Some Firsts

We have been pretty busy since we returned from the beach. Gone are those days of filling up the pool and hanging out.

Since we have been back our schedule has started to fill. The Ladies both started back up at ballet. The only day that works in our schedule during the week is Sunday. So the Little Lady goes to Tiny TuTus at 9:30 and then we head back there at 12:30 for tap/ballet. It isn't ideal, but the Ladies seem to be excited about it.

I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was though, when the Lady went to switch to her ballet slippers after the tap portion of the class, they didn't fit. She just wore them in June for her recital. Stay tuned for a spirited post on shoe shopping with the Ladies. . .

Both Ladies started school this week. I was excited for the Lady to return to her school. It was a pretty smooth transistion, although we are in the afternoons this year. Scheduling around here is about to get much trickier.

Today was the Little Lady's first day of school. Yes, the photo below is the best one of her. She clearly does not have the modeling/posing thing down like her sister. She is doing "side of the eye" here. You have to love her though, she is off to school in her pretty pink dress, her owl backpack, her Cars and Toy Story tatoos and a Buzz Lightyear sippy cup.

Here is the Little Lady right before going into class. She insisted on the sunglasses. I am class mom for her program and since it is primarily parent run, we have had some glitches in communication. We left her seemingly content with the teachers, but I had to return to drop off an updated class list and the Little Lady saw me. Tears ensued, hers and mine.

I am picking her up in a few, swinging back home to feed the Ladies and QT and then dropping off the Lady at her school. In the meantime I am starting to fill with crazy amounts of anxiety because I got a full-time job and have to find someone who can do all of this for me. Guilty-mom posts to follow. Ugh!

Dear Pampers and Other Lines from the Little Lady

Dear Pampers,

Please provide more Ernie diapers in your packages. I understand that Elmo is like crack-cocaine to the under three crowd, but for some reason my daughter has a preference for that funny, duck-wielding roommate of Burt and for some reason for every four Elmo or Cookie Monster diapers, there is only one Ernie.

Pampers, I can no longer tolerate opening new packages of diapers to find the one Ernie lost in a haystack of Grovers and even Big Birds--really Pampers? Big Bird? Granted he is a Sesame Street icon, and Follow That Bird, was cinema gold, but come on, Ernie is clearly more marketable.

I know that the Little Lady will be hopefully transitioning to full-time undie wearing in the next few months, but until then, for mother's everywhere who are dealing with this daily disaster, please, please give me more Ernie.

Thank you in advance,

Bean

*******

Speaking of the Little Lady, she has the uncanny ability to be both funny and terribly naughty at the same time.

Me: Why is QT screaming?
LL: I bite him.
Me: You bit him?
LL: No, I bite him.

I guess that in her desire to make sure that I heard her correctly, she completley disregards the fact that she actually bit her brother.

Baby Gave Me Back

So, there is nothing like staring through your legs at your fat ass in a wall length mirror at the end of a Zumba class, which you got roped into and are clearly not coordinated enough to do, listening to the instructor who is wearing a t-shirt that says "Hello, I love you" and has made reference to, in earnest, about three times in the class, to kick off your foray back into fitness.

I just wanted a little treadmill time but instead spent 40 minutes avoiding looking into said mirror with hopes that I wouldn't catch a glimpse of my ample bosom or my belly shaking. Ugh. It must be almost September, another kid, another attempt to gain some self-respect.

I guess when you are forced to view your own muffin top, which has supersized itself into a McMuffintop, while bouncing on a giant orange ball, you really can't talk yourself into thinking that the black on black yoga pants/t-shirt combination is working for you.

Although looking at yourself clothed in a mirror is much better than having to see your stretch-marked stomach, covered in mosquito bites (from the dinosaur park that the Ladies love, but is filled with mosquitoes who only bite me and will do it through my clothes), while trying to shove on a pair of jeans.

Ah, so it begins again, armed with my Weight Watchers mobile app and about 20 extra points for breastfeeding, I hope to drop all this baby weight and more, now if only QT would nap without being held or snuggled in his super swing, maybe I would have a chance to get out of the house.

The Little Lady Turns Two!

Happy! Happy! Little Lady!

We celebrated the Little Lady's 2nd birthday today. We went all out with the Buzz and Woody Theme. She was super excited.

To top it off we found Toy Story 3 on Starz tonight and are watching it before bed. A perfect ending to a Toy Story themed day.

To the Little Lady, I will say that you have in your two years brought me such joy. You are a smart, incredibly funny and beautiful little girl and I love you.

Here is a little look back:

The Little Lady, Day 1

Celebrating her 1st Birthday!

Terrific at Two

A Few Pics from Deep Creek

I am still recovering from last weekend away and this weekend has already come and gone with more driving and more cousins and friends. I can't believe it is August already.

As promised a few pics from our annual Loyola College (now University) get-away weekend. I lost track of how many kids we have now.

Dance Party



All the kids. I am pretty sure this is the best one I have. At least everyone is represented, although QT is pretty hard to see in his car seat and that guy in the background is a complete stranger.



2007 Kids

The same kids (different order--look at the Lady on the left!) their first Loyola get-away

Since it didn't get dark until about an hour or so later than it does in CT, we moved the Glo-Stick Dance Party indoors



This is what I call dedication! Not only is she an amazing teacher and friend, the girl can tye-dye.



We're Back

For all of those who were concerned we made it to Maryland (and back) with a few minor meltdowns, a unusually high request for the Ladies to use public restrooms and with a van packed with entirely too many things that we didn't actually need.

Despite 14 plus hours in travel time we had a great weekend with amazing friends. I have to thank my husband for doing all the driving, my children for limiting their breakdowns and the Dunkin Donuts in Chambersburg, PA for being there in every way possible for me.

Day Two: On The Road, Part Two

It is 12:30. We are in the parking lot at Target.

Things are not going well.