Julia Laughing

Just chillin'....

when something caught my fancy...

....huh. Guess you had to be there.

March Goes Flying By...

Technically, this was in February, but there you go. We went to see Disney on Ice in my brother's schmancy box seats at the Shark Tank. Adessa and Keidi came with us, and we all hung out watching Mickey and the gang.

The girls definitely looked liked princesses, and were very excited. Adessa said that Minnie would be very happy to see her. Gwennie kept jumping up and down, saying, "Look, Mommy! It's Ariel! It's Ariel!"

Quick side note: Gwen still vastly prefers the name Ariel to her own, and Jim has now morphed from "Handsome Prince" to "Eric" (or really: Hansum Piiince to Aaay-ic.)

Julie mostly watched the Moby Wrap or the inside of her eyelids. She wasn't impressed by the seats at all. But the girls thought it was great. They could see everything, and there was room to run around during the intermission. Added bonus: I scared the concierge with my awesome breastfeeding skillz after the show. First time I've done that with this kid.

We had a great time. Gwen decided Tinker Bell was even cooler than Ariel, but since she really hasn't seen Tink since then, Ariels returned to princess supremacy. I have been hearing good things about the Tinker Bell videos, though, so those may be in our future. (Although, y'know, in Peter Pan, Tink? Is not so nice. Kinda weird to have this whole re-do of her. )

Then we sat around and watched the baby in her funny clothes for a while. She's grown out of her little peapod bunting now.

My girls are still great friends. Gwen started story time with her baby sister.

She also "braved" her little sister when Julie got her shots. I'd like to point out that when Gwen got her first shots, I had Jim there for support, and I still cried. This time I had Gwen and Julie to deal with, and I couldn't cry because I've been trying to convince Gwen that shots aren't that big a deal. She announces every time we see the doctor: "I don't have to get shots today!" Her last few appointments have been for ear infections, so he was able to comply. We were at the doctor's a lot last month. Julie had blocked tear ducts, Gwen had a double ear infection (and allergies, it turns out. Dang.) and then Gwen had a weird unexplained fever that I had checked out because of the ear infections. Plus, Jules is still seeing the OT for nursing issues. We're doing much better in that department, but there's still room for improvement. I've been to the eye doctor (my eyes have matured, it seems. I need pregressive lenses now, yippee for me) and I also had some poison oak on my face and ahem, close to the milk supply checked out. And no, I don't know how I caught it there. But it sucks, I can tell you that.

I just like this shot of Gwen.

Then, something big happened. Something very exciting in the Land of Gwen. A big, big deal.

She started ballet.

It's just a small class, taught by Keidi's 14 yo neighbor. There are only 4 of them in the class - Adessa, Gwen, another 2 1/2 yo from Mt. Hermon, and Keidi's foster-niece. They dance in the downstairs foyer, and we sit on the steps and watch. But oh, these are happy little girls!

Gwen's a little disturbed by the fact that her ballet slippers are white rather than pink, but other than that, ballet class is the best thing all week. She'd go every day if she could. I think I'm going to be watching a lot of these classes throughout the years....

I am so lucky.

Happy 2nd Month Day

You are growing so fast. Friday you gave your daddy such a big smile, he got tears in his eyes. (He'll tell he didn't, but I saw them. Of course, you're still waking him up a lot at night.) Today you laughed for the first time, and smiled big at me. You've figured out the nursing thing, and you're doing great.

Gwennie croons, "Oh baaby giiill!" at you all day long, gives you your pacifier, and puts blankets on you in the swing. She even shares Rutherford with you. You look up at her with love in your bright little eyes. And me? My heart just fills up and overflows.

Bonus Shot

Shades of things to come....

The Daily Conversation

G: Mom, can I see Julie?

M: Ok, come look at her.

J: Hi, Gwennie.

G: I want to hold her!

M: Ok, go sit down. Be careful with her.

J: Uh oh.

G: Look, Mom, I'm holding Julie!

M: (fiddles with camera)

J: Um, Mom?

G: Oh, Mom, Julie is soooo cute!

J: Mooom!

