Stroller Change

Yesterday we were headed to the hardware store and I decided to convert the stroller from the sitting to the standing position for Paige.  We have the BabyTrend Sit and Stand double stroller which converts so that the older child can stand on a platform or sit on a little open bench.  I think Paige actually misses the chair part of the stroller but enjoyed the freedom of being able to get on and off easily.  However, I'm not sure how it'll work out for a mall trip.  It might be too much freedom for right now.  I suppose a trip will need to take place to know.  Don't see one in near future so perhpas it'll give Paige time to adjust.  I suppose a walk around the block would be best for all instead!

Before

After

Stars

Now that the days are getting shorter, it is dusk when we get in the pool for an evening swim and dark by the time we get out.  The girls and I were star gazing the other night while swimming and Hailey loved it.  Tonight we were out having dinner on the patio and Hailey kept pointing to the sky.  I realized that she wanted to look for stars.  I took her out to show her that they weren't out yet because it wasn't dark.  Then when we got in the pool she immediately looked up at the sky for stars.  So we again star gazed.  She seems to really like it.  Brian has the SkyView app on his phone that tracks the stars using GPS and the compass and camera (called augmented reality) to identify the stars in the sky when you point the phone towards them.  It's pretty fun.  I think it's cool that Hailey likes the stars.  Perhaps she will be an astronaut or an astronomer?  I hope the later because this mama would be a nervous wreck during each of her space missions.  It's looking like her name fits her (when I was a kid a science camp I got to see Halley's Comet...I always liked the name.  She will be 51 years old when it returns and I, 87.  Oy.)  Will there be a Hailey's Universe or Hailey's Planet?  Whatever she does for a profession, I just want her to be happy and to be able to support herself.  But in the meantime, it's fun to predict.   

It's time for another Who's Who? Which is Which?

I love this little Gymboree outfit.  Very teenagery. 

Hailey

Paige

Jammies

I really, really like Halloween. I usually pull out the decorations on October 1. But this year, I couldn't wait to dress the girls. They wore their Halloween jammies last night. Hailey has pumpkins & Paige has a black cat. So fun!

Gymnastics

I took Paige for a free trail of gymnastics this morning.  She LOVED it.  I have her in dance class right now, but I think she is more of an athlete than a dancer.  She did really well with all the "events" they had her do which included jumping into a giant foam pit, trampoline, tumbling on mats, balance beam and a bar.  I was amazed.  The instructor said Paige just needs work in listening to her, but what 3 year old doesn't need work in that?  I think I'm going to switch her from dance to gymnastics, just need to figure out when do it.  Hailey went too to watch, but really wanted to join in.  Very sweet.

Jumping into the foam pit

Balance Beam

The Bar

Just a Good Day

I love days like today.  Paige usually has dance class on Wednesday mornings, but because both have runny noses and I have a cold, I choose to stay home so we didn't spread our germs.  The weather is finally cooling down, in the 80's today, so we played outside this morning.  We've been having rain storms as night so the grass is really wet, but I brought all the play toys onto the patio.  The girls had a blast!  They played on their toys, swung in their swing, and colored with sidewalk chalk on the patio.  I'm really looking forward to the fall weather and being outside with them.  I'm scouring Craig's List right now for an easel and a picnic table so they can paint outside and have lunch outside for the season.  Also looking forward to planting the fall garden.  They also both had great naps today which really makes for a nice evening when Brian gets home.  Good, good day. 

9/11 Remembered

Yesterday the US recognized the 10 year anniversary of the US terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.  I've tried to do something on that day every year.  Last year the girls and my mom and I went to Tempe Town Lake where they have a flag flying to represent each person that was killed in the attacks.  It is a beautiful site.  I took the girls again this year.  Though they were not born yet when the attacks happened the event will still shape their world and how they live day to day.  I hope by taking them to remembrances like this it helps them to understand one day why our world functions as it does, from airport security to terrorist threat levels to world politics.  I also included some pics from last year. 

9/11/10

9/11/10

Dollies

I came to realize tonight that Hailey is truly a dollies girl.  I was in her bedroom playing with her while Brian gave Paige her bath.  I started to play barn animals with her, but her attention was quickly diverted to her dollies and she began playing with them asking me to dress them.  Today as I was changing her diaper she was holding two dollies and was making them kiss.  So sweet!  Then later today she found a baby bottle and began feeding them.  She says "baby" when she see them.  Absolutely adorable, in this bias mama's opinion.   

Hailey with her dolly.

Two of the dollies with their milk bottle.

