eleven years

Today's our 11th anniversary.  I won't write about it because I've already written about it here and here and especially here.

We have a babysitter coming tonight and a dinner out planned.  I'm looking forward to it.

Happy Anniversary to my dear husband.  I love you!

new stats

Both girls had their well visits at the doctor this morning.  Most people won't care much about this post, so it's mostly for me for future reference.

It's no surprise, but Rachel dropped to the 10th percentile for weight.  She is basically kept alive by eating vitamins, cheerios, and peanut butter sandwiches, so I don't expect much when it comes to her weight.  The doctor wasn't concerned because she's still growing (she grew over three inches since last year's visit) and was just glad we don't have to worry about childhood obesity.  She's in the 50th percentile for height, which is where she's been pretty much her whole life.  I envy her average height!  I hope it continues so she won't have trouble finding pants long enough for her as she grows up--a huge frustration in my life!

The doctor asked her what she likes to do for fun.  The huge shocker of the year is that she said, "Riding my bike!"  A week ago there's no way in the world that she would've said that.  She's been TERRIFIED of riding her bike for a year, ever since she got a new one last summer.  But my mom and I had her take it with her to Grandma and Grandpa's house last weekend, where they (who have much more patience with her than her Daddy and I do at this point!) worked with her and she learned to break and coast and actually starting enjoying herself on her bike.  Since she's been home she's begged to ride it multiple times a day.  We've gone over to the park a number of times now so she can ride it on the bike path.  So thank you, Mom and Dad, for giving her a new hobby!  :)

Rebecca will fulfill Daddy's dreams and be the basketball star in the family.  She's in the 75th percentile for height and 50th for weight.  She had to get one shot today and she didn't even flinch!  She let out the tiniest little grunting noise, and that was it.  I couldn't believe it. 

Rebecca's new little quirk is that she covers her mouth and nose with her hand when she's scared or nervous.  We see it each week when we take her into the nursery at church (she perks right up after we leave her and has a great time, but the first few minutes are scary for her).  Today I saw it as we walked into the doctor's office.  The doctor thought it was so cute.  Rebecca didn't want to have much to do with the doctor's stethescope and kept pushing it away.  But she loves pretending with her stethescope at home. 

Overall it was a pretty easy trip to the doctor.  Since usually doctor trips with Rachel involve lots of tears and physical restraint, it was nice to have an easy trip today!

it's hot!

It's been so hot!  We spent most of the week alternating between the air conditioning inside and playing outside in the water.  Rachel spends her time in the little pool and Rebecca spends it pouring water back and forth between the water table, pool, my plants (though little of the water reaches my plants--mostly she waters the dirt), and herself.  Every day she went through at least two, usually three outfits.

Rachel left yesterday with my mom to spend a long weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's house all by herself.  When I talked to her last night she was squealing with glee at the lake, jumping in the waves.  Today they're off to the zoo.  Rachel has a long list of places to go while she's there, so I know they won't be bored....  just exhausted!

It's strange having only Rebecca around.  Last night I put her to bed and we had a full hour before it's usually Rachel's bedtime that we actually had time to ourselves.  We watched a movie and got to bed earlier than we normally would've, had we started the movie once Rachel was in bed.  It's a good thing, because I was up three times with her in the middle of the night.  I don't know what her problem is.  I don't think she's sick (who knows, though--she's got a terrible track record).  After the second trip up with her, I couldn't go back to sleep, so I've been up since 3:45.  You'd think I'd have something to show for it, like a clean house or something, but I've done a bunch of nothing since I got up.  I still have about an hour before Rebecca gets up, so maybe I can accomplish something.

I think the hot weather is gone for a few days, though, so I'm happy about that.  I'm ready to give the pool and water table a break and play with chalk and bubbles or something else instead.  The good thing about it is that while they played in the water, I could sit and read.  I got two books finished this week--unheard of!!  (Well, I'm almost finished with the second.  It'll be finished today or tomorrow.)

Earlier this week our favorite neighbors told us that they're selling their house and moving out of town for a new job and to be near their families.  :(   That was a huge bummer for my week.  Their kids are the same ages as ours, and the girls just love them.  Rebecca loved hanging out with their twin girls every day at the bus stop (the twins are just a few months older than she is) and Rachel loved when one of the older kids would get off the bus with her and come over and play for an hour or so until their mom got home from an appointment or something.  We were each other's back up babysitter and borrowed stuff from each other all the time....you know, the good kind of neighbor that you really don't want to move away.  I'm really sad.  Now I can only hope that another set of good neighbors move in.  It goes on the market today and I'll be sad every time I see the sign in the yard.

fun at the fountains

Rachel's been bugging me to go play in the fountains ever since school was out.  Tuesdays the zoo brings animals to the founains, and once she found that out, she's really been advocating for spending a Tuesday at the fountain.  Since it was going to be so hot today, I decided we could go today.

