Random videos from last night

Santa brought Lilly a ball pit for Christmas and she likes turning on the music and then taking a lap. By the time she cycles through to the song that she likes she can barely get up and make her lap before the music ends. I think it's better in person.



The next video is Sophia "hogging" the camera.



This last video is of Lilly singing her ABCs. I think we've all heard her do it before, but this is the first time I've gotten it on film. I think she makes it all the way to V.

Our New Years Picture

The Wizard of Oz

During my senior year of high school I was Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz musical. I have very fond memories of the show and was lucky enough to receive all of the characters as Christmas ornaments. I have a tiny little tree that I put them on every year. Sophia was intrigued by them this year, but didn't know the story.

At dance class yesterday afternoon Sophia decided she wasn't going into class again, but while we were waiting around watching the class she noticed a Wizard of Oz poster on the wall. (Side note: even though we are paid through the end of January, I am not taking her back to class. It's a waste of our time and I literally have to drag her out of the car. I don't want to be "that" mom.) When we got home she asked me to get out the ornaments for her to play with because she lost her TV privileges. Luckily they were in the one bin that I hadn't had a chance to put away yet.

She's been asking questions about the story for about 12 hours now. She claims she never wants a TV in her room because she doesn't want to watch the Wicked Queen part. Will and I have been singing the songs. She wants to watch the movie....Mom, can you please mail me the VHS tape of the musical? (Another side note: Our neighbors have a converter that will take VHS tapes and make them digital files. So we can preserve it forever.)

Ok, we're finally back to our "normal" routine.

We've been home since early Monday morning and it's taken us until this evening to fall back into our normal routine. We just spent 6 frigid, but lovely days in Northern Va. visiting Will's entire family.

Sophia was in Grancy Glory. Lilly was being a little Dora the Explorer. Then the Kansas cousins arrived and Sophia instantly turned a bit shy. Madeline asked Sophia to play right away and the two of them became quite good friends on that very first day.

By late afternoon they were outside sliding down the hill together on a cardboard box. I think Sophia was excited to have an "older girl" pay attention to her. She adores older girls and Madeline is the perfect age. I think Terra is a bit too old to enjoy hanging out with a three-year old.

Sophia was thrilled to see and play in the snow. She and Will spent some quality time sledding. Sadie joined in the fun too. Heck, I even went down the hill a few times with her.


As quickly as Madeline took to Sophia so did Terra to Lillian, but by the end of the week Lilly and Jack were playing magnets and trucks together. I even saw them give each other a hug. At times they were chasing each other around the house and other times they were imitating each other. It was completely entertaining.

One day we went to Chuck E. Cheese. It's always a big hit for my girls. Sophia used her tokens with Grancy. Will, Lilly and I played lots of ski ball to win enough tickets for Sophia to win a bag of cotton candy, four suckers and some stickers. Lucky girl!

One afternoon Sophia wanted to have a parade with everyone. She found some colored ribbons in the garage and doled out the colors to a few suckers. I know better than to have a parade with her because they literally last all day. This time she managed to keep it pretty quick on that frozen day. It was one of the colder days, but she still led them up and down the driveway a few times. I tried to get it on video:



Wednesday was an incredibly fun day. We went to the very tippy top of the Washington Monument. Each view was better than the next, but I think the side facing the Lincoln Memorial was my favorite. We managed to keep our entire group (5 kids and 5 adults) together the entire day. This is an especially amazing feat considering that we navigated through a massive sea of people at one of the Smithsonian cafeterias.

New Years Eve was spent at Rob and Christina's place playing Rock Band (or something like that). We took turns and had a fun night.

Oh yeah and the best part: we celebrated sans children. Can you say Happy New Year!? Thanks Grancy and Big Daddy!

While there were many, many fond memories from our Christmas visit with everyone, I think there are a few that really stand out.

Here are my favorite
Memorable Moments:

* Despite losing power on Friday night (at dinner time) we all managed to look good in our holiday family photo (seen above).

* Lilly finally started calling Sophia something. She's settled on SIA, but sometimes it sounds like SHIA. We'll see if it morfs into anything else.

* When asked how she could tell her cousins apart Sophia replied by pointing out that Terra is the one with polka-dots on her face. The polka-dots are really freckles. It's funny how a three-yr old thinks.

* It was the year of repeat gifts: knives, robes, ruby rings(smile).

* Like mother-like daughter: Mom slept through Avatar and Sophia slept through Princess and the Frog.

* Finding the penny in the Find It! game.

