Today Erica opened the front door all by herself. While this isn't a milestone in any "baby" book, this is a big one for two reasons.
1) Erin never did it.
2) Mom is freaking out.
This willful little spitfire is truly giving us a run for our money (but she is so cute doing it)! Time to lock up like Fort Knox. Luckily she isn't tall enough to reach the deadbolt... yet. And luckily our alarm beeps when a door is open so if someone forgets she can't escape - or at least get very far!
The toddler stage is in full swing!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Today with the girls
Today Clint went dirt biking with one of his buddies, leaving the girls on our own for most of the day. It was also the first day of the dreaded week of jumping ahead for daylight savings time which sucks even worse with a toddler and a well-established nap schedule. We filled our morning with testing out Erin's new false eyelashes which she has to wear for competition this year - the makeup is MUCH different at our new studio. After I convinced her that it didn't hurt to glue things to her eyelid and she let herself relax enough to feel for herself that no, this didn't really hurt, it was smooth sailing. And guess who now wants to sport them all day every day. Oopsie! I never thought it would be true, but falsies are much easier than applying mascara to a nine year old!
Then we headed for the gym where Mommy had just enough time to run 4.5 miles before the child center closed but not nearly enough for the 8 miles I had hoped for. I hate the early closing times on Sunday! On our way to the gym, Erin said the coolest thing I've heard from her in a long time. From the back seat she said "Aw! I should have brought a book!" After which we discussed how Mommy always has a book with her and that maybe she should keep some in the car - just in case. This was her idea and I couldn't be happier to have her blossoming into a little book worm.
We finished out the day with a trip to Sam's to stock up on fresh fruit and veggies for the week which ended with me barely containing myself from going OFF on some stupid lady who thought it was perfectly reasonable to have her son stand in line by himself looking like he belonged with the family in front of him while she continued filling her car and squeezing into the line IN FRONT OF ME as I was getting ready to unload my purchases. She could pretend all she wanted that my glares weren't focused right at her - or that she didn't understand the language I was speaking - but I could see her squirming under her skin when I matter-of-factly answered Erin's questions about why those people were in front of us now.
Today I realized just how much Erin is growing up. I find myself having conversations that stretch my abilities to explain the world and our place in it. She already figured out - on her own - the truth about Santa which broke my heart. She isn't old enough, is she?!? Today she unbuckled Erica and took her out of the car all by herself while I was getting the reusable grocery bags out of the trunk. I love having logical and reasonable conversations with her where I see her brain figuring out things that will define who she is as an adult. They say the baby stage is hard - but I say the tween years are harder mentally!
Erica is also getting big and changing every day. Today she laughed with her sister until she could barely stay awake. They played hide and seek in the living room together and Erica kept running toward me and Daddy on the couch to escape when Erin would chase her. She knows several signs - thanks to our super nanny who teaches her sign language - and can tell us when she's "hungry", when she wants "more", when she's "finished" and sometimes can do it politely with a "please".
All in all, it was a great day with two great girls. I'm so glad I'm their Mom!
Then we headed for the gym where Mommy had just enough time to run 4.5 miles before the child center closed but not nearly enough for the 8 miles I had hoped for. I hate the early closing times on Sunday! On our way to the gym, Erin said the coolest thing I've heard from her in a long time. From the back seat she said "Aw! I should have brought a book!" After which we discussed how Mommy always has a book with her and that maybe she should keep some in the car - just in case. This was her idea and I couldn't be happier to have her blossoming into a little book worm.
We finished out the day with a trip to Sam's to stock up on fresh fruit and veggies for the week which ended with me barely containing myself from going OFF on some stupid lady who thought it was perfectly reasonable to have her son stand in line by himself looking like he belonged with the family in front of him while she continued filling her car and squeezing into the line IN FRONT OF ME as I was getting ready to unload my purchases. She could pretend all she wanted that my glares weren't focused right at her - or that she didn't understand the language I was speaking - but I could see her squirming under her skin when I matter-of-factly answered Erin's questions about why those people were in front of us now.
Today I realized just how much Erin is growing up. I find myself having conversations that stretch my abilities to explain the world and our place in it. She already figured out - on her own - the truth about Santa which broke my heart. She isn't old enough, is she?!? Today she unbuckled Erica and took her out of the car all by herself while I was getting the reusable grocery bags out of the trunk. I love having logical and reasonable conversations with her where I see her brain figuring out things that will define who she is as an adult. They say the baby stage is hard - but I say the tween years are harder mentally!
Erica is also getting big and changing every day. Today she laughed with her sister until she could barely stay awake. They played hide and seek in the living room together and Erica kept running toward me and Daddy on the couch to escape when Erin would chase her. She knows several signs - thanks to our super nanny who teaches her sign language - and can tell us when she's "hungry", when she wants "more", when she's "finished" and sometimes can do it politely with a "please".
All in all, it was a great day with two great girls. I'm so glad I'm their Mom!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Terra, the bag lady
I had such a hilarious glimpse of myself today walking out of my building at work heading for home. Off one shoulder hung my laptop bag - a slender, minimalist cover for my laptop with only one outside pocket (because if I have pockets I fill them up with junk!). Slung cross-body over the other shoulder hung my gym bag. From one hand hung my purse. From the other hand hung my lunch bag - a girlie and fashionable pink Susan G Komen bag. Seriously people looking at me must think I'm some crazy freak who can't get enough bags. If I could find a purse big enough to hold my laptop, I could cut out one of them but the rest are necessity. Just call me the bag lady! I get a workout just walking to and from the building...
