Fun With Friends...and My New Camera!

We had another playdate with our good friends down in Redondo Beach last week and we had a great time.  Not only do the kids have fun playing and eating together, the mamas have fun too!  I truly wish we lived closer and could just drop in and visit instead of having to plan and drive.  But it is great to see them so much more than we did when they were in NY!  Adelaide was Sophia's first friend and was born just 7 weeks after Sophia, and Lucas is almost exactly a month younger than Ellie.  It's been so fun to watch them grow, compare notes and see them discover each other as playmates!

  

I brought my camera this trip and actually took some photos, which was exciting!  I got an amazing SLR camera for Christmas and have been having so much fun taking photos of the kids.  It takes great photos and is so much better than my old digital, which has a delay, so by the time the camera takes the picture, the kids are no longer doing that adorable thing they were just doing, and forget about asking them to do it again!!  So needless to say I have taken nearly over 2,000 pics since I got my camera in December!!  I am now starting to play with different setting and have discovered a fun website where you can edit photos and create collages for printing or for blogging!  So I have had some fun with the pictures I took of the kids last week.  I used the sports setting on my camera, which is designed to take actions shots - perfect for kiddos running around playing!  

In these photos, the sports setting was amazing, it caught the ball in mid air as Sophia threw it to Addie.  I had it on rapid fire, so I got a great series of them playing catch!

I had fun playing with the focus, and adding different effects and colors to the pictures.  On most of these I softened the focus and enhanced the colors.  I LOVE this one of Addie in action!  

It was a beautiful day, one of those days that make you forget that it is still WINTER because it is so sunny, warm and pleasant out.  It's great watching kids play, all they need is a ball and some room to play!

Our Baby Can Read!

Sophia's favorite book lately is "Are You My Mother?" and she has been requesting it everyday before her nap. Well, little did I know how much she really was paying attention. Tonight, at bed time she said she wanted to read to me and Ellie. She sat down, opened the book and READ it nearly word for word!! I was in awe, teary eyed and so very proud all at once! I couldn't believe my ears as she read this 72 page book from cover to cover perfectly! Now of course she wasn't actually reading the words, but she was picture reading and remembered the story and the words amazingly well! Being a former first grade teacher, where teaching reading was a big part of my job, I was blown away by my 2 1/2 year old and her pre-reading skills! I know everyone says this about their child, but she is SO SMART!! Wow, Peanut, you made us so proud!!

Also, to add even more to this special moment, I got Sophia this very book for her 1st Christmas. It was a favorite of mine as a child and I have very clear memories of reading an old copy of it at my Nana D's house as a little girl. I bought it for her with hopes of her loving the book and reading as much as I do! I am so happy to see that she does and is on her way to becoming an avid reader!!

Ellie's got chompers!

Ellie is different in so many ways from her big sister, one of which is that she has got some chompers!  At 12 months Sophia had 1 1/2 teeth...Ellie has 6!  And they are soooo cute and white!  They make her smile even more adorable, and when they peek through her little pink lips and she crinkles her nose I just melt!  She has such a great smile, full of personality and fun!

Well, she has really gotten interested in others' teeth, and she likes to stick her fingers in your mouth and saying, "Ahhhhhh!"  She got this from watching Sophia get her teeth brushed and should really have been invited to get her teeth brushed, since she does have so many.  However, I just bought her her own tooth brush today and we tried it out this evening.  This girl HATES getting her diaper changed, her clothes changed or any activity where she has to be still in any way, so we weren't sure she'd go for getting her teeth brushed.  But she LOVES it!  She opened wide and seemed to enjoy it and Sophia was excited that Ellie got to brush her teeth too.  She kept saying, "Ellie loves her tooth brush!"

Sophia is really a pro at brushing too!

Ellie trying to brush Sophia's teeth

  Also, just thought I'd mention, my biggest challenge with Sophia lately has been keeping her dressed.  She is very skilled at changing her own clothes and this comes in handy because she can get herself dressed...but this also means she can get herself UNdressed, and this has proven to be frustrating!  She changed her outfit at least 6 times this morning!  She loves her dress up dresses, her tutu, and anything that has a long skirt.  I love that she's girly and it is adorable that she gets so excited about her costumes, but when we need to go out the door and she's refusing to wear anything but her "lellow dress" (which is tattered beyond belief and is held together by a very thin, lellow thread!) it can be tricky.  Here are just a few of the dresses she wore this morning...

This girl is gonna like to shop I think!

Today, Sunday March 6, 2011

My favorite moment was...Seeing Ellie give my dad endless kisses!  She is a bit stingy with the kisses lately and it made me so happy to see her giving them away to him!

My challenge was...not eating the rest of the batch of cookies I make the other day!  Baking is fun, but dangerous!

