Finding the Force

Well, I am surprised.  Quite surprised.  We've been on a monster high kick for quite some time I am just surprised that it shifted so quickly.  Our friends had lent us the original Star Wars trilogy.  Matt and I were going to watch it but the girls seemed interested so Matt sat down with them and watched all three episodes over the course of a few days.  After they watched the last one they, particularly Alexandra, had Star Wars fever.  We went online and found these Darth Vadar printable masks, hustled over to grandmas for some black fabric to make capes and daddy managed to salvage an old glow stick and fashion a light saber.  We printed out coloring pages too and currently their bedroom doors are adorned with colorings of C3P0, R2D2, Chewy, Yoda and others.  We have been immersed in ponies, barbies, babies, pollys, pet shops and stuffed animals for so long....it was quite a change, just quite a change....but fun to do something different and we had a good time piecing these costumes together one Sunday afternoon.

Avery and her babies

Avery has taken to playing with her baby dolls again a bit.  This morning she hauled a ton of stuff out of her room (including her pink rug) and set up a 'house' in the middle of the living room.  She made little beds, and had a living room with a bean bag and the couch from the American Girl dolls.  At one point she sat on the couch with her ellie & blankie, holding glow baby and listing to her ipod.  It was a sweet little moment....look at that face.

The Face of a Butterfly

We had a playdate with an old friend this weekend.  Marysia used to go to Karen's daycare with both girls.  She came over for some face painting (a carryover from Alexandra's late-over party).  We have a book of face painting ideas and both Marysia and Avery wanted me to attempt a butterfly...so I did and dare I say, it looks a bit like a butterfly.  They were thrilled and put on Avery's old ballet costumes to dance and twirl and flit like butterflies.

Monster Monster High

Alexandra was invited to her first sleepover.  Oh the heartache....for me.  She was excited to go and spend the night with her friends. HOWEVER, we did have family in town whom we were meeting the next morning so we comprised and let her stay at the party until 10 pm.  I think many parents exercised this option and I was so glad she wouldn't be the only one leaving early and not spending the night.  It was a monster high party - a doll, similar in size/shape to Barbie but monster themed.  Part of the party was face painting and Alexandra was very proud that she made herself up to look like Abby Bominable.  See the resemblance....Looooove this girl!

Sledding....well, kind of.

We booked a day of big hill sledding with our friends the Molloys.  We did this a couple of years ago and it was GREAT fun!  So we headed up and noticed that there was VERY little snow in the vicinity of the tubing hill.  So little that it was the last day they were going to be open for the season and we were scheduled to sled during the very last session.  We all headed in and geared up only to learn that the very last session of the very last day was cancelled due to high winds....which was true, it was quite windy and the tubes were moving painfully slow down the hill.  So they gave us coupons to come back next year and try tubing when there was more snow - yeah!  We did stay and play for a bit and enjoyed some delicious pizza and stellar company.  The day was definitely not lost.

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Alexandra in her new ski outfit.

Mommy - ready for sledding!

The kids when we told them we couldn't go sledding.

The kids when we said we would say and play anyway.

a Little Leprechaun

We learned a hard lesson about the leprechaun this year....if you don't set a trap he might not leave any gold coins, rather chocolate gold coins.  The girls were quite disappointed.  He did however stop by and make a bit of mischeif - scribbling on our pictures and also turning our milk green.  

Gardening Take One

A few weeks ago the girls and I found these cute little animal garden pots.  The idea is to plant grass seed in them and then you can "style" the hair once it grows.  It actually was super cute and they had fun watching the grass grow, watering their plants AND,  of course, cutting and styling the hair.

Planting....it took seven days for the grass to grow.

Time for trim!

Avery's elephant with pink bow.

Alexandra tiger with pink ribbon.

Lucky Sisters

A note Alexandra wrote to Avery.  They are lucky to have each other.

Alexandra Dear

Once we were all back home Alexandra took a turn for the worse and spent a couple more days on the couch.  Poor girl.  Fortunately she was able to drink and eat small amounts and keep it down so it was just a waiting game for the rotavirus to move through her system.  Avery perked up quickly and got busy building an elaborate fort and playing horsey with daddy once again.  SO GLAD that week is over...no school and no work for anyone the entire week!

