Greta's Birthday Fun

Greta's big day - of course no sleeping in - up at 5:45 am.  Which was good for daddy - who got to see her before going into work. So we quickly opened a few presents before he left.

Then when Lola woke up with had birthday waffles and sang happy birthday.

Then, I decided to take a half day and surprise her at school for an afternoon of fun - just the 2 of us.  (I was going to leave Lola at day care).  I coordinated with her teachers so she could hand out her snack in the morning and let them know when I'd arrive.

So around noon, I showed up at school.  She was a little surprised - but said she knew I was coming.  Since she had already eaten lunch, we headed to Target for some birthday shopping.  And shop we did.  Lots of her things for her baby that she was getting but didn't know how or when.

Then to TCBY for ice cream.

And then to the Children's Museum in AA.

And couldn't quite stay awake to pick up Lola at school.

Then when Daddy got home from work we had birthday dinner - chicken nuggets and fries - per her request and this cupcake I had gotten for her.

It was so much fun.  I forgot what it was like just spending time her Greta.  She's grown into quite the little person and so full of life. 

Happy 4th Birthday Greta!

Four years ago today at 10:45 PM, after a long 50 hours, Ryan and I welcomed the most beautiful baby girl into the world. And my life has been forever changed. I never knew how much you could love, until you held your own child. She challenges me daily with her wit and charm. She loves life and discovering new things. She has a heart of gold, when she wants to. And she'll always be my baby. 

Happy birthday Greta!


My Interview with Greta
My favorite food is:  spaghetti and bread
My favorite sport to play is: soccer 
My favorite team is: Go Blue
My favorite show is: Lion Guard and Paw Patrol
My favorite subject at school is:  play with the house area
The toy I like to play with the most is: animals
If I could go anywhere in the word it would be: Gymnastics    
My favorite color is: Blue
When I grow up, I want to be a:  Driver and Doctor
My favorite song is:  Shake it a Baby, Twist and Shout
The book I love right now is: Thomas
My favorite time of the year is:  Winter
The snack I like best is:  Waffles
One food I really don't like is:  Onions
My favorite friend is: Sawyer, Lola, Wesley, Loralei, Maddax
If I had one wish, it would be: to have a baby with everything
My favorite thing from last year was: going to gymnastics  
What do you want to do now that you are 4:  play with puppies
Words that describe me: Smart, Sensitive and Stubborn 
Feisty fun and sweet

The sass is strong with this one

Not sure what is causing it but Greta has been full of sass lately. Talking back. Telling me no. Rude responses. Not listening. 

Last night at dinner we had a meat stand off and I didn't back down. Movie was lost and we sat and sat. Lots of tears but eventually she ate it all. 

I'm working to get this under control because I don't want her to be acting like this toward other adults. 

So there have been lost privileges and movie nights lately and threatened birthday take backs. Hopefully now that I'm back and not traveling for a while - it will improve. If not, I need a new plan! 

Smart girl

Lola is smart. No denying that. And we've been working on the potty training for quite a while. She pretty much has it. Was dry all day Sunday - but needs to be asked and taken to the bathroom. I'm okay with that - heck she's only 19 months. 

But tonight a new milestone. I was loading the dishwasher and she came walking through the kitchen toward the bathroom so I ask if she has to go and she says poop. By the time I get to the bathroom, she already has her potty seat on and if trying to pull her pants down. 

And yup - put her on the potty and she poops. You go Lola! 

Lola's new discoveries

Lola's latest discoveries is dumping water on her head in the bath tub... and laughing!

And folding her hands and praying.  She can be sitting on the potty at the table or just playing and loves to do it.  Now during dinner she makes sure that we all fold our hands and pray.  Love this girl!

70 degree day

Finally a really nice day to play outside and we took full advantage - bubbles, sand box (or what's left of it), gator rides, soccer and sliding. 

The girls loved it!!

