OHH - Livia

Our Sweet "Baby Sister" is emerging as her own woman these days!

Overheard

Sophia: Mommy, when we get home I am going to show you a new game.

Nina: (weary) Sophia when we get home we have to get right in the bathtub and go to bed.

Sophia: Oh but Mommy you will love this game. It is so squishy.

Nina: When we get home we have to take a bath right away.

Sophia: You will just love this game, it is way fun and squishy. You will dance and shout "Woo Hoo." It was a present for me...from the Big Elmo at Busch Gardens who is at my house. I miss him.

Climbin' Tree

I think I'm going to write a book about how to experience Colonial Williamsburg for free. The newest event when your child tires of petting the same two horses or looking at the new Baby Lambs (hard to believe): the Climbing Tree. Today we made two visits. First with Fischer, Sophie, Sam and Liam and then again when Grandma came! Just wait I'll be growing my own food and weaving our clothes next. 

Mariah!

Mariah is getting married June 6 and we are so excited! Olivia attended her first bridal shower on Saturday and was ready to celebrate!

Favorite Things

Olivia , loving life.

I could watch Sophia dance at the Sesame show all day. Seriously, the lack of inhibition, and the pure unbridled joy more than compensate for the other more trying times we have been having in this two year old phase.

Sunny Days, Sweeping Clouds away...

Our house has its own Sesame Place motif going on...This is the school we have been setting up for Elmo. Sophia is the teacher. Lately Elmo has had a green tupperware bowl next to him. He has been throwing up at school.

Most children are terrified of costumed characters. And with good reason. Who knows whose underneath all of that. They  never talk. Just kind of wave. What kind of qualifications are necessary for these jobs? But Sophia adores them. She would spend the whole time hugging "her friends" and telling them "about her life."

Priceless

 Busch Gardens season pass: 70-100$; 

 various treats we occasionally splurge for (mainly when Travis comes): 4-6$

Having somewhere beautiful to spend the afternoon when no one has napped...

Which child is mine?

 We have no idea who this other girl is, but Sophia is super social so when we are at Busch Gardens by ourselves I make sure to seat her next to other children on the rides. I then am that parent who engages in the following dialogue:

"Hi What's your name?"

"Oh, great, this is Sophia. Sophia say 'Hi', tell them how old you are. (when does that stop being appropriate?!)

But actually, I haven't had to do it as much recently because Sophia, learning through imitation, does it herself, and really has become quite the ride-relationship builder. In fact, on a recent ride she asked to see her new friend's belly button. We are working on this issue.

And well, I'm not sure how much chemistry there was with the girl in the above pictures. She was probably jealous of the glasses. Or protective of her belly button.

Prima!

Cousin Addie came to visit last Friday and the good times rolled on. I love Cousins. I feel like there's always something a bit shady about them. Like you are related to them, but they're not your siblings, so there's some excitement and mystery involved. The fact that Addie is often accompanied by her ominous horse-dog only adds to her mystique...

Happy Easter!

We had a beautiful Easter. Great church services and then a wonderful, relaxing lunch at a friend's house on the river. Sophia even had her own private egg hunt!

Easter Photo Shoot

So the older I get, the more things I realize that I am not good at. Add photography to the list. This is my desperate attempt to get one good Easter picture of these girls. Is the problem photographer or her subjects? I thought the progression was comical. It reminded me of one of those picture flip books. And yes, it seems they are laughing at me. It's a conspiracy.

Farm Boy, Fetch me that pitcher!

Jess gave Sophia Princess Bride Hair which I loved. It's good prep for her first Flower Girl gig in August...or perhaps our run of the baby pageant circuit...Toddlers in Tiaras anyone?

Not quite demure...but we can work on expressions...

Weekend at the Bay

We had our annual 107 Matoaka Ct Roommate Reunion at Lelia's parents Bay House in Deltaville, VA this past weekend. Things have changed a bit over 6 years...5 kids have now been added to our brood...Changes the vibe a bit. But it was still a wonderful and memorable time!

Everyone was amazed (or horrified) about how much I could pack into the van for 36 hours. Please. Do you know my mother?

Olivia celebrated her 5 month birthday while there. In honor of it we borrowed a friends exersaucer...Fabulous for the child, hideous for the decor. The Ellis's were grateful to get it out of their house for a while and we are grateful to be using it!

Avery and Olivia. Everyone was such a great help with my kids.

Kristen - you know you want one...

I mean, this isn't that different from sitting around giving pedicures and drinking wine, is it?

Sophia and Fischer, kindred spirits.

We had gorgeous weather! (Notice that Big Mr Potato Head made the trip)