Cupcake :(

Poor old Cupcake. Cupcake was our Beta fish that we got for Liv around her 2nd birthday. We thought it would be a good way to teach responsibility. Every day Liv would help feed him. Every week, we would give him his bath (clean his bowl).

Well, We noticed he wasn't doing too well last week. He wasn't swimming around as much. Then on Saturday, we noticed he stopped breathing and died. We easily could have gone out and gotten another Beta fish and Liv would have never noticed. But, we really think it is important to teach her the circle of life. Starting off small is helpful for her (and us). I have to say, when I told her, I got teary eyed. It just made me realize that we will one day have to be the deliverer of bad news (ex. Corriah, family).

We told her that Cupcake went to Fishy heaven to play with other fish. She knows that we won't get to play with him again but that he is happy and in a better place. She seemed concerned, but relieved when we told her he was okay. He lived 7 months with us and who knows how long before we bought him. Ryan looked it up online and their typical life expectancy is 1 year (so not too bad).

This weekend we plan on bringing him to Merry Place (our family Havertown nature spot) and putting him in the creek with the rest of the fish.

We plan on getting another fish in a few weeks. Maybe she will name this one Cookie......

Mother's Day Weekend

Boy did we have a fun filled weekend.



We woke up Saturday morning and headed to the shore. Liv ended up sleeping in the car so she didn't have to nap once we got down there. We all ordered some lunch and just hung around for a bit. Then Meme and I went to Cape may day spa and holistic center for a massage (thanks Fam, for the birthday gift). Boy was that incredible and much needed. We shopped around Cape May for a bit and then met the gang at the Lobster House for dinner. Liv was amazing at dinner. We were there for 2 hours and she sat in a her big girl seat the whole time. She had the perfect seat because she sat at the head of the table and got to watch all of the boats going by.

The next morning, Liv walked down to Meme and Gpop's so mommy and daddy could chill in bed for a bit. Liv went to Uncle Bill's with Gpop and then delivered a box of pasteries for us kids. Then, we went for a walk on the beach with the dogs and flew a kite. We got to drive one of the electric cars from Uncle John's new shop. Sooo fun!

We decided to leave because Liv was tired and we thought having her nap in the car would be the best call. Once we got home,we did some house chores.


Then we went to Great Gram's house for some pizza and cupcakes. Liv played freeze tag with her cousins outside and had a blast.

Like father, Like daughter.....

Liv wants to do anything that she sees daddy doing. He goes potty, she goes potty. He wears a zip up hoodie, she wears a zip up hoodie. He is on the computer, she is on her computer (she just learned how to use the mouse and play games.....) He uses a screw driver, she is right beside him trying to fix the same thing. He mows the lawn,she mows the lawn. She just started playing a game with us where we mirror each other.

St. Denis Fair

Liv and I went up to the St. Denis fair because it was the opening day. It runs for the next two weeks and it is great because it is so close to our house. Last year we didn't go because Liv wasn't as into rides as she is this year. Mommy really wanted to go and get their infamous cheese fries. YUM!
Liv spent about 30 minutes in the moon bounce. Worked for me because it was only 1 ticket ($1) and no time limit. All of the other rides were three tickets.

We met up with Will and Liv went on the motorcycle with him. She loved IT!!!!!

Right before we left, daddy took the train home which was across the street from St. Denis so he walked over and was able to watch Liv and Will on the ride......

Say, Cheese!

