Poor Charlotte never gets a moment of peace from her big sister. Elaine is a big believer in"what's yours is mine" these days.
This last picture I was getting after Elaine for crowding Charlotte. In response she is telling me Charlotte hurt her.
Today Elaine announced to me it was her birthday. She prepared a cup of rocks for each of us to celebrate. She has never used the word birthday before today and I think she learned from watching Toy Story. She keeps saying "It's Lane's birthday". Her birthday really isn't until October but I'll celebrate with her, no problem.
The dog also returned this morning. I was trying to get her dressed and when she told me the pants I was trying put on her were, in fact, the dogs. How was I supposed to know?
In other news, Charlotte has found her fist quite delicious the past few days. This also means she likes her pacifier even less. This is something in the long term I will be glad about but right now we just sometimes need her to enjoy her Soothie.
Today we met my friend Melanie her daughter Riley at the mall so our kids could play in the play area. We had a lot of fun. As we started walking to the car to go home we had to pass on of those carts that is full of every imaginable type of gum ball. I think gum balls are gross and probably won't let my kids have them for a long time. So, at this point in her two years of life, Elaine has no idea what they are. As we walked by the display Elaine was riveted. I told her we had to go home so she walked up to the closest machine, touching the glass canister tenderly to say goodbye and gave it a kiss. It was cute and funny to see but gross to think of how many other young children's hands had touched them.
Apparently we go got a dog and Elaine didn't tell us. We only know he exists because Elaine put out a bowl of food(sand) and announced to the dog it was time to eat. He must not have been doing what he was supposed to do because she started spoon feeding him. She would hold the spoon at about me knee level for her pet dog. He doesn't have a name that I know of but we'll see if she comes up with one.
On weekends it is very obvious that Lainee loves Daddy the best. She is his little shadow and he loves it. This morning she spent an hour helping him clean the pool. Since she made the mess it was only fair she had to help. She wouldn't get dressed or put on shoes but she had a great time.
Rob would pull the rocks out and Lainee would throw them back where they belong.
She rescued her pet duck from the hot tub. He also doubles as a thermometer and he told us the water was 47 degrees.
Apparently, she did not trust the ducks reading so she had to check the temperature herself. Sure enough, she announced "it's cold". What a crazy kid.
I love both of my children but I have my moments of thinking Elaine needs to go to Toddler Boarding School with all the other toddler delinquents. Today she has been well behaved so I can now think some of the things she has done this week are funny.
Some people may recognize these straws from Ikea. They come about 100 to a box, I think. Not all of them made to the floor with her help but quite a few did. I couldn't be mad for too long because she started singing a little song that she wrote. She was singing clean up, everybody clean up.
On Wednesday used one of her many "stools" to help clean out the cupboard. Later that day I noticed odd things floating in the pool such as pudding cups and drink cartons.
This is a picture I took yesterday morning before she went outside. She looked very cute despite what the picture looks like. She had to have her hat on and jacket buttoned to dump a bucket of rocks in the pool. I could tell she was about to do so I ran for her to stop it. She knew exactly what she was doing because she waited until I was almost to her and she hurried and dumped them all in. Looks like Rob will be spending some time cleaning the pool this weekend.
Just as I suspected, we have been playing with the baskets on a daily basis. Elaine is very careful to set them up to her specifications and lets me know when Charlotte's is ready. On the second day she did something new. She demanded that I take pictures. After they had both taken their positions she said "picture, get it mommy". At first I did not understand and when I did she was very excited. She did not want to be in the pictures as much she wanted to take them. If I was able to get her in a shot she had to come and critique it. In case I have not already announced it on this blog, she is VERY bossy.
This is Day 2 in the baskets. Lainee is blurry because she is shaking Charlotte's hand and saying shake, shake.
This is her self portrait She is taking after her Aunt Jessica in wanting to take pictures of herself.
Charlotte thought basket time was alright on the second day. This picture is the remnant of an adorable smile. Charlotte is also wearing a hand me down outfit from her cousin Sophie who is 7. What can a say, the Baby Gap sells timeless and well made clothing.
Day 3 Elaine did not really want to sit with Charlotte at all but they both still seemed to have fun.
I've been Tagged!!! A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning. B: Each player answers the questions about themselves. C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
10 Years ago: I was in my second quarter at the University of Utah. (Yes, I started there so long ago they had not yet made the switch to semesters.) I was living in a 12'x12'ish room with a girl that was so strange and unhygienic I can't even describe it to you here. You will have to ask me about her for the whole story. One tidbit to spark your interest is she had a boyfriend on an LDS mission and she had a countdown poster hanging above her bed that she kissed.
