week or so. I feeling better so I'm blogging again. Sorry, Mom and Dad. I know you all like to see grandkid pix more often so I'm filling this post with lots.

So here's what we've been up to the last little bit: parks (lots), reorganizing/deep cleaning our bedroom (yes, we are STILL working on our closet), multiple girls nights (I went to the coolest dueling piano bar at the National Harbor), photo shoot for the girls (pictures pending), playdates (Lizzie got to reconnect with an old preschool pal and we got a long Saturday afternoon nap), and Memorial Day festivities.

The pictures:
Liz likes to put things on Lainey's head. Alaina thinks it's hilarious. I think it's wonderful when they play together while I make dinner (instead of trying to do it all with Laina on my hip). Below is a shot of the girl's post bath cuddle.

An afternoon at the park:

Leaving the park with happy, tired girls:

Another park: Liz had requested matching outfits. While I was there I saw three kids sitting in a row on the bench, playing with handheld gaming devices. At a park! Why bother?

Yet another park: Liz wanted to visit the playground at her old preschool. It turned out to be their graduation day. I kept thinking, if she went to kindergarten here (as was our original plan) she would be done for summer and I couldn't decide if I would like that or not.

Liz is getting better about sharing her toys with Alaina. She used to holler, "No! She's going to get spit all over them!" Now, she just holds back the most precious ponies.While Liz and her friend, Jordan, ran around the playground, Laina and I hung out in the only equipment that provided shade for my fair-skinned baby.

Memorial Day was fun. We started the celebration on Saturday morning with a visit to Arlington Cemetery. Turns out if you have a handicap parking placard you can drive through the cemetery. Awesome. We tried to explain the purpose of the cemetery and the sacrifice to Liz, but what seemed to affect her the most were the two Kennedy babies buried by JFK.

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Monday morning we went the ward breakfast because I was part of the planning committee (they were focusing on family history). I was very happy with how everything turned out. In the afternoon we went to our friends, the Stearns, home for a barbecue. Great food. Great friends. Lots of fun.

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In between the breakfast and the barbecue Drew went golfing with our friend, Mike. I tried to catch brief nap on the couch while the girls played nearby. Five minutes before my alarm was scheduled to go off, Liz started bothering me. I kept telling her to wait five minutes and she kept asking me things. Finally, in desperation I told her if she asked me another question I would confiscate her ponies. "All of them?" she asked. Yes, all of them. She paused a moment and then asked, "Mommy, can you read me a story?" I swear she doesn't actually listen to half the things I say.

Alaina is wearing the same outfit Liz wore on her first 4th of July. It's one of my favorites.

Creativity

I know this looks like a mess, but it's actually a "playhouse" created by Liz (even the towel draped over the ironing board). I love her creativity.

Story Formula

Liz loves, loves, loves to hear stories. Whenever we are driving somewhere she asks for one. Usually they follow the same formula: a boy animals steals three toys from a girl animal and she gets them back by outsmarting him. The animals, toys, and trickery change, but the formula remains.

Pretty much any story we tell her, that is not about her babyhood or our childhoods, is about animals (wild cats, bats, porcupine, deer, zebra, giraffe, flying squirrels, bears and so on).

Sometimes Liz names the animal characters. She recently had me tell a story about a fox named Wolf, a wolf named Moose, and a squirrel named Priscilla.

Raspberries

When Liz was a baby she loved to blow raspberries (starting at about five months):

Now at eight and half months Alaina has gotten into it too:

Photos

I've been doing some spring cleaning this week. Yesterday Alaina and I took a break from deep cleaning her room to take a few pictures:

I mostly took pictures of Alaina in my old pajamas. My mother made them and I wore them for my first Christmas.

First Race

Last Saturday I ran a 5k (well, I ran the first K at least). It is my first 5k ever and I felt pretty impressed with myself until I watched America's Biggest Loser last night and saw a bunch of people that are bigger and older than me running marathons and pulling cars! Now that's impressive. I'm not that fit, but you have to start somewhere: This is what Liz wore to the race: sparkle sandals, wings, a boa, and wand. Isn't that what everyone wears to athletic events? Andrew wore Alaina.

Lea and Wendi were my running mates, though Lea wasn't with us too long since she's a much better runner.

Before we left for the race Lizzie decorated a paper towel roll to use as a telescope (to watch for me). Notice she's still wearing the wrist band from Great Wolf Lodge. While we were there she claimed the band was uncomfortable and begged to take it off. Now we've been home over a week and she's still wearing it.