Quote of the day...Sophia singing Muse quietly to herself, "Hold yooou in my arms!" Then she looked at me, "How dos it say it Mama?"  In other words, "What are the words again?"

My question is...Will Ellie start talking soon?  

My hope for tomorrow is...get some house work done (so boring, but true!)

Pretend City Fun

We headed down to Irvine to meet our dear friends Julie, Addie and Lucas at Pretend City!  Let me say that I was just as excited, or possible more excited than the kids (given they didn't know where we were going!) and literally couldn't sleep the night before!  I think the insomnia may have been unrelated, but still, I was VERY excited!  We had a rough start, with me having a horrible sense of direction and getting "turned around" (not lost!) three times, and then when we were nearly there, Sophia had to go pee-pee.  We finally made it and it was totaly worth it!

It is such an amazing little children's museum where the kids get to experience so many things and all is just the right size for them.  There was a grocery store, post office, doctor's office, restaurant, farm, stage with lights and dress up outfits and even a house with a cultural theme, which changes periodically, this time it was a traditional Brazilian home.  The big girls had a blast running around and trying everything out.  Sophia was a bit overwhelmed when we first arrived, bc there was a large group of school children and she was feeling unsure.  But once we got away from them and had our own space, she really had fun.  Even Lucas and Ellie seemed to have fun.  I think their favorite part was the beach!  They all loved playing in the sand with the buckets and toys...until all the school kids moved in on us again!!

Lucas& Ellie "playing in the street!!"

Sleeping in the Brazilian home, in the parents' bed!

Putting the baby to bed!

Serving up food in the Italian Restaurant

It was such a nice time and I would love to go back with James, that way we can each explore a bit more with the girls, since I feel like Julie and I spent a lot of time going, "Where's Addie? - I see her. - O.K. where did Ellie go?"  There is definitely more to be explored and I think the dads would enjoy it too.

There were actually live baby chicks in here!
I was too busy to realize it until later!!
Luckily Julie was smart and showed them to the little ones!

Afterward we went to one of my fav places for lunch, Nordstrom Cafe!!  It was very yummy and always fun spending time with Julie and her adorable kids.  I just love having a friend whose kids are almost exactly the same age as mine!  It's so rare I think and it makes things easy and fun and we totally understand each other's trials and mishaps!!  Can't wait to go back and explore more!

Birthday Girl!

It's hard to believe it, but our little Elizabeth Philomena is one year old!  Her birthday was Sunday the 27th, but we had her party on Saturday (also our anniversary).  It was such a fun party, I must say!!  It turned out perfect, having it at the house due to the cold weather.  Lots of friends and family were busy or sick and I was really worried that no one was coming and those who came would be bored!  But it was perfect, cozy and really fun.  The kids enjoyed themselves too!  It was a garden/spring theme and I had fun with the food and cake.  

The kids decorated butterfly masks and I even caught my Aunt Lisa coloring one!

Sophia was really concentrating!

Our good friends Mandy & KJ!

When we sang Happy Birthday to Ellie she was so amazed and looked around at everyone with a little smirk on her face!  She enjoyed it I think!!

I love their expressions when everyone sings!

She didn't really EAT her cake, but had fun painting and playing with with icing!

I am so lucky to have such a sweet, happy and funny girl.  Ellie is growing into such a content, joyful and outgoing little person.  I love her sweet smile, her contagious laugh and her silly little dance moves!  She is our picky eater and our little cuddler and we love her to pieces!  I have so enjoyed getting to know her over this past year and can't wait to see what happens in the years to come.

Party time!

Well, I have been a bit wrapped up in planning Ellie's birthday party and haven't had a chance to update the blog in the past week.  I seem to go a bit crazy with the party prepping and lose sight of the fact that I have other things like laundry piled to the ceiling and two small children to care for!!  I am having fun getting ready for Saturday though and I lucked out planning a garden theme with Easter coming soon, everything is flowers and butterflies!  It's perfect!!  The only problem has been the weather.  I was kind of hesitant to plan the party at a park, since I remember well the day Ellie was born it was raining and cold.  But I was hopeful, especially since the week I finally decided to have the party in Red Hill Park, an awesome park nearby with a lake, ducks, turtles and a great playground, it was 80 degrees and beautiful.  Well, I turned on the TV on Tuesday just in time to hear the forecast for Saturday is not only rain, but it is record breakingly cold!!  They are predicting a high of 49!!  For us Californians it might as well be Antarctica out there!!  I finally decided to move it to the house and not stress over the weather and worrying about being cold and miserable.  

