February (Lily 5, Clara 3)

February was a month of first for both the girls. They had swim lessons this month and both teachers commented that they are like fish. Lily learned how to ride a bike without training wheels, the "pacifier fairy" came for Clara's pacis and both girls had a dentist appointment.   

Lily's February Update:

This month Lily has perfected her skills at car performances. She loves to listen to Broadway soundtracks and pretend that her car seat is the stage. Lily has become very helpful at home (usually when Clara is refusing to be helpful in any way). With swim lessons she has become part fish in the pool. She can now jump off the wall in the deep end without floaties and swim to the teacher. Of course her 1 month of swimming with her head underwater came with bilateral swimmers ear. 

Loves

-car performing

-Shrek the Musical

-the treasure chest at the dentist

-showers instead of baths

-swim lessons. 

-playing rock, paper, scissors (beware...she cheats)

Hates

-sharing with Clara

-not having something that Clara has

-getting up early 

Clara's February Update:

Clara is like a shark.....let me explain. You know how if a shark stops swimming it will die. I think that Clara is convinced that if she stops talking she will die....she also loves swim lessons so we can make that comparison too. While I'm working out I have to tell her "Clara you can keep talking but mommy is going to stop listening for a few minutes". I need to be able to shut off my brain to the chatter and focus on something else. The great thing is that it doesn't bother her one bit. She just keeps on chatting away. She seems be doing fine with out her pacifiers and only asked about them at night for a few days. 

Loves

-the foster puppy Jack (he got adopted)

-swimming

-turning any object into a phone

Hates:

-walking up early 

-that she doesn't have a paci

Rockin the swim lessons

Clara's 1st dentist visit was a success....and so were her sparkly shoes

dentist dance party

cooking with mommy....ice cream bread

proof of where Clara gets her curls from 

they found a slug

Cooking with mommy...apple tarts

Me "Clara please carry Elmo into your room"

Clara "Here mommy you can carry him in your boobie traps"

first night without the paci

Enthralled by Sesame St Live

Splashing in mud puddles after the flooding this weekend

somedays you just need puppy cuddles

January (Lily 5, Clara 3)

January was a nice change from December. The girls have gotten to go swimming several times with Nana and Pop, the weather at the beginning of the month was great and we were able to do a lot outside, and they got to try out ice skating. For Christmas I gave the girls blank cookbooks and we've started making simple recipes at home. Some have turned out really delicious (banana popsicles, puppy chow, rainbow grilled cheese)....others have really not (soft pretzels, honey nut cheerio snack bars, rainbow yogurt bark). Ehh….it's a learning experience either way. At the end of this month we also got a new foster puppy, Jack, a 1 year old mixed breed dog that is underweight and has skin problems. He's very sweet and the girls love him....except when he try to help them eat their food. 

Lily's January Update:

This month Lily has become a fish in the pool. She loves going to the indoor pool and going down the big slides. She loves to watch old musicals and then we get to talk about what was not ok in those movies...I'm looking at you 7 Brides for 7 Brothers.....kidnapping people to get them to marry you is NOT ok....even if you do sing a catchy song about it. Occasionally we skip bath time and let the girls watch old Warner Brothers cartoons. They really like them and I enjoy getting to read out every sign that comes across the screen. 

Loves

-the songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella

-cooking with Mommy (and Daddy)

-building marble tracks

-putter her face underwater when she goes swimming

-watching old movies (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and the stage version of Into the Woods)

-Bugs Bunny cartoons (she's partial to The Barber of Seville)

Hates

-sharing with Clara

-not having something that Clara has

-getting up early 

Clara's January Update:

Clara still loves reading and has started sitting to watch TV occasionally. Yay for being able to do ANYTHING by myself for a few moments. She still loves play baby dolls and comes up with great names for them (ex: she has one baby named "Chicken Sandwich". Clara is always right behind Lily and wants to do everything she does. They argue constantly about who gets to: get their hair brushed first, open the door first, brush their teeth first, pick a book to read. Most days I feel like I should swap my jeans and shirt for a refs uniform complete with yellow flag.  

Loves

-cooking with Mommy (and Daddy)

-porta pottys (she still loves construction equipment but she's will now point out porta-pottys at every construction site)

-taking pictures (it might take her 20 minutes to get buckled into her car seat but only 30 seconds to take 500 pictures on my phone)

Hates

-not having her pacifier (now only at night)

-spending time in the time out spot

Lily got a science kit for Christmas. We mixed some colors and made a volcano

I swear we're not doing any blood tests. 

It's water and red food coloring.

Making yogurt bark. Put down the knife Lily

If you look up disappointed in the dictionary 

I'm pretty sure this picture is under it. 

 Birthday party at the children's museum. 

That's Lily's "stop taking pictures of me mom" face

my little giraffe

watch out everyone

ready for the planetarium show

making puppy chow with mommy

All a kid needs to be happy is something in a bag to shake

making rainbow grilled cheeses

when you tell your 3 year old to put shoes and socks on...

and she only puts shoes on....

she gets to skate in mittens instead of socks.

waiting for the Zamboni to finish

 Clara's godfather came to visit. He decided to teach her the art of archery

things may have gotten out of hand.....

trying to make pretzels

banana pops

Other pictures from this month:

checking for porta-pottys with Nana

daddy and his mini-me

photographic proof that they can go 30 seconds without fighting

they stood like this the ENTIRE time they watched Peter Pan

excavating a dinosaur egg

we forgot to bring coats and Lily improvised

we may have scared ross away

watching Bugs Bunny with the girls

so glad I took Lily to gymnastics to burn off energy

Jack the foster puppy