February: Babies, Dentist, Valentine's Day, the Aquarium, Lent and Some News

Wow.  It has been a busy February.  We started out the month with a new addition - Oliver Gibson Hoelscher finally decided to make his appearance.  Katie, the maid of honor in my wedding, finally had her baby!  He is such a doll - I am totally in love with Ollie, first, because he is so dang cute, and second, because I swear he is the most laid-back baby I have even been around!  She is one lucky gal!

Mommy and Ollie

So precious!

So excited to meet Ollie for the first time!

A follow-up visit with the little man!

This month also brought Lilly's first dentist appointment.  Liv has been to the dentist four or five times by now, so she was a pro and couldn't wait to show Lilly "the ropes."  What was the first thing she told her about the dentist?  "If you do a good job, they give you a toy!"  Of course, Lilly asked for a sticker too!  I am so proud of how well my girls did at the dentist.  Liv has always been very cooperative, but I was pleasantly surprised how cooperative Lilly was as well.  I guess I can *thank* all those doctors visits she has had to make in the past - she kept asking when she would get to see Dr. Kanga!  Sigh - unfortunately not too much longer...

Olivia getting her teeth cleaned...

My future is so bright I have to wear shades!!

Pondering her next diabolical move...

Playing around...

Showing off her "clean" teeth!

Lilly was such a good girl - I was so proud!

Of course, you can't make it through February without celebrating Valentine's Day!  The girls were so excited...

They baked two cakes in honor of Valentine's Day - the chocolate cake is Lilly's cake and the heart-shaped white cake with strawberry icing is Liv's cake!  Aren't they pretty?

Liv and Lilly were both very excited about their Valentine's cards from the grandparents.  I remember the days when my cards from my parents used to contain money - and I don't recall it ever containing a $10 bill on Valentine's Day.  I am thinking my girls are a little spoiled with their fat piggy banks!

Love my girls!

We also made some special Valentine's day treats courtesy of my favorite website - Pinterest.  Love these  pretzel buttons - so easy and so cute!

I was lucky enough to attend Liv's Valentine's Day party at school.  She is growing up so much!  Here she is with all her friends - aren't those girls so cute!  I just wish I could get Liv to smile for the camera...

The kids in Liv's pre-k class - I think they are all so adorable!

Cheesing for the camera!

In an effort to beat the winter blues, we scheduled a trip with Grammie and Grandpa, Uncle Matthew, Aunt Holly, Cooper, Tucker, and Uncle Randy to Cincinnati.  The plan was to spend the night in a hotel so the kids could swim in an indoor pool and go to the Newport Aquarium the next day (on a Sunday at 10:00 in the a.m. to beat the crowds).  Well you know the story of the best laid plans...they pretty much go to hell.  A mere 500 yards from our hotel Lilly vomits all over the car after getting car sick.  When I rush her inside to change her, Dad informs me that the hotel pool is closed!  What the heck?!  So we quickly have to come up with a backup plan and the hotel clerk suggests we go to a Chuck E. Cheese nearby.  In case you don't know, I hate Chuck E. Cheese.  Screaming kids, loud games, greasy pizza - it just isn't my thing.  As usual, Liv has been watching way too much t.v. and she is obsessed with going to Chuck E. Cheese, so she immediately latched onto the idea.  So we agreed to take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese.  Of course, as we are walking out the door the hotel informs us that they are opening the pool.  Oh, and by the way, Chuck E. Cheese is not close.  It was 30 minutes away.  As if that wasn't punishment enough, we had to stand in line for an additional 20 minutes because there was a WAIT.  Yes, you heard me correctly - a WAIT TO GET IN.  For the love of God, why would anyone stand in line to get into Chuck E. Cheese?!?  I would stand in line to get out, but not in.  But that is what we did.  For 20 minutes.  

The pizza was greasy. the place was disgusting, but the kids had a blast.  Liv used her tickets to buy a fake spider and vampire teeth.  Lilly used her winning tickets to buy a Minnie Mouse watch.  My kids are as different as night and day!  I never know what to expect...

The next day we fared a little better, although because it was a holiday weekend the Aquarium was busier than I anticipated.  Everyone had a good time though...

Our guides checking out the maps...

Lilly loves playing the bongo drums!

Waiting in line to see the sharks!

I love the octopus!

The crabs freaked me out a bit - so much bigger than I anticipated!

Grammie and Lilly taking a rest...

Piranhas are not my style...

I liked the frogs much better :)

Liv and Lilly liked the playground the best!  (Of all the things to see at the aquarium, the only two things that Liv talked about the days prior and the days after were (1) the big wishing well at the front; and (2) the playground.  I think she may  have been missing the point of the trip.)

Checking out the waterfall...

Uncle Randy enjoyed feeding the birds until they pooped on him!

Stingrays were pretty ominous...

The jellyfish were beautiful...

And the sharks were downright scary!

We loved the penguins!

Great family photo!!

I typically get so bored this time of year so I have been very thankful for Pinterest, which has given me access to a number of new recipes that I have been trying out.  I have also dug out a few old ones to try.  Between skinny coconut shrimp and baked turkey egg rolls, we have been eating well this month.  Here are two of my favorite new recipes...

Cranberry Yogurt Scones

Sticky Buns

The indulging that we have been doing must end, though, as Lent is upon us.  I am really trying to make more of an effort this year during Lent, so Fridays are meatless and I have given up Facebook for the next 40 days.  Of course, the girls are too young to fast or abstain, but I try to make fish or shrimp for dinner on Fridays in observation.  We have discovered the local Knights of Columbus Fish Frys on Friday nights, and although the fish isn't healthy, the girls love the food and atmosphere!

The aftermath...the fish didn't stand a chance...

Yum!

Next, an update on my girls.  First, Lilly has hit a milestone - she has started pee-peeing in the potty!!!  No, we aren't potty training her, but she mocks Liv in everything that she does and since Liv sits on the potty, she wants to sit on the potty too.  So every night before bath, Lilly has to tear off her diaper and sit in the potty like her sissy.  She even manages to occasionally pee in the potty.  But just as often she pees in the floor.  She literally squats in the floor with a look of concentration and pees.  So we obviously aren't anywhere close to potty trained, but hey, it's a beginning.  As you can tell from the photo above, Lilly is also growing up - really fast.  I look at her these days and truly realize she is no longer a baby.  Recently her hair has really started to grow out and it looks a mess.  Most days it just flops in her eyes.  I know, I know - she needs a haircut, but Lord, who has the time?  Occasionally she will allow us to put it up, as you can see in the picture above.  Not much of a ponytail, but she was proud of it!

As for Olivia, she is getting excited about spring, soccer and swimming lessons.  She has been taking ballet and tap since Christmas, but she has informed me that she does not like dance.  Why I am not surprised??  So I struck a deal with her - stick it out until soccer and swimming lessons, and I will supplement her classes with Sports Skills classes (which she loves) and she can quit dance altogether at the end of February.  Part of the bargain was that Olivia must actually make an effort while at dance - no going through the motions.  She held up her end of the bargain - she arrived at dance every Saturday, gave it her best, and kept a good attitude.  So I have kept up my end of the bargain - she is now attending a Sports Skills class while we wait to start soccer and swimming lessons at the end of the month.  Sigh - maybe Lilly will be my "girly girl" since Olivia is obviously going to be my tomboy!  

Finally, a bit of news.  Jeremy has accepted a new job!  Starting the middle of March, he will join Mountjoy Chilton Medley LLP.  It will take him back to traveling, but hopefully not as much as before.  I know he is really excited to return to the consulting ranks - here's hoping for a smooth transition for all of us!

January - Resolutions, A Birthday, Temper Tantrums and Star of the Week

I am starting off the new year with a few New Year's resolutions.  The first and foremost is how I approach this blog.  Life is busy.  Really busy.  So busy that sometimes it is hard for me to keep up with the blog.  But I don't want to give it up.  After the holidays I made a resolution that I would turn all my blogs into books as keepsakes.  So about $200 later, I have the past 4 years compiled neat and tidy into hardback books and they are AWESOME!  I have had so much fun reading through them and reliving the past few years (although there were a few moments I would rather not relive).  So I made another resolution that I would not quit blogging no matter how time consuming it was becoming.  I then made a third resolution that I would try to make blogging easier - so I have decided that over the course of the year I will do 12 blogs - one for each month - and attempt to summarize the important events that occurred over the course of that month.  Not sure how it will turn out, but here is a my first attempt.  Hey, three resolutions down - not too bad for 2012, huh?

So what has been going on this month?  Well, obviously, the most important day of the year - my birthday (cue applause)!!!  I turned 33 this year (ouch) and boy, do I ever feel my age - it may be the constant back pain I am in - I mean, honestly, what 33 year old complains about their back?  I wish it wasn't me.  

I took the day off work for my birthday this year and walked around the mall by myself (yes, alone.  without any kids demanding something from me.  without a husband either.  oh, it was so close heaven - all I needed was money to spend!).  I haven't been to the mall in a LONG time.  So long that I haven't seen about half the stores that are in there EVER.  Stores like Forever 21.  I hear so many people talk about how trendy and cheap Forever 21 is - so I (with no money to spend anyway) had to check it out.  I walked in and it was instant overload.  Everywhere I looked, I saw fashions that were certainly meant for 21 year olds - but not a 33 year old.  I felt so OLD.  Particularly since the little girl that offered to help me looked about 12.  That is less than half my age.  Ugh.  So I marched my rear end to Ann Taylor where I belonged.  Sigh - the money I spent on the credit card somehow just rubbed salt in the wound.

Liv threw me a surprise birthday party of course.  She still hasn't learned the concept of surprise.  She told me about no less than 5 times.  But bless her heart, she so loves to "pretend" to surprise me.  Here are a few pictures of the big event.