Rebecca liked watching, but didn't want to have much to do with the water.

She wanted her bucket filled up with water but wouldn't get close enough.

She got her sister to do the dirty work for her.

Then she enjoyed the spoils by "cooking" with the water in the shade.  She told me she was making cookies.

Rachel had a great time.

It seemed like the animals would never arrive (it was hot and we were all ready to leave!), but they finally did--a turtle and an armadillo (they said because it was so hot the reptiles were the only ones allowed to come today).  

We stopped at Trader Joe's on the way to the fountains and got a snack, which helped pass the time. 

Rebecca couldn't control herself long enough for me to take the picture!  :)

a morning at the zoo

We let our zoo membership expire, so we hadn't been in awhile, but we just renewed it, and spent the morning there today (along with everyone else--it was a gorgeous, not-too-hot day, so I guess everyone decided it was a good day to go to the zoo, so it was CROWDED!).

Rebecca loved getting out of the stroller.  She didn't really care what else we did, as long as she could walk.  I'm afraid I may have to get one of those harnesses soon--she may not be too satisfied in the stroller much longer.  We'll see.  I'm holding off as long as I can.

We saw the lions, tigers, elephants, rhinos, penguins, manatees, fish, gibbons, and orangutans.  They rode the carousel and played on the playground.  It was a fun morning. 

Enjoy the pictures!

a little of this and that

We've still been laying low this summer, though Rebecca finally seems to be better.  But as soon as she got better, she went and did this to herself:

Good thing we just had her portrait taken the day before this happened!

She likes "helping Mommy" water the plants.  She doesn't exactly always get the water to the plants, but it's still nice that she wants to be helpful.

This is a picture from last month, when Rachel and I went up to see her cousin, Ethan, who played Cogsworth in his middle school's production of Beauty and the Beast.  Rachel had a great time watching it and visiting with her cousin, Emma, also in the picture.

Last night Rachel and Daddy slept outside in the tent.  Here she is "helping" him get the tent ready.

Doesn't she look lovely?  Wearing her tutu outside is a new "thrill."

start of summer odds and ends

I haven't posted in over a week because not a lot has been going on.  Last week we spent almost the whole week at home because Rebecca was sick.  She's still not completely well, but the fever's gone, and she's a much happier girl.  She still has a terrible runny nose and is coughing here and there, but the worst seems to be over.

The same cannot be said for my husband.  The poor guy has been sick for a couple of months now, with only a few days of being well thrown in here and there.  It's been a mixture of fevers, bad coughing, sinus issues....the whole gamut.  He went to the doctor on Friday and was told it was allergies and perhaps asthma.  But he went through a whole battery of allergy tests a couple of years ago and wasn't found to be allergic to anything.  And he's never been diagnosed with asthma, but has had some breathing issues throughout his life.  But that wouldn't explain the fevers.  The doctor thinks that his new job may be contributing to the issues because he's breathing acid fumes.  We're all ready for him to be well again, but if it's his job partially responsible for keeping him sick, this could be very bad news!  Hopefully he can get some answers soon.

Rachel's enjoying her summer break.  She's not too happy that I reinstituted the chip system we used last summer to police her TV/computer usage, but she's getting used to it again.  I've been having her write in a journal, do some math work, and read to me each day as well.  She likes the reading and writing, but complains about the math.  She hardly did any math at school this past year, so I'm trying to make sure she at least knows something before she goes to first grade! 

Her reading is coming along.  She really likes Mo Willems books (of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus fame).  There are a bunch of early reader books about Elephant and Piggie that she really is enjoying reading to me.  I don't really care what she reads, as long as she's enjoying it and getting excited to read!  We just got a bunch more of them at the library today.

