A Work Weekend

Over the weekend Gram and Grumpy came to help us put new flooring in our rental property after damage from a pipe burst.  We are so grateful they offered their assistance because it was impossible to find someone to do the work for us.

Much bigger project than we anticipated and we ended up working into the night Friday and Saturday and finished late last night.  We worked in teams of three while one of us watched the girls.  It was tiring but we are so glad to have it done!  And even though it was busy I think the girls had a good time too.

Even though we were busy, it was MiniM.E.'s last skating class so we all took a break to go watch.

Sunday I took the girls to church.  It was so nice out we got to play on the playground afterward.

Gram had the bulk of the kid watching duty and sent some pretty adorable photos to update me while I was working.

 Thanks again Gram and Grumpy!  Now to get some sleep!

Just Hanging Around

waiting for Daddy at the airport

special delivery!

balance bike race

"Hey, wait for me!" 

all twisted up

practicing pre-K

triple hammock swinging

best buddies

MiniM.E. getting her baby-fix

Lake Placid

Last year we went to Lake Placid for the first time and loved it.  We couldn't wait to go back and were excited to visit in the summer but almost a year later we still hadn't been back. 

Daddy came home Friday and we wanted to do something fun as a family so we decided since we had such a great time last year, Lake Placid was the place to go.  In typical "MiniM.E. fashion" we did our best to recreate last year's visit; half for MiniM.E. because she is a creature of habit and repetition and would have been disappointed otherwise, and half for us because we had a great time and wouldn't have changed it at all!

We invited the same family to go with us and met at the same restaurant for brunch.  The wait was long so all the girls took a walk while the guys waited on the table.

MiniM.E. slept on the ride there and was ready to enjoy the day as soon as we got there, but despite being up for three hours in the night, LittleL.G. fought sleep the whole trip and conked out right as we sat down to eat.  

Breakfast was delicious and after our bellies were full we were ready to find the dogsled rides.  The weather wasn't quite as pleasant this time- cooler and SO WET from rain and warm temperatures Saturday.  We weren't expecting all the puddles and inches of water on the frozen lake and unfortunately MiniM.E.'s attraction to puddle jumping had her feet wet and soggy before we even got to the sled rides.  Usually it would have meant a tantrum of epic proportions but the car nap had her in good spirits and she was so excited about the dogsled she hardly noticed. 

The older girls were giddy with excitement but LittleL.G. wasn't so sure.

The ride was fun, though a little "stinky" (because of the wet dogs) according to the girls. LittleL.G. seemed to have fun while we were riding but definitely did not want to take a second ride.  

The girls got to go twice (lucky!), once with each mom.

Next it was time to skate.  MiniM.E. was glad to be in ice skates and out of wet boots and was even more excited to actually be skating.  All the skating lessons have paid off and she's really great on the ice.  There was a lot of falling, but judging by the way she was rolling around that was half the fun! LittleL.G. just wanted to walk around and slip and slide on the ice... and eat the snow.

For the first time in a while I felt extremely unprepared even though it felt like we packed our whole house for the day trip.  The one thing I forgot was a change of clothes for MiniM.E.  And the poor kid was SOAKED from rolling in the puddles.  The good news is that there is plenty of shopping in Lake Placid.  MiniM.E. was a good sport about walking all the way back to the main street in her soggy clothes and we bought a new outfit and changed before walking back to the Lake Placid Brewery, the same restaurant we ended our trip with last year because it has delicious food and beer AND a playroom.  Even better than last year, the girls went into the playroom and played together by themselves!

Another great trip to Lake Placid!

Just Being Little

LittleL.G. is developing her own little personality and it is amazing to watch the transition from baby to toddler.  She is headstrong and determined; admirable traits when learning to do something new, terrifying when refusing to go down the stairs any other way than forward stepping down like everyone else.  She is quick to snap when things aren't the way she likes, but just as quick to get over it and give a hug or have a laughing fit.  And she keeps us on our toes and entertained all day long. I am most amused by how attached she gets to certain things and how long she is able to hold onto them throughout the day.  Currently she is attached to a small milk jug which she carries around while playing in the kitchen (appropriately), but also while reading books, riding in the car, and taking naps.  It began with baby dolls- first playing with them and then not wanting to put them down for anything.  But it moved on to other things like a stuffed Elmo, a sippy cup, and to stranger items like a tiny measuring cup, the milk jug, and an apron. Wonder what crazy item she'll take to next!

this day it was the sippy cup and she insisted on napping with it- upright

here it was Elmo (and aren't they cute reading together!?!?)

and here it was the milk jug- pouring milk from it

and just hanging onto it while making coffee

Mommy Daughter Sleep Over!

Since Daddy is away on a business trip, and our friend's daddy is also away on the same business trip, we planned a mommy daughter sleep over.  It's been a long time in the works as we had originally thought up the idea before the daddys' January business trip, but then MiniM.E. and LittleL.G. both got so sick and we had to cancel.