* Sophia's scooter and music show.

* Lilly and Jack playing like old pals.

* Delicious grasshoppers - every night. (Yes, I did gain at least 5 pounds from these alone).

* Will forgetting his lap top. He realized it when we were an hour away from home. We turned around and drove back to get it. We had to. Finally got home at 3 AM.

Can't wait until our next Christmas together...didn't we say it would be a destination Christmas? Anyone up for Disney?

Take a look at the rest of the pictures.

I found the penny!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of our family and friends.

Our Christmas started at 5:30 this morning when Sophia woke up and wanted to see if Santa ate the cookies we left for him. He did, but he did leave a few crumbs on the plate.

We were eating pancakes by 6:30 and now at 7:20 we're about to put together the last two toys. Why does everything need to be assembled by an adult?

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all.

Last visit to the Aquarium

Our family membership to the Aquarium ends at the end of this month so I took the girls one final time last week. Will was supposed to join us because he had the week off, but unfortunately he had to go into work that day. The girls and I enjoyed our membership, but to be completely honest if you've been to the Aquarium once then you really don't need to go back to see the exhibits. We mostly went for the special programs they offer.

The Aquarium just opened a 25 million dollar brand new exhibit called Restless Planet which took over three years to complete. Someone was smart about the redesign because it literally ends in the gift shop. You are forced to walk through the gift shop to exit the exhibit.

We got to see Komodo dragons, crocodiles and tons of turtles. The dragons were enormous. Part of the exhibit included a new touch tank which housed a bunch of small sea creatures like starfish and after watching them for a long time we touched them. Sophia was scared at first, but after she watched me touch one she wasn't quite as nervous about it. Lilly slammed her hand into the water as soon as she saw both of us put our hands into the water.

Sophia sat down on a fake rock at one point and actually asked me to take her picture. Of course, Lilly wanted to have her photo taken in the same spot.

We enjoyed our final visit, but not enough to renew our membership.

Polar Express

On Sunday night we went to the Botanical Garden for their Polar Express program. We went with all three of Sophia's friends (Addie, Haley and sister Carlie, Cameron and brother Trip) and their families. It was a great time.

The program started with a jingle bell craft. Each of the kids made a necklace or bracelet. I helped the girls make necklaces. We were served hot cocoa and cookies. Sophia chose not to even eat her cookie, but that only meant that Lilly could have two of them. After the craft the kids all gathered around on the floor to hear a reading of The Polar Express.

The finale was a ride on the "Polar Express" tram through the garden of lights. It was freezing that night, but we were smart enough to think ahead and bring a large blanket to wrap around us.

Our picture

It is a rare occasion that Will and I get our picture taken together. We were at a going away party on Saturday night and a friend of ours took our photo (and it's even a good one).

The Princess Tea

Last Sunday Sophia went to a Princess Tea with Grancy and Christina. Will took Sophia up to Grancy's house on Saturday and they celebrated Uncle Rob's birthday and then spent the night. Sophia was chomping at the bit all week just anticipating her visit with Grancy. I know she was excited about the Tea too, but Grancy was her #1 priority.

The Tea sounded adorable. Five women came out dressed as the Disney princesses and performed for the audience. There was Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, the one that wears purple, and the new one who wears green. I know Sophia's favorite was Snow White. In fact, it was the very first thing she told me when she woke up after arriving home very late and very asleep. The second thing she told me was that she was crying because she missed me. It just melted my heart.

If you're happy and you know it

Last Christmas we got Sophia a toddler karaoke machine that allows her to sing into a microphone and watch herself on tv at the same time. It's really cute and until very recently she hasn't had any interest in it. Today both girls were dancing around. Take a look. . .

My weekend with Lillian

I simply cannot describe how much fun I had with Lilly last weekend when it was just the two of us.

Will drove Sophia to Grancy and Big Daddy's house for the weekend. Grancy took Sophia and Christina, Uncle Rob's girlfriend, to a Princess Tea at the Ritz. Sophia was head over heels in love with the idea of seeing Grancy again...so soon after seeing her at Thanksgiving, but that's another blog entry. Coming soon.

Anyway, Lilly and I had a magnificent time on Saturday playing with all of her toys. And for once she got to play with whatever she wanted to without worrying about her big sister getting mad.

She loves to follow me around the house to help me with my chores. One thing she is really good at is helping with the laundry. I hand the wet clothes to her and she stuffs them into the dryer. Then when the clothes are dry she helps me carry the pile to my folding area. I love having her helping hands around the house.