Well, the past few days have been pretty busy. On Friday, when we were down in Old City, Liv and I were hanging out front of the Arden Theatre waiting for Daddy to get out of work. She was blowing bubbles and I got a really close glimpse at her teeth and I noticed that her top 6 teeth had discoloration on them. We woke up Saturday and when Ryan got a good look at them, he thought they didn't look good so we called high and low to get into a dentist. To make a long story short, 3 dentist visits later, Liv had 6 cavities. The dentists said they weren't caused by food. It most likely was from me nursing her until she was 2. Apparently, once food is introduced in a baby's diet, the milk mixed with the bacteria caused by food can cause cavities. We all know that Liv was not a good sleeper until she was over 1 1/2 so when I would nurse her at night the milk would lay on her gum line and eventually caused decay.
We heard horror stories of how filling the cavities could be traumatic. There were talks of restraining and sedating her. So lets just say Ryan and I were hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. I got a call from Dr.McKee yesterday saying he could squeeze her in on Wednesday because of a cancelation. (side note-----Dr. Mckee is an absolute AMAZING dentist; if you live anywhere near the Main Line he was voted best pediatric dentist) Since we knew we were going in, mommy started dentist boot camp. Well, not really, but Liv, daddy, and I played dentist with her doctors kit. We used this goofy yellow cup as the rabbit nose(to prep for the laughing mask). We used the thermometer as the drill and told her we were tickling our teeth. the needle was the water, and she had a mouth mirror thing too. Daddy may not have appreciated being woken up at 6:30am with Liv trying to shove all of these utensils down his mouth. But it was well worth it because it really ended up helping her prepare (and me).
I was super nervous but knew we had to get this done. The dentist wasn't sure how it would go and showed Ryan how to hold her incase she was flailing. Well, lets just say Liv sat by herself in the big chair all by herself (Man, I should have brought a camera). We didn't know if she would get 1 filled or all filled.Well, she ended up having ALL of her cavities filled in one sitting. There wasn't a tear in her eyes the entire time. He used Laughing Gas (which I was hesitant on, but now wish he could send me a tank home to whip out in the middle of tantrums). We talked to her the entire time and she would talk back. Her responses made sense but she had us cracking up. She would laugh at times and list all of the Backyardigans when we asked her to. Towards the end of the visit, the "Elephant Mask" fell off and she was so good Dr. McKee kept it off.

The courage in her brought tears to my eyes. She sat up so proud of her teeth and smile. I brought a wrapped present to give her at the end but she was so darn excited to get Dr. McKee's sugar free lollipop, my gift was dirt. Oh well..... I will make sure she gets extra hugs and kisses today. She gave us the best gift ever.......pride.

Woohoo.......Watermelon.

First Friday and Pablo Saturday.

On Friday, we had a playdate with Ben in Old City. We went to Daddy's new work and met Chris, Liz, and Ben. We had fun hanging out in the new work space and then going to the Race Street Cafe for dinner. Liv had a blast playing with Ben and playing baseball and catch with him.


Saturday, Liv went to her first dentist appointment and we are so proud of how she overcame her fears. She let the dentist look in her whole mouth and then got a fancy troll ring and a blue's clues toothbrush.
That night, we went to the Tweeter Center and saw the Backyardigan's Live. We ended up with really good seats. 7th row, front and center. Figures, Liv freaked out at the beginning and made daddy sit in the way back with her for the first 10 minutes. Once she got acclimated, she was ready to go back to our original seats. By the end she was clapping and singing and marching....... She didn't want it to end. So CUTE! And Fun!

But, MOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM?!

I just received the memo that Liv would like to go from toddlerhood straight to being a teenager. Part of me giggles because it is so funny to hear a 2 year old respond to anything I say by saying, "But, Mooommmmmmmm?" The other part of me is scared to death of raising not only 1 but two GIRLS.
Lately, Liv has become so obsessed with what she wears and she is so particular. Lord knows she isn't getting that from me because I am lucky if I can bend over to put shoes on, let alone put on some lip gloss. By 6:30 am Liv has already demanded what she is wearing for the day and completely dressed. Some mornings the first words out of her mouth are, "I want my flower shoes..... or I want my brown sneakers"

If she is like this now, who knows what age 3, 10, or 15 will bring........... I just keep repeating in my head and meditating to "it's just a phase,it's just a phase, it's just a phase........"

someone has a green thumb.

no autographs, please.

Liv's ballet class was chosen for her dance studio's ad in the local paper.

Our hearts are growing.

