Sisters

Painting, Playing, and Peanut Butter

Posted on by Amy
Oh, I do love the alliterative blog post title. You might remember Burritos, Boobs, and Bundling Up or Morning Meltdown and a Messy Make-up. I don’t know why I enjoy coming up with titles like these, but I do. So I just go with it. Here’s to the letter P today:
Miss sure does love to paint. And I sure do love to watch her. I was really impressed by this face she painted a few days ago.


I mean, she’s two and a half. Amazing, right?


And then it turned into this…


If you look closely you can see that she’s painting with all four of her brushes at the same time. This is her new thing. She does it with crayons too, just grabs as many as she can hold in her hand and colors with all of them at once. It’s all good. But I was a little bummed to lose the face. It is fun though to see how her artwork changes over time. She is growing so quickly and developing new skills so I find myself always a little surprised and awed over what she can do.
Another thing that is so fun for me to watch is how my two girls play. Sometimes they play nicely together.


Sometimes they do their own thing.




Lass loves to climb and explore, while Miss likes to act out dramas with various characters. Miss also sings to herself a lot, and listening to her is joy.


I think playing is one of the best ways for them to learn and I just love to watch them. I can’t wait to see how they play together more and more as they get older.
Miss has never been a big fan of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. In fact, pretty much any time I make a sandwich for her, of any flavor, she promptly takes it apart and eats each part of it separately. But the other day when I gave her “peanut butter and jelly sandwich” as a choice for lunch, that’s what she chose. And then she said, “and honey.” Cool. My mom used to make peanut butter and honey sandwiches for me when I was a kid. As soon as she said it, I thought it sounded pretty tasty and decided to make one for myself too. But first things first, I had to get Miss her peanut butter and honey and jelly sandwich.


My first mistake apparently was mixing the honey with the peanut butter before spreading it on the bread. She did not like that. She nearly had a meltdown when I mixed it up, but I distracted her by getting the jelly to spread on the other piece of bread. I was smart enough to ask her if she wanted me to put the two pieces of bread together or eat them separately. She wanted them separately.


She then proceeded to eat the peanut butter and honey and the jelly right off the top of the bread.


And after she had eaten just the good stuff off the top of the bread, she requested more, and more as the bread got more and more soggy and hole-y.


This is how my girl eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.


Lass on the other hand had her first PBJ and loved it, as much as she could love it with a fever and runny nose.


She’s been a bit under the weather the past two days.


But my little sunshine girl still managed to flash me a smile, right on cue.


All these little moments make such happy memories for me. And for the record, I did eat my first peanut butter and honey sandwich in about 10 years and it was fabulous.

Playing Catch Up

Posted on by Amy
I have my computer back finally! Still don’t have my old photos recovered, but I did get to finally upload and look at the pics I’ve been taking for the past week. Naturally, I have lots of photos of fun times with the girls.




These two are really starting to play together so well. I love to watch them. Miss gets such a kick out of making Lass smile or laugh or clap.

Lass idolizes Miss. Tonight when I was cooking dinner, Miss kept Lass entertained the whole time by dancing around and tickling her while Lass was in her jumper. It’s a good thing too, because Lass doesn’t really love being in the jumper so much anymore. Now that she can roam all over the place, she’s not so into being in any contraption that restricts her movement. But, she’s into everything, so I have to keep her in the jumper or her highchair any time I’m cooking. She climbs on top of everything she can and seems to be trying to climb on top of all sorts of things she can’t (like the window sill in my bedroom, the table under our TV, etc).
The other day she climbed up on the fireplace hearth like it was nothing. And I have made more than one diving catch to keep her from falling back on her head when she turned herself to sit after climbing up on our suitcase (the suitcase that sat on the floor of our bedroom waiting to be unpacked for way too long).
Miss is so fun to watch as she develops more and more skill in so many areas. Gluing, sticker-ing, and coloring among them.


Cow paper bag puppet! She’s crafty.