Since then MiniM.E. has asked nearly ever day, "is THIS the day A. is coming for a sleepover?"

And finally, yesterday I could answer, "Yes! Today!"

Before the sleepover the girls had skating:

I can't believe how much MiniM.E. has improved since last session!

After a rest, A. and her mom came over and we made our own pizza.  The big girls were really into rolling out the dough and "decorating" their pizzas and LittleL.G. joined in too.

After the baby was in bed, the girls decided to play some Wii fit.  They found the running game, a game in which you run in place for two minutes as your Mii runs along on the screen following a cat. The challenge is paying attention to the things you run by as there is a quiz at the end.  They couldn't get enough of it and took turns "running" for close to an hour and a half.  Even MiniM.E. stayed up until 10, which is surprising because she rarely makes it to 7:30.

the soccer game was fun too

And then they conked out together in MiniM.E.'s room.  Maybe we should "run" every night before bed!

We had a lazy morning:

A.'s mom made us a delicious breakfast of penguin pancakes:

And we hung around all day because parenting two four year olds is now easier than having just one. The big girls played together (sometimes including LittleL.G. too) and the moms had a relaxing Sunday.

Just Some Cute Photos

Here are a few photos from the past week that are just too cute not to post.

dessert at the Malta Diner

LittleL.G. "sleeping" in the doll pack n play

MiniM.E.'s first snowman of the year

LittleL.G. and her two napping buddies

Finally, Snow!

Last night it snowed.  MiniM.E. asks every day when we are going to get "play snow" so when she woke up to snow this morning she just about leapt through the window.

Needless to say it wasn't long before we were bundled up and outside.  It was like pulling teeth to shove breakfast at the girls and get them dressed before we went out.  MiniM.E. was so excited and kept shouting "OUTSIDE!" which riled LittleL.G. up and she started shouting "AHHSIGH!!!!"

We shoveled and took a sled ride and played in the backyard and played in the snow with sand toys and pool toys and made snow angels.  Still not snowman snow though...

An Afternoon at the Airport

Today we spent most of the afternoon at the airport.  Daddy left for a two week business trip to Dresden and unlike last time he left, we were all well enough to drop him off.

MiniM.E. was beyond excited to see the planes take off and land.  I guess the last time we were at an airport she was too little to remember?  It was too cute.  I wish I had a video... but lately I've had a hard time keeping up with taking photos.  I think I am so involved in what's happening I forget I'm supposed to be documenting! If I was always behind the camera I wouldn't get to experience the girls in the same way, so when I look back and wish I had something recorded I have to remind myself it wouldn't have been the same if I wasn't participating.

We watched planes with Daddy for a while, then we got to see him go through security.  Albany Airport has a really neat observation floor where you can see all the workings of the security check point and MiniM.E. was really interested in what they were doing.  It was especially exciting to see Daddy go through the 3D scanner.

And then we waited for his plane to take off.  And waited.  And waited.  And rode the escalator 8 times. And waited. And bought a donut.  And waited.

And finally we got to see Daddy take off!

It was too cute, MiniM.E. started bawling that she didn't want Daddy to leave and she wanted him to come back.  Adorable.

Learning the Ropes

MiniM.E. has always been an avid puddle jumper.  I remember many days walking around our neighborhood after a rainstorm searching for the biggest and best puddles to jump and stomp in. Sometimes at 7am.  And the looks I got were priceless.

LittleL.G. missed a lot of the fall puddle jumping because she wasn't very steady on her feet when we still had rain warm enough to jump in. 

But with all the warm weather we've been having lately, she had a chance to try it out a couple days ago with coaxing from the best.  Now we just have to wait for the April showers.... 

Another first over the weekend was LittleL.G.'s first "bike" ride.  With ropes.  She's mastered the "angry face".

Photos

We made it outside yesterday to play on the driveway because it was so warm (47!!).  Unfortunately, even though it was warm, it was also windy and the chilly wind really bit through our light jackets and no one wanted to put on snow clothes... well, MiniM.E. wanted a neck warmer... But we were out long enough for me to practice some outside shots with my new camera lens.

I love the photo quality, even though I feel like I have so much to learn before I can get the photos I see in my head to happen in the camera.  Frustratingly, I took a photography course years ago, and it's all filed away somewhere in my head I can't seem to access.

I have mostly been relying on my iPhone for photos and the point and shoot and (usually) get a good shot is easy and convenient, but when I see photos like this that are so adorable that I want to hang them on my wall but the quality is so poor that I'm not sure it will even print well 4x6 I am so angry that I didn't rush to grab the "real" camera.

It is easy to remember to bring the camera upstairs for a bath though, so more bath photos:

I just want a cute photo of both of them in the tub for their bathroom wall... and it is proving to be a more difficult task than I'd imagined!