Signs, School, Shoes...

Dave has taught the girls "Breaking The Law" and they felt obligated to demonstrate it:



Olivia's necklace that she made at school today.

Livy's made it to the letter "C" this week. She has also learned the Pledge of Allegiance and recites it with great pride.

Practicing writing her name...

While Sissy was at school we went shopping and Ava purchased a pair of light up shoes.

Wow, don't those look like fancy Strawberry Shortcake feet.

Weekend Recap

Friday was Dave's last Oakland day. He only had to work a half day to pack up his office. Since he was getting off work at noon the girls and I went to Fairyland. We picked Dave up on the way and once there we had a picnic lunch. The girls had a fabulous time riding the rides, using their storybook key, seeing the critters and other animals, and of course soaking in their daddy-time. I think I could have went home and they could have cared less but hey they see me everyday all day so it's fine I'm not sad at all... ok maybe slightly.

The girls watching puppet theater

Saturday morning Dave went to get the new battery for the car but it died at the gas station before he could get it replaced. Since he didn't bring his cellphone he had to walk a few blocks home. It was already 90 degrees at 10AM. He was so sweaty. But on his way home he had found a diamond tennis bracelet on the ground. Yea me!!! It was really fancy and nice. Sucks to be the one that lost it.

Saturday evening Grammie and Papa came to bring the hot tub and the new clothes for Olivia. It was a scorcher of a day but we set up the tub anyway and ordered a pizza and drank some beer. Since my parents arrived late in the day the girls were in bed before we knew it and we had a quiet house to ourselves. It's nice to be able to have a grown-up conversation with my mom occasionally without Olivia jumping right next to us. My dad went to sleep on the floor like usual and Dave did some work for the home business to get it finished without kid distraction.

Sunday my parents took Olivia to church and then we all went out to lunch. The girls were both very good while eating with a fork and sitting like ladies in their chairs. Both of them ate the fried calamari which was a little surprising. I thought Ava would spit it out. Liv loves lemons so she squeezed lemon on her bread, calamari, and mac-n-cheese. She even ordered lemonade which was also weird since we always order them milk and no one told her it was on the menu... Maybe she can read and we are too slow to figure it out. Who knows.

Then it was time to say goodbye to Grammie and Papa and Livy just broke down and sobbed. She didn't want Grammie to go. She wanted to go to her house. It was sad. Just plain sad. We needed to exchange a shirt Dave had bought on Saturday so went we to the store and what do you know... a few bracelets later Olivia was all smiles again. She picked out a necklace for her and Ava and a few bracelets. Both of the girls were giggly as is any girl with jewels.

Beyond that things were pretty routine as usual. I've been keeping Ava's food journal everyday for her nutritionist and she woke up both Saturday and Sunday mornings in dry pull-ups. I think next week we will start her in the night time panties. This week Dave started teaching again, moved to the SF office, his mom and sister are coming, then my parents are coming back for their flight to Maui. I think I have enough to deal with without adding possible peepee sheets to the list.

Artsy Stuff

Made it home from school today with a new set of artwork and a giant lollipop. Liv couldn't wait again to rummage through her backpack and show off her pictures.

Here's what's left of the lollipop.

So far so good. I'm thinking Dave and I made a really good decision to send Liv to school and we found a great one to boot. I'm also learning to combat the treats that Livy brings home and I come prepared to hand something to Ava for in the car as well. The crying and bickering has stopped for now.

My BeefCake

Went to the doctor to get the goiter checked out on the back of Ava's leg. Turns out it is a begnine cyst that may or may not go away on it's own, may or may not get bigger, and can and may be removed whenever we deem necessary. Good to know.

I was afraid it would be a wart. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

The boy next door had warts last year pretty bad and it was gross. He had to have them burned off. God only knows where he got them from and thankfully they didn't spread to anyone else.

As of now we just need to keep an eye on the little lump and make sure it doesn't change. I think she's too young to be worrying about having it surgically removed. Just to get her to lay still to numb her leg would be a pain in the ass and then she definitely wouldn't lay there on the table long enough to let them cut it out. Can you spell NIGHTMARE? And of course I'd be alone with Olivia who would be there to create a raucous just on principle. I think NOT. But if Ava chooses that when she's older than I'm behind her 100 percent. Unless of course it does get bigger and it consumes her entire leg...then we could do it sooner.

