life's little details

4 Candles

Today my BABY turns 4.  Yet again....where did the years go????  Seems like just yesterday I was holding her in my arms for the first time. 

 

Then she learned to sit up, crawl and walk...and before we knew it she was 1.

 

After learning all the basics she began to talk and move around with precision.  Her big personality started to shine.  She loved to follow her big sister and play dress up.  My baby at 2.

 

At 3 she became "little Miss Independent" and thinks she is the star of the show.  Of course some attitude and stubborness shine through as well.  She likes to know what is going on and investigate everything. 

 

So what will 4 bring?????  It saddens me to see her losing all her "baby" but I look forward to everyday just to see her grow and mature.  I love this little girl and everything about her!!!!
 

Happy Birthday Abby!!!

My Little Graduate

Where do the hours, the days, the months, the years go????  Why do they fly by so fast?  On Wednesday Emma "Graduated" from Pre-K.  Now I'm afraid if I blink again she will be off to college.  How do you slow it down????

I think I am feeling a lot of guilt.  Unfortunately, for many reasons, I was not able to stay at home and now I feel as though I missed too much.  She know's her ABC's, her 1-2-3's.  She writes her name and reads simple books.  She colors in the lines and now draws pictures of people and objects I can recognize.  When and how did she learn all of this?  I don't feel as though I was the teacher.  She learned most of this from others when I was at work.  I know she will learn so much more and it will all be from someone else. 

Wow, I feel this way now....what am I going to do the end of August when I drop her off at school for her first day of Kindergarten???  I'm gonna be a wreck. 

For now I am hoping to enjoy the summer with my family and hopefully it won't fly by. 

Here is the Graduate:

 

P.S.  Here are some little treats (graduation cap candies on a stick) I made for all of Emma's fellow graduates.

P.S.S the next post will be about my "baby" turning 4 this weekend.  too much growing up, too fast!!! 

Meet my TWIN

This is Bonnie

Bonnie the orangatun at the National Zoo in DC.  She is 32 years old and a mother of one.  Bonnie has some distinguishing features:  a large belly, a bulbous forehead, a dark coat closer to burgundy than orange and she weighs about 160 pounds.  Bonnie likes to travel on the O Line.  The O Line or Orangutan Line consist of (8) 50 foot towers connected by plastic coated steel cables.  The lowest of the cables is 35 feet off the ground but the entire distance of the cables run 490 feet from the outdoor orangutan yard to the orangutan yard at the Think Tank.  The O Line crosses across the zoo above the walkways and common areas. 

If you are regular reader of my BLOG you saw pictures of the O-Line in a recent post from Mother's Day.  We got to see the oranguntans in action as they crossed the O-Line.  It was amazing.

....and this is me....Bonnie

I am not a monkey of course.  I am 37 years old and a mother of two.  Like Bonnie the orangutan, I have a larger belly than I would prefer, have been told I have a large forhead and we won't talk about weight.  I however am seriously afraid of heights and you would never catch me on a 50 foot tower. Orangutans are my favorite animal (I also like chimps but not as much) and as a child I always wanted one.  I actually thought you could have one as a pet....probably because Clint Eastwood in "Every Which Way But Loose" had one.  Remember Clyde:

The funny thing is, everytime I would ask for one, my Mom would tell me that is why I had a little brother.....sorry Scott.  Trust me it wasn't the same.

My Mother's Day re-cap

After a heart shaped french toast breakfast with strawberries we headed to DC to go to the zoo. 

We have done this the past 2 years.  Yet again the weather was beautiful and we had a great time.  This year there is a new baby gorilla and a orangutan crossing.  ORANGUTANS are my favorites.  I could have parked myself down in front of them and watched all day. 

 

After the zoo we thought it would be nice to drive down to the Mall and see all the other DC must sees.  We lucked out and found a parking space.  We walked to the White House (or I guess I should say:  as close as we could get...we did get closer than in the picture) and the Washington Monument (boy was it breezy up there). 

 

We got home in time for dinner....Sean whipped up shrimp wraps with pineapples....YUMMY!!!  Then the girls and I walked to the playground then back out front to ride bikes for a while.  Emma is getting real good...now she can start on her own. 

I am DONE.  Had a great day, now hoping for an early bedtime :)

All in all, a TERRIFIC day....I am such a lucky GIRL, MOMMY and WIFE.  Hope everyone had a wonderful day as well.

