Professional Photo Shoot

I sneaked in Sara's 2 yrs and Laura's 6 yrs professional pictures two weeks ago (thanks for your help, Mom!). I was amazed how many good pictures we got. I ended up wanting so many that it was just as economical to order the CD of the pics, so I can post them completely legally and print out as many as I want. Yes, the family will finally be getting wallets. Here are my favorites of the girls together!

I adored these super-close-ups!

These are great. A bonus since I ordered the CD is that I was able to crop these ones to be tight on their faces and match the format of school pictures for the grandmas and J's office.

Yes, I have put 8 up on the wall downstairs. Good thing there was a sale on frames at Michaels!

Fair Fun

Last week our neighboring town had their summer festival. The carnival came and we had to take the girls for some rides. The rain let up just long enough to get in some good rides. The carousel, of course was the favorite.
But, something great was that the girls were big enough to go together on most rides. They had a great time and it helped calm down the Disneyland wants that we've all been experiencing. I'm glad we fit in some fun before we all got stuck at home!

Crazy, Scary, Okay

So, this week brought the scariest moments of any of my pregnancies (excepting Laura's birth of course). On Monday I got a searing pain across the right side of my belly about 2 inches above my previous incision scars. When I couldn't walk by that night, Jason hauled me into the hospital. They got me on pain meds, anti-contraction meds and scheduled lots of tests for the next morning.

The scary part happened at 3:30 am after I sent Jason home to sleep. The nurse woke me up telling me to call my husband, because the baby was in distress and the doctor was on his way in to deliver Eliza. Her heart rate was up at 195 (normal is 135) and had been for an hour. I was prepped for surgery and her heart rate went down. Jason, the doctor, and I watched her heart rate for the next half hour and it never went back up again.

After all the tests, they figure that my scar tissue on my uterus was ripping because Eliza got so big (she's measuring about 3.5 weeks ahead today and was measuring right on 5 weeks ago) so quickly. After two days and two nights in the hospital, I am finally home and on bedrest - driving me crazy - but, Eliza is fine. My pain is still rather intense, and I have to keep going in for tests, but things seem to be okay. Let's hope I can heal and get Eliza to 36 weeks!

Minnies!

Sara's room is finally not so boring - it's a lot more fun, just like her! The pictures I made for her birthday and are up in her bedroom. She loves them and I find her staring at them regularly - yay SUCCESS!

I had a really hard time deciding what to do in her room because I didn't want to paint until her opinions were more solid. Pictures were just the thing, but I couldn't find anything that screamed "Sara" and her big personality to me. So, I took matters into my own hands and made them. I found the drawings I wanted on a free coloring pages site (no copyright infringement here), matched the bows to the awesome frames from Michaels, and painstakingly filled in the bows (stupid pixelization and shading) to get just what I envisioned. I love how they turned out and really like my last minute addition of the black frame as well.

Awfully Quiet

After an hour on the computer the other day during naptime, I went to my room to check the monitor - the computer is near enough to her room that I can hear Sara without the monitor if there is any complaining - oh, and the monitor was off. So, I snuck down to her bedroom figuring something had happened to the monitor, to switch back on Sara's end of the device. This is what I found instead.

And this is how badly she felt about it. Smart little twerp turning off the monitor! Momma beware when this girl is a teenager!

Ballet Performance

Laura had her annual ballet performance this past Saturday. She was a "Jeweler" in the ballet "Cinderella". Naturally, being Laura, she did her part perfectly and even helped out a lost little dancer here and there. She smiled, danced and got so absorbed with the whole experience that she was exhausted afterwards and took a two hour nap. Laura was magnificent and she really, really loves to dance. (Wonder where she got that from?!)

