Thanksgiving Attire and The New Glasses

Livy made this vest and hat in preschool today. Fancy.
Check out all the detail on the back...
And here's a snippet of her artwork.
This is Dave putting glasses on Olivia for the very first time. I think he's more worried about them than she is.
They are Juicy Couture glasses. It's kind of hard to see but "Juicy" is spelled out along the side of the frame in hearts.
Yes here she is... in all of her glory and face paint!
Damn she's a cutie!!
This was the last picture we were allowed to take. She had other things to do and we were holding her up.

Preschool Birthday

Today Ms. K made Olivia a hat traced from her hand for Olivia to wear in celebration of her big day. Dave made cupcakes last night that we brought to share with everyone and she took Fancy Nancy with her too. She got FN last night from Aunt D and Grandma B in the mail. She was waiting on the doorstep when we got back from dinner. It was a great way for Olivia to end her birthday and perfect timing for share day.

This picture was taken from the camera phone, not the best but you can get the idea.

So Ms. K took a picture of Miss Olivia as well. Her's is much better.

After the party, Ms. K gives the birthday kid a bag of presents to take home.
That was all the loot. Pretty impressive I must say.

The Official 4th Birthday!

Happy Birthday Olivia My Sweet Peanut!!! or as Dave would say, Peanutbutter Pantalonies...but he'd sing it in a song.

Here's the birthday girl a minute after she woke up today:


I can't believe my little baby is 4 today. She was just a tiny little innocent bundle of joy 1460 days ago. She had a hard birth with her heart rate dropping and then needing to be vacuumed out, but after that she was perfect. She even had a little smile on her face. She looked nothing like what I expected, acted nothing like I imagined, and yet she was and is still a perfect little angel.

She woke up today singing a song about being 4. She was beaming all morning long until we arrived at the doctor. Dave had today off so he went in to get her 4 shots. Nothing like bursting that birthday bubble. But afterwards we went home and had lunch and took a no-nap (you know when they lay in there like they are napping and then appear at the door when their nap should be over yet they never really slept), and then Dave took both girls to see the lizards along with other reptiles at the library.



When they get back we are going to dinner with some friends and then Dave and Liv are going to bake cupcakes for school tomorrow. I get to fold and hang up laundry... how'd that work out?

I'd have to say that Olivia has enjoyed her birthday so far. I wish she could shake that terrible cough though. Ava is loudly anticipating her third birthday and is eager for her Ki-lan cake.

Pajama Day

Today at school Liv had Pj Day. We went to Gymboree a few weeks ago and picked out a really cute pair of pajamas complete with a tutu. She woke up in the morning and changed from her night jammies into her school jammies, grabbed her teddy bear, and just couldn't stop giggling. It was great. Ava had a matching pair to wear but due to the fact that it was freezing outside she wore regular clothes so we could go shopping after we dropped sissy off.

So when Liv got home from school she told me all about how the kids had a find the bear hunt. They also had a picnic and told ghost stories. It amazing how great her teacher is. Olivia loves school. Ava can't wait to get there. And I feel good when I drop Olivia off that she is safe, well cared for, learning something fantastic, and above all just having a great time.

Hey, Who's That Wacky Bunch?

Thought I'd share a family photo of the gang with Grammie!

Grammie went indoor camping with the girls all weekend. They had a blast! If it could have only lasted forever I could have gotten so many things accomplished. But she has to go home sometime. Good thing for her we decided to follow her and show up at her place this weekend. Ha! Now it's her time to clean. Now that's what I call a vacation!

Pinecone Turkey Project

Doctor Doctor

So this week was kind of a big deal. Liv went to her 4 year checkup on Wednesday and everything went well. The doctor said she didn't need any shots that day (since she was still 3 at the time of the appointment he thought she was in for a routine 3 year appt) and then suddenly realized that she needs 4 shots at the 4 year mark and that she'd be 4 in a week. Not so good. Dave has Wednesday of this week to spend the day with Liv on her birthday and guess where we will be going… back for shots. Stinks. We are also taking her to breakfast and a to a lizard thing at the library so it's not a totally horrible day but she does go on and on after getting shots about how horrible it was. Maybe this time will be better. We can only hope.

So anyway at that appointment Liv's doctor said that the girls needed to start seeing the dentist twice a year and the eye doctor once a year. While at that appointment Liv didn't do so well on the eye chart so he wanted her to get to an appointment soon. So I booked both the eye exams and the dentist for Saturday and we went to the eye doctor first. They both did really well following directions and getting their eyes dilated. They did so well in fact that Olivia will be getting GLASSES next week. Yes- Glasses (Juicy Couture even). She is farsighted with astigmatism. And …ready for the drum roll… Ava gets glasses next year. Our poor kids are cursed with my eye sight.

So we left there at noon with the dark plastic shades on, eyes totally dilated and headed to Toys r us to buy the neighbor a birthday gift, ran home snarfed lunch, and headed to the dentist. Luckily they were still wearing their special glasses and didn't have to use the ones from the dentist. Attached are the dentist pictures. Both had x-rays taken, their teeth cleaned, and were given treats for being so wonderful. Everyone at the office loves how brave they were and how good they were. When we got home we made some pinecone turkeys with some googly eyes we bought at toy r us.

