Then She Turned 4

Oh my love. Today at 3:59pm, you turned 4 years old. 4 years you have blessed our family. 4 years seems like such a long time yet so short. 4 years. 4 years. I can't believe it. 4 years. 

You had a huge (bigger than I imagined) party yesterday but all weekend we were both under the weather. Today was a snow day! First time ever there has even been snow on the ground on your birthday, let alone a storm on your birthday. It was weird. We had spring toys out to play with in the snow. Great Grandma Judy got to go to your birthday party as she is out here visiting. Perfect timing. 

Today you had a fever. You were cranky and tired from the weekend festivities. In fact, your father tried his hardest to get you to go out to dinner or go for some ice cream and you wouldn't get off the couch. You slept, you whined, you were miserable. On your birthday. But it is only a day and we can stuff ourselves with left over cake (omg the cake was insane!) and ice cream. Another day we can play and dance and celebrate you. Tonight though, as your father and sister and Mary went with the Wagmans to a soft opening of a friend's restaurant, I got to stay home with you. And remember. To remember 4 years ago when I met you. When I held you and comforted you.Tonight I was able to hold my baby again, to comfort you, to take care of you. Our time together is not usually spent like this. Is it bad I treasured it? I enjoyed it even. On the night of the anniversary of your birth, I get to hold you again as you nuzzle in under my chin, just as you did, not so long ago. 

What an adventure it's been my Nora. I can't wait to play and see what a wonderful young girl you are maturing into. But tonight? I will cherish my role as your mother and  know how blessed I am I get to hold you and love you for another night. 

You don't look too miserable. I'm just a really good photographer!

 

It's a count down: 

3!

2!

1!

The night of March 25, 2009 

I will update about the massive party and all the fun new toys and experiences we have been blessed with. 

Slipping By

Time is just slipping by. I thought Lucy needed to be evaluated for speech and was in the middle of getting a consultation together and then just one day this week, she started talking. Still hard to get two words together but she is combining her signs and speech, so I am satisfied for now. Just yesterday she clearly said, "Home, please!" This is exciting since we have been frustrated since none of us can communicate with Lucy, but you, Nora. Somehow you always know what her jibberish means. 

Nora, your birthday party is this Sunday and I am not ready. No where near ready. Good thing we went with a bounce place again (different from last year since that one has closed) and it is suppose to be a hassle free party. We'll see. I am crazy busy at work. A good kind of busy. I love it there. I love the faculty and students and staff and my bosses. I love my partner. I am truly happy there. It is crazy to think about where we were a year ago, heck a little over six months ago.  Not that I wasn't happy being a stay at home mom, but I love love love working with these middle and upper school students. They are incredible. I am blessed and you two are blessed because I'm happy. Tired some nights, but happy. We play in the backyard and read book after book and go to the library and peruse the selection together. We cook together and play doctor, horse, tea party and have so much fun playing. Oh how we laugh! But I don't have time to party plan effectively. I don't have time to garden or clean the bathrooms each week. But I always always always have time for you two. Your father and I are working hard to provide you with love, structure and appropriate adventures. Yeah for swim lessons! 

Someone is turning 4 on Monday and the time, it is slipping by. No matter how much I try to hang on, to take in each moment, each sleepy breath in the mornings, each snuggle and rousing singing dinner prayer, I cannot hold onto them for very long. They slip away and a new day and new adventures await. 4 years old. Wow. Changes. 

And maybe I am nostalgic writing this post because VH1 is playing Dirty Dancing and Patrick Swayze just said his famous words, "no one put's Baby in a corner." Certainly not my babies. What strong and beautiful girls you are turning out to be. "I've had the time of my life, and I owe it all to you..." Ok, ok, I'll stop now. 

VJ Cookies... the best part is licking the leftover  batter!

Daddy is wearing the kids Stars Wars apron.

The mixer still lives and is loved since 1984.

Book Fair Fun!

Aunt Kaarn coat. A favorite.

Always the goofball.

All done! 

She eats globs and globs of sour cream. Straight up.

Wild and crazy girls.

They found the sunglasses and pretended it was sunny... we hadn't seen sun in days. I am guessing they missed it.

So Dirty Dancing is over and it is time for me to go to bed... lots of weekend adventures await!

My Girls

I never wanted girls. I always wanted boy children growing up. I always imagined raising a big group of boys. I am so blessed God knew better. My girls. My beautiful souls. My kind-hearted, funny, intelligent, silly, messy-haired girls. Sometimes I am in awe of who you two are becoming. Such girls. Powerful, feisty, know-what-you-want-don't-care-what-others-think, girls. Now if we can only keep up these traits through middle school. After working with middle and high school students for the past 10 years, I have to say hands down, girls are way better. More spirited, driven, fun-loving and as a group just lovely and they can rock some serious gorgeous dresses and awesome shoes (a bonus). Not that I wouldn't love a boy. God knows how much we adore Teddy. But sometimes on those short commutes home, like today, I don't listen to the radio and just absorb the silence in the world around me. I continually find myself  in awe of how perfect you two are for our family. How you just fit. How you always have just been. Your father says this does not surprise him. As if he has known from the time he first laid eyes on me that you two were the endgame. I don't have that vision. I don't have that faith. I just have eternal gratitude that you two are here. 