Cinderellas

Yesterday the girls were playing in the living room while I was preparing dinner.  I didn't realize that Hailey had gotten a crayon and started coloring on the tile.  What one does, the other does, so Paige was doing the same.  By the time I got in there they had colored on about 5 tiles.  Thank goodness for the Magic Erasers, which I made them use to clean up their marks.  Yes, I got them both scrubbing the floor after explaining that we only color on paper.  Scrubbing like two little Cinderellas....Mean Mama!  The scrubbing actually turned into a fun game, but hopefully it sort of sunk in that WE ONLY COLOR ON PAPER. 

10 years

Ten years ago today I married my best friend.  I was reflecting on my day 10 years ago as I was getting ready to go on a 'date ' with him tonight.  That is what we call them now that we are parents since we get to spend so little time alone together, unless we are asleep.  10 years ago today I probably took a half hour shower.  Today I took a 5-10 minute one at 7:30pm after Hailey went to bed.  10 years ago today, I spent at least two hours in the salon getting my hair done.  Tonight, I spent about 5 minutes blow drying it.  10 years ago today, I wore a beautiful white gown and a tiara.  Tonight I wore jeans, a t-shirt and sandals.  10 years ago today I spent probably a half hour applying make up.  Tonight about 5 minutes.  As I reflected on these truths, I realized that we have created a LIFE.  It's not all about 'us' anymore.  We care for our two girls, a home, go to work, spend time with family and fit in whatever else needs to get done.  Indeed a life...as a team.  It's rough right now in that we don't have a lot of time to spend together, but we have a wonderful life that we have built and will continue to build.  It makes me happy.  I look forward to our future and enjoying what this life will bring to us in the next 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years.  I hope it's full of vacations, good jobs, growth, soccer games, dance recitals, education, but most of all, LOVE that continues to grow and grow.  I never want to loose it.  10 years is a quiet a feat this day in age, I look forward to forever.  Happy Anniversary to us.  Much Love.

ER Visit

This morning brought a surprise event.  The girls were playing in our bathroom climbing in and out of the dry tub.  Brian stepped out of the bathroom for a second and Hailey began crying.  She had fallen and hit her eye.  It was bleeding pretty badly.  I ran in and scooped her up and we immediately put a cold, wet cloth with pressure so we could examine the wound.  It was a laceration that really wasn't too deep.  I washed it hydrogen peroxide and then put some neosporine on it.  She was totally fine and playing again with Paige in no time.  But the more I looked at it the more I thought about the possible scar that could result.  It being Labor Day our pediatrician's office was closed.  I waited for the pediatric urgent care to open at 10am.  I took her down but they recommended I take her to children's hospital ER for glue as they could only do steristrips and it was in such an odd place that it would be difficult to place them.  So we trekked down to the children's ER.  We were actually able to get right in and they assessed her wound quickly.  They indeed put glue on it, or Dermabond.  They also gave her an inhaled sedative which worked nicely for the procedure.  Hailey did really well through the whole ordeal and was happy to see Paige and Dada when we returned home.  She was a really good girl and I was so proud.  I hope the dermabond works well to only give her a minimal scar that will fade quickly. 

Checking out the name band.

Sweet Hailey before the sedative.

Drinking some milk after procedure and sedative wearing off

Home and eating lunch! 

Reading

Bedtime has consisted of a story and milk since Paige was about six weeks old.  It's the same every night.  I remember her barely getting through one board book before she was asleep.  In the last week I've started a chapter book with her that has pictures on about every other page.  It's a Disney Fairies book entitled The Trouble with Tink.  She falls asleep about 3/4 of the way through a chapter, but it is keeping her attention.  We talk about it in the day about where we left off and how fun it will be to know what happens next.  She even asks to sleep with it and carries it around with her.  So I think she's enjoying it.  However, I wonder if she's missing the learning aspects of the picture board books?  I still read her those at nap/quiet time so she is getting exposure.  I just don't want to rush her...she LOVES books and reading and would never want to hinder that passion.

Rated G?

Netflix has two new Disney movies...The Princess and the Frog and Tangled.  I previewed Tangled before I let the girls watch it and realized it was not appropriate.  It was scary in that the little girl was taken from her parents and was being raised by a vane woman who was using the girl's hair for her own youthful appearance.  Ummm...no, I'm not going to let my little girl watch that.  Scary!  I turned it off 15 minutes into it.  Then I had gotten Paige a puzzle that had some of the Disney Princesses on it and one of the princesses was Tiana from the Princess and the Frog.  I thought I would give it a try.  The beginning was great!  Very wholesome and fun with great music.  Then it turned to black magic and voodoo with scary looking goblins in several scenes.  At one point I had to stand in front of Paige and do a little dance to divert her attention from the TV.  Why do such great films have to be so scary?  I suppose in all great writing there is a "bad person" to add to the plot and create a climax, but do children really need that as entertainment?  I'm sticking with Sesame Street, Kipper and Caillou for now.