Friday, May 22, 2009

Nail Clipping at the Hermans

I don't believe a lot of words are necessary here. Lawrence Hog-tying Addie in order to clip her finger nails and toes.

Background: When Lawrence and I met, he told me that if I would say "sneakers" and "soda" vs "tennis shoes" and "pop" he would give me Christmas. (He's Jewish). Pretty good trade, I say.

Then when Lily was born her was completely skeeved by her belly button, and wanted to have nothing to do with it (including cutting the cord, tho our doc did convince him to do that). He was afraid he'd "mess it up".

Anyway, so my thing was cutting the little nails. I didn't want to do it and he said no prob, as long as I never have to touch a belly button clampy thingy. Well, I have had my fair share of nail clippings, but 4.5 years later, he's still fully responsible and the girls want him to do it.







After she squirmed and screamed, she wanted "mo mo mo" after he was all done. HEHE!

Alex's 4th Bday Party

We celebrated Alex Kolmer's bday party last Sunday and Little Gym. It was a blast. Addie (for the first time at a bday party) really got out of her shell and was running and dancing like crazy. Normally she would be glued to my hip. Lily had fun and also carefully watched out for her little sis. We are so happy the Kolmer's are part of our life. HAPPY 4th BDAY ALEX!



Lily watching proudly as Alex opens the sundress we got for her.
Beautiful Princess Cake
Under the Parachute. A big hit for them both.

WHALE RIDE. Lily and Addie with the bday girl!

All the Kiddos at the party.


Addie could not get enough of this balance beam. Again, again, again she'd say.


Okay, I wanted to write more but knew I'd get a bunch of pics from this coming weekend and wanted to get these posted. I know a bunch of these are blurry, but it is representative of how much fun they were having! So that's that. Nighty night.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Thirsty?





Nothingness Weekend Delight



Despite several invites this weekend for BBQs and hanging out (it was absolutely gorgeous weather) we were plan free until 4:30 on Sunday for a bday party. It was delightful. No where to be except on our own schedule with our own family. We played in the back yard, worked around the house, worked in the yard, went for a walk / run, played at the park, napped, got to bed early, played in the kiddie pool. So. Enjoyable. It was just what we all needed to reconnect and have fun family down time. I felt refreshed for the busy work week.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Best 40 Minutes

I'll admit that lately I haven't been very present in the evenings when I get home. I try but I'm mostly just faking it. And it depresses me. I get home, I'm starving, tired, mentally drained, germy hands from the max, and my sweet girls are waiting to pounce on me by the door. And I'm so so HAPPY to see them, it is the sweetest sight. They are usually waiting in matching pjs peering through the window with the most smileyest smiles. I just want to get my hands washed and take my coat off and put my bag down so I can hug them. But they can't wait for even that, they have been waiting all day. And then the whining starts, and I get frustrated with them. Even though it isn't their fault. I (so maturely) think, jeez we get a half hour together and you are going to spend it whining. No fair to them! Anyway, this is just the rat race of a working mom, but it doesn't have to be this way, I have to intentionally wake up and get ready on my way home. Our kids have a great bedtime, so I know when I'm done I'm done, I know I just have to make it a little bit longer before I get to collapse. Just like at work when it's 3 pm. I can make it two more hours. I can make it.

This weekend I thought about how the rat race has been going in the evening, as I thought how I would fit in some after work exercise or an evening haircut. I decided I just have to do better.

Last night, I thought about not wanting to fake it and I was present on purpose, so I did. And because of that I so enjoyed my 40 minutes with the kids.

I ate and they sat with me and showed me their art work from the day, we played on the floor in the living room, Lily asked me if I would shower with her, and I didn't really feel like it, but I said yes because it isn't always about what I want to do. We laughed hard while Addie begged to have her nails clipped by daddy and then squirmed like she was in a torture chamber, laughing hysterically while he pinned her down in different angles to clip ( I got pictures, too funny). I showered with Lily , put Addie to bed, watched Lily & Lawrence play Bingo and then it was time for Lily's story. Instead of a story she chose to look at her Panda Bear postcards that Grandma and Grandpa got her from China last year, one of which they sent in the mail and she had me read their letter on the back. She was annoyed that I couldn't read the Chinese letters and said she is going to ask Grandma to read it next time she sees her (ha, warning Gma!) The rest we went through each postcard and made up a story about what the Panda Bears were doing.

Lily's favorite was 3 bears, one appears to be playfully biting another's foot, while another bear is kissing that bears back. I told Lily that it was me biting her foot and Addie was kissing my back. She laughed so hard, I thought she was going to pee her pants. It was that kind of infectious laugh that made me laugh and laugh too. She wanted to look at that postcard forever and laugh forever and so did I. Then we prayed, thanking God for those funny Panda pictures and the other things in our life that make us happy, sang rock a bye baby and rock a hmm hmm hmm, and I left her room. She went right to sleep. No whining at all.

I can't exactly explain what was different about last night. I didn't leave work until 10 to 6 and by some miracle I got home by 6:30. I was worried I might miss bedtime all together. I spend my whole life trying to make things perfect for my family, I care about every detail of their care, their learning and their day. I'm a freak about making sure they get the best out of each day, but if I don't slow down and enjoy it, being present for the precious moments I get with my girls while they are so young, I will regret it and there will be a day that they aren't happy to see me when I get home. I want to treasure every moment. I guess it comes down to attitude and priorities and remembering that you want to do it better than you are doing it. Then doing that.

Now to work on becoming a nicer morning mom in that rat race...sigh...I'm certainly a work in progress, just like the kiddos...
Oh yeah, Addie also said "I wuw you, Mama" when she looked at me. That topped the cake!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Mother's Day

For Mother's Day we went downtown for Brunch at McCormick and Schmidt's on the waterfront. Carol and Steve were here, and the girls gave me and Grandma gifts in the morning. Then we gave Grandma her gift in the afternoon. I got a much needed mother's day nap and then we played at the park and Lawrence made me dinner (everyone else ate leftovers!) It was a very pleasant day, the weather was nice, and we had a great walk on the waterfront. I sure love my life as a mom and have been gifted with these two darlings!


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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk

Last Saturday I organized a Breast Cancer Walk for my friend, Julie at work. This was the second year, and it went great. Lawrence's parents are visiting so they came too. The walk had almost doubled in size this year, great for the American Cancer Society, slow for the walkers, but we didn't mind. It was a wonderful Saturday morning to be out in the fresh air and sunshine supporting a friend who really needed it. Our team raised nearly $1000, and that was with the whole event sort of thrown together. Last year I did much more for our team and to encourage fund raising, this year it was so unorganized and everything was last minute.

However seeing my friend's face as she did the Survivor lap, again this year, after just finishing her lastest bout with chemo 2 weeks ago, was priceless. Moments like those make the blessings of your life wash over you. When it often seems hard to find time to do anything, it is a hearty reminder that doing a little can do a lot.


Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Tulip Festival


I know there are almost 20 pictures here, but I really can't say much more about the wonderful Woodburn Tulip Festival. We went on May 2. It's lucky that I don't have much to write because a picture is worth a thousand words and these are so good ones. Sorry this has taken so long to post, I've been having trouble uploading (the blog probably doesn't want me to be putting so many pics on one post! ha!)

Stopping to smell the flowers (Addie is there if you look close)
Lily (Addie & Daddy in the background!)
Lily in a field of beauty
Pitter Patter goes my heart
Flower sisters

3 Tulips
Two bears
Riding on the "shoe" wagon
Going down a drainage pipish slide
Stomping in Puddles




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