So tonight I made the cupcakes and prepped myself to do the cake tomorrow.  It is going to be a flower shaped cake and it's gonna be adorable!!  I had elaborate plans for the cupcakes, at first they were going to be butterflies, with wings and antennae and then I was going to make roses from icing for each one...well I was getting ahead of myself on that one!  So, they are still cute, but just simple, piped pink icing, no fancy frills.  Oh well!  And my wonderful husband came to me after helping me bathe both girls and get them off to sleep and said, "What can I do to help?"  Those are just the most wonderful 6 words I've heard all day!  I love that he's so willing and happy to help me with these things.  He was chopping onion (my least fav thing to chop!) and veggies for the salads and then he even made dinner while I finished getting organized!  I love that man!

Her newest and favorite-est game, peekaboo!

I just realized that my baby is going to be one, and my other baby is nearly 3!!  What is happening?  I don't believe how fast this last year has gone by!  Can't she just stay this cute and precious FOREVER!?

Tasting her toes, as you do!

She has the BEST smile!

Also, exciting news, James sister Cliona had her baby this morning!  A beautiful baby girl, 6 lbs, 15 ozs.  We are so excited the girls have a girl cousin, not that they don't love Harry! She doesn't have a name yet, though Harry is pretty sure HIS name should be Percy, or Gordon or (I guess if it's a girl) Peppa!  He likes his Thomas the Tank Engine, and Peppa the Pig!  She is doing well!  I bet she's so happy to have a girl.  I can't wait to meet her!!  

Today, Thursday February 24, 2011
My favorite moment was...sitting down to eat some tasty noodles with my honey.
My challenge was...being patient when Sophia keeps changing her mind on me, "Mommy I want milk!"  Two seconds later, as I am pouring milk, "Mommy I want juice!"  
My question is...Is it normal to be so excited for your child's birthday party?
Quote of the day...Ellie telling herself "nuh-nuh-nuh" as she's unrolling the toilet paper roll!
My hope for tomorrow...A cake that doesn't look like an amateur made it!   

What Valentine's Day Means to Me!

Our Valentine loot!
The heart that says 'love' was colored by Sophia.
She did it all by herself!

I think, like most things, Valentines Day and what it means to me has changed over the years.  It once meant just wishing someone would give me a Valentine at school (sigh!), then it meant hoping I would get asked out for a nice dinner or get some pretty flowers.  In our dating days and before we had kids, James and I always celebrated by exchanging cards, he always got me pretty flowers and we would go out for a lovely, romantic dinner.  Well, things have changed a bit and while we still give cards and he gives me beautiful flowers, we don't really go out.  This is really ok with me, for several reasons.  First, I think Valentine's Day is really just a Hallmark holiday, and while the idea is nice, it's kind of over rated.  Second, when we do go out, it's so crowded, over-priced and not as 'romantic' as they make it seem.  Third, I like celebrating when it's special to us and not when everyone else is out too.  That being said, our anniversary is also 12 days after Valentine's Day, so we usually end up celebrating our anniversary rather than Valentine's Day.  To add to the fun, Ellie's birthday is the day after our anniversary!  We are actually having her party on our anniversary this year and I am really excited! I can't believe she's almost one!

What I am trying to say is that Valentine's Day is supposed to be about love and celebrating your love for those around you and my biggest loves are my girls and my husband.  It doesn't really matter what you do, but who you're with!  We actually started celebrating yesterday.  James planned a brunch for the four of us at a nice place in Claremont.  It was a nice morning and we took Sophia for an ice cream after and even got some yummy cheese at a place called, no joke, the Cheese Cave!  Then, last night, I gave the girls their dinner and bath while James cooked a delicious pepper steak dinner with homemade fries!  It was amazing!!

My guy can cook!! What a lucky girl I am!

We had a lovely Valentine's Day together today as well.  Although James had to work, we met up for lunch and Sophia gave James his card!  We were at Chick-fil-A, but we were together and it was nice!  James came home with some lovely roses and we had dinner together after the girls went to bed.  It was nothing fancy, but it was perfect!  I love my little family!  

On our way to meet Bapa for lunch.  Love the shades!

Sweet and cute, my lil valentine!

Our little walker!  She's so proud of herself!!

Babies, babies, babies!!!

Katie's talented sister-in-law made this cake and the cupcakes too!

It seems like everywhere I look, I see babies, and I am not just talking about my own home!  I have one friend who just had a beautiful baby boy last week, and four friends and one sister-in-law all due in the next month!  Crazy baby time!  It's all fun and good and I love that my friends are having babies, I not complaining AT ALL!! I think it's so nice sharing this time with friends, as pregnancy and being a new mommy can sometimes be confusing and challenging and it just makes things a bit easier when you have someone to lean on or go to with questions.  All that being said, I am super excited because, (no I am NOT pregnant!) my college roommate is one of the friends due in the next month and I spent Saturday at her baby shower.  It was so nice to see her!  I am sad to say it was the first time I have seen her since she got pregnant but she looks amazing!  Katie and I have known each other for 11 years!  Is that right??  Yes, since we were 20!  She and I met by chance because I needed a roommate and she was just transferring to UCSB.  My roommate's girlfriend went to high school with Katie, and that's how we ended up roommates!  Here we are 11 years later, still friends and I love her so much! Even though we don't see each other often, when we do talk or get together it's always like old times.  