On Saturday we spent alot of time reading books since that's one of her favorite things to do now. That and turning light switches on and off. She's so proud when she climbs up onto her chair to read one of her books. She acts as if shes reading them...just blabbering away.

Since she sees Sophia brushing her teeth in their bathroom she also wants to be a big girl and brush her teeth too. While I was putting some clean clothes away she was in the bathroom standing on the stool giving her teeth a good scrubbing.

She was repeating almost everything I said and a few new words stuck with her through the whole week. CUP, UP and the sign for YUMMY. Of course, her favorite word is still SAYEE (Sadie). She's been saying that for months.

On Sunday evening we went to a birthday party for a little boy turning 1. The party was at My Gym and I thought Lilly would have a great time climbing and exploring, but instead it took her almost a half hour to warm up. She really got a kick out of the bubble machine and playing the games, but I think her favorite part was eating cake.

Of course we missed Will and Sophia, but I know we both really had a super time together. She's my little Lilly Bean.

Sophia's holiday school show

On Wednesday Will, Lilly and I went to Sophia's school holiday program. It was similar to the Halloween show in that each class came out individually and sang a few songs and then at the end they all sang together.

Sophia was a little more reserved this time around. She didn't sing as loud as she did in the Halloween show, but boy did she dance and move (and fall) this time.

In the photo (Addie, Sophia, Chris, Adrianna).

Check it out:

I don't want to...pictures

These photos are from last week when Sophia refused to perform in her practice recital dance.

I don't want to. . .

OK. Here's the deal. Sophia has been in dance class since September and her final recital (portions of The Nutcracker) is this coming Saturday afternoon. Grancy is going to come and watch her perform.. .or not perform.

I'm afraid to say that twice this week Sophia has absolutely refused to perform her dance with the other girls. The first time was at a nursing home earlier this week. I thought it would be good practice for her to perform in front of a group and help bring the old people some holiday cheer. Well, she cried and cried and hid behind me when I was dropping her off. I guess eventually she stopped crying only to mope out onto the stage and stand there hunched over not even looking up at us. This isn't the little girl that just sang so boldly at her school Halloween show. Humph.

Today she had a full run through rehearsal and once again she hid behind me and stood there when the other girls were doing the routine. It made me so sad to see her just standing there. I wanted to give her a big hug, but the other part of me wanted to make her do the dance. It's so frustrating to know that she's still so shy in certain situations. I know, or I hope, she'll grow out of it. Hopefully before Saturday when Grancy is driving 4 hours to come and see her.

How bad is this? I know I'm going to get some grief about it, but I bribed Sophia to perform next weekend.

We went to Toys R Us after her run through because I wanted to get something for Lilly. Sophia is so completely into princesses right now that I think she may have herself convinced that she can become a princess if she plays with them enough!

She's been wanting this Ariel princess Sparkle and Splash doll that can actually go in the bathtub or pool, it lights up and I think it swims too. I told her that she could have it after she did her dance next weekend. I bought it today and she carried it all around the store. I'll take it with me on Saturday and remind her that she can earn the doll by dancing. Gosh....I feel like such an awful parent, but I paid for the class, the costume and the DVD and I want a great DVD with her smiling and having a good time. Fingers crossed!

Black

Normally I'm not a big fan of black on little kids, but one day this week we all wore black to mourn the loss of our "summer" weather. It's been in the 40s (and even high 30s) this week. This is not something we're familiar with nor do we enjoy the frigid temperatures. Honestly, I have no idea why anyone would want to live in PA or KS with the nasty weather they get (smile). I thought the girls looked cute in their black outfits so I took photos. See for yourself:

If it has wheels . . she'll ride it.

I found Lilly trying to ride this! It's actually not a ride-on toy. Instead it's a makeshift ride-on toy that only a toddler could imagine. It's a sand card with wheels and two car battery chargers piled on top. Hysterical, don't you think?

Moon Rainbow

Before Will too Sadie for a walk one night last week he came back into the house calling for me. He wanted me to see the moon rainbow in the sky. It was so cool. The shining ball in the middle is the moon. Impressive, huh?

18 month checkup

Lillian had her 18 month checkup yesterday. She weighs 23 lbs 14 ounces and is 32 1/4 inches long. That puts her just above the 50% in weight and just under the 75% in height. She just had a bit of a growth spurt and grew a bit longer, but I didn't think she was in the 75 percentile in height. I secretly hope she's tall like Sophia.

Happy Holidays!!