But just so we didn't leave anyone out- Today Lady and Sugar went to the groomers and had their nails trimmed. Lady peed all over the floor a few times, Sugar snarled at dogs passing by, but both did ok while they shaked tremendously getting their toes beautified. Oh and I didn't forget Nanners. She waited in the truck while the dogs did their thing and then we drove to the other pet store and she got her yearly shots.
And a fun time was had by all!
The Rockstar

The champ. Ava getting x-rays taken.

Liv's 4 Year Appointment

This appointment was scheduled as a well-child appointment for a 4 year old. Most of the appointment we dealt with the sick girl with the bad cough, yesterday's high fever, and her headache and body pains. So much for the flu-shot. Liv's been hacking for a few days, finally got the fever yesterday but it's gone today, and now had a headache which I assume is more like a tension headache from coughing and constantly sneezing. There's a small possibility she may have strep throat and we could have done a culture but we decided to wait a few days to see if she gets better on her own. We also went over Dave's family history of heart problems to see if it's genetic since both his sister and brother have Mitro Valve Prolapse. The doctor's looking in to it but thinks that it is not genetic. Phew.

Wanna know what I got? Nothing, just my period. I thought I'd just throw it in there that we all apparently need to suffer at the same time. Dave has had chronic back spasms, the dog barfed on the couch yesterday during the fever and it left a stain which means I now need to take the cover off and wash it. It doesn't sound like work but it is when you try to put that sucker back on. It takes a small army. Ava is sneezy but not yet sick although her face is bright red... could be anything I suppose.

So yeah. The well-child appointment didn't exactly go as planned but I did promise Olivia that she was not going to get any shots. The doctor confirmed this as soon as he walked into the room except that he then realized this was a 4 year appointment not a 3 year appointment as it is a week before her birthday and now she needs FOUR shots after she turns 4 next week. Sigh. We also found out that she needs to see the dentist twice a year and the eye doctor once a year. Both of the girls have seen both doctors but not as official appointments. Usually they get checked when we get checked since they like to sit in the chair and the doctor obliged. So once I got home I made their appointments for Saturday for both vision and teeth. Should be a fun day. Sigh.

Anyways here's the stats... Olivia is 38.8 pounds clothed, and 42 1/4 inches tall. This puts her weight in the 74% and her height in the 93%. She will most likely be somewhere between 5'8" and 5'10" as an adult. Her BMI for age is 38%. Overall she's right on track and healthy (ok maybe not today, but overall.)

Just for reference: Ava is 39 inches tall or in the 93%, 38.0 pounds or 97%, and in the 88% for her BMI (which should be under 85% or 37 pounds). So we are still over in her BMI which she had been doing well on until Halloween and Liv's birthday rolled around and we weren't as strict with her diet. So we will get her back on track and keep working at it.

Olivia's 4th Birthday Party

She's 4. I don't know whether to cry or to be elated. Olivia is no longer a baby, a toddler, or anything but a little girl. How did this happen so fast? Many days I wished she was bigger just for my own needs. You know- to take a shower in the morning without her crying, being able to feed herself so I could feed Ava, being able to walk so I could have my arms free. Now I change my mind. I want her small and to do it all over again to enjoy her smallness, her inability to walk, her inability to voice her opinion, and her inability to do it all for herself. She needs me still but in totally different ways.
Now Liv wants stories told to her about when she was a BABY. She needs me to tie her shoes or apply bandaids. One days she'll apply her own bandaids and that sucks. I know she's only 4, but 4 years ago she was only just born. We were just married, just buying our first home, just getting prego again. People don't lie when they say time flies. It really does. If it weren't for Dave, I'd be pregnant again, doing it for a third time, and enjoying it every minute. Yeah, I know we are poor, can't afford it, whatever. But sometimes isn't life better just doing what you want want? Here's my big shot on the morning of her party in her new doughnut pajamas bought by Grammie.

Here's her cake I made all by myself.

Yes, I put cotton candy all around the cake and then set the princesses in front because as much as Liv loves Dora she also loves her princesses.

The Dora jumper I was requested to get after attending a friend's party.

Swinging with a neighbor during the party.

Preparing the candles for blowing out.

Singing happy birthday. Look at her smile. I LOVE it.

Blowing out the candles.

While I cut the cake Liv couldn't wait for her Dora piece so she helped herself. It was her birthday.

Right after she got her piece of cake it dropped on the ground so she licked the frosting off the concrete. Gross-yes. It is her birthday.

The unveiling of gifts.

She was given drums. I officially hate you Ray.

The new bike and best gift of all.

Riding the new bikes. How cool!

It's Tuesday

Olivia has learned the fine art of fake smiling or not smiling in photos. I hope this phase passes soon. It's not fun.
This is better but not totally believable.

This is a dress Grammie gave her months ago. It's too big but she wanted to wear it. We practiced Amish day.
These are Olivia hand-me-downs that Ava wore at Olivia's party last year. I remember this outfit being tight on her so she must have had on a diaper... weird.
And here's the bobsey twins.