Liv's first day of school and an unexpected hair cut.

This picture of Liv below describes our morning. Grumpy. Apprehensive. Scared, but trying to be brave. Once we started walking to school with Dad she got more excited. When we got to the school and she saw all the kids playing on the playground before school started, it eased her fears a little, but not mine I'm afraid. When I said, "Olivia its time to line up against the wall and get ready to go into your class now", she did so quietly but obediently and bravely. Oh my sweet girl. I held it together for her and my face looked just like hers (picture below). I think we were both trying to look brave for each other. I'm so proud of Liv. I know she will do great. I just hope this pit leaves my stomach sometime in the next year so that I can be proud of myself too.

The minute Liv walked through the door and turned her back I let my tears fall. I'm so glad Jaron was there to catch them. 

When she got home from school she was so quiet, not normal for Liv. I just wanted her to tell me everything. I was so anxious to hear every detail. Once we were home she finally warmed up and told me all about her day, but she said she didn't meet any new friends which made me a little sad. She likes her teacher though and thinks she's nice, but doesn't like her name, Mrs. Fivecoat. Hopefully she didn't tell her that.

I thought Warner would be pretty upset that his playmate was gone, but it turned out to be quite the contrary. I asked him if he was sad that Liv was gone and he said "Nah" and ran outside.  I looked at him out the window as I was unloading groceries and watched him walking around the yard with a pole in his hands wacking plants. He seemed happy and content. I think he might even be a little excited to be the new boss of the grounds around here. In fact, I think he was so excited to prove his bigness that he decided to take Buster under his wing and be his caretaker this morning. He was such a good caretaker in fact that he decided while I was printing off a recipe, to give Buster a hair cut. I came out to the car where the kids were only to find buster in his carseat with sweet baby, blonde hair all over his black car seat. Warner looked at me and said "I wanted to give him a hair cut so he could look gwate (great)". Then he said nodding up and down profusely "It looks gwate Mom, it looks gwate". I'm so sad at the loss of Buster's blond locks that I'm not even going to show you a picture of the buzz I had to do. I cried twice to day over the loss of childhood. Way to kick me while I'm down Warner. Little stinker. 

Just some random jots.

Buster-

Says "nonono" over and over when he's about to do something naughty. He has the cutest smile on his face and when he purses his lips to say "no no" he gets a little dimple right below his nose that just makes me want to squish him. His cheeks look a little rounder and cuter with each "nono". Even though he is unrolling all of the toilet paper, and it means I'm going to have to clean it up, I sit and watch and try to soak in his darling dimple, his face, and his little voice saying "no no no no".

We know when Buster is done eating because he starts pitching his food to the side, front and back walls. I just noticed today that the back of my love seat, whose back faces the kitchen nook, has some pretty grose food stains all over it, thanks to Buster's good pitch. Yea, I'll have to get to that sometime. . .


Warner-

Who ever said 2's were terrible were really just trying to trick us into thinking 3's were not. In my experience, it really is the other way around. My sweet Warner has definitely found and continues to find his independence a new and powerful tool. The other day he went right into Buster's room and woke him up from his nap. He jumped in his crib with him and started pouncing on him playfully. Buster didn't find being woken up to soft pounces humorous so he let out a loud cry. Warner, who was supposed to be napping as well, was caught red-handed when I came up the stairs and found the door wide open. Buster's tearful, pleading eyes, peered out to me through the crib slats. I was so angry at Warner. I told him he was in big trouble and that he had to go sit in his room. I layed Buster down to change his diaper and the next thing I knew something hit me right in the head. It made a loud thump noise. Warner had thrown a bottle right at my head. Not cool. I sent him to his room only to discover a few hours later that while he had been sitting in his room during that quiet time, he had decided to rub Olivia's lip gloss all over one of her favorite read-aloud picture books. Naughty I tell you. Naughty. Terrible 3's. Not 2's.

