The Start of the Summer

The beginning of May found Morgan, Mallorie and I boarding a plane bound for Albuquerque to surprise my mom for her 60th birthday. It was a trip at least 4 weeks in the making, and I can't tell you how many time I almost blurted out crucial information to Mom. She's the one I usually coordinate with for flights, pick up, food, and whatnot. Mark was my go-to man, and there were multiple little white lies told to cover for my true whereabouts. Morgan didn't even know until the day before we left, as she can't keep a secret to save her life. Bags and carseats in hand, we boarded the plane for the first adventure of the summer. I'm lucky that my girls are good travelers, but flying on the plane stresses me out. When we arrived Tuesday afternoon, Dad picked us up from the airport. Mom was actually in DC for a work trip and didn't arrive home until late Wednesday night. She walked in the door around 10:45 after two hard days touring and with jet lag. I was sitting in the den where she couldn't see me right away. In response to a question about all the stuff covering the kitchen table, I replied that it was part of her birthday present. Silence. Slowly, Mom walked into the doorway. The look on her face said, "I know you. But why are you in my house?" All she could say for minutes was, "Oh my gosh!" And she didn't believe that the girls were with me. After the initial shock wore off, I think she was glad to see us. =)

On the plane

Gotta love this face!

Bop-bop and the M's

Smiles with Nana

Truck-bed playground at Abuleo's house

Mark and I had been planning a birthday party, and though Mom wanted details, we told her enough to be annoying but not so informational. We located, printed, and set out about 50 pictures around the house - all with Mom in them - from birth to the current day. The result was overwhelming but we had a ball with the project. And rather than traditional birthday decor, Hello Kitty hung on the walls, over the tables, and smiled at us from plates and napkins. Mom loves this particular character, and when else will she have the opportunity for a Hello Kitty birthday? Yep, at 60. Thirty friends and family arrived for the event and we had a wonderful time talking, looking at pictures, eating, and laughing.

Black and white photos hung in the entryway

Now that's a party dress!

Despite list making, engaging the help of a friend or two, and double checking what we thought was everything....Mark and I forgot the candles. On this big day!! Luckily, Mom had some sitting around the house.

The flight home was uneventful. I returned home on Monday. I unpacked, did laundry, and packed my bags - this time for a solo trip to meet Mom in the Big Apple for a little getaway.....and let the craziness of the next few months begin!

She's Four....Four Months Ago

It just occurred to me that Morgan's birthday post got lost in the craziness of moving and life in the new house. That was February, and this is August. Better late than never?

Our oldest daughter is such a blessing in our lives. She challenges me every day with her energy, brains, and more recently, attitude. Morgan loves to color, draw, and create amazing patterns with her perler beads. She enjoys listening to books - a new favorite is "The Little Engine That Could" - pretends to be different animals every few weeks, and entertains herself so well. When the raspberries were growing in our yard, she liked to go out and pick berries. She adores helping whenever possible. And for the most part, she also enjoys being a big sister. ABCs come easily for her these days, and if I tell her which letter to write, she can create sentences. Counting is a bit more difficult, and the numbers 16 and 17 are still mostly missing from the sequence. She tells people her birthdate on a first meeting, is looking forward to preschool starting in the fall, and has her first introduction to the world of soccer in a few weeks.

My Little Ponies has been and continues to be a favorite toy around our house, and for her birthday, Morgan wanted a pony birthday. Done! I couldn't figure out how to make a horse cake, so instead I made a flower cake. It was a blast to create it; I'm quite proud of being able to decorate a cute cake for my girls. I have a goal to make cakes as long as possible. And she told everyone about her pony party. It was adorable! Since Chad was working late the evening of her actual birthday, we had a birthday breakfast with her favorite, pancakes. The family party was on the weekend.

She pushes me to be a better person and I'm so grateful to be her mother. We love you, Morgan Magoo!!

