She's 'tutu' much fun!

I am happy to say that M2's 2nd birthday party was a success! She was as adorable as ever, and the cupcakes were delightful...among other things. ;) The theme for the party was 'two two cute', so there was plenty of tulle to go around! I made tutu centerpieces for the tables with some help from my amazingly talented grandma - thanks, Joey! Now if I was as talented as her, I could make and do just about anything, which would come in handy for when I become an event planner!

I think one of my first ideas was to put a tutu around the cake stand...and BOY, was it cute!

Just precious!

Sisters like parties too.

the decorations...

(the back sides of the picture 'lollipops')

The cupcakes were just as yummy as they look!

She got a little spoiled...but how can you resist?!

We feel truly blessed to be able to celebrate her birthday with our families and friends. Unfortunately, the cold/sick season meant that some of our friends couldn't be there...silly February birthdays anyway! M1 was home most of the week with a fever, so the party was in limbo for a while. I'm glad everything worked out! If you recall, her bday bash was postponed last year because of RSV. It's a sad day for a party planner to do all the work and have to reschedule! :)

Her actual birthday was the day before the party, and we tried to make it special! I had the day off, so we celebrated ALL day! You only turn 2 once, ya know! We started the day with birthday muffins after a little present for the birthday girl...

She wasn't real sure what the candles were all about. :)

So we tried again at lunch...candles in the apples. This time she gave it a little effort.

God has truly blessed us! We are so thankful to have M2 around, and we hope we get to spend many, many, many... more birthdays with her.

What should we do?

Let me set the stage for you...we live in a small town, it's a Saturday (not sure why that matters - there's really nothing to do on any given day in a small town during the winter), too muddy to play in the skiffs of snow that are left, too messy to go for a walk (plus I didn't want to drag the stroller out of it's winter home in our basement), but it's nice enough to leave the house, and we're tired of sitting around. What should we do? Well, we should go play at the gym at school, of course! After airing up our deflated balls, we packed up a couple and headed out. The girls were MORE than thrilled to be having a 'gym day'. As soon as we pulled into the driveway at school, M2 could barely control herself, and would have jumped right out of the carseat if she could have. So cute.

We flip on the light switch, and you would have thought that we had just won a million dollars! Both girls have eyes open wide and smiles across their faces. I can only imagine how big an empty gym would look to an-almost-2-year-old. It was almost like they couldn't STOP their feet from moving once we got settled. It was kick the ball here...run over there...repeat, repeat, repeat...

M2 taking her inaugural lap

M1 keeping an eye on the ball

playing 'keep away' with daddy

Maybe she's thinking about the big plays she'll make someday.

(Her uncles can wish, can't they?!) ;)

Sisters

He wanted me to take this picture and photoshop a real size ball into it.

Sorry hunny, the secret's out.

Hey...Now why didn't anyone get a picture of me sinking that 3-point shot?!

After a little exercise and a lost game of 'pig' (I only lost by 1 letter though!), we packed up and headed home. It really was a GREAT way to spend time as a family and burn off a little energy. I'm thinking I might have to work a little harder than that to fit into my swimsuit in a couple months though, huh?! Shucks. And I guess living in a small town isn't SO bad...it forces you to get creative. I guess I can handle that.

Three's a Crowd?

So there comes a time in your life where, I guess, you have to decide if the amount of children you have is the 'right' amount. I AM almost 30, ya know! I feel like I am waiting for 'signs' to tell me if two beautiful, healthy girls is the right amount for us. Let's run through the reasons why TWO kids are perfect, and three's a crowd. And if you're wondering, YES, this blog is a type of therapy. Anyway...

#1 - I can almost reach out and TOUCH family vacations...or trips to DesMoines, for that matter.

#2 - We don't require a minivan!

#3 - We can still fit in a booth at a restaurant. *Thanks, Candi - I like that one! :)

#4 - We aren't outnumbered.