When we rounded the last corner (and our families could see us), Wendi and I ran (triumphantly).

After I finished the run/walk my little family and I went to ihop for breakfast. Baby steps.

Bittersweet

Mother's Day. Always bittersweet. And I know I'm not the only one.

Lots of people struggle with this holiday. There are so many possible complications for people: issues with a mother, loss of a mother, inability to become a mother, guilt about performance as a mother. . . . so many.

We found out about my mother-in-law's cancer diagnosis mother's day weekend. I was pregnant with Elizabeth at the time so it was a time of extremes--so happy about the baby, so sad about the cancer.

I had another weekend like that when I was expecting Jacob.

Jacob. I thought of him on Sunday. I was so happy to have my girls, but also so sad that he was not with us.

Things get so complicated as you get older.

My friend, Sheila, wrote a wonderful post on the difficulties of this day: When Mother's Day Sucks. It really resonated with me.
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I should note, however, that Andrew and Liz were very sweet this past weekend. Drew made me breakfast (french toast with homemade blackberry topping), changed 5 of Lainey's 6 messy diapers on Sunday, and promised to deep clean the closets with me (even though I know he's dreading this).

Liz gave me some cute child-crafted cards and gifts and went to an adorable mother's day tea party at Sharon's home on Saturday. We made wrapping paper bonnets. Liz loved hers so much that she wore it to church the next day.

8 months, 8 days old

Alaina rolls over, though not much. She can sit unassisted. No teeth. No crawling. Eats and loves all sorts of solids (so different from her sister). Likes tummy kisses, baths, Lizzie, banging spoons on the table, and when I pretend to drop her.

She rolls her wrists when she gets excited. She reaches for us (I love this) and is exhibiting signs of stranger anxiety (I do not love this).

Lainey has become VERY LOUD. The first six months she was very mellow and very quiet. Then, she started babbling "mamamama," "dadadada," and "babababa." She doesn't babble as much now. Now she just yells. Loudly.

Laines still likes playing with her feet, plastic bottles, paper, and kirkland wipes cases. She also wants to put everything in her mouth. Alaina can grab little baby treats, but doesn't try to put them in her mouth (but you know if she picked up a penny or a marble she'd eat it immediately).

Great Wolf Lodge

We spent Monday and Tuesday at Great Wolf Lodge with our friends, the Pomeroys. It was VERY FUN. Totally worth the money (if you go on a weekday during the school year when it is more affordable). I highly recommend it.Below is a shot of the HUGE indoor waterpark. I loved that I didn't have to worry about sunscreen for Alaina, that the slides were fun for grown-ups, and that there was an endless supply of clean, dry towels.

Liz had a lot of fun. She wasn't big on the slides (especially after I traumatized her by forcing her onto a group ride), but she really liked the wave pool.

Alaina had fun splashing around with everyone. She also napped a lot.

Drew was a trooper. He went in the water (slowly) and even on all the slides. I'm so glad he was able to participate despite his injury.

-----------------------------The submerged cast------------------------------

We took turns taking care of the kids so we could go on slides adults-only or on our own (I went on tons). It was just one of the benefits of going with another family. Another benefit was group meals. One morning we (Sharon) even made breakfast sandwiches for us by cooking eggs and bacon in the microwave.

The second day Drew and Alaina napped together a lot. Cute.

There were a bazillion ways to spend additional money at Great Wolf: airbrush tattoos, spas for grownups and kids, MagiQuest, Croc embellishments, and a video arcade. Kids could also make stuffed animals, jewelry, lotion or decorate t-shirts & flipflops, among other things. We did none of these extra things. We did, however, do the free craft at the kid's club (rainbow wands).

While in Williamsburg we met up with some friends (Dyckmans and Snows) for dinner at Pierce's PITT Bar-B-Que. It was recommended by many people and it was delicious. We liked the food so much that we ate there twice. We also went to Sno-To-Go for Stuffed Snoballs (icecream and sno cone slush). Yum.Sarah got a shot of Liz, Taryn, and Ethan--three of the original four babysitting co-op kids. I can't believe how big they've gotten.

Okay, so this is a video of me attempting the "Flow Rider." As soon as Andrew saw it he said, "I want to see you try that. I want to film you." Later he laughingly said, "That was awesome! I so hoped you'd turf it and you did!" He also let me know that if I did not post it myself, he would. So, here it is: