1.13.12: Smashing bugs

With Nene in town, the girls and I took her to the children's museum. Stella/pink, Daphne/purple, and Fiona/blue took turns smashing bugs on the projection mat.  The girls taught Nene how to smash scorpions, ants and other desert creatures.

1.11.12: Once upon a time...

Seemingly out of the blue, Stella started telling me a story about her big giant bear.  This is the first significant use of imagination that any of the girls have shared verbally.  Usually we are limited to pretend food and drinks at our tea parties and reviewing pictures on our cameras (aka legos).  Her story went like this:

Once up on a time,
there was a bear.
His name was Bert.
He was a big bear.
then what happened? 
Bear was asleep, so I woke him up.
Like this. (flips him over)
then what happened?
Then he ate a blueberry.
then what happened? 
Then he ate a fishy.
then what happened?
Then he ate a strawberry.
then what happened?
Then he ate cabbage, because we don't eat cabbage.
then what happened?
He went to sleep.

When Brant got home from work he also got a version of the story, but his version involved ice cream (which the girls have never eaten but only learned about in books/movies), a pumpkin patch and singing happy birthday.

Other notables lately, Daphne (who refuses to put her shoes on by herself) loves to take her shoes off in the car.  Recently she started taking them off and putting them back on the wrong feet.  After doing so, she notifies me that she has 'crazy feet' and giggles endlessly.  Fiona loves baths and upon getting out of the bath and noticing her wrinkly fingers she told me, "mama my fingers are funky".  Sometimes I wonder if they can get any more adorable...and then they do.

1.8.12: Blanket tunnel

We were having a lazy day at home full of baking, football and friends (stella/butterflies, fiona/polka dots, daphne/flowers).

The girls really like helping Brant stir the waffle mix on the weekends, so I decided to let them take turns stirring the muffin mix as well.   I was impressed, none ended up on the floor or me. 

Nicole and I went upstairs for a couple minutes and the boys somehow managed to entertain all four kids and watch football.  Who knew a blanket tunnel would have gotten them all so excited?  Peter did a good job showing the girls how to close off the tunnel with pillows and hide.  Of course, with three little girls wanting turns too, he didn't stay hidden for very long.

Then Nicole brought out the tried and true way to entertain any child (and most adults), the cell phone. Here Peter was teaching the girls how to play a balloon game on her phone.  Later I had to explain to the girls that mama's phone doesn't have games like Nicole's (wink, wink) - or else I would never see my phone again.

12.30.11: Cousins-to-be

Kelly and Rob had a very exciting Christmas announcement, they are expecting their very own little one (due one day after the girls third birthday).  Presented in the form of pasta sauce, complete with an ultrasound picture in lieu of nutritional information, they shared their news with us.  The girls didn't really understand and were a bit nervous because I was so excited, perhaps a little too excited.  In a month we will find out the gender but of course healthy is all that matters.  Kelly said it best, "Either way the kid will be in makeup and dresses with them having triplet lady cousins three years older - the kid just doesn't have a chance to avoid it."  Well put!

Clearly we had to celebrate by toasting and rubbing Rob's belly since someone (cough cough) was too shy.

Since then I have taught the girls to ask to 'see their cousin' during our weekend skype sessions with the Kochmans and Kelly hesitantly shows them her belly each week.......I love it!

Congratulations Kochmans

12.29.11: Tight fit

I am always excited when the girls play together and I can get a picture.  Today they squeezed into this tube at a playarea and no other kids were allowed in.....go team!  (stella/pink, fiona/green, daphne/purple)

12.25.11: Santa brought us...

TRICYCLES...and thankfully we have no furniture so there was plenty of room to ride in the house (daphne/snowflakes, fiona/hearts, stella/deer)

Then it was time for riding outside with our family (fiona/green, daphne/purple, stella/pink).  Aunt Kelly, Uncle Rob, Nene, Kelly boy and of course Brant and I all helped push the girls around the cul-de-sac.  The girls learned to steer and pedal a bit, but definitely prefer to be pushed at super speed around the neighborhood.  This is exactly why we bought a house in a cul-de-sac and we look forward to years of bike riding.

After riding bikes for over an hour, we moved inside but the girls still wanted to wear their helmets.  Inside they enjoyed reading (fiona/pink, daphne/green, stella/purple), looking at camera pictures of themselves and playing their new matching game.  Daphne took a special liking to feeding cookie monster her 'alphabet soup' (aka magnetic letters).  

It was a wonderful holiday and the girls were absolutely spoiled by all of our friends and family.  We are thankful to everyone for their generosity.

12.24.11: Jumping on christmas eve

After a late arrival from family on Friday, the girls woke up very excited on Christmas eve to discover everyone was still here.  Then they went into their playroom (where the Kochmans were sleeping) and found a new toy (aka the blowup bed).  Oh boy did they LOVE jumping on the blowup bed, I think you can tell from these pictures (top to bottom, daphne, fiona, stella).

The girls were very excited to show everyone their bear crawl train.

In keeping with our maternal family traditions, the girls opened some presents on Christmas eve.  We all tried to open presents with the girls, but it was a bit chaotic with thirty little fingers trying to open every package in sight.

The crew:  Kelly boy, Nene, Uncle Rob, Auntie Kelly, Kari/Daphne, Brant/Stella, Fiona

12.20.11: Cheese face

After breakfast this morning, Fiona and Stella decided to play on the couch (while Daphne was still eating).  Sure enough there was a lot of giggling - too much giggling.  We discovered Fiona was sitting on top of Stella and they both thought it was hilarious.  This squishing was followed by a long conversation they had with each other - about half of which we understood.

Behold the 'cheese face' aka the two year old exaggerated smile.  It has become very common in our household pictures.  Each girl has one.  Daphne's cheese face is the least frequently seen, so how could I resist taking a picture when Daphne wanted to show me hers.

12.17.11: Lights

(left to right: fiona, daphne, stella)

Tonight we adventured out with the Marrones to see the Winterhaven lights.  It turns out there is a neighborhood tradition to go bonkers decorating your house in lights for the holidays.  So much so the neighborhood closes down the streets, policeman direct traffic and spotlights are added to ease street parking.  People from all over the city come to see the houses and some of the them were amazing. One house even mimicked the Bellagio water fountains in their front yard. The girls had a great time pointing out the colored lights, snowman, reindeer, snowflakes and their favorite - santa.  The lights were pretty amazing and I look forward to taking the girls next year.

12.13.11: Gingerbread house

Today the girls (left to right: stella, fiona, daphne) decorated their first gingerbread house.  Oddly enough, it was decorated with 'decorations' and 'glue' and not candy and frosting - thus not confusing anyone into munching during assembly.  Definitely something we'll do again next year.

Have you ever bought a house over a weekend?  Well we did and sure enough we didn't realize that we had thriving fruit trees in our yard.  We were thrilled to discover the grapefruit and orange trees were actually producing fruit (not to be said for the sad lime tree).   We also discovered that our pool water heater was not broken (contrary to the prior owner's disclosure) and after some simple cleanup, we were able to enjoy our hot tub - a wonderful treat given the cold weather.  Two pretty fantastic discoveries during one weekend.