As naughty and defiant as that boy can be, his sweetness does not go unnoticed and seems to keep me even-keel in the moments when I think I might keel over with him. He still runs to the door to hold it open for me whenever we come home from errands (which touches my heart like nothing else), he is still content doing the same exact activity for like 2 hours straight so quietly that I almost forget he's there. And he has taken up a very cute new habit of calling out a name of someone in the family in a questioning tone, then upon them answering "Yes Warner?" he says "I love you."  It melts my heart, and I tell you this stuff comes from somewhere within him. I think by nature he is just a sweetheart, but his body and his growth is telling him to assert that independence, which I'm sure will one day be channeled into really great and amazing places. But for now, it's quite trying.

Liv-
My little Liv starts school in two weeks. I always knew that she was ready for school, but I think I might even be ready too now. She has been a P.I.L.L lately.  I think it is simply because she has a lot of energy to use up and gets bored with same old toys and activities that home has to offer. She is ready for a bigger and faster paced world. I think she will embrace school full heartedly. 

When Liv is at her worst her drama tantrums can give anyone a run for their money. I usually just send her to her room when she gets too emotional on me. I don't deal well with it. I never have. I was never one to like emotion and drama, and I still don't. So, I send her off. At her best she is helpful and resourceful, and sweet, and talented. For the most part she really is a sweet girl with a few really emotional and dramatic moments that try my patience. I love her with all my heart and I'm happy to say that she is still zealous about make believe and dressing up as well as practicing her illustration skills as she calls them.


Jaron and I-

The last few weeks have been gorgeous and hot. We made a goal to windsurf everyday we could last week and we ended up getting three days in. I love making a quick light dinner, jumping in the car with swimsuits on and running over to the Lake as a family. The kids love it and we love it. We take turns windsurfing and playing with the kids on the beach. Ah. These are the days. I love Seattle. Sometimes I feel like we are living in the Garden of Eden. I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune in four months. . . No it's still the garden of Eden just underneath grey clouds and lots of rain so its harder to notice.

Tea Party

Sometimes, just every once in awhile, I like to forget the laundry, forget checking my email, forget the dishes and have a play day with my kids. I can't do it very often, because there is food to be cooked, and things to do, but every once in awhile I just like to act a little crazy with the kids.

On this particular day I had to document it, because Liv had me dressed up like a fluffy pink marshmallow.  I let her and Cally raid my closet as well as the dress ups box and pick my outfit and accessories. I think they've got pretty good style, if your into
fluffy pink marshmallows.

Here's the beautiful Liv.

 

Here's the fluffy pink marshmallow:
 

Here's the lovely Miss Callyanne:
 

 

Pinkies up ladies!
 

Here's what Warner did when I said, "Pinky up Warner".
 

Here's to 8 Years

I know this stuff is boring to most of the world, so feel free to skip this post, but since the purpose of this blog is for my own personal history, I want to remember our 8th anniversary. It was a good one.

Our anniversary is definitely my favorite day of the year. I like it better than Christmas, better than my birthday, and even better than the fourth of July. I love it, because it's the one time a year that J and I leave the kids and do something really fun and we don't feel guilty about leaving them. Besides that, nothing makes me more happy than being on a fun adventure with the hubs.

This year we hiked little Mount Si. The hike was super fun. We liked the view, but think Rattle Snake Ridge has a better view for those interested. The trail is absolutely gorgeous though, so you don't have to wait for the view at the top to be pleased. We ran most of the way down, and had fun racing each other on the trail. It felt like we were in a video game, leaning forward, speeding down the mountain, dodging rocks and roots, and praying that I wouldn't fall on my face and die. It felt like we were kids again. Just me and J. Sometimes its good to step away from the Mom role and just feel like the Jess that Jaron dated.  I love when we just feel young and in love again. It reminds me that dating is important.

