I'm not even going to mention the time that has passed between my last blog entry and this one. If I'm going to do any explaining, it will take me the entire post. Let's just say life has happened and it's a good thing! We live, we love and we continue on day after day. I think the last time I posted was right after we moved back to Tahoe and Zoie was about to turn, or had just turned 1.  Now we're fast approaching Zoie's third birthday, that's right THIRD birthday and we've happily celebrated our second full summer back in the basin. So many exciting things have changed and developed with you two girls since the last time I posted, but I just can't give up the blog, I really would like to continue it for years and years until you graduate high school and move out of the house.

In keeping with my theme, I'll go ahead and write five things about each of you that I would love to never ever forget. In doing so, I may or may not cover more than five things.... we'll see how much time you give me to sit and type on the couch.

Harper, you are such a beautiful and feisty four year old! Your sassy personality is definitely taking a forefront, but we know it's just the beginning of a strong and courageous young lady. You are loquacious, and often times are just talking to hear yourself talk. You love to sing to yourself and to Zoie and I often catch you at 6:30 in the morning singing in your bed. When you are too quiet for too long I know you're up to mischief and usually are just found talking to yourself, reading to yourself, or talking to Zoie. You make up the craziest names for your dolls & imaginary characters and we have no idea where you come up with such weird combinations. For Hanukkah last year we got you girls a fish and you named it Ulkin. You have dolls named Yoocy, and are constantly engaging in imaginary play with Zoie and calling her a character named Jenda. It's pretty hilarious the names you've come up with - I wish I would've kept better track of them so far. You are starting your second year of preschool with me at Incline Village Nursery School and I'm scared to death of the next 12 months passing because at the end of it you'll be starting Kindergarten. I can't believe we're in our last year of preschool already. You're starting AYSO soccer in a few weeks and it will be your first team opportunity. I'm sure the practices and games will be hilarious for us spectators, and I know that you will absolutely love being able to play a game with other 4 year olds. You are such a great playmate to Zoie and I know that you will be a great friend to your peers as well. I just have to mention in here randomly that I love the way you say the word "scissors" - it comes out as "zizzors" and I love it. You still say your "l's funny and they come out as "y's", but it's so cute. Let's see.....your curly hair is finally getting longer and you've been telling me that you want everyone to notice your "cute curls". As much as I am happy about you priding yourself in your beautiful self, I don't want you learning at such a young age that people like you more based on your appearance. We have been talking a lot about how people like you because you have nice manners and are good at sharing toys, not just because you have cute curly hair. I am so afraid of raising two girls! It's going to such a ride.

We were so proud of you on your fourth birthday! Here's a pic of you and Zoie at the Sacramento Zoo. We asked you if you wanted to have a party at our house, or if you wanted to go to the zoo and Fairytale Town (a very cool old park in Sacramento that I used to play at when I was a kid). You thought for only a minute and decided that a family trip to the zoo and cool new park would be the BEST idea ever! We had a great weekend and many of our friends from the valley came to join us. Shavaun & her mom & Jillian, Aiden & Audrey, and Jason & Kim and Penny, Juan and Carola with Scarlett, Savannah & Juliet, Grammie & Grampa came down too, and Nora, Lindsey, John, Jamie and Avery & Hudson came too. It was SO much fun visiting with everyone and you just had a blast. I'm so proud of you for choosing a fun adventure over a plain ole' birthday party, and I hope we created some memories that you can keep for a long, long time. 

At the end of May your uncle Ben married auntie Kori and you and your sister got to be the official flower girls in the wedding. You did such a great job trotting down the aisle on your stick horse, and you were just glowing with happy energy for the whole weekend. You had a great time playing and dancing with Dexter and all of our family members and friends. Such a beautiful little flower girl you were! 

 Harper and Grammie

 The wedding party.

 Signing her name on the guest surfboard at the wedding. 

 Harper and Monie! 

