Happy Birthday Valla!

You and all your cakes!
Baby Shower Cake

January 26, 2002

One


Two

Three


Four


Five



Six


Seven


Eight
You are growing so fast.
We love you and are so proud of the sweet, kind, smart young lady you are.
Enjoy being 8 little Pippa!

Little LG

This is why I always check on my kids before I go to bed.
Passed out!

Jason promises me the other 2 tested as much & got into just as much, but I'm just not convinced. Seems little LG is always into something she's not supposed to be. I'm sure part of it is because there is so much more accessible to her than was to V or even N at their age. V & N use scissors, markers, the step stool, the bathroom sink, toilet paper, & knives .... so why not her?

Her favorite acts of naughtiness are shutting off the cable box while the girls are watching tv and shutting off the stereo while I'm listening to music. I'm sure because I've tried to gently shoo her away and her actions produce quite an uproar, she thinks it's certainly a fun game.

I'm also having for difficulty taking a shower. The other 2 were thrilled to sit for a few and be allowed to watch the illuminated tractor beam aka TV. LG?... not really interested. I've been putting her in the bathroom with a few toys while I shower. Last week she figured out how to climb onto the side of the tub and reach over to turn on the sink and play in the water....grrr! One shower involved me trying to decide was it more important for me to shower completely or just concede to changing her wet clothes afterwards. With the promise of a lollipop if she stays away from the waterworks, she's stayed dry. Yesterday she figured out how to open the shower door...great. Options now are A. strap her into her highchair in the middle of my bathroom and hear her roar or B. strip her down and bring her in. Showering before she gets up isn't really a viable option as that would require me to rise at 5:45am.

Things I love & will miss about Lauren Grace being a toddler:

• her language
• her excitement as I return even if I was only gone for 30sec to another room
• her love for animals
• her love for real babies
• how she loves to blow raspberries on my belly
• how she brings me my shoes and jacket when I say we're going to go somewhere
• how she loves baby dolls
• how she could swing for hours at the park
  
• how she doesn't know she's not as big as her sisters
• how she is almost neurotic about buckling buckles on her carseat & highchair
• how she always insists we give Daisy a treat when we put her in her crate
• how she'll do just about anything for a lollipop
• how she sings the ABC song
• how she asks to play "get you get you" which involved lots of tickling and hiding in my bed pillows.
• how she gets excited watching me play bejeweled and all the tiles explode at the end
• how when she sees an iphone or itouch she asks to see the cow youtube video
• how she walks around the house in click clack shoes and a purse on her arm
• how when she dances she spreads her legs and rocks back and forth like a Sumo wrestler
  
• how she tries to push up her sunglasses on her head like I do
• how she considers me the center of her universe

We've already taught her an employable skill.... salad maker anyone?

Valla's Puppy Slumber Birthday Party

Ready to Party!
Playing outside
Making a stuffed animal puppy and doghouse
Finished product
They are so cute!

Time to make your dinner!

Yum!
Present time :)






Time for cake!
Slumber Party!
Dipping strawberries, pretzels and marshmallows in chocolate.
6:30...rise and shine :)
French toast breakfast.

Birth Order

It's really interesting to go through the same milestones with different children. It seems it's almost 'neater' and more exciting the second time around because you anticipate it more...maybe?

I know N has been a little more excited about learning to ride her bike, tie her shoes, read and today's biggie= having her first loose tooth because she's watched Val do all those things. Valla was excited, but she didn't have an older sibling constantly doing something right in front of her. Natalie greets each accomplishment with such pride and this morning when she discovered her 1st wiggly tooth one of the first things she said was, "I've GOT to go show Valla!"

I've always been very conscience of making things fair and equal between all my kids. If I was going to scrapbook a baby book for Valla, then I was committing myself to doing scrapbooks for every kid after her. Of course I know things can't, won't and shouldn't be the exact same for each and that different doesn't mean worse. (For the record, I haven't technically started L's baby scrapbook, but it's all planned out in my head!)

Lots has been written on the benefits and consequences of birth order, my 3 are no different than the norms. I am determined, like most moms, to make sure N doesn't feel less than and that she chooses her own path, not just what V choose. I'm thrilled L has the love and attention of 2 other people besides her mom and dad, but I will not let her become the forever baby who is spared hard work, decision making and leadership. Poor V just has to endure the brunt of my continued journey into uncharted territories of parenthood.... reminds me of the beauties carved on the front of old ships.

I definitely worry the most about the time, attention and parenting of my middle child, Miss Natalie Elizabeth. I've coined MCG = acts that are done to avoid or make up for middle child guilt.

I'm learning to relax and let them enjoy the benefits and endure the negatives of their spot in our family. And I'm still going to get L's baby album going...promise!

The first photo of Natalie's teeth
2/19/05

Fast forward 5 years to today...