She is starting to really try to color inside the lines (without even being prompted to do so by me). She got this Hello Kitty coloring book and went through all the pages trying to precisly color Kitty’s nose again and again.


Tonight the Daddy made a fort with the couch cushions.


Miss had to take all her friends in with her.
She thought the fort was the coolest thing ever. No wonder Daddy is her favorite these days. . .
Today is the last day of the month. On the first of the month I wrote this post about exercising and stated my goal to exercise at least 15 out of 30 days this month. I am proud to say that, even with a week of vacation thrown in the mix, I did meet my goal, hitting 15 days yesterday. I thought I would go one better and get in a workout tonight, but I couldn’t drag myself away from my much missed computer. However, I do intend to do even better this next month. In July, I’m going for at least 20 days.
Another goal for July is to get Miss’s new swing set put together. After weeks of looking for one that will be fun for her for many years to come, will be safe and sturdy, but won’t break the bank, I finally found one and ordered it earlier this week. I’m hoping it will be here tomorrow so it can be a project for the holiday weekend. Wish us luck with that!
In addition to putting together a swing set, we’ll be spending time at the pool, eating ice cream, baking banana chocolate chip muffins (Miss picked the recipe), and celebrating the 4th at home.

Can’t beat that.

Happy Home

Posted on by Amy
You can always tell when we’ve spent the day at home.


Miss got out tons of toys to make sure her sister had enough to play with.

We didn’t leave the house today. Staying in for more than one day starts to make me a bit crazy, but for today it was nice. We read lots of books and played games. Legwarmers were the stay-at-home style for today. Miss insisted on wearing some when she saw me put them on Lass.


Now that Lass is sitting up so well, she and Miss play together more and more. They spent lots of time working on sharing today. The big toys of the day were a ball, a chain of plastic beads and a squeaking giraffe. Miss liked to do a quick swap with Lass when she wanted something Lass had in her hand. Lass loved the big blue ball, so Miss would roll it up to her and then stealthily grab the beads and/or giraffe in exchange. Lass really enjoyed the ball, so she didn’t seem to care. Miss was very into the sharing/swap idea, as when I once handed her the giraffe, she said “Fanks. You wanna chew this?” and held out the slobbery beads to me (I think she’s getting more molars, as she is often chewing toys at the back of her mouth).









During Lass’s morning nap Miss and I got some quality time in the kitchen. Instead of our usual cookies or another baking project, we tried a no-bake St. Patrick’s Day treat today. We started with yogurt-covered pretzels. Naturally we had to try out a few of these before getting started.

We got all our stuff together
and then melted some white chocolate chips in the microwave (of course we sampled these too).
Miss got a shamrock sticker so she would know what we were making. We shaped the pretzels into shamrocks and used the white chocolate to “glue” the pieces together.

Once they dried we used green frosting and white frosting with green sprinkles to really make them shamrocks (this idea came from the March issue of Family Fun magazine).
Miss dug in and enjoyed the sprinkles.

It was a happy day at home.

Sisters

Posted on by Amy
With every day that goes by, I love to watch my girls together more and more. I love to see how Miss adores Lass. I love to hear her say, “You’re so cute!” I love seeing how Lass watches her big sister’s every move. I love this:



I know I am in danger of being repetitive in my writings. I know this is not the first post where I have gone on about how much I love to watch them together. I guess it’s kind of like how I mentioned at Christmas time that I would probably gush for the entire month of December about how amazing it was to watch Miss experience various aspects of Christmas and really be able to appreciate them for the first time. Consider this your fair warning in this case: for the next 20-30+ years I will probably blather on like a fool every few weeks or so about how much I love to see my girls grow with and love on each other. And I know there will be many less-than-loving moments, as there are in any sibling relationship.
Shirt-grabbing.
Maybe even some hair pulling.
Appeals to me as the Mom (“Make her play with me!!”)
But I also know that there will be lots of love. I hope that my girls will grow up to be best friends (Miss already calls Lass her best friend). I have visions of them doing each other’s hair, sharing clothes, talking for hours about all-things-that-sisters-talk-about. I don’t have a sister, so this is probably a bit unrealistic, at least during some of the growing-up years. But in between the fights and rivalries and “she-wore-my-brand-new-shirt-without-asking!!!” dramas, I hope there will be laughter and confidences and support for each other. I hope they will teach each other and stand up for each other. I hope they will have the kind of relationship that I have with some of my closest friends, only better, because they’re sisters.
Today there was some great sister time.