Soccer

So I knew it would eventually happen that I'd be a soccer mom... but not sure I thought I'd ever be a soccer coach... well it's officially I'm a little kickers soccer coach for Greta's team. 

I checked the box to be an assistant and they had so many kids they needed more volunteers so I got promoted. 

I've been studying up and luckily it's no games and just practice for this age. But figure I should at least know something. So watching lots of YouTube video and reading coaches blogs. And feeling pretty good.

First practice is April 15th. Pray for me!

Thankful for family

I've had a rough march with back to back trips and only 20 hours in between at home. It's times like that when I am so thankful for my family, especially when I have to leave and one is already on antibiotics and the other is showing signs of being sick. 

I had 5 days in San Diego and the girls met to Mary's. They had so much fun, despite being under the weather and K and K too. Loved all the picture and facetimes to get me through. 

Then i took the red eye back on Friday night. Got home about 9, unpacked, did a tun of work and fly out again the next morning at 10. Ryan manned the fort this trip except Tuesday when mary came back over to help. 

I'd be lost without such good support. And it makes reveling so much easier knowing they are well taken care of. So thank you!

Darn wind

Our poor swing set... ryan and his dad and brother built it almost exactly 2 years ago. Since then it was moved to put in the pool. Had the rock wall ripped off by wind... and now this. 

I'm starting to feel like it just wasn't meant to be. The girls are so sad. Lola just keep saying ut oh and Greta says don't worry, dada is gonna fix it.  

Greta's writing

Greta has been practicing writing lots and tonight wrote all our names with little help on spelling at all. Proud mama! 

Fun photos

Fun night out with mom and dad

For Christmas we got mom and dad tickets to see Steve Martin and Martin Short. We of course got tickets for ourselves too. We lined up Aunt Julie to babysit.

And what fun we had. They put on a great show. We had good seats and laughed a lot! 

And the girls had a great time too. They hardly noticed I was gone. And we came home to find this. So precious

Sick Lola again

Well today i get a call from day care that Lola might have thrown up blood again. Now knowing last time it turned out to be ketchup I was skeptical but I knew she was coughing a lot and had lots of green snot that morning. She I call the doctor and they have no openings. I plead my case that i don't want to go back to the ER. And they squeeze her in!

Yeah! I take the sheet with me to show the dr. And she confirms not blood! Great! But confirms a sinus infection and really bad ear infection. Her first. Lola's such a trooper you would have never known. No tugging, no fever, still pretty much happy and sleeping. Poor girl! So now some strong antibiotics and I hope the cough, runny nose and ear infection gets cleared right up!

Oh Lola

Lola is still doing a good job going on the potty. Well tonight I messed up. She peed on the potty so I just let her run around for a pit with just her onesie on because we were taking a bath soon. Well the girls were playing on their favorite kitchen stop - the panty. 

Lola comes over and says poop to me. I say do you need to go and she nods. As I'm lifting her on the potty I see skid marks and think so no. She's already pooped! I run into the kitchen and follow the marks... and yup on the panty a big pile of poop. Ahhhh! That was the icing on the cake for how my day went. 

Greta claims she can over to tell me but I wasn't listening. Guess I'll listen more. Haha.

First trip overseas in over a year

Well it was abound to happen.. I had to go back to Belgium for a full week of meetings. After much anxiety, I was ready.

First time... I got to enjoy one night in Amsterdam with 3 other colleagues and we stayed on a houseboat! So fun. We walked and eat our way around town for about 8 hours and hen came back to the boat and hung out and laughed- a lot! Then the next morning the owners of our boat took us on a tour of the canals and dropped us off at the twin station on by boat!

Then to Belgium for the rest of the time. Lots of work and meetings, but I'm happy to say also great bonding with my colleagues. So much easier to work with people that like you and actually have met you and hung out with you. 

So while I worked away... the girls enjoyed a mini vacation at grandmas and ryan enjoyed a bachelor pad. 

I think everyone enjoyed themselves but I was so ready to come home... and the squeal that Lola made when she saw me was the best feeling ever.