I didn't actually get to see her perform much. I was backstage helping my two classes (Jewelers and itty bitty Bluebirds) get onstage and their peices performed without incident. However, my folks, Jason's Mom, and Jason thoroughly enjoyed watching her and said she was wonderful. Sara's enjoyment was at another level, however. She was absolutely entranced with what was onstage until the awe wore off and then she was a running commentary on her experience. Finding "my Lala" was the best part and Laura said she even heard her! Yes, Sara and Jason left at the first intermission.

I think that one of Laura's favorite parts was receiving flowers afterwards. Because we both know Laura and her preferences, my parents and us gave her pink roses (which we found ourselves buying at the same moment in line at Walmart) which she adored and J's mom got her a red rose for the day as well.

Life came full circle for me when I found my name listed under faculty in the program. I have had such a great year being able to teach little girls, have special time with my Laura, and refind a buried talent. I loved being able to stand with my fellow teacher and lifelong friend Becky, who I danced with from age 7 yrs through college, and watch our little girls perform. Thank you so much Mom and Dad who allowed me to cultivate my talent in my youth and then enabled me to use it as an adult and teach my precious girl - LOVE YOU!

Prettiest Flowers in the Garden

Instead of taking Sara in to get her pictures taken for her birthday, I attempted to get pictures in my Mom's beautiful Secret Garden. (I'm afraid I'll still have to take her in; she was not the most cooperative.) But, here are the best from the day.

I caught this only because I let the monkey climb the post. She was successful, but terrifying!

Cute, but how do I get her to look at the camera?

Well, she's looking at the camera. The smile is elusive, however.Laura, of course was perfect. Isn't she just precious?!
Getting one of the two of them proved impossible. These are the best I got. Hopefully, JCPenney can do better.

Sara's Two!

Sara turned two-years-old yesterday. I was actually in the hospital at the exact time she was born and thinking about getting her here. It was weird and fun to remember it so intimately. I am so grateful she is part of our family!
We had a (little) party with both sets of grandparents on her very day. She loved it and just kept saying "two grandmas for Sara" "two grandpas here".
Sara opened her presents and loved doing it. I think her favorite was the butterfly Laura made for her. I loved that she got two babies and there was no sister fighting to play with grandma presents. From us she got books that she can't stop reading and some pictures for her room that I'll post more on later.
Once again, the singing and cake were the best parts of the night for her. How I love that she understands the party was for her. Look at the pure joy on her face!

Huge Chocolate Cake

Sara was quite specific about what she wanted for her birthday this year: "Huge chocolate cake" with "parkly candles and creamy" and "Grandma, Nuncle Steve, Joey, Lala" in attendance. So, we coordinated with my family to get her the party she wanted. We had it for FHE this past Monday and it was great! Jason made the "creamy" and Costco took care of the truly "Huge chocolate cake."

Sara really "got" that the party was for her. She was so excited when we all sang for her and she got to blow out her candles. She kept asking to blow out the candles "one more time" and have everyone clap for her. And, for some unknown reason (perhaps the brightness of her two candles) she had to wear sunglasses during the main event along with her insistence that she wear a "party dress" for that night, no capris for this girl! (It's her party and she'll wear what she wants to!)

My camera battery died and I didn't get nearly enough pictures. But it was great to have everyone over and it was precisely what little Sara wanted. Thank you, family!

There is Beauty All Around

I love this time of year. There are so many beautiful things to see outside. I have been surprised at how many of my baby plants have decided to bloom and show their beautiful colors. I thought I would have to wait until next year to enjoy them, but my clematis, roses and bleeding heart are just beautiful!

I also love how my variegated willows have gotten in on the show. Pink and white leaves just make me happy!

Also, the robins built another nest under our deck this year and we are currently enjoying the baby birds.

But, in my opinion, nothing is more beautiful than my little girls playing outside. Even if I have to don a very ugly mask to join them!

And, it looks like we may be able to truly make everything around us beautiful. The HOA is doing research that will enable us to lease and finish the green space around us as our own lot. A lot of work, but a great thing...no more weeds or junk trees!