Hey mom?

I was watching videos and Liv said, "Hey mom?" in the video.  

I actually responded and said "What?".  While watching it.

Dry run.

I call this a dry run, but it was more a messy run.  

I found a local woman who used to be a baker in wayne, pa.  Her two sons have various food allergies so she decided to make some cash by baking allergy friendly goods out of the house.

  In preparation for Charlotte's first birthday, I called the baker last week and ordered a dozen cupcakes that are egg/dairy/peanuts/tree nuts/soy free.  She told me that they freeze really well and alot of moms will order a dozen at a time to bring to parties or for Mr. Softie alternatives.  

When we went to pick them up today, I almost got teary eyed when she handed them to me.  Or, let's just say I did....  She just gave Charlotte the gift of sweet treat indulgence.  Something I feared her missing out on when we first found out about the allergies.  

They were pretty darn delicious!  She enjoyed it!  See for yourself.  This video is her first experience with "Junk food".  And SUGAR (besides fruit)

I whipped out the girls Princess Plates that I keep for special occasions. (thanks Jaworski's)

Sidenote:  Liv has been such a sweet big sister.  She is starting to get a hang of the allergy awareness.  She is always checking with me to see if things have dairy and egg in them.  And she checks my plate to make sure I am not mistakenly eating something I can't.  Love her!

Little trains.

The girls both enjoyed the little trains this year.  Last year, Charlotte went on them but she was in utero (and about ready to come out).....

Weekend Ritual.

The weekends we aren't at the shore, one of our weekly rituals has been to barbeque and play out back.  The girls swim, play on the swingset, parents drink a few beers, bbq....

Beats going out to eat, we spend a third of  the money, and the kids have less restrictions.

Liv and Lo can go down the slide together. One of those moments that makes you realize how lucky they are to have each other.

Wagon Whirls.

Another one of Charlotte's new discoveries.  The Wagon.  The more confident she becomes, the more worlds that open up.  I swear on Monday, she was a baby who would sit down for 20 minutes in the same position playing with the same toy.  Within the past 5 days, she has changed so much.  Not sure what happened.....  She sure is loving life though.

New view.

Charlotte is feeling pretty secure these days.  Like a super big girl.  All of her waking hours are spent standing up holding onto anything that is at her level and sturdy.  The coffee table, wooden baskets....  

When she is in my arms, she is moaning, complaining and pointing to her next possible crutch.  She bounces and smirks.  As if to say, "Look at me, I am a hotshot."  It didn't take long for her to figure out that there are risks to this new milestones....... face plants."

Mary's song.

Driving in the car tonight and watching Liv in the rear view mirror......it was one of those moments.  The kind of moment where within 5 seconds the past 4 years flashes through my head.  I don't know how she has gotten so big.  So mature.  Turned into such an amazing person.  

I watched her mouth the lyrics to "Mary's Song" by Taylor Swift.  Taylor was my next door neighbor growing up and the lyrics to that song were influenced by my parents' relationship (hence the title).  They met in kindergarden, parents were friends, etc.

Full circle.  Growing up with little Taylor next door (who is now pretty grown up), her looking up to my parents, and then seeing their grandchild sing the lyrics.  Me watching my daughter sing a song written about my parents.

I have to admit, I had tears.  It just hit me.  At that moment.  My little girl is getting so big.  And I love the little person she has become.

She is always demanding,  "I want to hear Meme and GPop's song....!"

Cheerios and apples.

Charlotte has been trying to hold my cell phone and talk on it.  Starting young.....yikes.

PLAY TIME.

These girls have become quite the pals lately.  They love playing together.

We are the world.

Ever since Liv's recital she knows all of the words to "We are the World".  She can't stop singing it.  She even sings herself to sleep.

Leading the Parade at Grandmom's House.

Liv, Syd, and Grandpop enjoyed leading a parade into the living room.  Then the girls put on some talent shows for us.

Long car ride, solution.

Sitting in the front passenger seat during a long ride can be quite challenging when the girls start losing patients.  I usually climb into the back seat and sit with the girls.  I try my best to entertain them.  Whatever it takes.....

Press Pause.

Ry and I have been reflecting lately on how we wish we could just pause our life.  Stay in this exact moment.  Where we are the center of the girls' lives.  All they want and need is our love.  We are their main influence.  Hugs and kisses are all they need.  A simple kiss or band-aid can fix any boo-boos.  

