We Did It!!

FINALLY!!! After literally years of promising we finally went for a ride on a double decker bus - another neat thing here in Davis. Every time we kindof tried things just didn't work - it was too hot/cold, the buses don't run in summer, I didn't want to take a new baby, etc. This week we had beautiful 80 degree weather (heaven!) so we raced out of school on our early day with some friends to the bus stop, and then waited. The double decker didn't come. Their schedule was off. Thankfully the kids were super patient and we had plenty of snacks and they were happy with friends so we were able to wait for awhile. Eventually we took a regular bus back to the hub on campus and as soon as we exited a double decker was ready to leave - HOORAY!! We hopped on and had the top almost to ourself! We got to sit in the front and the girls just had a great time! We did it!We were pretty high up! It was fun! We actually made it all the way through the alphabet game on our ride and life was great. We got off again on campus, met Daddy (yea!) had a little ice cream treat and ran around the grass and then boarded a regular bus back to the kids school!
It was a great trip and we had a wonderful time. For those of you in Davis the E and F lines are double decker lines but only at certain times (check the unitrans webpage). We learned that if you get off at the MU it is free to get back on! We also learned it is free for ages under 5. I'm so happy we finally did this trip - I think we might have to do it again!

Impossible Acres

One of our family's very favorite things about Davis is a small farm nearby that puts together a nice little pumpkin patch, complete with a small petting zoo of baby farm animals. I think Daddy might like going most of all :) His favorite by far is the baby kitties (and he has to be drug away to see the other animals!). We decided to get their pass for the month so we could go and enjoy the animals often so this was the first of hopefully many happy trips this month!

Baby chickens (probably not Dr. Chicken's favorite part!)

Little A, as expected, LOVED the baby animals, especially the kitties! She was so cute holding this little one and giggled and squealed at all the animals!

Mg of course loved the bunnies :)

And E was once again SO excited to get to brush the horse. I've noticed she gets a little intimidated by full size horses (as do I!) but this pony is just perfect and she LOVES to brush it!

For those of you new to Davis make sure you get there this month! It's a nice little pumpkin patch - especially if you like animals!

That's MINE!!!!

The other day I was getting lunch ready or something and A came to check out the fridge. She does this often - the child is obsessed with food. Apparently I was caught the other day sneaking chocolate chips from the bottom drawer of the fridge. So when A found the fridge open she decided the time was right and, she was rewarded. Yes, that is a Costco size bag of chocolate chips (and it tasted GOOD!!!). While I was getting something else out of the fridge she went for the drawer, managed to get it open (The child is only 13 months!!) , grabbed the chocolate bag and made a run for it.

Yes, she was even smart enough to run away with it! At this point I chose the "grab the camera and watch to see what happens route" and was greatly rewarded...
She chose a random location (on top of a stuffed animal) and was dismayed to discover that she would have to dig down to the bottom of the bag. But she kept her eye on the prize and kept going!
As soon as she got the prize she squealed and again took off on a run, tightly grabbing the now melting chocolate chips. (and yes that is Mg next to her who now realizes what is going on and is hoping to get some too!)
She then chose another random location to sit and STUFF the handful of chocolate chips into her mouth. Child, you do your mom (and grandma, and great grandma and great great grandma!!!) proud!
And this is Mg right after - she who used to HATE cameras now turns into a ham whenever the camera is pulled out.."Mommy take my picture!!" Of course the head goes down if I WANT her to pose but progress is good!! Isn't she cute!

Moral of the story: if your 1 year old can find your chocolate chips YOU"RE NOT HIDING IT WELL!!!! (sorry mom, grandma, great grandma...I've still more to learn!)

Happy Birthday Grandma!

A few of our favorite things to do with Grandma Ahlstrom....

Play in her backyard (M)

Getting our hair done (E)

Sharing new babies (this is A)

Getting our nails done (Mg)

Birthdays (this is M's 1st bday)

Dress up (this is E at 18 months)

Trips to visit us in Davis (Easter 2003)

Lake Tahoe! (2004)

Disneyland (2006)

We love you so much!! Thanks for all the great times!

End of summer fun

I can't believe the summer is actually gone! It makes me sad - it went so fast! We had some friends over for a playdate a few days ago and the kids wanted to get the bubbles out. We have plenty of fun stuff - we don't have any water access here at our apartment so instead we did lots of fun bubbles for the summer. Since it was the end of summer and I didn't want to store lots of bubble solution they were able to have LOTS of fun with the bubble wands and even more fun once the solution spilled and they had puddles to play in :)

E really enjoyed being able to blow bubbles

And of course M caught one of the last lizards for the summer. We have them EVERYWHERE! They run up and down the outside walls and love to sun themselves just outside the backyard door so we get to see them all the time. This little guy was really happy to be held and let all the kids take turns and let M carry him all around! We'll certainly miss being outside so much!

