The First Slumber Party

Aunt LoLo came and watched the kids the other night, and left one behind! We've been asking Ming Wai to spend the night ever since they moved back, I'm so proud of her for trying! I wouldn't have done this with any 3-year-old but my neice (because I'm her aunt and can tell her what to do!) but both girls did so well. They stayed in bed pretty well, were asleep by 10 and stayed asleep all the way till five. So yeah, not a perfect night if they were on their own...but for a slumber party, it was GREAT! Plus, Ming Wai has been visiting her parents at 3 am, and refusing to fall asleep unless her mom is sitting on the bed. I was proud of her for staying in there with Ernie and sleeping all night.

Breakfast! Strawberries, raspberries, pancakes, and yogurt

Doula Day

The family went to a "meet and greet" for a new client, a pair of lovely doulas. These are some pictures we got back from the event.

I'm probably telling Ernie "If you want a snack, you will need to walk over and pick up a plate, and then put food on it."

Yes, this is one option for birthing balls.

Snacks! They had tons of yummy food- berries, mint lemonade, crackers and spreads, quiche, veggies and hummus, yummy!

There were two girls there just to play with kids...and Ernie and Mimi got their full attention the whole time! Bubbles, chalk, running around outside....they had a blast. These girls were adorable.

Cookie Files 2

This is a Mimi tantrum. On the floor, tears, screaming (you better hope she's not doing a tantrum in your arms- you'll never hear right again.)

Unfortunately, I have no sympathy for her and I took her picture.

This is a girl throwing a tantrum because her mom offered her a cookie, when all she wanted was....???

Cookie Files

Sometimes you find yourself throwing a package of cookies in the cart, because they're $1.68, you're hungry, you haven't had cheap sandwich cookies in years, and your kids will like them.

And then, when your kids gets up at 6:00 am on a Saturday, and breakfast is at 6:45, you find yourself serving milk and cookies for a snack and you realize it's 8:45 in the morning and you wonder....what have I done?

...Go

By the end of our island day, Mimi had HAD IT WITH THE WORLD. As in, give me noodles...thank you, now I will throw myself at the floor screaming. I want to sit there, I will now shriek because you dared lift me. And I, like a total noob, ran around trying to cater to her just to spare everyone....till Super Grandma, you know the one that raise five kids, looked me in the eye and asked why on EARTH I was pandering to her tantrums? Oh. Carry on then, child- I'm going inside for a hot dog.

Luckily, her awesome uncle snuggled up on the couch with her for a full half hour after dinner and read the BFG- she loved all the pictures.

While Mimi did that, Ernie sorted through the collectiong of Very Special Rocks for the day. The girls spent most of the car ride home trading their Special Rocks back and forth, which was totally cute. Wait, I take that back. Ernie was asleep within 45 minutes, and Ming Wai followed soon after. But other than their monster naps, they swapped rocks!

Speaking of Ming Wai, she learned the duplicity of gravel paths and totally biffed it- she was freaking out sad about it for at least 20 minutes. I've never seen her so sad! Grandpa cuddled her and all was right with the world. Have I mentioned these were tired kids by the end of the day?

Self-portrait! I love these things :)

Ready...

Ready for a day at the islands!

Mimi saw that we were packing extra clothes, and thought she'd better just wear them. Two pairs of pants, a dress, a shirt, and some animal crackers. I am shocked she didn't find any socks- how could she bear to have bare appendages? I mean, come on!

Truly, Ernie was ready for a special day. See the crown? "I am Special." That means it's going to be a special day- she wore that thing for half the day!

Goodbye Portraits

Our last day with Nana was a quiet day, but Nana grabbed the girls and took them on dates in the evening- so fun! Ernie and Nana went to the children's museum, and came home with neon blue Slurpee-tongues. Mimi was under the weather with a fever (heat related) so she and Nana went out for smoothies.

We gathered on the deck for some final portraits- Ernie finished her bath while Mimi was still out, so she's wearing her jammies, and Mimi finished her bath just as Nana was ready to leave, so she's wearing her towel!

Buffet

My dream of children grazing through an edible yard has come true.

I love summer!

Portraits

A sunny day, finally! I snagged Ernie for some birthday portraits- here are a few favorites.

Why did she never tell me she was growing up so fast?

Mimi can do it!

No one is helping me? That's no problem. Really. I'll just Help. My. Self. Yum.

Nana Files

Day Two: Kid in a candy store.

Really.

Nana, you're awesome. Thanks for taking my girls to the chocolate factory! (Oh, and thanks for letting me tag along- I think I gained five pounds just from SMELLING all that chocolate!)

Just a Boy and a Girl

I have to say, I have more pictures of Uncle P with my young children than I ever thought I would have of...a teenage boy with my children. Uncle P, you positively rock. Mimi thinks you're pretty awesome, too!

PS- There's a hole in your pants. Have we told you that yet, today?

PPS- Please tell us when you top growing. We should start a pool for your final height.

PPPS- Hope your school works out for you....but you know OUR local school is always an option! My kids wouldn't mind, honest.

The Nana Files

Day One:

My children demonstrate their intense love of reading.