And it's Zoie's turn! Oh Zoie - five things about you? I could name about 500....but you are an astounding little creature, what can I say.  We'll start with your language. You FINALLY started talking this year, and you certainly held out until the last possible day. When you turned 2 you started babbling a lot more, but were still only saying "mama" and "dada". I was starting to get concerned, and we were considering some evaluations. You just needed to be reminded over and over again that we couldn't understand you when you were screaming, and we couldn't help you if you wouldn't tell us what was wrong. You were a cranky baby (and are still a pretty ornery kid), but talking was going to get you what you needed. You eventually decided to try it out, and now 10 months later are pretty close to speaking fluently. You have all kinds of impeding sounds and lisps, but your family members can understand you (for the most part). I have a feeling that a little speech therapy may be in line a few years down the road, but for now we're just happy that you've chosen to communicate with us rather than continue with all the screaming. We still have to constantly remind you to use your words, but you do have some hilarious things to say when you do choose to speak.  About 6 months ago you decided that it was time to potty train yourself. Talking, no - but potty training, sure! You told us that you were ready to go like a big girl and you just started going. We had to do a little chocolate chip bribery when it came to the pooping part, but for the most part it was incredibly easy to get you potty trained. Your teachers at daycare were shocked at how quickly it happened. We are all so proud of you for continuing to be the headstrong little bull that you are. If we just let you decide when to act, you are so much more successful at everything. I can already tell that this trait is going to really get you places in life. I wish I was that stubborn! Let's see, what else. You are learning how to ride Harper's old balance bike and are quite the little daredevil. You love to pick up your feet and just cruise down a hill. You get all wobbly and you look every direction except in front of you, but somehow you've learned how to ride that little bike without having any major crashes yet. You are also quite the little fish this summer. You absolutely LOVE the water and each and every time we're at the lake I have to be prepared to go running in after you. I have already chased you in while fully clothed a number of times and it's always because you run far enough into the water to lose your footing and you go under and then happily stay down there. We did a few weeks of private swim lessons with aunt Nora this summer and you've gained so much confidence it's almost scary. It doesn't matter if it's dark out and 8:00 at night, you will still jump into the lake for a swim. And finally, I think I'll wrap it up with being the flower girl for uncle Ben & auntie Kori's wedding as well. You were such a little trooper, despite having skipped a nap and you ambled down the aisle behind Dexter & Harper with your eyes wide and your feet moving about an inch a minute. You had a lollipop that we gave you to keep you from crying and you were just the cutest little bug walking down through the barn with your lollipop, your stick horse, and flowers in your curly blonde hair. You also had a great time playing with family members and friends and wooed the hearts and eyes of many. Your blonde hair is so striking against all of your dark haired family members, and your little curls are so tight I think it will be another few years before they start to grow more. I actually think that your hair is going to be curlier than your sister's.  We love you so much little ZoZilla, and despite grammie having to hem your underwear so they'll stay around your waist, we know that someday you're going to grow into a powerful and hilarious young lady. 

 Zoie and Aunt Lori

You LOVE taking selfies on our iPhones. You actually capture some great shots of yourself!

Dress-up time - everyone's favorite! 

Kite flying at Moon Dunes with Seth & Julia. Zoie absolutely adored this! 

Smile girls - your mama loves you......even though I haven't written for you in .....ahem......almost 2 years.......

Onward! 

It's November already?

A LONG time has passed since my last blog entry - and I probably could type forever and ever on this one to catch you up on all the exciting changes we've had since I last posted (in June...).
Girls - you have grown and changed incredibly over the last 4 months. We are living in a new state now, and you have new friends and family members are a part of your daily lives here in our new home. In hindsight it was the best decision we could have made (to move). I look back on the way that we were working, surviving, living, and it just was not as productive and enjoyable as our lives here in Tahoe. Everyone here operates on what we call "Tahoe Time"....they move slower, respond to e-mails after a few days (rather than a few minutes), they don't honk at you or flip you off on an hour and a half long commute. People here are just happier with their lives, and they produce that feeling in the community as well. There is not as much competition for career "laddering" and definitely not as much wealth and ignorance. Aside from the changes in the people - there are absolutely NO cats here. I think I've seen two in the past 4 months. I know why nobody has cats here - I always lost many of mine as a little girl growing up here, so I think it's best that Satchmo and ZZ are living in Oregon with your Grandma Mary. They are our family members whom got "left behind" in the move. We knew that they wouldn't make it very long here, and I'm thankful that they are living their happy cat lives with someone who has more time to love them. Harper, you haven't ONCE mentioned our old cats, and have never asked me what happened to them. I don't think you were that fond of them anyway.  This is just a few of the many things that have changed in our lives over the past few months. It's funny that I focused on the cats there for a few minutes......this is supposed to be about you girls!


