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! 

Bowling

Over the weekend in addition to MiniM.E.'s ice skating lesson with Daddy, church and a birthday party for one of our friends, we squeezed in some Saturday morning bowling.

MiniM.E. discovered a love for bowling months ago when a friend wanted to check out the local bowling alley for her son's birthday.  I didn't bring LittleL.G. because at the time, she had just started walking--timidly, and who wants to crawl around a bowling alley?  Or, more truthfully, what mom wants their kid crawling around a bowling alley? (Though I have to admit, after actually being at the bowling alley, that there are far filthier places and in all truth, with the bowling lane zambonis and the rental shoes, it is probably one of the cleaner places to crawl around.)

We ended up bringing LittleL.G. to the aforementioned birthday party and to our surprise it was a huge hit and she loved it.  Enough that Saturday morning when we woke up (much earlier than the sun rises) and were talking about going bowling, she incessantly found her way to the door and cried "bahhhl! bahhhhl?!!" for what seemed like hours (maybe it was 2 minutes?) at a time until she forgot about it.  Of course, MiniM.E. was also very excited to go bowling, and might have mentioned it at least 17 more times before it was actually time to leave- every time resulting in the screaming and crying.  At least we knew beforehand it would be a successful trip!

And it was- the girls had a blast, and since there were only two other kids to play with this time, the wait time was very manageable and delicious, cheap pizza made the wait to play even easier.  

The most adorable part was how excited MiniM.E. was to help LittleL.G. get set up.  Lately, LittleL.G. is all about doing it herself or only Mommy helping, and MiniM.E. wants to help SOOO badly.  Guess we'll have to go bowling more often so they can work together.  AND, it's nice to have another indoor winter activity!

A Busy Thursday

After being stuck inside sick for so long, it was nice to have a busy morning scheduled.  I think we all needed to get out of the house!

LittleL.G. had her 15 month appointment in the morning.  Three shots were so sad, but she was a trooper and otherwise is doing well.  

We headed straight from the doctor to our friends' house for a playdate with E. and Baby J.  We haven't seen Baby J. for a month and he's gotten so big! MiniM.E. probably would have held him all day.

After LittleL.G.'s nap, we spent most of the afternoon outside.  Crazily, with the weather we've had (too cold and not enough snow), this was really the first time we'd been out to play this winter.

Maybe we'll get some snow to play in in February or March!

Bathtime!

By mid-day yesterday MiniM.E. perked up and was feeling a lot better.  But not better enough to do much of anything, and it certainly wasn't outside play weather for someone just getting over a stomach bug.  So to get out some wiggles and have some fun we took a shaving cream bath.  And I took some photos of the girls... for what seems like the first time in months!

The girls had a great time putting shaving cream everywhere and it was nice to see them having fun since being stuck inside sick has cut our tempers short and made us all pretty grumpy.

This one is my favorite... LittleL.G. wanted to sit on her potty.  With her dolls.  It was all fun and games until Mommy wanted a picture.

Loving my new camera lens- just need some more practice so I can get better at taking photos of the girls...

Still

Seems like we just can't catch a break this January.  The girls finally got over their sicknesses, but then of course I had to catch it and since nothing can just "be over," I ended up with a sinus infection. This weekend I was almost feeling back to normal and I was looking forward to starting a sick-free week, back at school and all our activities.

And then poor MiniM.E. woke up at 5am with a stomach bug.  Sigh.

Sick

Ahh, that time of year.  Sniffles and coughs and sneezes and fevers.  Or, if you have been at our house this week, all of the above.

There isn't much to blog about this week aside from the fact that we haven't left the house since Thursday.

baby trying to go to bed on the floor

both kids needed Mommy

trying so hard to stay awake and play

had to give in to sleep

As of tonight, LittleL.G. is on the mend, fever down and acting reasonably normal.  Poor MiniM.E. though... seems like it might be the flu :/  Hoping everyone feels better soon!

Happy New Year!

The start of a new year always sneaks up on me.  Hitchhiking on the back of a holiday I love and plan for months in advance and hidden in the haze of post-Christmas organizing, taking down and a little bit of a let-down from all the preparation, anticipation and excitement.

Before Mommy-hood it was a time where I would think up crazy resolutions, some I would stick to all year, and some that would go by the wayside in weeks or days.  Hardly was it ever a time to reflect on the year that passed.  Maybe I was too busy looking into the future.

But now, with the girls, it's bittersweet.  Another year and it has gone by so fast.  I just want to freeze them right here.  For just a little longer.  

I thought about doing "top10 posts of 2015" or "things I loved most about this year" but what made 2015 is the relationship these sisters have.  MiniM.E. is so in love with her little sister, and LittleL.G. looks up to MiniM.E. so much and wants to be just like her. 

Best year yet.  So much love.

Happy New Year!