Rebecca...oh, Rebecca.  She's up to her normal tricks.  Trying to get up into Rachel's room, trying to climb on every surface she can, trying to grab remotes, asking to eat every chance she can (she doesn't want to eat normal meals, but she loves to snack--then cries when I tell her no), asking for milk instead of water all day long (she gets milk for meals and water the rest of the day, but she wants milk all. the. time.), asking for the Wiggles a ZILLION times a day.  Thankfully, though her excitement for the Wiggles hasn't faded, she is getting interested in something else--Curious George.  It's just nice to watch something else for a change sometimes! 

Here's some happy news about Rebecca:  Several days in the last week she's taken a nap over two hours!  That's a LONG nap for her, and I'm hoping that it's becoming a trend, not just an occasional treat.  Today she slept three hours!  A few days ago I had to wake her up at 4:00 because I didn't want it to stretch into bedtime!  That's just unheard of for this girl.  I guess it could just be because she's still getting over whatever bug she's been fighting, but I hope that's not the only reason.

So that's a little of what's been going on around here. 

Wiggly Party

We couldn't have a birthday party for Rebecca without the Wiggles....

I used the top of a straw cup we had from when Rachel was little for the cake topper.  Worked like a charm!

She loved her new Wiggles Birthday Shirt.  Grandma had it made especially for her.

We combined the birthday party with a long weekend at Grandma's house.  My brother and his family came, too, which meant Rachel was in her element with her cousins and grandparents all in the place.

For Rebecca there were new toys galore.

For Rachel there was fun in the pool and outside with her cousins, and party games (she REALLY wanted party games!)
.

We had Wiggles music (unplanned....Uncle Ted just found some via internet, so Rebecca was able to dance away).  Playing her guitar like Murray:

Big fun was had by all.

Until Rebecca got sick.

Actually, she started acting sick earlier in the day.  Her temp was normal, but she felt warm and all she wanted to do was sit with her head on my shoulder.  I gave her some ibuprofen before naptime, hoping it would help.

She woke up for the party in a good mood and had a great time.  But not long after the party was over, she wound up on my lap again, head on my shoulder, coughing, sneezing, nose running like a faucet, and feverish.  More ibuprofen and a half hour later she was down playing with her new toys again.  Miracle drug, that ibuprofen is! 

She's in bed now.  Here's hoping for a good night's sleep, but I can never count on it when sickness is involved.  I've been waiting all week for her to get whatever Rachel had, so I'm not at all surprised.  Just not happy about it!  But I'm thankful that she enjoyed the special day.

two!!!

Oh, Rebecca,

How in the world do I sum up your huge personality in one little post?  In your two short years you have added so much to our family.

I find it difficult to even find words to describe you, sweet girl.  You're so full of joy and passion.  Whether it's talking about the Wiggles, telling me "No!" that you don't want to go to get your diaper changed, or arguing with Rachel, you do it passionately!  You get yourself into trouble a lot with your passionate "NO!" but you're learning a little better every day how to do what you're told.  You love hugs and kisses, love to cuddle and love to sit on my lap.  You love going for rides in Daddy's hiking backpack, playing outside, and watching people mow their grass (you're fascinated with lawn mowers).  You love fruit, goldfish crackers, applesauce, and yogurt.  Your favorite toys vary from day to day, but you are currently most into blocks, playing with the toy kitchen, playing in the sandbox, and wearing Rachel's dress up shoes (actually, anyone's shoes!).   You are learning to ride a tricycle.  We have to push you for a little bit but once your feet get moving, you can keep pedaling for a few times before you stop and need to be pushed again.  But you're learning!

You're curious about everything.  You're already starting to ask "Why?"  You always ask, "What doin' Mommy?"  And whatever Rachel is doing, you're right there next to her, wondering what it is and trying to do it, too.  You are a Momma's girl, following me around everywhere, but you also love your sister to death, and now that she'll be home for the summer, I'm hoping to have more time to get things done, since you'll do less following Mommy and more following Rachel!  (But I know there will also be plenty of arguments to break up as a result!)

You love to talk.  People in the stores love you, because you talk to them, play peekaboo with them, and smile at them.  We thought your sister talked a lot, until you came along.  You give her a run for her money!

You've been talking about your birthday for a few weeks now.  "Becca, birfday comin'!  Two!!"  You try to make two with your fingers and it's so cute!

So here it is.  You're two!  This year I can't wait to see even more of the little person you're growing to be.

We're celebrating today with family with a Wiggles cake (of course!) and lots of fun at Grandma's house.

We love you, sweet girl, and I'm so happy that I get to be your mommy.  Happy, happy birthday!