As I said - this could go on and on and on - but I'll try to get back to the "five things about you" that I initially intended with this blog.
Harper - you are becoming quite the little girl, and we have noticed that over the past few months you've grown out of your "toddlerhood". Your language and motor skills are rapidly developing and you are SO DANG SMART. I know. I know. Every parent says that about their child. But you really are incredibly accurate, question abstract concepts, are starting to write letters (you've been writing "H" for a few months now), recognize all of your letters and are starting to recognize numbers (have been counting to 20 for about 6 months now), you understand the sun vs. the moon (day/night), that you can cast a shadow (and you even say "I cast a shadow mama...YOOK!"), and know all of your letter sounds.  You recognize strange animals that some adults don't even know about, and you talk about environments and where things live and why. It's super interesting to me the way that you process information and retain it almost immediately.  I know all kids do this, but it just seems to happen really rapidly for you. 
You are POTTY TRAINING!!! This is a HUGE accomplishment, and I actually didn't think you were ready. We gave you about 2 days in "big girl underwear" and you HATE having pee on your legs and feet enough to make you try and sit on the potty more.  You are really anxious about it though and you run around in circles for a few minutes until you're actually ready to sit down and try.  We have had very few accidents and we are all SO proud of you. I'm amazed at how easy it's been and I am really looking forward to not having to buy diapers for you anymore. Having two kids in diapers is EXPENSIVE (probably close to $150 a month, just so that when you look back on this in 50 years you can chuckle at the price). 
You are sleeping in a "big girl" bed ( a toddler bed )...we moved you out of your crib a few months ago (September I think). You have done marvelously and the only downfall is that we had to put a child lock on the inside of your door because you were freely wandering around the house in the middle of the night. We tried to move Zoie into your room, which you were great about and welcomed her happily.  Unfortunately she was still screaming all night and you weren't able to get any sleep. You keep asking me when Zoie will come back to sleep in your room, so I'm looking forward to that day as much as you are.  
You are hiking and "biking" everywhere and you love it. We have truly savored every morning and afternoon that Tahoe brought us this summer and fall. We got you a PlasmaCar which is a low-to-the-ground car that is self-propelled by rocking the steering wheel back and forth. You can also push with your feet to move forward and back. It's red, and you LOVE it. You love to take it on the bike trail up by Grammie's house and you actually go really far on that thing. The first time I took you we made it about halfway through the trail (1/8 mile each way)....and you rode the whole entire time. You also have started to love to hike and you are getting better about continuing to hike up a trail rather then stop every 2 feet to look at a rock or some pineneedles on the ground. We put Zoie in the baby backpack and it's great to have you hiking along side of us. I have dreams that someday we'll be able to backpack the length of the Pacific Crest Trail as a family.  Most likely though by the time you're old enough to do that with us - you won't want to because it won't be "cool". Your dad and I have always wanted to make that trip....Mexico to Canada along the Sierras.
And I think lastly - your fifth thing Harper - I think I'll choose your relationship with your Grammie & Grandpa. You have quickly grown to absolutely adore them, and will stop anything to go and play at their house or see them. You squeal and laugh and drop on the floor wiggling when either one of them walks through the door. You also love love love your "Untle" Ben and Auntie "Towee" (Kori) and have even become pretty comfortable with dogs around their giant white dog Blanca. You ask about them all the time and whether or not Blanca is there. That right there is the number one reason why we moved back to Tahoe -  so that you and your sister can have these relationships with these people. And for them to be close relationships. You are loving the nights that you go to Grammie & Grandpa's house - which means it is SO QUIET around our house...and your dad and I finally get a little break! Never would have/could have happened in Seattle, we just didn't have enough "people".  I am so glad that you are able to have fun with Grammie and Grandpa and Uncle Ben on a weekly basis - it is the best sight ever to see you melt for them. And little do you know how you are melting their hearts at the same time.  We all love you Harper - so much.