Good Smells

Morgan is blessed with such a thick head of hair that it quickly became apparent that conditioner would be a great help in taming the tangled locks after bathtime. Might as well pick something fun since she's a little girl...and we came home with Suave Fairy Berry Strawberry conditioner for kids. The first time we used it, Morgan couldn't get over how it smelled. The next bath, she eagerly asked for "Hairy Berry Strawberry" conditioner to be used after the shampoo. Despite several attempts to correct the pronunciation, the name stuck. For some reason, that cracks me up every time!

Both girls can be seen walking around the backyard, sticking their noses cautiously into the blooming flowers around the property. Morgan pointed out the roses neat the back porch several weeks ago - "Come smell this, Mom! They are delicious!" I love the vocabulary usage from this girl.

Two Bigger Beds

When Morgan turned 2, we bought her a toddler bed that she adored from the moment she laid eyes on it. From no pillow to with a pillow, from no sheets to being snugly tucked into sheets nightly. And she kept growing. Like in the Berenstein Bear book about Brother Bear outgrowing his bed, we noted that Morgan, too, was starting to outgrow her big girl bed. Rather than wait for Mallorie's 2nd birthday, we promoted both girls to bigger girl beds last week.

We purchased a new twin mattress from the DI and placed it on the base my parents brought from Albuquerque at the beginning of April. I used this as a child....until I went to college. My dad made it! It served me well and will do the same for as long as Morgan is able to make use of it. There are drawers underneath for clothes or books which comes in handy as she continues to collect "stuff." (Notice that I use the word "continue" rather than "start" to collect things.)

This was how the base arrived from NM - along with furniture made by my great-grandfather. It was engineered by Mark to withstand any and all weather one would encounter along the road, and it was well-weather-proofed. Morgan's twin base for the bed is the silver piece on top, the dresser/bookshelf underneath. I think Mark had a good time creating the carrier.

Occasionally, I get the desire to try and be creative with cloth. And it doesn't normally go farther than a desire or the fleeting wishful thought. However, last June I really wanted to make a bedspread for Morgan's little toddler bed. She had a blanket that worked well, but I had this image in my mind of a cute girls' room and what I saw didn't match. Plus, the bedding combinations were rather expensive. After choosing material, spending a ridiculous amount of mental power determining how much material to purchase, and more money than if I had purchase a completed blanket plus sheets, I came home with motivation and cute material. With no functional sewing machine in the walls of my home, the motivation quickly faded. I cut the material with the help of my neighbor, Amy, and got about half of it sewed with Nancy's assistance. And that is as far as it got. Twelve months later, the unfinished piece sits in Nancy's house, collecting dust and taking up space. Huh.

I didn't have any blankets to cover the twin bed, and while perusing the aisles of Target several weeks ago, stumbled upon coordinating toddler and twin covers - SOLD! The toddler bedding came with sheets (which I didn't have) and the pink/green owl decor was too cute to resist. We now have a coordinating, adorable start to little girl room decor. Even better? Morgan and Mallorie were excited with the choice and the set matched the already pink set of curtains that cover the window.

I suppose it's kind of a silly thing to want coordinating bedspreads for a young children's room, but it makes me really happy.

If Morgan had free access to tape, her walls would be covered in pictures and drawings she has created. Maybe it's time for a magnetic board to cover the wall so she can hang her artwork where she pleases. The one in the kitchen just isn't big enough. =)

Mallorie has adjusted to the lack of crib without fuss. For the first week, she waited until I went into the room to get her out of bed when she awoke even though she's completely capable of getting out herself. I wasn't about to teach her otherwise, but she figured it out and happily pounced into our bedroom this morning at 6:15...she is totally Chad's child in that she doesn't require much sleep! This afternoon I forgot to leave the door slightly open at naptime and I heard her knocking from the inside to be let out.

And time keeps marching on....

