Santa Sightings 2011

The month has already been a whirlwind and A & L are so excited about the holidays! They keep track of their days in 'number of sleeps', so today, we have

• 
  
  13 sleeps until Aunt Cat comes to visit


• 
  
  14 sleeps until Santa comes


• 
  
  20 sleeps until Uncle Jon & Maggie's wedding

Their life seems to be a party right now, but they are loving it. We did breakfast with Santa yesterday and they each took their notes to him. Addy was very detailed, complete with a cut-out picture from a catalog. She wants the doll carriage & horse. Lilly was less specific, asking for books, toys and barbies. In a classic mom-of-the-year move, I took a camera with no battery power, so the pictures from my cell phone will have to do this year! I was just grateful they smiled instead of cried!

Addy & Santa

Lilly & Santa

Camping with Uncle Chris

This fall, Jeremy asked his brother to take the girls on their first camping trip with him. This mama (and her anxiety) stayed home and promised I'd go next Spring! The girls had a blast, they LOVE being outside, LOVE being with their Uncle & Daddy and can't wait for their next trip.

Pictures say it all!

Nature walk

Playing in the stream

They loved playing in the tent before dark

Sisters take a rest from the hike

With Uncle Chris at one of the lookout towers

Lilly, loving the woods

and the s'mores

Addy on a sugar high!

School Days

I'm so fortunate to have found a school that we all LOVE. We did Mom's Day out when they were younger, pulled them out of a daycare facility we didn't like, we've done 1 day then 2 days, now 3 days in a pre-school and they are learning so much.

The school offered some 'extracurriculars' this year that you could attend (for a small fee, right?). They could choose from a Tumble Class, Karate, Spanish or Music & Movement. They chose to do a Spanish class once a week. They love "learning Dora's language" and have fun counting & telling me colors in Spanish.

Their primary teacher is Russia, so the girls know a lot about Russia and will be the first to tell you that Ms. Katarina braids their hair much better than mommy! Addy's favorite part of the day is almost always play time outside & craft time. Lilly loves circle time and listening to books. They are both in the early stages of reading--asking how to spell things and trying to sound out words.

They'll be eligible for kindergarten in the fall and the thought of it makes anxious of what lies ahead for us! They will be very near the cut-off point and Jeremy & I are weighing out the pros & cons of putting them in versus holding them back. If anyone has an opinion, we are all ears! Our fear is we will have one that is ready and one not quite, so the debate will continue until we have to make a decision in the Spring.

Here are their most recent 'school pictures'!

Lilly, always ready for the camera!

Addy, reluctantly shares a grin...

Saturdays

I love Saturdays. I love the occasional day when we can wake up with no plans and the whole day ahead. The girls love Saturdays too. They love big breakfasts made to order. Jeremy and I try and take turns getting to sleep in every once in a while, so the girls will capitalize on this and take advantage of having the full attention of one of us to color pictures, paint toe nails, dress-up, cook or play games. Here are some pictures to highlight the last few fun Saturdays we've had together.

Lilly & Addy as super-heros as they celebrate a friends birthday in fashion (these were their outfits for the weekend-the refused to wear anything else)

A little yard work turns into BIG fun with dad at their great-grandparents house

Puppet shows are a Saturday favorite-Lilly collects her admission cost and they set the dolls up as their audience--too cute!

Some Saturdays are best for snuggles & cartoons

There's No Place Like Home: Halloween 2011

October was a whirlwind. I seemed to be sick for most of it, almost 2 weeks of respiratory issues, so many things on the 'to-do' list went unchecked: Zooboo, pumpkin patch, Friendly/Haunted house at the children's museum & the annual picture taking in the leaf piles. I'm trying to learn to erase the mommy guilt and enjoy whatever I can. However, I think since I did carry the mommy guilt, I may have over-compensated with overbooking a few social activities to celebrate Halloween. With all of Addy & Lilly's social engagements also came costume changes. They have a serious obsession with dress-up right now, so they took full advantage of the season. Enjoy the pictures...

Addy in her first Princess costume of the month

Dr. Lilly ready for her party at the YMCA
Addy was then inspired to be Princess #2

Minnie Mouse made an appearance for their pre-school party

Here's Addy as Dorthy & Lilly as the Cowardly Lion for the night of Halloween

The whole family got in the spirit for a friend's party-this time Lilly was Dorthy & Addy was the Cowardly Lion (perk of twins, right? a quick costume trade?)

Addy & Lilly Take Columbus

When Grandpa Ian called and invited us all to go on a business trip to Columbus (OH) with him, we didn't hesitate--a fun family outing with grandparents--yes please! The girls love staying in a hotel and swimming in the hotel pool. We visited the Center of Science & Industry (COSI), adding another museum stamp to their passports.

We took them out for one of their first "fine" dining experiences and they did great! Lindey's in German Village was amazing food, amazing service and they LOVED our dining divas. Certainly not something we will do often, but they felt so special and their behavior was amazing.

We hit up Easton shopping center the next day and Grandpa & Dad took the girls to see Lion King in 3D while Grandma & I shopped. It was a great trip! Enjoy the pictures.

Lilly, testing gravity & pulleys with Grandpa at COSI

Addy LOVED the water exhibits

Addy finished her fancy dinner with lemon sorbet


Lilly opted for the standard vanilla ice cream

We stopped for some pictures at a park in German Village (Lilly & Mom)

Thanks for a fun trip Grandma & Grandpa!

Guest Blogger-Coaching Soccer

Written by Daddy!

Sitting on the couch in early spring, my wife asked if we should enroll A & L in the local soccer league for under 5's. Of course, I said yes. With that decision made, I was caught off guard by her next question--"Want to coach?"

