Lauren's Birthday Party

We were honored to have been invited to a friend's 4th birthday party. It was a beautiful party for a lovely girl, and an absolutely delightful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. 

The three little girls (Lauren, Liv & Mimi) played together, while the grownups visited. 

Then when it was time for presents, Liv got the important job of helper (she helped pick the next present to be opened & she cleared the scraps of wrapping paper. 

She did very well - she was enthusiastic, helpful, and didn't get jealous or distracted or... at least not too much. :)

Lauren got some great new dress-up clothes!!

Liv the Fearsome Pirate!! 

Pretty birthday girl!

Day One with Dog

Yesterday the family drove half way across the state to go meet this dog that Jeff found on an adoption/rescue website. (There is a whole crazy story that I won't go into, here.) 

We don't really know anything about the dog except she is female & a mutt of some kind. There is a suspicion of some small poodle, and some type of terrier. Her age is estimated at 4-5 months.
Someone named her Marabella (which we probably won't change). And I'm guessing she weighs 10 -15 pounds. 

She smelled like a dirty dog, was shedding like crazy, and had obviously been playing outside. Our very first stop was a pet store to get shampoo and a brush, (well, and some puppy food, a harness & leash).

next stop was pizza & beer 

stop three: the tub.
(girls first, then dog)

she actually did pretty well  - for a totally freaked out dog.
(she doesn't know it yet, but she's getting another one tonight!)

 Mimi got caught in the shaking, wriggling, rubbing fest that followed. 

So, day one with a rescue dog. Yes, she is stressed out; yes, she had an upset tummy; yes, she ended up sleeping in the garage; yes, Jeff and I were up more than a couple times each during the night to visit with her.
But she doesn't chew (yet), doesn't lick (much), doesn't bark (at all), doesn't whine. I guess over all we're doing just slightly better than I had expected.

This is where 'Bella can be found at any given moment - under my heels.

Today it's cold and clear and windy, we bundled up & headed out to burn some energy on a mini hike.

Mission accomplished! Tired Puppy. (asleep next to my chair as I type this)

MOCHA Adventure

I've had my eye on this place, MOCHA, in Oakland, part of what they do is have an open art studio for a drop-in fee. I have been planning a trip since Camila turned 18 months.  Well, I finally decided to put it on the calendar and go! It was a mighty adventure for the littles. Here is the plan: 

Long car trip (same exit as Super Franks), then the BART train (exciting!) - switch trains - and then a short walk through the city ... to a kids art studio and museum!   Wow. 

A play dough table - "mud" play dough on a rainy day. 

Oil pastels and "rain" watercolor wash

There was a project set up at this table,
but there was also a pile of scrap paper for Mimi to practice cutting and gluing.

As we were packing up to go, the girls found boxes of building blocks and built wonderful towers.

Then as they were putting away the blocks Liv found train tracks! 

Tired kids waiting for our train.

Very tired kids. :)

We bought a container of purple glitter play dough.
oh my goodness! how fun is THAT?!

Hoops and Wheels

A little playing outside when we got home from the pediatrician.

A little fresh air and sunshine is just what the doctor ordered. - If not literally, then at least implied! 

Camila is always excited to be riding -anything-
She's not 100% sure about the tricky balancing part of the new running bike, and asked me to stop taking pictures (??!!!!?).  But she's very happy to be learning to peddle the tricycle. And even plays on Liv's scooter. It is so amazing to me how physical she is.

Liv is really zooming on her balance bike. And getting more comfortable and happy with the speed.  Maybe it is time for a helmet... :)

Camila's 2 Year Check-Up

Today was Camila's annual well-child visit and yes, it is official, she is a well child.

Camila is 23-1/2 pounds and 34 inches.

(Olivia is 32 pounds and 39 inches.)

On the charts, which the doctor encourages me to "take with many grains of salt," she is under-weight. But she assures me that long & lean is a fine shape for a toddler, and she eats enough good food, she's grown since the last visit, and not to worry. 

-- Good. Thanks. I wasn't going to. ;-)

So she's up to date on her vaccines. Her gross motor skills like climbing and jumping are good. Her ability to follow directions "sit on your bottom" "open your mouth" "take a big breath" is good. (She even used good manners) and fine motor skills, holding a pen, writing, drinking from a cup, all good.

I ought to make her wear a helmet when she rides her trikes/bikes. But otherwise we're all doing our jobs.

Pig Tails

Livvy wanted four piggies this morning -- and since I've really been working my "yes" parenting -- she ended up with this super-do. 

And, of course, Mimi wanted piggies too.  :-)

The Pinata

It worked!
It came out damn near how we imagined it would! Go figure!

Liv and her painting of a hot air balloon (we've had the easel and paints out all week).

As some of you know, this was my first ever paper mache project, and I sought advice from Google and my facebook friends - where else? 

Turns out, it's like most things, follow the instructions and everything will be OK. I was nervous about making sure that a toddler/preschooler would be able to break it (in less than half and hour!!!)  - and yet not hyper fragile... so I didn't enlist much help.

But Camila and Liv did help pick out the toys and treats that would go in the pinata and filled it! 

And I let Camila choose if she wanted to break the pinata at home with just us or if she wanted to bring it to playgroup and share with their friends. Liv made sure she helped choose, and together, they chose to wait until the day after Mimi's b-day, and bring it to playgroup.

The Mommy hosting the group was kind enough allow me to bring it, for which I am very grateful!

These kids are so well behaved - they waited patiently while we got everything set up. 

Liv and Mimi had been waiting for this for days and days! They were READY...
(a vacuum extension tube as a bat - light enough for Mimi to swing.)

Every kid got a turn, I think almost everyone got two turns. Every hit put a dent in it, some broke it.

Liv made a small hole. 

Jordan was fascinated - it took a few quick mommies to make sure he didn't end up getting bonked himself, he was always right there!  And really loved it when it was HIS TURN!!

But Abbygail, with her blonde braids flying, dealt the final blow! Crrraaack!

YAY!!!

What fun!

I realize that I really should have brought my big Nikon to take these pictures, the little camera is just too slow! - Or at least I need to choose my settings much more carefully.
Well, there you go, now I know a lot more than I did before!