(These pictures were taken this morning when you were fresh out of bed.  You opened your first present, a birthday cake!)

the graduate

Today was Rachel's kindergarten graduation.  And she almost didn't get to go.  She woke up this morning coughing like crazy.  Everything single thing was bringing her to tears and it was obvious that she wasn't feeling good.  Her temp was just a teeny tiny bit over normal, and if it had been any other day, I would've kept her home, but neither of us wanted her to miss her last day.  I gave her some ibuprofen and sent her on her way, crossing my fingers that it was the right choice.  Once she got out to the bus stop, she was distracted and happy and acting more like herself.

She did fine, though she coughed a lot during the songs they performed for the parents.  But we were both glad she went.

Since we've been home she's been coughing non stop, though.  The poor girl just can't get a break. 

But here are pictures from her graduation.  I took a ton, but most of them have her friends and classmates in the pictures, so I can't really include them on here.  First they did an obstacle course and played some games outside.  Then we came in and there was a little graduation ceremony in the classroom where they sang songs for us and got their diplomas from the principal. 

My little graduate

The obstacle course--she was the only one who thought to push the ball through the cones instead of kicking it (most kids kicked it and lost control and had to run after it, but she pushed it through quickly and easily!  That's my girl--unconventional, but always thinking!  :)  Oh, and I have to explain the tiara.  I got to school and saw that she had a tiara on (she didn't have one on when she got on the bus this morning).  No one else had one on.  One of her friends' parents asked me why she had it on too.  I told them I didn't know but my guess was that one of the girls on the bus had given it to her.  They've been trading things back and forth for the last few days.  Sure enough, when I asked her, that's where it came from.  Mikayla had given it to her on the bus.  So that's my girl, the only one in the tiara.  I made her take it off so she could wear her graduation cap.

Water balloon toss

Getting her diploma from the principal

Aren't these the cutest snacks ever for a kid's graduation???

Rachel and her teacher. 

Can't believe I have a first grader now!!!!

life goes on

Things are looking up.  Rachel was much better yesterday, though still running a low fever without Advil, so she stayed home.  But today she woke up without a fever so she finally got to go back for her last two days of kindergarten.  Yay!

Today's my husband's birthday, so I baked a cake this morning, and have birthday errands to finish up today.

Yesterday Rachel attempted to make her own cinnamon toast for breakfast.  I mistakenly wasn't really paying much attention to what she was doing.  The next thing I know, she has two pieces of toast slathered in butter (SO much butter) and probably 1/4 a cup of cinnamon clumped on top of the butter.  I wish I had taken a picture.  It was so funny.  She didn't know that the cinnamon shaker had a shaker, so she unscrewed the whole top and just poured the cinnamon on ("it just came out SO fast, Mommy!").  And no sugar---she didn't know it was supposed to have sugar on it.  So funny.  I love that she's trying to do more things for herself (she just recently started doing her showers all by herself--it's like the end of an era, not having to give her a bath every night anymore--exciting, yet a little sad, too), but it's sometimes quite apparent that she's still a little girl, like when I looked at that toast yesterday.

She's about to lose one of her top two front teeth.  She's lost four teeth on the bottom already, but none on top yet, and I'm just dreading it.  The loss of that "little girl" look and the growth of those big adult teeth that are coming.  Just another indication that she's not going to be a little girl for long!

a rant

Please excuse me while I vent again.  I'm writing this while on hold on the phone, tilting my head to hold up the phone.  I've been on hold for nearly 20 minutes now.  I have two little girls at home (Rachel's still home sick, after missing field day yesterday and the end of the year Girl Scout picnic last night--I had to go by myself, which made me so, so sad.).  Do you know how hard it is to be on hold on the phone for this long when you have two young children at home?  Thankfully, Rebecca is still in her playpen (where I put her when I take a shower, and then I usually spend some time cleaning while she's in there, but today I'm on hold instead), and Rachel's laying on the couch watching a show, so I can afford a few minutes, but I have many, many other things I could/should be doing.  And before long Rebecca will be protesting the playpen.  She's only good in there for about an hour at the most, and it's been nearly that long.

So my vent is that EVERY SINGLE TIME I call the doctor, this happens.  My husband asked me to make him a doctor's appointment for this afternoon, because he's in a meeting all day today, but needs to be seen (he's still sick, too). 