Bald Eagle, Tied Shoes, Icicles & Pjs

The other day Niki and I were hanging out in my backyard as the kids were running around like ninnies. There was a large bird circling the pond and Niki spotted it as a bald eagle. After a check with binoculars and it landing in our neighbor's tree it certainly was a bald eagle! There were actually 2. Very cool :)

A few weeks ago we went sneaker shopping and N was quickly eliminating all the tie shoes. She said she can't get them because she doesn't know how to tie. Silly girl! I told her no, that just means it's time to learn to tie! We sat down one evening on my bedroom floor and after a few minutes she got it! I vividly remember the day I learned to tie and symbolically learned sitting on my parent's bedroom floor with a pair of red and blue tennis shoes.

I'm also happy to report she (like her older sister) is putting an end to the embarrassment of Jason's tying method! How could he tie incorrectly you ask? He makes a loop the wraps the loose end counterclockwise around the loop which forces the two loops of the bow to lie north and south = wrong! The correct method involved wrapping the loose end clockwise around the bow so the two loops lie east west = ding ding ding!

Her handywork!


Brain teaser= Can you find the cat?!


Taking an afternoon nap in the basket!


It's been quite chilly in Lake Mary lately and quite frankly we've loved it! I really think living in London with average temps in the 30s and 40s for 4 months has changed our perception of cold weather. It has also enabled us with an adequate 'cold weather wardrobe'!

Here's Val looking for signs of ice or snow.


Some frozen palm leaves. Poor palm leaves, I'm sure they don't even know what ice is!


We had an icicle! (I think it was about half and inch!)


Frozen dew drop

This nutball Little L has decided at 19 months, she has an opinion about what she wants to wear. At least what pajamas she wants to wear and here's her nightly favorite. A strange combination of her brown with colored heart footie pajamas and her red button up Christmas ones that are decorated with dogs. Each night I grab a different pair out of the drawer and each night she'll put them back and grab the combo. Since it's been so chilly, the double layer isn't a bad idea and if it makes her happy to have some say in her sleepwear attire...fine by me! It's one small choice she has control over in the ever controlled world of a toddler.

Nataliesims

• Nat's class is adopting a manatee and made a point of telling the students they would be "parents" and their Mom and Dad would be "grandparent". I was teasing her about making me a Grandma already. She responds, "Mom, it's not like I'm pregnant or anything!"
• I heard one of our 4 animals doing the 'pre barf gag' that every pet animal knows the dreadful sound of all too well. I randomly call out, "Who's throwing up." N, who hasn't had any symptoms of illness shouts out, "NOT ME MOM!"

Zhu Zhu What?

I somehow miraculously escaped the whole Christmas craziness that involved standing in long lines, racing to toys-r-us at a moment's notice and at times using all force necessary to secure an electronic rodent. I made sure neither my husband or I even breathed a word of the strange creatures as to not start a roller coaster I didn't want to ride.

None the less...there is now such a toy scurrying around my house. It was passed on to my kids from a friend who didn't care to get one for Christmas, but did.

L thinks it's quite cute and enjoys chasing it around the house. I'm glad it doesn't require anything from me such as supervision, food or bathroom cleanup.

This afternoon L was playing with it and all of the sudden was screaming. Seems the little guy wanted to build a nest...in her hair. Her baby fine hair was quickly being sucked into and twisted around his little wheel, I mean leg. As there is no identifiable power switch I'm frantically calling for the more experienced fake hamster wrangler for some much needed assistance. Finally the wheel stops, but the little hamster had indeed nestled itself in there pretty good.

(I have to admit... my interest in providing my readers with entertaining and quality material and photos on this blog, gave me reason to pause briefly to consider how many steps away the camera was before calling for scissors. But my child's screams quickly reminded me...the camera was too far.)

I snipped her hair (unknowingly to L) hid the scissors so she wouldn't get the idea to continue the trim herself and dramatically explained to N how that was the one exception to the "no hair cutting at home" rule.

Being the ultra-litigious person that I am... I am planning on filing a law suit...know any good attorneys?

The Culprit

And We're Off and (Still!) Running

The girls have really enjoyed their their 2 weeks off of school for winter break. This week gave us a chance to visit Jason at work downtown. He's still working on decorating his office, but walking through the marble lobby, taking very fast elevator to the 25th floor and getting hot chocolate from the break room impressed us none the less. L only managed to knock over 3 different piles of paperwork, hit her head on his desk and stumble into the window in our 10 minute visit...not too bad!

Natalie hard at work!

While we were downtown we caught the Citrus Bowl Parade and met up with some friends from Gville who now live in Central Fl.

An airplane of oranges.

Last night was the first time the girls made it up to ring in the New Year! We celebrated with Sprite and sparklers :)

N just barely made it to midnight :)

A rite of passage...whipped cream from the can :)

Happy New Year!
May 2010 be awesome for us all!