Sunday, March 6, 2011
20 Year Reunion
My twenty year high school reunion was last June and it happened without me. It was the first reunion I missed because we were in Vegas for Erin's National dance competition. I was sad at first and then I saw the photos and realized that no one I really wanted to see, with a few notable exceptions, was there. None of my besties from back then were in attendance either. Then, a few months ago the last two of my best friends from junior high and high school joined Facebook and we all reconnected. Of the four of us Paula, Julie and I are still living in the Salt Lake area and Jennie is in Indiana. And then a few weeks ago Jennie posted that she was going to be visiting Utah and the wheels started in motion. We ended up syncing our schedules for an evening together. Our own private twenty year reunion.
I had seen Paula and Julie about ten years ago for lunch but that was before I had either of my kids and before Julie was married or had kids. Jennie I hadn't seen since graduation - although neither of us can figure out exactly why since she was in Utah until just a few years ago. So there was so much for everyone to catch up on. It was amazing to sit around a table and tell our life stories and what we've been up to for twenty years; share where our families are; look at pictures and reminisce; oh, and gossip about other people who weren't there. We shared the stories of when and how our children were born, mourned the loss of Julie's mom and old classmates, talked about old boyfriends and laughed about where we would be if things had been different. The ultimate girls night! We laughed, we screamed, we talked over each other, we beaded - well, Julie beaded watch bands for all of us - and at the end, we took some pictures to commemorate the occasion.
The best part of the evening was going away knowing that no matter how different we all are - or how much none of us have changed - friendships can still go on or pick up where they left off. I felt like I was the only one who was fundamentally different from back in those days since everyone else is still active in the religion we were raised which I discarded long ago like an ill-fitting suit. But, if truth be told I bet each of them also felt the same way based on their own lives and things no one knows to expect when heading into the journey.
This was such a memorable night - thank you Julie, Jennie and Paula for making it so! And thank you, Facebook, without which none of it would have been possible! The most ironic part of the evening was that Clint was working a night shift so my Mom had come over to babysit. How crazy to walk in, later than I told her I'd be home, feeling like a teenager with her sitting on the couch waiting for me - just like back in the day when I'd walk in late for curfew (as always) hoping she was in bed already! That cherry on top of the evening helped me to go away from the night feeling young again rather than old. The perfect ending to a perfect evening.
I had seen Paula and Julie about ten years ago for lunch but that was before I had either of my kids and before Julie was married or had kids. Jennie I hadn't seen since graduation - although neither of us can figure out exactly why since she was in Utah until just a few years ago. So there was so much for everyone to catch up on. It was amazing to sit around a table and tell our life stories and what we've been up to for twenty years; share where our families are; look at pictures and reminisce; oh, and gossip about other people who weren't there. We shared the stories of when and how our children were born, mourned the loss of Julie's mom and old classmates, talked about old boyfriends and laughed about where we would be if things had been different. The ultimate girls night! We laughed, we screamed, we talked over each other, we beaded - well, Julie beaded watch bands for all of us - and at the end, we took some pictures to commemorate the occasion.
Here we are today... From the top: me, Paula and from left to right, Julie and Jennie
And here we are "then"...
This is the picture we had done from our senior year that inspired the pose on the stairs. Thank god none of us have the same hair do! If you want to know what the 80's looked like, here it is!
The best part of the evening was going away knowing that no matter how different we all are - or how much none of us have changed - friendships can still go on or pick up where they left off. I felt like I was the only one who was fundamentally different from back in those days since everyone else is still active in the religion we were raised which I discarded long ago like an ill-fitting suit. But, if truth be told I bet each of them also felt the same way based on their own lives and things no one knows to expect when heading into the journey.
This was such a memorable night - thank you Julie, Jennie and Paula for making it so! And thank you, Facebook, without which none of it would have been possible! The most ironic part of the evening was that Clint was working a night shift so my Mom had come over to babysit. How crazy to walk in, later than I told her I'd be home, feeling like a teenager with her sitting on the couch waiting for me - just like back in the day when I'd walk in late for curfew (as always) hoping she was in bed already! That cherry on top of the evening helped me to go away from the night feeling young again rather than old. The perfect ending to a perfect evening.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
A Tuesday glimpse
Last night was Erin's long dance night. Three hours comprised of hip hop team, ballet and tumbling. Tuesday night is also the night one of Erin's favorite shows is on television - Biggest Loser. AKA two hours of mind-sucking reality TV that keeps us motivated to stick with our healthy lifestyle. It makes for a long night even with the help of DVR and skipping the first thirty minutes. I have to play the role of drill instructor to keep us all on track and in bed on time. Last night she brought home her hip hop costume and had to try it on and model it for me which put her off schedule at PJ time. This exchange made me laugh and shows just how sassy and grown up Erin is getting.
Me: Hurry! (Incidentally, this is the single most spoken word in our house...unless you count my favorite obscenity.)
Erin: Don't rush me, lady!
God I love her!
Me: Hurry! (Incidentally, this is the single most spoken word in our house...unless you count my favorite obscenity.)
Erin: Don't rush me, lady!
God I love her!
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