5 things on my to do list today: visit my friend Paola (check), take the girls and meet my friends at Chick-Fil-A (check), put away the clean laundry (probably won't happen), do the dishes (this will happen) do my church calling with the teenage girls..
Snacks I enjoy: This one is tough. I don't eat a lot of any particular snack and since Christmas we have thrown away most foods that are fattening (minus the chocolate Elaine found obviously). I do, however, like Oatmeal Scotchie cookies, baked lays, diet coke (I think this counts?), clubhouse crackers and apples with almond butter.
5 places I have lived: I have only lived in MT, UT and AZ. Kind of lame.
5 jobs I have had: 1.casino attendant(good old video gaming in Great Falls. How would the town survive without it?) 2.dance teacher 3. restocking the library books at the U of U 4. cashier in the restaurant at the Little America Hotel 5. David's Bridal.
5 things people don't know about me: 1.Until August when I was 6 months pregnant I had my belly button pierced. I was very sad to take it out and but not quite as sad when I couldn't get it back in. 2. I started college as a Modern Dance major. 3. I never do email forwards. If you love me, like me, are my friend you can send me them but I will never send them back like they ask. I always appreciate when it says "who is least likely to respond" and people put me. These people know me too well. 4. I really want to go to Hawaii. Rob has been several times so it has become a joke that he will never take me. I think it is kind of true. 5.I hate making left turns at stop signs. Sometimes I go out of my way to get to a light even though it takes longer if I would have just turned left in the first place.
People I am tagging...
I don't know that many people with blogs so if you read this go ahead and do it.
Underneath Elaine's bed I have several baskets that hold diapers, shoes, bedding etc. She has come to love these baskets so much so that she can't stand to see them with anything inside. At least once a day the entire contents make their way to the floor. This morning Elaine invited Charlotte into the fun. First, they were blankets.
Then, Elaine got the idea that maybe they should sit inside. She made sure they both had a pillow and blanket to make them comfortable.
She then announced "Lainee tired" and both girls stayed there until Charlotte started crying. Elaine was mad that I picked Charlotte up and kept saying "Charlotte sit there" and pointing to the basket. I am sure she will find even more uses for these baskets.
Rob's mom is visiting us and brought with her some small fleece blankets. Elaine loves blankets of any kind so this is a perfect gift. She does not play with baby dolls at all but the last few days has taken after Tom Hanks in Castaway and talks to her toy balls. She keeps wrapping them tight in her new blankets and telling us "shh, balls asleep". She even will unwrap
them, seeming to make sure they are still asleep, and re-wraps them when she finds they have not awakened with all of our noise.
The girls are having fun with Grandma. Elaine is enjoying having another adult to boss around and I am enjoying the help.
I really don't neglect my child (most of the time, anyway). This morning while I was getting dressed I'm not sure what happened but she hit her nose and left cheek on something. I am surprised this is the first visible signs of how rough she plays.
Like many mornings, Lainee wanted to play outside in her sandbox. This morning, before she made the decision to go outside she took off her pajamas and brought me a new outfit to wear. She did a good job picking the matching top and bottom but the rest of the outfit was ruined by the necessity of winter coat and ugly slippers. It was 44 degrees here this morning but that didn't stop her from playing in the water. She looks like a vagrant, but what can I say, she can't be perfect all the time.
Turning on the hose. You have no idea how much I wish she hadn't figured this out.
This spectacular outfit and hair.
Don't let the sunshine fool you. It was cold this morning.This weekend Elaine learned a few things that I wish she would have waited to figure out and some funny stuff. I'll share a couple high(or low) lights.First the unfortunate, she figured out how to turn on the hose.
There was not a dry spot on her by the time she was done.
Second, she figured out if you move the kitchen table chairs you can get into almost anything. So much for putting things on the counter for safe keeping. She found herself some butterscotch chips with the chair and spread them out around the house.
On the funny side, I taught her to chant "Mommy is Best" on Saturday morning. The whole day she walked around with her hands above her head announcing that, in fact, Mommy is better than Daddy. Rob just shook his head in defeat. I couldn't get a picture of this. Every time the camera came out she stopped but it was very cute.