As much as we were told, time and time again about how difficult parenting is.  No one could quite put into words the connection between a parent and a child's heart.  I can almost visualize our family as a gold link bracelet.  Us each representing a link.  If one of us feels weak, we are all still connected.  We are all one unit.  We need each piece of the puzzle to feel complete.  

There isn't anything in the world we wouldn't do for our kids.  We know that our job as a parent is a job for life.  There is alot of comfort in that.  The job will drastically change.  We have already seen how the demands of a newborn are way different than the demands of a toddler.  Therefore, parenting a teen will be way different than parenting a married woman.  

We know it will be hard, but we are willing to change and give our children whatever their needs are.  As long as Liv and Charlie know that we love them with all of our heart and soul.  We no longer are complete without them.  A large piece of us lies within them.  

ROCK

Gobble, gobble.

I have to document this...... because I know Charlotte won't believe me when I say she was ADDICTED to her Vegetable Turkey Dinner ( organic by Earth's Best baby food).  When I say addicted, I mean sometimes three jars a day (out of her 6 a day).  Sometimes she asks for it for breakfast.  When I say ask, I mean demands.  She can tell when I walk toward her holding a jar of baby food whether it is Turkey dinner.  It is brown and has a maroonish label.  When I try to trick her and give her sweet potatoes or carrots, she turns her head, seals her lips shut and grunts.  But if I put the spoon in the turkey dinner jar, she quickly turns her head towards me, leans in, and opens her mouth like a bird.  

I seriously am spending a hundred bucks a month just on turkey dinner!  Between, that, her rice pancakes, cheerios, ground beef, and all of the other baby food jars, she has a MEAN appetite.  She eats more in one day, then her sister who is almost three years her elder.

Charlotte's appetite is definitely the talk in our family.  She LOVES her food!

I now have to find a clever way to reuse the empty jars.  Start making something.  Maybe sell it so this darn Turkey Dinner obsession can start working for itself.

giggles.

swingset fun.

Visit with Meem and Jeep.

I love this picture because Liv is Jeep's little sidekick.  They are always off to doing something together.  I just love that LIv has always looked at G-Pop like a cozy teddy bear.  She loves snuggling on him.  If you look closely to this picture, Liv has to raise her hand entirely to hold Jeep's hand.  AND, everyone knows Jeep ISN'T a hand holder.....

Charlie-Bear hanging with Meme....

Dock time.

Bear. (Can I please eat your lips off?)

Livi!!

Okay, I love listening to liv's voice here.

If you are happy and you know it...

Please Touch Museum.

I see a bit of devil in that smile.

I remember Liv doing this snorty little face when she was Charlotte's age.  But Lo's face is different.  Her eyebrows make this devilish expression while snorting her nose.

Dance Recital.

What a difference>   Liv's recital this year was so much different than last year.  Last year, she stood there on the stage and cried while rolling her arms over and over until the song was over.  This year, she was the first to come out on the stage.  She walked across the whole stage on her tippy toes and then continued to step by step following the choreographed dance.  She would glance to the right at Mrs. G who was hiding behind the curtain and reminding the girls of the dance moves.  

She seemed so confident.  Followed the dance to a T. 

At the end of the show, Liv was given an Award of Excellence.  Only about 6 kids in the entire school got one.

After the show, the whole crew headed to Rino's for a pizza party (with a few beers for the adults) to celebrate.  

Liv felt super special today being surrounded by her entire family.

We are so proud of her!  I think she is ready for preschool in the fall!

Liv is the furthest to the left.

(this video is so difficult to see her.  We had to bring the flip instead of our bigger video camera because we had to sneak it in- cameras weren't allowed in.)  I love this video because you can hear Ryan and my reaction to her.  

Stay tuned for the footage of the video we bought from the dance studio.

Bailey is back.

Every year, on our daily walks to the park, we feed the duck (or two).  All last year, they weren't there.  Everytime we walked there, I had to say Bailey was sleeping.  (we named him Bailey because it is at Bailey park)

Well, we went yesterday and he was back.  AND, he had his wife and two babies.....  We fed them all!

Swann Memorial Fountain.

Stella.

Well, I fought hard to name Charlotte, Stella, but I lost.  That is okay because Ryan bought me my very own beach cruiser.  I named her Stella.

I am on the search for the perfect basket to put on her.  She will be my Farmer's market companion.  I also plan to bring her to the shore so I can ride her everywhere (like I did growing up).  

I see it now, in about 4 years, when the girls are in school, taking Stella to yoga with me.