#5 - We are enjoying the girls being older and more independent.

#6 - After having 2 girls, it's nice (and less $) that clothes can be passed on. What if we had a boy? Start all over with clothes, room, decor, etc (Ya know...because EVERYTHING we have is pink! ;)

#7 - We will be able to do more as a family - SOON!

You get the idea...

So, yesterday my good friend had her first girl, and I'm feeling like that is THE sign. I went through the tub (filled to the top, of course) of 0-3 month clothing and took out the really special things...although my husband doesn't really understand what makes those things so 'special'. (Guys never understand the important stuff.) As I carried the large tub through the hospital entrance and into the OB, I was reminded of the feeling you have when one of those rooms is yours. The feeling you have when the nurse says "it looks like you're going to be staying today". The feeling you have when they roll in that sweet little bundle of joy in a tightly swaddled blanket. The feeling you have when guests come in and can't stop smiling at that precious baby that I carried for 9 LONG months. The feeling of being proud of how hard I worked to get that baby OUT! So as I left that tub of clothes behind and walked out to the car, I kind of felt like I was leaving more than just clothes behind. Hmm...something to ponder?

On my 3-block trip home, I have a rush of emotions. I also remember that I LOVE sleep, I LOVE routine, & I LOVE that my kids can talk and don't need me 24/7. So maybe I won't ponder it?

These two girls bring more joy to my life than I ever would have imagined. Before we had kids, I knew I wanted ONE girl. I got two. I cannot complain. I'm lucky.

Beach Day!

M1 had a special day at preschool today...it was BEACH DAY! The directions were to send them in 'beach clothes' ON TOP of warm clothes. Hmmm...sounds like a fashion nightmare to me! So I dug around in the overflowing bin of clothes from the summer. (I know that you're surprised that my children have more clothes than they can possibly need.) ;) Anyway...I brought a few things upstairs to show my husband and he said, "It doesn't have to match, ya know?!" ...

WHAT?! You want me to send her into public with uncoordinated clothing? Umm...apparently he hasn't been paying attention for the last 10 1/2 years that we've known each other. She is GOING to match! Ha! If she is going to wear pants UNDER shorts, at least she should look kinda cute..right?!

This is what we (I) came up with...

Leggings proved to be a winner under shorts. I'm trying to think back to when I was little...did we have leggings? I'm picturing myself wearing real sweatpants (you know - the kind that are baggy but cinched at the ankles?!) Oh my!

If someone is going to have this crazy assignment...you couldn't look cuter than this... :)

Beach day calls for a 'pretend like you're surfing' picture.

We have had a great start to 2011 so far! And I count it as a success that I have updated this blog within the first month of the year. Hopefully this entry will get the ball rolling...

*sigh*

I couldn't think of a title for this entry that would sum up how I'm feeling about summer coming to an end, so I went with the sound I hear myself making quite often these days. *sigh*

How can it be that the carefree days with my girls are ending for the season? How can it be that I can still remember the last day of school? How can it be that my days of sleeping in are coming to a close here soon? I know that EVERY year it's hard to go back to school after summer break, and I know that I'll get over it - because I have to. It's not that I'm worried about the girls - we LOVE our daycare more than words & they take such great care of the two most important girls in our lives. It's not that I'm not excited about moving to Kindergarten - I am thrilled to be tying shoes & talking about the sounds of letters again! (Ok - maybe not the tying shoes part.) :)

I am, however, sad that I won't get to see the girls when they wake up or hear M2 yell "Mama!" from her crib...she's a pretty cute alarm clock. They are sleeper-inners so I have a feeling that some days I won't get to see them until 4. Ugh. When I think it through though, I am glad that I HAVE a job, since I know some people can't find one. Through high school & college I ALWAYS wanted to be a teacher - so I know that this really is a dream come true. I can't promise that I won't miss my girls TERRIBLY (for at least the first couple weeks) though. :)

We have had a GREAT summer - even though it was way too short! We headed to the children's museum in Coralville a couple weeks ago. With only a minor glitch in our travels - it appears M2 gets carsick - eww - we had a lot of fun! We were SUPER thankful that my grandparents live in North Liberty so we could stop and do a little laundry.