 

Because of my MOM I am.....

Well I have been thinking about this post all week but I didn't realize how difficult it would be to write.  I have started and deleted it about 10 times already. 

Well I guess I should start by wishing all the Mothers a HAPPY MOTHER'S Day. This is a very joyous day for me because of my two beautiful daughters, but it is also very sad day because my mother is not here to celebrate with. 

Now that I am an adult and a mother, I think I appreciate all my mother did that much more.  She loved me and my brother unconditionally.  She cooked, she cleaned, she did laundry, she helped with homework, she chauffered us around......this is an endless list.  My mom was very fortunate to be able to stay at home.  I remember thinking when I was in middle school and some of my friends were "latch key kids" that they were the cool ones.  They could go home and be home all alone.  Then as I got older I realized I was the LUCKY one.  Everyday I arrived home from school my Mom was home.  She was ususally working on dinner or watching General Hospital if dinner was already cooking.  She volunteered at our schools, planned our birthday parties, kept my brother and I involved in sports and activities....yet again another unending list.  Now that I am a mom I do truely appriciate all that she did.

Unfortunately my Mom passed away before my kids were born.  It really breaks my heart that my girls never got to meet their Grandmother and see how special she was.  I wish everyday I could thank her for being such a wonderful Mom and teaching me all the basic skills that I would need to be a mother.  I'm not sure I'm as good at this as she was, but I do know I am... because of my MOM. 

 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM.

THANK YOU MOM, I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!!!

The Attitude

In 22 more days Abby will be 4.  Ironically it seems like the closer she gets the badder and more baby like she is getting.  This past week she has cried about everything, been very clingy and a little bit of a brat.  She has tried to pull the jealousy card and do whatever she can to keep our attention away from big sis. Twice this week she has been punished to her room, one of those times was tonight.  Tonight's issue was not eating dinner.  Here were her reasons for not eating:

"I'm not hungry"

"It taste funny"

"I don't like it"

"I'm tired"

"I spilled my water, can I go change my dress"

And of course don't forget the pouty faces and tears. 

She tried it all but the bottom line is....Abby is very stubborn and doesn't give in often. Gotta give her a A+ for effort.  She stood her ground tonight and didn't eat....so to her room she went.  I can only hope one day she puts her stubbornness to good use because she is really good at it.

Well here are some pictures of my "little attitude" Abby:

 

 

I love my "baby" and everything about her.  Still can't believe she is going to be 4...seems like just yesterday I was cradling her in my arms.  They grow up too fast, I'm afraid to keep blinking.  Before I know it she will be off to college....to be a reporter of course....did I tell you she needs to know EVERYTHING and asks a thousand questions.  Well that is for another post.

Sound of Music Ballet Recital

It all started the end of September.  The girls began ballet:  3rd year for Emma and first year for Abby.  Emma had ballet and tap class.  Abby was learning the basics of ballet.  After many Saturday morning classes and a weekend of stage rehearsals the BIG day had arrived.  The theme was the Sound of Music (one of my favorite movies).  Emma tapped to "My Favorite Things" and did ballet to "Sound of Music".  Abby danced ballet to "Edelweiss".  The girls were so excited and did a phenomenal job.  Sean and I were so proud.  They looked beautiful and most importantly said they had fun. 

So here are my ballerinas:

 

 

  

 

My niece, Makayla, was also in the recital.  She had 4 dances.  She was terrific as well.  I am so proud of all the girls.

Happy May

Today is the first day of May....where did April go????  It certainly got away from me.  Seems like it was just March.  Of course the weather hasn't been very spring like (with the exception of last weekend and that was more like summer). 

We have been really busy.  Since Easter we have been sick (Abby: fever for 5 days and pink eye, Emma: fever for 5 days and me:  2 pink eyes that were really bad), been to the zoo for a class trip, been to doctor appts, been to physical therapy, been to ballet and gymnastics every weekend, finished reading the Twilight series and just enjoying what nice weather we have had. 

So instead of boring you with my words I figured I would give you a re-cap with pictures.  This will sum it all up. 

  

   

 

  

Hope to post more often in May however our calendar is pretty full already....more doctor appts, more physical therapy, birthday parties including Abby's, a ballet recital, 2 Mother's Day Teas, Pre-K Graduation, end of school picnic, flea market, Memoral Day weekend and lots of playing and just having FUN.  Keep your fingers crossed.  Enjoy the weather and all that May brings.