Happy Fourth!

Just a few fun pics from our fourth of July weekend. Grace actually enjoyed the fireworks on our street last night. I must say my neighbors put on a pretty awesome show and had sparklers for all the kiddos. Lily stayed inside and slept through it all until about 8:30 this morning. I guess all the family activities of going to Grandma's and playing with cousin Taylor really wore her out.

Just hanging around!

The one good shot!

To Luau or not to Luau

I should be writing about Grace’s last swim meet of 2009. Instead, I am sitting here watching her play quietly. Yesterday morning the day of the last swim team practice and swim team meet, Grace woke up then threw up. Luckily she hadn’t eaten anything yet and made it to the bathroom in time. She was then able to keep down some ice chips and juice. Then she decided that her throat hurt. One look inside and I knew this was no stomach bug, STREP struck again. We had to wait for a doctor’s appointment and the five minute test for confirmation, but she definitely has strep. When we got home from the pharmacy she threw up once again. So for now she is on Zofram for the nausea and keflex for the strep. If anyone has any ideas on how to get a stubborn five year old to take her medicine, please let me know… right now I am relying heavily on bribery. As for the last swim meet/practice, she is still very sad to have missed it. A whole year is a long time to wait for the next one, including the traditional season ending Luau. Hopefully Safety Camp next week will distract her when she starts feeling better. Until then I get to try to keep two devoted sisters away from each other, Lily may learn to crawl this weekend trying to get near her sister.

9 months - cutielicious

Lily is officially nine months old and four months out from surgery. She is doing amazingly well. She still has a murmur, but her heart rate is good and she is eating and growing. She doesn't go back to the cardiologist until August. She weighs 19 pounds and 4 ounces which is 65% for her age, is 27 inches long which is 25% for her age and her head is in the 75% for her age. She loves food, restaurants, and will put anything in her mouth. She still has no teeth, but knows how to gum finger foods. She rolls everywhere, she tries to crawl, but being so heavy hinders her so she ends up getting frustrated and ends up rolling to get there. She loves her walker and tolerates the exersaucer. She has enjoyed her summer of watching her sister and friends in the pool and will get in as long as you hold on to her - no floats please. Lily waves Hello and Bye and she says Ba for her bottle. Grace is still her favorite person and thinks that she tells the best jokes. Unfotunately the jokes are not easily understood by anyone over the age of six, go figure. Lily loves to give hugs and has started to reach for people she knows. We are working on the self soothing, she doesn't like pacifiers, doesn't suck her thumb or fingers - We hope by the end of the summer she is able to put herself to sleep. We'll see. For now we will keep wearing her out so that she falls asleep quickly and hopefully sleeps through the night.

What is this Mama?

I can do the splits!

There is that thing again.

CHEESE!

Playing in my room.

Best time yet!

Grace has improved her swimming immensly. At time trials, she swam freestyle 25 meters in 2 minutes and 45 seconds. She swam last night, in the meet at 51 seconds. She looks better and better each week. She is sad that next week is the last meet. Maybe she'll swim her backstroke.....

Lily's New Trick

The Beach 2009

We are still recovering from our vacation to Destin, FL with my family. We had a great time, but for some reason did not come home feeling well rested. Oh, yeah, that was Lily keeping us up all night and Grace keeping us going all day. And then there was the LONG car ride home. Grace has always been such a good car rider, snacks, movies, books, games, stickers, she was always easy to occupy. Lily just wants OUT! and she cannot say it loud enough. On the way there she did better, but on the way home, the best part of the trip was the two hour nap after the massive screaming fit. I kid you not, Grace was never taken out of her car seat while the car was moving. Lily and I almost hit the road after jumping out of the car walking home. This child has the worst TEMPER you have ever seen. As soon as she is old enough she is turning that car seat around to see the world and so I can move out of the middle seat and back into the front row.(Did I forget to mention that I get car sick when not in the front?) The trick that got us home the last two hours was feeding her puffs every time she got cranky. Tom's statement was, "yeah, she'll be a great car rider but weigh 300 pounds." Grace thinks she wants a pink car seat like hers - Mommy just wants an escape hatch for our next car ride to Florida(in July). Does anyone want to help me get Tom on a plane? As Lily was screaming i think he actually started to think about it.

But as for the trip, we had fun, playing in the Gulf, sitting in the sand and swimming in the pool. And once again Grace's beach appetite resumed. It is the one place on Earth that Grace will eat endlessly. It also helps that Papa buys all her favorites - cookies, ice cream, doughnuts, mini muffins, pretzels and chicken nuggets and fries and she ate a lot of fruit. Lily on the other had eats anything and everything put near her mouth. Lily did not care for the cool water of the gulf or the pool. She was content to sit under the umbrella with her battery operated fans to cool her and an occassional cold bottle. She stayed inside in the afternoon, resting up for dinner and keeping her parents up all night. (She still has no teeth, and we hope this is the reason for the restlessness.)

My sister and her son were there for the whole week this time. We will call my nephew Mr. NO, since that is his favorite answer to any and all questions. He occassionally spiced it up with a few uhuh's or the crying noooooo's. He is three and doesn't like sharing the attention of his grandparents. He is very sweet to his cousins though and always wants to be around them. He is like Gracie in that he loves to sing and would get a song stuck in your head. Unfortunately he sings the wrong words A LOT. My favorite "if you like to talk to momatos".(Veggie tales for those of you who are not in the preschool in crowd.)

Grace's favorite part of the whole trip was diving into the pool. I think she also enjoyed going to The Track which is the local amusement park, where she got her Dad soaked on the bumper boats. Lily's favortie part was sleeping on everyone at least once and watching all the action of her 5 year old sister and 3 year old cousin.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures:

this was the day of naps, I didn't get one :(

3rd meet

Grace swam in her third meet tonight. She actually jumped off the blocks for the first time! She made a good time for her but it was a tough group so she came in last. She was still happy and ready to get out of the rain. Oh did I forget to mention that it rained all day and everyone got wet at the meet. Hopefully we won't be sick next week.