Katie looks so adorable!  We both wore her fav color for her day!!

The shower was beautiful, hosted by Katie's mother-in-law at her home in Stevenson Ranch.  It was so nice to see Katie and her family, who I love as well.  I had a great afternoon catching up and visiting with all the ladies.  I will say, I was a little worried because I was going solo and leaving the girls for most of the day.  I have full confidence in James, it's not that I think he can't handle taking care of the girls, it's just I was worried about Ellie, since she is still very much nursing and gets cranky when she doesn't get milk.  I am so happy to report that they both did great, they even both took their naps!  Elizabeth usually gets nursed to sleep, but I have been working on putting her down awake and it paid off.  I had some milk pumped for James to give her before her nap and she happily took it, from a bottle even!!  She never liked a bottle and we haven't even tried to give her one in months.  But she drank it all down and fell fast asleep!  It just made me so happy and relieved.  It might be my imagination, but I think Ellie is even more in love with her Bapa since yesterday!  I think she really bonded with him and it makes me so happy to see how she looks at him and lights up when he smiles at her!  

In any case, it was a wonderful day all around!  

Katie and her sister Julie

Katie's adorable niece Lucy, twirling in her tutu.
 It was fun to see that it's not just my Sophia who can't leave home without her tutu!

Katie's adorable and hilarious grandmother made us all laugh during lunch.

Sooo many presents!!

When I was uploading the pics from the day, I found these James and Sophia had taken while I was away!

Can't you see the love??

I think they had a good day too!

I meant to post this yesterday, but unfortunately when I got home last night I had a terrible headache and barely stayed awake through dinner.  I feel much better now, but since I am posting about yesterday, I am writing my "today" about yesterday (if that makes any sense!?).

Today, I mean yesterday, Saturday February 12, 2011

My favorite moment was...seeing my sweet friend so happy!

My challenge was...letting go and leaving my girls for the day, and I am so glad I did!

My question is...How did I not realize that while driving ALONE to the shower, that I cannot drive in the carpool lane?!  I actually drove about 45 minutes down the 210 in the carpool lane before realizing it!!
Quote of the day...Katie's grandmother, (mother of 11 children!) says over lunch as we're talking about having babies, "Well, I think my 11th was the easiest...I could have gone to dinner afterward!"
My hope for tomorrow...Enjoy a fun Sunday with my girls and hubbie!

Year of the Rabbit

  We don't usually do much for Chinese New Year, since James family is so far away and we don't really know anyone else who celebrates it.  We should really get my family or some friends to celebrate and start our own tradition.  But this year, since we are members of The Huntington Gardens we decided to go there for their Chinese New Year Festival.  They have beautiful grounds, with amazing gardens and enormous trees, one of the most gorgeous Willow trees, my favorite tree!  We thought we'd go and check it out.  It was such a beautiful day and there we tons of people!  They had dancers, Tai chi, food and drinks, music, story tellers and even a lion dance!  Sophia really loved watching the dancers, but wasn't too sure about the lion dancers, especially when they came into the audience and let the kiddos pet them!  The girls had a blast and we really enjoyed all the festivities too!

Sophia got a bit spooked by the lions when they got too close!

They called all the children onto the grass to learn some Tai chi!

Sophia was hesitant at first, but she did join in at the end!

Some of the young performers getting ready to dance!  They were so cute!

They had some food, but it was really over priced and didn't look too tasty, so luckily we brought our own picnic lunch and sat under a tree and enjoyed the afternoon.  The have a Children's Garden, with little mazes, fountains and this really cool area that fills with mist and the kids can run through and cool off.  It was awesome!

James and Ellie getting clouded with mist!

Sophia of course LOVED running around in the fog and getting wet!

Love this one of them laughing together!

In the Chinese Gardens.  That pond is filled with beautiful koi fish!

 We are really enjoying our membership and are so glad we joined.  It is a fun day, nice to be outside with the girls.  Next time we might bring them inside some of the exhibits, as we haven't even seen any art since we joined.  It's not too early to expose them to a little art and culture, right?  Sophia might even enjoy looking at some of the statues and paintings.  We will definitely be back soon to see!

Today, Wednesday February 9, 2011
My favorite moment was...seeing good friends at the door for a visit!
My challenge was...trying to get two tired girls to nap while noisy painters were outside my house all day!!
My question is...when will the wind go away?
Quote of the day...Sophia, "Where's my sierra?"  She cried and looked for her "sierra" for a while before I realized what she was saying...tiara!  Sierra is our cute 1 yr old neighbor!
My hope for tomorrow...Find out some good info at the Preschool Fair.