Our little shopper

M1 checking us out

M2 in the basket of the hot-air balloon. Fun!

Pilots usually pose this way...right?! :)

Riding the carousel at the mall. M2 screamed the WHOLE time. This picture was taken before we started moving. She's a pistol!

So for the next two days I will enjoy what's left of my summer vacation & remember what B told me once..."If you want to keep your Gap card, you have to work." Ha! Of course that's not true, because I know that what I do every day impacts so many kids. Life is good...I just like to complain about getting up early. :)

We LOVE summer!

I'm IN LOVE with my vacation with my favorite girls! :) We really are having a great time together! I have decided that M2 is actually more fun every day. She's old enough now that she can do pretty much everything with M1 - or at least along SIDE of her. :) She's starting to talk more every day, can go with the flow a little more (as far as scheduling goes), & is truly a sweetheart. She's fun! It also helps that she's feeling better these days. I had a bit of a nervous breakdown about thinking she had allergies, and cleaned my heart out the other day. Which also meant that I got rid of our beloved recliner in her room - the same recliner that I grew up with. The same recliner that we have rocked both girls to sleep in numerous times. M1 was rocked to sleep for every nap and bedtime until she was 2! It's kind of sad, but I think it had it's 'time' for sure!

M1 is growing up so much this summer! She is getting to be such a little fish at the pool, and is jumping in and going down slides on her own. Yay! We're so proud of her! She still goes to private swimming lessons too. We have been going a few times every week so far & we're having a blast! M2 isn't always so sure about swimming, but she's pretty low maintenance while we're there - so it's okay. When we aren't at the pool, we're playing with the water table in the back, going to the library, the park - or doing whatever we want! :)

Having fun with the water table.

Fishin'

She loves it!

So sweet.

Scoopin' the Loop

Happy Summer!

SUMMER!!

Well, B said to me the other day..."You don't do anything all day, why can't you update the blog more often?" A couple things 1) He thinks the bathroom cleans itself and the children feed themselves obviously and 2) He was kidding. At least, he better have been! :)

Anyway...The summer has gotten off to a little bit of a rocky start with both girls on an antibiotic for sore throats, coughs, snot, you-name-it. I took M2 to the ER on Wednesday night around 1:30am when she woke up with a Croupy cough. I can pretty much identify that one since she's had it 3 times. Not fun. And I know that the ER doc was probably trying to make conversation and show he cared, but he didn't have to tell me the story of his own child almost dying from Croup. I mean, come on! I could hardly sleep last night after that! It's not like I'm not already a super-worrier about my kids' illnesses. Hopefully they'll be feeling better soon!

M1 went to Vacation Bible School all week - except today since the doc said we better skip it :( She was sad that she couldn't go since today was the last day, so I took her to Wal-Mart to pick out a toy. Nothing makes you feel better like a car for your Strawberry Shortcake dolls!

June started with M1's dance recital. So cute! She did great and had fun!

Tumbling outfit - she does a pretty sweet cartwheel ;)

Ballet outfit - w/a proud daddy!

Flowers for the tiny dancer.

Three of us. We're so proud! She's a little worn out. :)

M2 is trying to be a big girl these days (she's 16 months today!) and likes to do everything her sister does. She talks up a storm too - I love that part of this age! She can say a ton of animal sounds, family names, and lots of little phrases too. "nigh-night", "hi", "bye", "more", "drink" - she's probably the smartest kid in town. Ha! :)

Coloring with Uncle J!

"Don't bug me, I'm busy." :)

Silly baby!

So hopefully I'll find time to update the blog frequently this summer...but no promises.

HAPPY SUMMER!