Hole in her head

I kept noticing on my friend's blog that my blog would come up as having been updated within the last few days with the title "poop" and I figured I'd better change that. This is a much better title. M has had a really loose tooth for a week now. She would come downstairs an hour or two after bedtime to let us know it was bleeding or it hurt or something. FINALLY she came down an hour after her bedtime to let us know she had lost her first top tooth! I've always told her she has a hole in her head whenever she lost a tooth (she doesn't like it) but the hole is much more noticeable with the top tooth gone!
She loves to stick her tongue out the hole! I told her that she might be able to sing "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" for real this year and she got really excited and started singing it all the time. Eventually I told her I would let the Grandmas and Santa know that that was all she wanted and she has stopped singing the song :) She stops Daddy from singing it, too :)

Poop

What a title. At least you had warning. ****CAUTION**** Graphic post to follow!!!

So poor little A has a diaper rash. She's had it for about 5 days without improvement. The ever-so-helpful advice nurse suggested I put athlete's foot cream on it (now why didn't I think of that!) and let her go around without a diaper on. Of course. No problem! She is such an amazing 13 month old that she will tell me that she needs to go potty. Except she forgot. Being brilliant I took her outside to shoot the breeze. I called Daddy on the phone and told him what we were doing. We were outside for no more than 3 minutes and she pooped. Then she grabbed it. I hung up with Daddy and was grateful that she was right next to me and I caught it right away. Of course our apartment complex does not have any hose hookups so I wiped it up and then got buckets of water to rinse things off. I called Daddy back to tell him the story. He paused and then said "I'm sorry you're having a crappy day." I reminded him how lucky he was to be male and to have a job where he was not at home. Granted, I wouldn't change my life for anything and I'm very grateful to be able to be home like I am with them, but there are moments like this that I wish would happen on Saturday when he is here!

So today I wisened up. We were having a playdate with some friends in the afternoon and we decided to go outside. I changed A's poopy diaper and then assumed she was done and we tried our advice nurse's suggestion again. We're all having a nice time and I'm chatting with my friend and midconversation I stop...I smell poop. Yes, she did it again but this time IN the playhouse where I couldn't see or smell until it was WAY too late. She has picked it up and put it on the walls, she has stepped in it and gotten it all over the ground (not to mention herself) and is now walking out of the playhouse leaving a trail. Thankfully my friend was able to stay with the big kids while I raced her to the bathtub then diapered her then went and used an insane amount of wipes and buckets of water.

It's days like this when you roll your eyes and think that surely tomorrow will go better! At least the kid is cute (actually this one is adorable and has been extra cuddly the last few days so all is forgiven!). And you can all be grateful I don't have pictures!

Growing up!

This child continues to be a monkey!!! If she practiced WALKING as much as she practices CLIMBING she'd be much better by now, and I my life would be much easier!! She can climb on almost anything now but has absolutely no fear which means if she is awake she is a danger to herself. It makes for a long day! So far she can't make it on the couch without a one inch book or toy to assist and thankfully she has not figured out how to move something over to assist her. Once that happens NOTHING in this house will be safe (especially the food!)
She prefers the Frankenstein approach to walking. She has gotten really good and spends most of her time walking, or at least trying, falling, getting up and walking a little further and saves crawling for when she needs to get going fast (when she sees food!)
She has been trying many different ways of getting up after falling down - this one amused me!
Go baby go!! She is so happy walking - sometimes laughing to the point that she can't walk anymore!! Such a cute baby!

Cute girls!!

Mg and her buddy (the little sister of a friend from E's kindergarten class - did you get all that!). I was nervous about Mg doing gymnastics - she hasn't done it in a year and tends to be very clingy and not open to trying new things but I signed her up for a class without me but with a great friend and she is doing WONDERFUL!!! It is a highlight in her week and I'm so grateful!
Two girls being goofy for the camera :) A likes to put clothes over her head to play peek a boo and Mg still loves to make silly faces!
"Take my picture Mommy!!!" Here you go!! I love these kids - always some entertainment!!

What happens when Mommy plays soccer

Beautiful, isn't it! (but they didn't score - either time!!!)