A Little Cabin Fever

Posted on by Amy
Other than to go take Miss to gymnastics yesterday afternoon, we haven’t left the house since Monday. You might say we’ve got a bit of cabin fever, but not in a bad way. Being cooped up in the house has forced us to keep busy with crafts and projects. And it also prompts me to bring out my camera. When we are stuck in the house all day, I take photos. A lot. Taking pictures makes me happy.
Yesterday we brought out the finger paints again. Miss had been pointing to her paintings on the fridge from the last time we painted, proudly saying, “I made that.” I wanted to let her try painting with a paintbrush, but I couldn’t find the brushes so we just used hands again. Boy, did she ever.



I love the painting on the right. Not only does it have the first handprints I have of hers since she was born, but it looks like a Valentine’s Day painting with the big red heart. I helped her do the handprints, but I didn’t help her to make the heart-like shape. I actually didn’t even recognize it as a heart-like shape until my husband mentioned it when he came home from work. Love.
She was quite proud of her messiness this time.
And she enjoyed showing off for her sister.


I think she may have been trying to decide if she could get away with painting Lass.
She stuck with the paper.

Well, sort of.


After getting cleaned up we got ready to go to gymnastics. I let her pick out her shirt, and what did she pick but my fave Wonder Woman T shirt. She pointed to the picture of Wonder Woman and said, “Mama.” Weeellll, okay! Then she caught on when I told her who it really was and she kept saying, “Wun Nuh Man!”
In the photos below she is putting the hearts from the other day’s post into her shirt. This is seemingly much more fun to do over and over than to put them on the window. Every time I go to change her diaper one or two of these things falls out of her onesie.

I just love this pic of her talking to our old dog Chica, whose health seems to be declining of late. She’s a good old dog.
Lass is really moving herself around with her rolling, though she’s not terribly precise in where she gets herself to.

Help!!
Miss went grocery shopping in her refrigerator.
She loves her shopping cart. This is a rare photo of her pushing it herself though. Usually she orders, “Mama push!” “Mama do it!” “Mama run.” The girl loves to be moving and loves for me or her daddy to push her shopping cart or baby stroller and chase her while doing it.
Just cute.

Sisters.
I love seeing how the girls interact more and more as Lass gets bigger.
This one looks like they’re already sharing a little secret.

Bad timing on my part, but this was one of many kisses from big sister today.
And one final note, at dinner tonight Miss said, “Razzle Dazzle!!” It took me a few times to catch on to what she was saying, and each time I asked her to repeat it she got this sheepish little grin on her face, which erupted into a huge radiant smile and laugh when I finally got it and said, “Did you just say ‘Razzle Dazzle’?” Then of course we had to say it several times each and laugh every time. She is just a funny, fun little girl.
P.S. “Razzle Dazzle” is the favorite saying of my hubby and I from the show Yo Gabba Gabba. It’s a Muno signature exclamation, in case you’re wondering.

Family Dance Party

Posted on by Amy
You may have guessed from some previous posts that we love music and dancing in our house. My hubby plays the guitar. We sing. We dance. Music is always on. Miss badgers her daddy to put her up on his knee at his computer and listen to “moosic” with her. Tonight after dinner, we had a rocking family dance party.
Miss danced with her Daddy.


She showed off some fun new moves (that’s chalk and probably a bit of dinner – homemade potstickers – on her pants, BTW)

Miss wanted to dance with her Mama. She asked to hold both of my hands while we were dancing, but since I was holding Lass, she just grabbed on to her sister’s foot.