For some reason I feel like I should get a gold star every time I leave the house alone with both girls. Other people take there children to stores everyday with out needing a pat on the back but I have not gotten there yet. Maybe next week. Anyway, Lainee, Charlotte and I went to Costco on Monday. It was a Costco trip I could not put off any longer so, even though it was pouring rain all morning we went. Elaine is really funny anytime we walk through a parking lot. When cars are driving anywhere near us she holds up her hand and says "stop car, wait" when we have passed the usually stopped car she says "thank you car, see you later" and waves to the driver. At first I was a little hesitant to make eye contact with the driver since our slow pace in there hurried world is probably irritating but I have noticed most people smile and wave back as we pass.
These are just some cute pictures of Charlotte. She is starting to smile but I couldn't take a picture fast enough to capture it.
As many people know we gave Elaine her name thinking we would call her Lainee. So, when she was born people would call her Lainee but Rob and I called her Elaine. Now most people have started called her Elaine. I figured when she was old enough she would decided what she wanted to be known as. Apparently, she is old enough because in the last week she has started referring to herself solely as Lainee. It is cute because of the whole third person toddler way of talking. She lets us know "Lainee try", "Lainee have it", "Lainee sad", "Lainee's sister" etc. I will probably keep referring to her as Elaine out of habit but I do call her Lainee sometimes. The picture is blurry but it just shows her cuteness transcends photo clarity.
We went to the pediatrician for Charlotte's 2 month visit today. She tipped the scales at 10lbs 14oz and is 22 inches long. I think she is a totally adorable chunk. The nurse, however, informed me she is not really much of a chunk, only compared to Elaine. She is in the 50th% for weight and 25th% for height and 30th% for head circumference (15 inches). She screamed when she got her 4 shots but this is what she looked like by the time we got home
So, I pretty much think my kids are about the cutest things around (besides the children of anyone reading this of course, they are equally cute I'm sure). I thought I would just put up some pictures.
Elaine is helping me make bread with my new KitchenAid mixer that Rob gave me for Christmas. Some of you may be thinking "Jill, make bread? That girl can't cook." What can I say. I am turning into the domestic version of myself. Like others, I am surprised this version exists. I am going with it. I am not posting a picture of the end product. Let's just say it tastes better than it looks.
The girls have coordinating athletic outfits. Tennis anyone? Charlotte's even has a visor but it did not photograph well.
Charlotte was taking a nap on the couch and Elaine couldn't let all the extra space under the blanket go to waste.
Charlotte is dreaming of becoming a ballerina.
As we all know, Elaine does weird things sometimes. Here she has emptied her basket that usually holds DVD's so she can sit in it. The empty the basket game never ends. It makes me tired to play it with her some days. Good thing Elaine is cute or she might make me crazy.
Because Rob is getting old but is trying to seem young and cool he made a foolish bet with my sisters Megan and Jessica. Rob promised he would stay up until 1:30AM or jump in the pool while they were here. He failed miserably. He actually went to bed at 8:30PM on New Year's Eve.
( Since Rob and I have been together (almost 7 Years) he has not stayed up to see the New Year once.) Anyway, this picture is him post pool jump. The water was probably around 50 degrees. Maybe someone needs to teach him 1) Don't gamble 2) Only bet against yourself when you are positive you will win. Hopefully our children will not get his common sense.
Apparently, he was feeling left out of my post from the other day. So, this one is for you, Mark.
Sadly, all remaining Christmas guests left today. We had a lot of fun with all my visiting siblings. All but one of my siblings was here for a 24 hour period and we had a fabulous time. Reality hit this morning when I was trying to do something and two crying kids wanted my attention. I will miss Jessica, Matt and Megan staying here and helping me. I will do a picture tribute to them to show my appreciation.
Charlotte and Uncle Matt. He has only been in the family a few months longer than Charlotte. I told him as the youngest uncle he will be the one his little nieces have a crush on.
Elaine is with her Aunt Jessica. Matt is Jessica's husband.
Charlotte checks out the view from Aunt Megan's shoulder.
This is my sister Amy who joined us for exactly 24 hours for Emily's wedding. She came from Rockville MD without her husband or 2 children and thought it was the best flight she had been on in a long time. What some people will do to take a break from there kids! It was fun to see you, Amy.
Matt showed Elaine that a spoon can hang off the end of your nose. Elaine walked around holding her little plastic spoon to her nose and saying "try" to everyone. It was very funny.
My sister Emily got married last week. Once she put on her wedding dress Elaine was sure Emily was a princess. She referred to Emily as Princess the whole night. As you can see the girls wore matching dresses and looked very adorable.