We ended the night off with dinner in down town Seattle at Anthony's on the pier. I can't even begin to describe how good it was. We got an appetizer which was these amazing fish nachos with fresh ahi and in-season berries sprinkled on top. Then I had a dungeoness crab fettuccine which was absolutely divine, and Jaron had king salmon also with a fresh berry sauce on top. Seriously every bite was savory. Then they brought us out a chocolate fudge cake that was rich and creamy with a delicious dulce de lece ice cream on the side. Chocolate drizzled on top. It said Happy Anniversary on it and our waiter sort of jokingly sang "Happy Anniversary to you" in the birthday song tune. It was so much fun and so nice to feel pretty and primped for an outing with out the kids. It really was a magical day. I'm so grateful for J man. He's so good to me. I'd marry him again.

On our actual anniversary I took the kids to goodwill and let them pick out a few gifts for J and I. J and I don't do presents for each other on our Anniversary, so it was fun to let them pick some out. Warner picked out a daddy baseball glove and a Warner sized baseball glove (which ended up being a huge hit with Jaron and Warner). Liv picked out a lovely pink and purple jewelry box that plays music and smells like an old lady. She also picked out a lovely pearl necklace and bracelet (the bracelet already broke, c'est la vie) . When we got home the kids spent about an hour wrapping the gifts and immediately after wrapping his little baseball glove Warner started to open it. It took a lot of persuasion to get him to wait until dad got home from work. Then we made a cake, and the kids helped. They even picked out the colors for the layers. When J got home from work the kids were so excited to show off their cards that they had made us and their presents to be opened. We had a fun little party and it was fun to include the kids in the celebration of our family.

Tacoma Suzuki Day Camp

We decided to put Olivia in a day camp this summer for Suzuki camp, and I'm so glad we did. I was a little intimidated by the thought of a Suzuki camp, because I still want the violin to feel fun to her, and not be too structured. The Tacoma day camp was perfect for the fun, and light atmosphere that I wanted. Just look at her face below. She had so much fun.

It was so fun to watch her from a distance as she socialized, made new friends, and played her violin in front of a lot of people. I was so proud of her. She is such a social little bug and just LOVES other kids. She was so cute with this little girl two to the right of her in the picture below (the one with long, blond, curly hair in the green dress). Her name is Genevieve. Liv couldn't remember how to say her name quite right, but they were instantly best friends, and held hands pretty much everywhere they went together. We're going to do this camp next year again for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye training wheels

 

Wind surfing at Lake Meridian with a special visitor

This is  Drew.
He is my oldest brother.
He is my favorite brother (kidding R and J! kidding).
He came to Seattle for a few days and we got to hang out with him last night.
He totally rocked at his first time wind surfing.
He's smart,
and kind,
and fun with the kids.
and totally ripped.
Sorry ladies, he's taken. (As if there is anyone unmarried reading this blog).   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good times. Good times.

Tacoma Rainier's Star Spangled Banner Performance

This year's baseball game was really fun. Maybe, it was so fun, because Liv worked hard and was able to play the actual melody of the song this year. Maybe it was because I didn't have to balance a nursing baby on my chest while trying with all my effort to not let Warner dump his gatorade on the fluffy mane of hair seated in front of him. Or maybe it was the exciting game that we got to witness. There was at least three home runs, and the end of the game went something like this:

It was tied into the 8th. Then, in the top of the 9th, Oklahoma City scored, pushing them up by one. Then, in the bottom of the 8th, the Rainiers scored. We held the tie through the 9th and 10th innings. By this point we debated if the fireworks at the end of the show were worth the late night with the kids. I'm glad we waited, because the next inning went pretty fast.  In the bottom of the 11th, after Oklahoma City didn't score, first up to bat from the Rainiers team hit a walk off homer (are you impressed that I know what a walk off homer is? Yea, don't be, Jaron helped me write this part). It was quite exciting followed by some pretty spectacular fireworks. Here is the performance:

Guess who took his first unassisted step today?