Lass thought it was all pretty fun too.
We spun and bounced and laughed.
Miss showed off some moves to her sister.

And to wrap it all up, lots of big hugs and snuggles.


These are the moments I will always remember.

I Love. . .

Posted on by Amy
I love stand up straight baby hair. It doesn’t lay down flat, ever (except for when it is really wet).


I love jammies in the afternoon – the other day, after her nap, Miss insisted on putting her jammies back on over her clothes. She kept them on until bedtime. Here she’s saying “I yay down” and “I go seep.” Yep. Love.

I love watching my girls love their Daddy. And vice versa.


I love this.
And even better, this.
Unfortunately Lass would not take a full bottle from her Daddy. She cried and cried at first, then I got her to start taking the bottle and passed her back to her Daddy, for whom she drank an ounce or two. Then she started crying again and wouldn’t take anymore until I gave it to her again. She drank about 4 ounces total before she refused it entirely, and I really am hoping she’ll get better at taking a bottle for someone other than me (kind of defeats the purpose if she doesn’t), but it’s a start. And I still love how adorable she looks chillin’ with a bottle.
I love sisterly love.


I love book clubs and playdates and conversations with other adults. Between Thursday and today I went to two book clubs (yes I did manage to finish and enjoy both books!), had a playdate at my house, and went to a MOPS meeting. It is really rejuvenating to have adult conversation, and even more so when I can do it without having to redirect a toddler or nurse a 5-month-old. I love my full-time mom job, but I also love being able to take a few hours “off” once in a while. Yes, I yuv it.

Well Yes, I AM that Mom

Posted on by Amy
A few weeks ago, when we were visiting my parents for Christmas, my brother came over with his kids and noticed that I had the girls in matching outfits. He said something like, “Matching outfits? You’re not that mom, are you?”
Well, yes. Yes I am. I mean, isn’t dressing my girls in matching outfits one of the super fun perks of having two girls only 18 months apart??

When I found out that Lass was going to be a girl, matching outfits for them was one of the things I looked forward to. Seriously, what could be cuter?
I don’t dress them in matching outfits all the time. Not even most of the time, though I do try to at least coordinate their outfits most days. And if they’re not coordinating, I at least like what they’re wearing not to clash.
Now, honestly, I’m not in the least offended by my bro’s comment. He just likes to give me a hard time about whatever. But the statement was the perfect setup for a blog post featuring their new matching outfits from Santa.
You can’t see the outfits too much here, but this kiss was just too precious not to post.
And hugs.
Adorable, right?


And I had to buy the other colorway for these sweaters as well.

Whoopsie-doozy! (That’s what Miss says when she slips, drops something, falls, etc.)
Miss was so cute reading to her sister.
Lass is really listening too!
Honestly, I love dressing them alike. I won’t do it always. There will come a point when they’re too old to be dressed in matching outfits. But for now while they’re little? Yeah, I’m that mom.
A side note: I’m trying to change up the look of my blog a little bit, so forgive the messiness as I try to figure it out. Thanks for reading!

Oh Christmas Tree

Posted on by Amy
Our Christmas tree has provided endless hours of entertainment for Miss. We have spent much time around it as a family. She loves to touch the ornaments and we play a game where we say things like, “Where’s the gingerbread man?” and she looks all around at the ornaments until she finds it and points to it.

She loves to show her favorite ornaments to her sister.


They hold hands and Miss gives hugs and kisses. We sing lots of Christmas carols. Her favorites are Jingle Bells and Oh Christmas Tree (which I had to look up the words to because I couldn’t remember them). She’s starting to get into “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” which she calls the “Santa song.”



Tonight my hubby and I are lounging in front of a fire, with the tree all lit up nearby. The girls are in bed, he’s playing guitar, I’m drinking a glass of wine. I feel like I’m in a movie on Lifetime, Television for Women. It’s good. I’m off to visit with my husband.