G: Mom, I love my little sister!

J: Phew. I love you, too.

Nursery School!

Gwennie and Julie on Gwen's first day of preschool, Feb. 8.

By a stroke of sheer luck, and email connections, we found a school for Gwennie. It's a true parent-ed co-op, the kind my grandmother used to run oh-so-many-years ago when I was a preschooler. In fact, I've heard Teacher Maggie and Teacher Dara say the exact same things to parents that my almost 90 year old grandma says to me about my darling daughter. (Don't talk about her right in front of her, she is still listening, etc.) I heard about the school on a Wednesday, visited it on Friday, and started her on Monday. Then I went to storytime on Thursday at the library, and talked to a bunch of women who had been on the waiting list for the school at one point or another. I guess it can be hard to get into, because it's very small.

Gwen goes 3 times a week for 2 1/2 hours, in the afternoon, which is helpful for us non-morning person types. I stay and work one of those days. It's completely experiential, play-oriented environment, with no formal academics at all. Which is exactly what Jim and I were hoping to find. Gwen will have plenty of time for all that when she's ready. Right now, I want her playing with magnets and smooshing playdough ingredients together, and dealing with other kids. And listening and learning from other adults, and being away from me. (What? It's an important lesson.)

Her first-day outfit is very professional, don't you think? She's still big into the princess dresses.

And the goofy. Still plenty into the goofy.

There's about 12 kids in her class, with a good mix of boys and girls. She's one of the youngest, which is a switch for her. It's been interesting to watch her try to integrate into the girls' groups. She's going to do just fine, although she did come up to me on Wednesday in the playyard to tell me she wished Adessa was there. She missed the Valentine's party because of an ear infection, but she was thrilled to get her Valentines on Wednesday. And she's already been invited to a birthday party for this Sunday.

I've been caught up in the moment - the scheduling can be a little difficult, timing Julie's feedings and making sure Gwen's had lunch before school starts (we shoot to get out the door at 12, so she has to eat much earlier than we normally would.) She's taken to sleeping later - it's 8:30, and she's not up yet - so I'm kind of doing a brunch snack thing. Plus, life with a baby, even if she's not a newborn anymore, is kind of a whole series of logistics anyway. So it hadn't quite hit me until I was typing all of that, that I've begun to launch Gwen into the world. That she's about to face social challenges - and successes - that I won't be there to manage. Which is a good and necessary thing, but oh wow. My kid has a class list, and gets invited to birthday parties for kids whose parents I don't know. I've been calling her "Little Person" since she was born - now she's really turning into one. She's going to make friends that I haven't picked out for her! Based on the kid, not whether or not I like the parents! Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

But wait - I get to run errands with only one kid - one snoozy little kid who can't get out of her carrier - this afternoon. I think it will be ok.

Julie and her Family

This is the only family shot we've had since Mom took the coming home shots. Julie's only 10 days old. Maybe we should take another one.

I love this one of me and my girls. Julie's 22 days old. Look at her little smile.

Daddy, multitasking. This was Daddy's birthday, but we were heading to Danny's birthday party. Look! Julie's out of her pj's! This was her FMG debut. She slept through it.

There was a visit from Auntie Kathleen and Uncle Scot. Julie's 24 days.

This is not Julie. This is another shot of Gwen on Scot's shoulders. Is good, no? My brother is a weirdo, but Gwen thinks he's cool.

There was not one but two visits from Grandma Jill in January, and I didn't get any pictures of her with Julie. There's only one of her with Gwen, and you can't see either of their faces. Fail.

And then there the pictures of my girls. The sisters.

Julie says, "What's that on your face, Gwennie?" Gwennie says, "Probably peanut butter." Julie's 3 weeks old.

First day of preschool! (More on that soon. Oops, broke my new rule.) 5 weeks old.

And that last one is today - Julie's two days short of 7 weeks. Both girls have clean faces! WIN! Plus, you know, they're beautiful. New wallpaper.

And I tried to get all fancy with the layout, but I either need to actually learn how to do this stuff, or give up. Haven't made a decision yet.