As a 3 sport athlete growing up (Baseball, Basketball & Football), I watched my dad lead several of my childhood teams. I always said I'd coach my kids at some point, just didn't realize it would be GIRLS and SOCCER.

My dad was a great coach and made sports fun. He instilled competition and camaraderie with all our teams, but his overall goal was always to make sure every kid played equally regardless of skill and to recruit kids with GLM's (Good lookin' moms). I was ultra competitive growing up with a brother just 14 months younger that followed in my footsteps and played every sport I did. I hope that A & L would acquire a competitive spirit as they will always have a teammate in the house as long as they continue to choose the same sports.

I'll admit I had many negative thoughts when Aimee asked me about coaching:

• Will I be too hard on them?


• Will I be one of those coaches that I hated?


• Would I play favorites to my own kids?


• What are the rules to soccer anyway?


• Will Aimee be a wreck on the sidelines, yelling & embarrassing me?


• Will this interfere with my golf or lake schedule?

However, after some consideration and a fellow dad convincing me we could co-coach, I signed up, thinking I had nothing to lose...except of course the fact that A & L may never want to play for me again.

It has been one of my favorite "dad' activities to date!

Our team was made up of 9 girls, all under 5 years-old: Sofia, Akhila, Mallory, Molly, Mallory, Sam, Addy, Lilly & Lauren. We have 2 official rules:

#1: Have fun

#2: Don't use your hands

Lilly added a third--no hitting, biting, pushing, or pulling hair. Bottom line: it's herding cats. I didn't have high aspirations of teaching them much about the actual game, but I wanted to give them the experience of a 'team' sport and to send them home tired. If the ball made it in the right goal occasionally, it was a great day. We practice once a week and have a game every Saturday. Our first game we were defeated by over 20 goals (we aren't supposed to be keeping score, but how could you not, at least in my own head). I was depressed. But, we've now won 3 in a row and I was so proud during last week's game, each girl scored a goal. We have one game left and told the girls it's the "World Cup Finals".

My girls are growing up so quickly and all I can hope for is that they let me continue to coach them in the coming years!

437 questions x2

Thanks goes to my friend over at 4tunate for sharing this sign and helping me realize the source of my insanity! I also think driving alone with the girls may be the worst time. There is no escape and the onslaught of questions never stops. I have one daughter who probably asks this many before lunch! Here's a sampling of what I've heard this week:

-Why is the sky blue?


-What makes the ground smoke in the morning?

-Who picked the names of the colors?


-Why can't we go to the park anymore?


-Do pee and poop come from the same place?


-Why do vacuums make that noise?

-Can I have a snack?


-Why are some dogs big and some dogs small?


-What makes poop smell?


-Where does the poop when you flush?


-Why can't we talk about poop?


-How old do I have to be to wear earrings?


-Can I watch TV?


-What are we doing today?


-What are we doing tonight?


-What are we doing tomorrow?


-Why is 'she' looking at me?


-Why won't 'she' play nice?


-Will you play babies with me?


-Can I call somebody?


-Will you play princess with me?


-Will you play fighter jet plane with me?


-Where did the missing puzzle pieces go?


-Can I help you cook?

-Can we have a dance party?

-Where are my elmo panties?


-When can I have a baby sister?


-When is daddy coming home?

-When is ga ga coming over?


-When is Aunt Cat coming back?


-Why do you have to work?


-Are we there yet?


-When will I learn to read?


-Can I go to dance class?


-What's a bill?


-What is credit cards?


-Are you old?

-When you are old do you go to heaven?


An oldie, but goodie, buried on my camera's memory card--This was the first day of pre-school this year!

Hilton Head by the numbers

Lilly at the house pool!-she'll tell you she got 51 new freckles on vacation!

Addy--on the beach--most content playing, building, kicking all by herself

We took our first 'real' family vacation since the girls were born. Don't feel bad for us, Jeremy and I have traveled more than the typical couple and we are spoiled to have had some great long family weekends and a family owned lakehouse just a couple hours away. BUT, we hadn't experienced the anguish that is a 13 hour round-trip car trip. We hadn't experienced the sand between our toes and the looks on our kids faces the first time they saw the ocean. We'd never traveled with friends instead of family and the girls didn't know Daddy without his blackberry for 8 straight days. They were in heaven! It is certainly easy to make excuses and say you are saving money or don't have the time, but vacations are important--for both families & couples. Last week reminded us of this. Here's our trip by the numbers:

• 
  
  1650 miles by car


• 
  
  27 hours in the car (I think I drove at least 5 of them!)


• 
  
  13 movies watched


• 
  
  9 bike rides on our rented tandem bikes


• 
  
  114 steps counted at the Harbour Town Lighthouse


• 
  
  5 lbs. of shrimp & fish purchased for our 'at home' fish fry


• 
  
  4 pony rides purchased at the Lawton Stable Animal Farm


• 
  
  1 crab, 1 fish and a mussel caught during Jeremy's attempt at catching crab


• 
  
  Family of 5 hosted us for a quick stop-over in ATL--thanks Brooke!


• 
  
  3 Denny's grand slams eaten while mommy speed-shopped at an Atlanta outlet


• 
  
  1 birthday celebrated with a special date night at Red Fish


• 
  
  3 wishes the girls made when they got home: a baby brother, a pool in the backyard and a pony (This vacation may have gotten way more expensive!)
  

Addy & I in the Atlantic

My little mermaid--she loved the beach

Lilly preferred the water-'surfing' with her daddy!

3 peas in a pod

The girls at the animal farm with Callie, the deer


Pony rides on Romeo--they both told me that they didn't need mommy to walk with them...

Lilly & her pony

4 monkeys ready for movie night

The girls have already asked if Santa will bring them these 'magic' bikes--"I can pedal, then stop and the bike keeps going." (I'm not sure they realized mom & dad were doing the work.)