So while we waited for the dermatologist, my lovey pediatrician reminded me yet again to bring in pictures of the kids for his wall and announced that he would be setting Ava up with a nutritionist...Wow quite a leap from, "your kids are cute, I'd like a picture please" to "and FYI your daughter needs her calories counted." Umm. I know that she's on the heavier side (85% in weight for her age and 97% in height for age) and I did admit we over fed her to keep her at the table with us last year because she ate so fast BUT after her 2 year checkup I did cut her portions down considerably, with much crying from Ava, and cut out a lot of extra snacks, limited juice and milk, and she is slimming down. But I guess none of that really matters.

I should probably just be thankful that my appointment today was free. Who knows what the nutritionist will cost. Perhaps just a regular co-pay. All-in-all I thought I was doing a pretty good job just in portion control and in getting her out to exercise. Apparently now I have to count calories as well. I wonder if she's too young for lean cuisine? Just kidding. I guess now I can cross Popsicles off my grocery list.

And for those of you who have skinny kids...the grass ain't any greener on the other side.

Dogs, Art, And The Other Stuff

While Olivia was away at preschool Ava was an excellent doggie mommy.

As you can see she loves her puppy very much.

Once home, Livy displayed her art creations. This is the big yellow sun.

This is "B" the letter for the week.

Here's Olivia's name written by yours truly.
And the 2 most important things that Livy said happened at preschool today were 1) when Gracie, her best friend, gave her a kiss on her back. They hugged and Livy hugged some other kids too who according to Olivia are all her best friends and 2) she saw a boy go potty and demonstrated it for me both in the car and in front of the toilet. She pushed her pants down and said, "he holds his crotch like this and then squirt..squirt!!!" Isn't preschool lovey...

And in our own pottyland, Olivia hasn't had any potty accidents at all since the first two days she started sleeping in her panties. She just knows to hold it now I guess. I thought this would have been a longer process but thank heavens it wasn't. She is completely and fully potty trained. WooHoo Livynut!!!

Ava started today wearing her panties during nap. I have a feeling things will work out just fine. She never wets her pull ups at nap anyway. After a week or two I'll start with her sleeping at night. My little girls are growing up- literally. Ava grew another half inch in a month. She is now 38 1/2 inches tall and maintaining her 37 pounds, and Olivia is 42 inches tall and 37 pounds. Both of them are wearing size 5-6 clothing from the girls (not toddler) department. At this rate next week they'll be shopping in the juniors department. We better find a money tree soon:)

**Update:
Ava made it through her first nap in panties and came out of her room dry...cranky, but dry. Good job Avacakes!!!

Saturday BBQ

Baby "A" came to play with the girls and we had a barbecue. She's getting so big now she can really enjoy the girls and vice versa.

It's the dads' time to watch the kids. Don't they look confused?

Guess who's toes these are...Ava's!!! We painted our toes to look pretty for our friends.

We had a wonderful night, kickin' back hangin' out with our friends. It was sort of the last big hurrah before everyone starts teaching, working, or going back to school. Summer's over this week. I'm sad. I've really enjoyed it this year. Now it's back to me being alone with the girls from basically Sunday night to Friday evening and having to do all the housework, cooking three meals a day, cleaning and vacuuming, bill paying, grocery shopping, shuttling Olivia to and from preschool, dog poop picking up, nap giving, teeth brushing, story reading, puzzle building, you name it I do it every day all day all by myself. It's exhausting. Dave will be home two week nights after 6PM when he isn't teaching until 11PM but really by that time dinner has been given, eaten, and cleaned up. The girls are already in their jammies, and basically are just waiting to go to bed. So the cycle begins again. I wish I had a nanny to help out occasionally but that isn't going to ever happen so I'll just have to deal with each day as it comes. Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall... Try not to kick my ass ok!

Skates

Who can skate all by herself- Ava can!!

And then she took a fall and gracefully picked herself back up.
On the road again...
Livy gearing up.
Livy can skate pretty well all by herself. She is ready to head to the rink.