The closer my due date gets, the more our hearts are growing for this little baby girl. Liv has been really snuggling with my growing belly. She no longer uses a pillow when snuggling mommy. She uses her baby sister. Every once in awhile, she will turn to my belly and say in a sweet mother ease voice, "you ok, baby sister?" or "awwwwwwwwww, baby sister and hug her". She uses my belly button as a telescope and thinks she can look in and see the baby. My favorite as of yet was last night when we were snuggling before Liv's bedtime and she took her binky out of her mouth and said, "here you go baby sister" and put the binky in my belly button. She said, "Here you go, baby sister, you got the binky. It's ok, I'm here."
It was hysterical and tear-jerking to see her so loving. I already feel them bonding. They are so lucky to have each other. They just don't know it yet (and it may take awhile). Best Friends for Life.

daddy's little girl!

Just lounging with my daddy.......

Seems to be all Liv wants to do lately. I learned through my masters degree and years of courses on child development and that all toddlers hit a stage of development where they prefer the parent of the opposite sex. Well, happy to say Liv is developing appropriately and right on target. Liv has officially become daddy's little girl.

Jammin' out.

One of Liv's favorite things to do is listen to music and dance. This is after about 10 minutes of dancing so it isn't her at her spunkiest state, but still shows her rhythm.

Liv has been having a blast building sand castles in her sand table. She calls it her "Beach". She will spend an hour at a time outside building some masterpieces. It is all fine and dandy, except when she wakes up at 6am and wants to immediately go out and build sandcastles. Yawn.....

what a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Walk to park.

G-Pop will be proud.

Liv got a new Dora T-ball set as a present from us for being a big girl on the potty lately. Maybe she will take after her mommy and be a future T-Ball Player.

Cinderella

On my birthday, Liv and I went with Meme, Aunt Rita, and Hannah to see Cinderella at the Walnut Street Theatre. It was only an hour and the perfect length for the little ones. We ended up with really great seats in our own box. I think that helped the girls feel comfortable too. They really enjoyed their first play and got to experience a little bit of culture. Fun........

What have I done to be so lucky.....

As we sit and wait for the arrival of our newest little miracle, I can't help but wonder how lucky we are. We have been blessed with the most loving and joyful little girl and in 4 months we will be twice as blessed. Our life is so full of love, I just can't imagine what it will be like in 1 year, 5, years, 10...... I feel like the luckiest person in the world.

reflection.

Letter to Liv

It is hard to believe that you are already one month shy of turning one. I could never thank you enough for coming into my life and teaching me what life is. I feel so blessed to have you. When I found out I was pregnant, I never realized that I was getting the best miracle in my life. I wouldn’t trade my life with you for anything.

Now that I have you, my purpose in life is to love you and teach you to love yourself. When I look into your eyes, I see me. I see me, but only more perfect than perfect. More innocent than innocence. Purity. Beauty.

Those eyes are the same eyes that for 9 months daddy and I wondered what color they would be. Those are the same eyes that locked with mine seconds after I birthed you. They are the same eyes that light up when you see me enter the room. They will be the same eyes I look at on your first day of kindergarden, high school, wedding day. The same eyes I will look at as you have your first look into your own daughter or son’s eyes.

I can not believe that my body made you. I do not understand what I did so right to have you in my life. Everyday I could give at least a hundred reasons why I love you more than the day before.

Everyday I wonder how I can love you more. Teach you more. Snuggle with you more. Play with you more

Within the past year I have watched you go from a helpless little creature to a curious crawling maniac. I wish I could freeze time and hold onto those intimate moments while I nurse you. You look into my eyes with such innocence and trust. I never want to forget the cozy nuzzle you give me when you are ready for a nap. Or the smile that appears on your face when you see me coming toward you.
I never want to forget your……
crooked smile
Space between your teeth
Expressive eyebrows
Love for waffles
çlove for clapping your binkys
Down dog crawl
Raspy morning voice
Inability to stay still for a diaper change
Love for bubbles
Walks in the woods
Bitter Lemon face
Love for daddy’s electronics
Mullet
Double jointed toes
Hate for vitamins

I always want to take the time to live in the moment. Explore the world with you. Teach you good morals. Teach you to love. Teach you to Live.

Daddy and I love you with all of our heart and soul.

Liv, you give us a reason to Live. To love.

Love Always,

Mommy (your best girlfriend)
Letter to Liv