I had to include the following series of pictures because I think they are hysterical.  I still laugh every time I see them.  Lilly is a pretty happy little girl - until she is mad.  And then she is really mad.  I mean REALLY MAD.  In this picture, I had just scolded her for trying to rip the baby doll out of Cooper's arms just because she wanted to and it was "her" baby.  So how did she respond?  By throwing her arms on her hips and yelling "HMMPH."  Then "HMMPH" again (just in case we didn't hear her the first time), while she bowed her head in an obvious attempt to control her temper and not "unleash the Lilly fury"....

The next picture is of Cooper holding the baby doll for dear life for fear that Lilly will take it from him.  I don't blame him - if you had seen the look on her face, you would have been scared too.

This is me trying to comfort her after she finally gave into her anger and fell apart, crying hysterically.  She was NOT happy.  I had the hardest time trying not to laugh.  I mean, it is SO funny.  But then I remind myself what is funny at 2 years old will not be funny at 12 years old.  We are going to have to work on that temper...

If you notice, Jeremy isn't in any of the pictures.  That is because he was sick.  Really, really sick.  And I week later, I caught that nasty sickness.  And spent a week really, really sick.  And now Lilly is sick.  

 Waiting at Dr. Kanga's to check out our nasty cough...

Coughing, hacking, sniffling, not sleeping, and not eating.  We hate being sick.  But that has been our past 3 weeks.  Just sick.  Ugh.  Is it spring yet?

This poor girl can't catch a break.  Her nose has been running since October.  We have managed to recuperate every time, but I am tired of hearing her cough.  It sucks.  Plus she isn't eating well.  Normally this would worry me, but believe it or not, she has gained weight.  I am shocked.  Lilly weighs 23 pounds now.  We are actually moving into 18 month clothes - but still have to wear 12 month shorts and pants because of her scrawny little butt.  I think it may be the "tasteless calories" we are adding to her food.  Dr. Kanga has encouraged us to add Scandical, a powdery substance that is nothing more than "extra calories" to her food and I think it is helping.  I just wish they made a powder that would make calories disappear for me - that would certainly help me reach yet another New Year's resolution a little easier....  

Liv was excited this month because she was finally the Star of the Week.  What is the Star of the Week? Each week at preschool a child is "featured" for the other kids to learn about - he or she is known as the "Star of the Week."  This is a BIG deal.  I have heard about it all year.  She was supposed to be Star of the Week around Thanksgiving, but because it was a short week we pushed it to January.  Then her day came and guess what?  I forgot.  Her teachers forgot.  Liv didn't forget.  Whoops.  So we made her Star of the Week the next week and lucky for us, her sense of time isn't too stellar.  So today she was "Star of the Week" and as "Star of the Week," Liv was able to choose 5 toys and 6 pictures to take into school for "show and tell."  These toys and books are supposed to be her "favorites."  I asked Liv what "favorite" means and she told me the "ones you love the most."  Okay, so she has that concept down, right?  Well, maybe not so much.  Do you want to know what she picked?  Was it Sheppy, the dog she goes nowhere without?  No.  Was it her American Girl doll, Julie Cannoli, who she hasn't slept without since Christmas?  No.  Liv picked the following:  a Fisher-Price race car with Batman, a Fisher-Price race car with the Joker, two cheap jet planes that we bought at the dollar section in Target last week, a dinosaur, her Perry the Platypus figure, and her Ladybug Girl book (which I made her take).  Yep, those are her "favorites."  Did I also mention that Liv is a little girl?  I know, you wouldn't know it from her stash except for the book that I made her take to read to the class.  At least she agreed to take pictures of her family to show her friends...

But that's Liv for you.  When I asked her before Christmas if she wanted to take a different Little Gym class, she said yes and picked dance.  I was thrilled - something girly to do!  But since we have started dance, all I have heard is complaining and begging not to go because she HATES it.  It's so BORING.  So I decided to compromise (particularly since the Little Gym is so EXPENSIVE) and I have made her make a "good faith effort" for three classes and told her that if she still didn't like it, then we would talk about a different class.  This weekend was her fourth class and I was so proud of her because she went to class without complaint, tried really hard, and seemed to be genuinely having a good time.  When it was over, she ran over to me, very excited, and said that she had tried really hard, had a really good time, and THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK.  Huh?  Apparently, the girl has the memory of an elephant and plans to keep me to my word.  Sigh.  Looks like we are heading back to sports skills...

Love my girls and their unique (and interesting) personalities.

We rounded out the month with a little baking and experimenting.  I have become an avid Pinterest fan, which is an online bulletin board where I can find all sorts of creative DIY projects and recipes.  I am trying a few out this winter and the girls have been my partners in crime.  They spend much of their time in front of the oven waiting for the desserts to come out.  It is pretty cute :)  Unfortunately, this is not helping me with that other New Year's resolution...