Bathtub Giggles

Bathtub time in our house is often an adventure, as in all houses with young children, I imagine. Normally, there are few sounds coming from the bathroom for the first part of tub time while each girl is immersed in her own play. Toward the end of the time, there is often squeals and shouts of "No!" from one or the other as they start to interact and annoy the other. This time, the sounds of unrestrained giggles reached my ears, and I wandered into the bathroom to see what the fun was all about.

"What are you girls up to?" I ask, enjoying the view of their smiling faces. "Oh, nothing, Mama. We're just tooting," replied Morgan. At the word "toot," both girls immediately melt into further giggling. I snapped two photos and left them to enjoy their entertainment for a few more minutes before it was time to bathe.

Silly girls!

Canine Communication

It is said that a large percentage of our communication is non-verbal. One must watch for posture, facial expression, and arm positioning when speaking with another individual to try and obtain the entire message. Words are just a part of the whole picture. In my line of work, the non-verbal portion of the communication is enormous; spoken words do not cross the lips of any of my patients. Thus, I am left to read body language - position of the ears or tail, eye contact or lack thereof, is the front or the back end of the patient facing my direction, what sounds are coming to my ears? And the list goes on.

This became hugely apparent to me today as I observed the canine member of our family race about the backyard this afternoon, ball in mouth and obviously enjoying the movement. Something was missing from the joy in his face. His tail - which normally is carried high and wagging - was dropping limply behind, a far cry from the usual happy tail position. The condition is known as "swimmer's tail" or "rudder tail," occurring in dogs who have been out for a long swim recently. In our case, along the canal bank which chasing sticks, rocks, and bubbles. He doesn't seem overtly painful, but his tail is quite obviously not functioning normally.

Nothing in his face has changed. His tongue still flops out of his mouth while running, his eyes are full of expression, but his whole demeanor appears depressed from his lack of tail wag. Now, some dogs have no tails - bull dogs, boxers, Dobermans. Their communication is in no way decreased or conveys sadness as it does in my dog. But, when you're used to seeing the whole dog "light up" and be happy, to be missing this essential component is quite dramatic.

We gave him some pain meds and are not worried. In a few days' time, the tail will be back to full function. And with it will come the signs that he is, in fact, probably the happiest member of the family at all times.

He Is Risen!

Easter hopped its way here...and left just as quickly!

We had a family home evening the week prior to Easter Sunday to talk about the true meaning of Easter (not hunting for eggs and the bunny, much to Morgan's surprise). It is difficult to define the Atonement to a four-year-old. Words like "Atonement" or "resurrection" get lost in the discussion. We tried. So did all of the primary teachers that morning at church. =) She'll get the hang of it and I have a goal to keep the bunny-ness to a minimum. Problem is, the non-denominational things are so fun and I already have traditions established from my childhood! For example, filling an Easter basket with a chocolate bunny and little goodies for the girls to find when they wake Easter morning. Eating good food. Decorating and hiding and hunting colored eggs. I found something online that described a scripture-related egg hunt which I am hoping I will work into the traditions as the years continue to pass.

Sweet Sisters!

Classic Mallorie Eyebrows...

James invited himself and the family over to our place for dinner this year. "Do you mind if I do that? I mean, you have the perfect yard for an egg hunt!" he exclaimed. He offered to bring the ham and deviled eggs and jello salad. Done! We had a houseful of 18 family members, 8 of which were under the age of 12. It was a blast! The weather was perfect and the only time we saw the children was for dinner and while the men hid eggs. The front yard was reserved for Mallorie and little Gideon while the back yard was devoured by running, laughing, and quickly moving older little people. I hope the egg hunt was everything James imagined....

Mallorie, Jordynn, Gideon, Amaya, Noel, Tara, Morgan, Gideon

I love that we can host Chadwick's extended family in our home without feeling claustrophobic. I love watching the children run willy-nilly in the open-ness of our yard. I love watching the dog bounding through the grass, chasing anything and nothing.

And I'm grateful for wonderful family who were able to join the festivities. Here's to creating more traditions next year!!