Avery Dear - Part 2

They did send us home from the hospital but the next night we landed ourselves right back there.  She started vomiting again and had slept the entire day away.  She was dehydrated again and this time she was admitted.  There was concern about appendicitis for a bit but after a few more tests it was determined that she had rotavirus.  This can take 2-8 days to recover from.  It was a VERY long night as the ER was busy, the doctors were coming and going and we didn't get settled into our room until 1am.  She was so exhausted...as were we.  Matt and I spent the night alternating between sleeping at the foot of her bed and the very single bed in the room.  We spent 3 days in the hospital...and again, she was a trooper.  She was exhausted for the first two days and she was on a constant drip to replace the fluids her body was rapidly losing.  In the meantime, Alexandra developed the same illness though not as severe...so Matt headed home to be with her and Avery and I settled into hospital life.  We had some great nurses and always very kind doctors.  It was exhausting though and she just couldn't wait to get home....just couldn't wait.  On our last day we were transferred to another ward as I guess we had been in the rapid treatment unit too long and this was quite upsetting.  New doctors, new place, new rules, new everything.  Fortunately we were released the next morning after Avery told me REPEATEDLY that "this place is making me even sicker"....and you know, she was right because the moment we got her home she had energy and the vomiting/diarrhea stopped and she was well.  Tired, but definitely recovering.  Thank goodness for modern medicine, for doctors, for kind and caring people.  

Thank you also to our family/friends who gave us a great deal of help and support during what was a very long week.

Ellie and big blankie didn't leave her side.

Playing her favorite game - Candyland - we had to improvise a bit as many of the pieces were missing so we made up "chapstick man".  At this point I had been awake for about 48 hours....via the first night at the ER and then the second night.  

One of our favorite nurses, Sarah, giving us a ride to our new room.

Siblings are not suppose to visit but on the last night Daddy and Alexandra stopped in to lift our spirits...and it was so needed at this point!

Avery Dear - Part 1

Avery woke up very early on the morning of Friday March 1st throwing up.  She didn't stop throwing up for 12 hours - literally throwing up every 1/2 hour or hour.  At 2pm I took her to our family doctor as she was excessively thirsty and her eyes were sunken...signs of dehydration.  Our doctor sent us right up to Primary Children's Hospital.  She was such a trooper!!!  She had to have an IV put in and receive fluids for about 5 hours.  She perked up so quickly and was cracking jokes and "bossing" us around.  The doctor sent us home with anti-nausea medicine and said to keep an eye on her but overall she bounced back and was doing well....whew!  

Until....next post.

a Mermaid's Tale

Alexandra and I joined the mother/daughter book club at our local library.  Some of Alexandra's friends from school attend and they invited us.  WHAT FUN!  It is a great time together and the host is an amazing woman who lets all of the kids answer questions and share their stories.  She also does an amazing job finding a snack and a craft to go with each book we read.  This month we read a book called a Mermaid's Tale.  Each girl was able to make a life size mermaid picture after the discussion.   It was such a fun project and it was great seeing all of the mothers and daughters interact and come up with a design.  Each one was different and unique.  We will continue going and actually just finished the next book....called Gooney Bird Jones.  Fun!

Our mermaid in progress!

Alexandra with Vivi and Kyle....and their mermaids!

Another Ski Day

Just two quick snappies from a recent ski day.  Papa, Alexandra and Matt and myself, Avery and Grandma Georgene.  It was a GORGEOUS day - warm, sunny and super fun skiing together.  Girls did great and spent way more time in the trees than I would like!

Avery's First Bobcat Award

Avery earned her bobcat award!  It is a medal given out to the students in each grade who complete a set of goals specific to their grade level.  Avery was really proud of herself and so excited....and so were we!  

We were reminded; however, that she is NOT a fan of masked characters.  The school mascot was standing pretty close to her during the ceremony and she kept looking back at us, I think, to make sure we were still there and she wasn't on her own with the bobcat.  

Her good buddy, Olivia, also got her award and the two of them were all smiles afterwards.  In fact we went out that night with Olivia's family to celebrate and all of the kids enjoyed some dancing to the live music.

It was a good day!

Avery and Olivia

Dancing fun!