This waiting forever and ever isn't my only problem with this doctor's office (it's my doctor's office too).  Here are some other points of contention:

--If you're sick, you have to make a "same day illness" appointment--you can't make an appointment for the next day.  This is a problem for me because sometimes I can get child care for the next day, but not for that day, so I'd have to take the kids with me, even though if I could get in the next day, I could get someone to watch them and wouldn't have to take them with me, which is a huge inconvenience.

--If you're not sick, but need to see the doctor, you have to see your own doctor (there are many in the practice).  Sometimes they don't have appointments available for a week or more.  Sometimes it's something pressing that can't wait, but you don't have a choice. 

--Once you finally make it into the office (a big feat, considering how long you wait on the phone, and then the trouble you have actually making an appointment), you have to sit and wait forever to be seen.  When I have to take the kids with me, it's complete torture.  If I don't have to take them, it's kind of like a vacation for me (sitting still, reading a book, without a million questions/requests = A vacation!), but I still feel guilty that I'm making someone else watch them longer while I just sit there.

So I finally just got through and made him the appointment (nearly 30 minutes after first calling).  But here's the thing.  He's in a meeting today until 2, and said he couldn't get there until 2:30 or 3 at the earliest.  His doctor is only there until noon today, so they wanted to make an appointment for tomorrow (what??  It's a "same day illness" appointment--since when are you allowed to make it for the next day!?).  Except he can't go tomorrow because he works an hour away from home now and can't just leave in the middle of the day for a doctor's appointment like he used to be able to do.  And the office is closed by the time he gets home.  So I had to make him an appointment with someone else for later today, which is fine for his sickness issues, but he also had some other questions for the doctor, and now he won't be seeing his own doctor.  Hopefully the other doctor will be able to address them, but knowing our luck there, they'll tell him to make another appointment.

It's just ridiculous.  I put off going to the doctor because of all of this.  Is this normal?  Do your doctor's offices have these same policies, or am I just at the wrong doctor's office?  I've been talking about getting another doctor for years.  I just haven't done it--mostly because it's just so stinking hard to get someone to watch my girls to get there, and I'm afraid I'll just get another run around at a new place.  This is a big office in a larger network of doctors/hospitals run by the very large university in town.  Maybe it's just too busy.  Maybe I need a smaller office.  But then I'd be afraid of other issues.  Anyone in town with doctor recommendations, I'll take them.

Ugh.  Sorry for yet another complaining post.  One of these days I'll have something fun to write about again. 

one of those days

Today has been one of "those" days.  The yucky ones.  My husband's been sick for three days (fever, chills, sore throat, achy, coughing).  He went to work on Friday, but spent most of yesterday and all of today either on the couch or in bed, and often asleep.  Then Rachel woke up this morning complaining of a headache, and yesterday she started coughing, usually the first sign of sickness in her.  She had a fever (again!?), too.  As long as she's had Advil in her, she's felt okay, but every time it wears off she's back on the couch under a blanket.  At one point Rebecca and I went to the store to get some more Advil and when we got back Rachel was asleep on the couch.  That never happens.

Rachel was supposed to go to a friend's birthday party today.  One that she had been really looking forward to.  This morning she started crying because she realized that she might not get to go, and later in the morning when I told her Daddy and I decided she shouldn't go, she was soooooooo sad (and mad at me--mean old mom, trying to keep the other kids healthy--and keep her from feeling lousy without her mom around!).  But I knew it was the right decision when, during the time of the party, she was back on the couch, fever back up, and pretty miserable. 

Last night I didn't sleep much--I was on the couch because my husband was coughing so much and wasn't sleeping all that well himself, so I offered to go to the couch so he could hopefully get a better night's sleep than he had the night before.  Well, I didn't sleep so well on the couch.  So I came into the day really tired anyway.  Then I was taking care of my sickies.  And then there was Rebecca.  She was especially ornery today.  Into EVERYTHING.  Telling me "NO" about everything.  Getting into trouble left and right.  Just an all around exhausting parenting day.

So thanks for letting me vent.  I know it'll get better eventually. 

timmin'

Today Rebecca had her first experience of the year in our little pool.  She kept telling me, "I timmin'!" ("swimming")

She loved it, but wouldn't sit down because it was too cold on her tummy.

She also wouldn't stop drinking the water.  Ick.

Or holding the duck.

Rachel had a great time, too, but wouldn't give me a good smile.

She mostly played with her bathtub princess dolls.

I cropped this out of a picture of the two of them--the only decent picture of Rachel I got (but Rebecca wasn't looking at the camera in this one).