That thing on Lucy's head didn't make it  through the car ride to wherever we were going. 

Learning to put on sunglasses! Something's off.

Swing it around. 

Almost.

There it is. Peace out or some type of toddler gang sign

Being silly / not safe standing on chairs at dinner. 

She's a sly devil. Never look directly at her dimples. 

 Did I fool you with that last picture? I tried to fool you today, Nora. I showed you the last picture of the kid in the orange sunglasses. You immediately, with absolutely no hesitation, exclaimed: "That's me when I was two before Lucy was born." How did you know that? This was literally taken a few weeks before Lucy made her appearance. The awe is pretty much always there.

The Day You Started Skiing

Exciting day yesterday. Daddy took you skiing for the first time. I was nervous (please reference video). I absolutely under no circumstances wanted you to go on the lift. We meet the instructor for a private lesson with you and Daddy. The purpose of the lesson was to teach Daddy how to teach you. Fair enough. No sooner had the instructor put his "magic coins" in your boots that he leads you and Daddy right onto the lift! Ahhhckkk! What was he doing?!?!? My ONE rule: Do not go on the lift. It was obliterated within the first 60 seconds of the lesson. Granted, the three of you were probably one of four groups on the lift that morning. There was virtually no one there and basically had the mountain to yourself (again, reference the video). You survived. Fell a few times, but overall you were incredible and so very adorable in your helmet and goggle combo. We took a break after the first hour and had a snack and played in the snow. Daddy took Mary skiing for the first time and then did a couple black diamond trails to satisfy his urge to really ski and not just "snow plow" down the mountain. You were coaxed back onto your skis with promises of a magic carpet, which is just a moving walkway you stand on to take you up about 1/4 of the way up the bunny hill. I think you had grand ideas of Aladdin and a Jasmine-esk Whole New World magic carpet ride, but you loved it nonetheless. And you were amazing. I am so proud and this post is nothing but you remind you of how awesome you are. You were courageous and persevered to learn something new and sort of scary. Way to go Nora! I will always be here to be your cheerleader and offer a snack and time to play. 

Time to play in the snow!

OMG he is taking her directly onto the lift after being on skis for literally only a few seconds. 

Magic Carpet! 

Riding the magic carpet with Daddy. 

Ski Bunny!

Lesson in progress. 

Skiing by herself. 

She was amazing!

Skiing with Daddy!

Totally comfortable out there. 

The trio of skiers!

And without further ado, the video of the first time you come roaring down the mountain and almost give me a heart attack.

Teddy's Weekend House and Other January Adventures

Teddy has a weekend house. A special place where we can gather as a family and live a simple live. Share meals, celebrate, catch up, cook, relax, play, take long walks, shop for toys, and generally just be together. How blessed we are that Teddy and his parents share his weekend house with us. I am looking forward to the pool opening this summer. I think Daddy is looking forward to the good old fashioned crabbing on the bay. Did I mention Teddy's weekend house is located on the Chesapeake Bay on the Eastern Shore of Maryland? Lucky him. Lucky us. 

Making homemade ice cream.

Related, maybe?

Love. 

Weeeeee!

Swinging!

This was so much fun!

It was a little too quiet. Found all three of them watching Barney on the i-Pad.
Lucy is really relaxing!

Lu!

Happy Birthday Daddy! 

Sisters. One of us isn't actually there. 

Daddy and Stan and Nora in the backyard on the bay.

Always and forever my first born. 

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Twins!

I bet you can't tell whose who!

Total Lucy meltdown face. Love it. 

Maybe I over documented, but this was a spider Nora drew by herself, on her own with no help. I didn't even know she was doing it... and it looks like a spider! And I didn't take a picture of the teapot she drew that looks like a teapot. For some reason, this new talent of realistic drawing makes me realize how fast she is growing. 

Lucy is too cool to sit on her scooter anymore. It's all one legged pushing for this girl.  Wait until you see the  picture I just took of her throwing up gang signs. Crazy kid. 

Hopefully with a four day weekend, I can update again very soon. Oh! Happy Valentine's Day!!! I love you both. I don't believe in  celebrating Valentine's Day for adults, but we stuffed your valentines last night and you wrote your name (and Lucy's) like a champ. Cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries topped off our night with our neighbors.