Zoie. Oh Zoie. Where do I even begin with you? Five things since June? Are you kidding me? Just as with your sister, there are many things I should write about. But you have had a monumental past few months.  I guess I'll start with the "big" things and go from there.
First and foremost - you're walking! You started walking exactly 7 days before your first birthday. You took about 1 week to get steady and then you were off toddling around with confidence. You wear all of the little Converse tennis shoes that your sister wore when she learned to walk, and are doing great. Your little feet are smaller though so we are having the darndest time finding snow boots to fit you. I'm sure that with the powers of the internet I'll find a pair somewhere. Anyhow - we really should have dressed you as a zombie for Halloween because you have the zombie walk perfected right now - arms straight out in front of you, mumbling and drooling walking stiff-legged down the hallway. It's perfect zombie baby form - I really should still dress you up that way just for the pictures.
You are now the official owner of 8 big teeth (sharp as razors)  - but you still haven't gotten any better about cutting them. You are just miserable when they are coming through your gums, and I don't blame you one bit. I'm sure it's horribly painful. You are eating 100% table food and are actually pretty picky - so we're having a tough time finding foods you'll eat other than fruits, yogurt, and pastas. Your sister is the same though - both of you are pretty tough to please at the table. You are FINALLY done nursing, and really only stopped because I refused it to you as soon as you turned 1....little stinker...you were waiting all day while I was at work and still refusing a bottle from Grammie or daddy. Finally now though you will drink up to 8 oz. from the bottle, and from me nonetheless. This is by far one of the hugest progressions you've made - considering you have sternly refused the bottle since your first week of life, and we have continually offered it to you week after week.  The funny thing is though that you don't seem to be lactose intolerant like your sister, and can drink whole milk, but you prefer soy milk anyway. That means between you and your sister we are going through about 1 case of soymilk (Costco sized case) each week. That's a lot of little soy beans you're drinkin'.
Let's see...what else....oh yeah! You turned 1 last month!!  Woo HOO we finally made it through our first year with two under two. It was a whirwind to say the least, and you're had SO MANY ups and downs, but you finally had 12 months pass you by and accomplished the feat of being able to eat peanut butter and honey, among other things that 1 year olds get to eat. (Even though we gave you peanut butter at 10 months...you survived). We had a great first birthday BBQ for you (on your birthday even!) and a whole bunch of our friends and family came over for the afternoon/evening. I made you a super cute cake and even made you your own little "smash" cake. All the older kids at the party gathered around your high chair and dipped their fingers into the frosting to show you what to do - it was hilarious. You finally caught on and got your fingers messy and finally started shoving it in your mouth. It made for a perfect 1st birthday evening and you got to play play play your little heart out with all of the kids who came over (Dexter, Seth, Julia, Izzy, and JJ, and your sister of course!).

I'm not going to go into it, because I'm sure it will jinx me - but you're pretty much sleeping through the night - as soon as you started taking the bottle and drinking 6-8oz. you've slept through the night a few times. 12 months later....and you're finally making progress! 
And I think finally - your fifth "thing" Zoie....is that you're finally mellowing out a little bit and you aren't so fussy. With walking and taking a bottle I'm beginning to think that you've been starving for food and mobility for the past 12 months. You are just so much happier now that you're doing those new things - and it is gradually making our lives a bit happier. You aren't as fussy every second of every day, and you actually get down and toddle around the house quite a bit on your own. You like to check in and come cuddle with me for a few minutes every time you see me - but you are doing much better at playing on your own.

We finally had to hire a nanny - she is helping us out 2 out of the 3 days that I'm at work - she's fabulous - we love her. And most importantly you girls both love her too! Everyone is doing great with our new care giver, and we're finally adapting to a situation that we never  thought we would do (nannying). There just aren't many feasible childcare options in our new neck of the woods, and this is one of the only ones. It's turning out pretty well though, and Harper you ask about "Bamanda" all the time (her name is Amanda...so you're close), which just shows us that she's doing a great job connecting with you.

Alright - I've had enough typing, and it's time to start thinking about what to make for dinner. I'll try to journal again sooner than 4 months from now....as I'm sure we'll have new developments each week. I'll even try to add some pictures too!

Smile girls - your mama LOVES LOVES LOVES you :)

Big changes on the horizon

Has it really been over a month since I last posted? Oh my goodness! The sun started coming out occasionally and I think we've been spending more time outside, which means nap times are becoming my only time to catch up on laundry and cleaning. Plus, we have been super busy planning the next big chapter in our lives: a move back to California.

We have finally made the decision to move back to our home state. After 9 long years in Seattle we have come to know the Pacific Northwest as home and I am desperately clinging to every last moment and friendship that I have here. I flew down to Tahoe to interview for a job, which in turn I quickly got and we had to make the decision to stay or go.  Going means leaving on July 9th, which is less than three weeks away.  We made the ultimate decision about 2 weeks ago and then I think we just sat in shock for a few days. The next week I mulled and mulled about telling our friends here that we were actually going to move. These conversations have all been difficult, heartbreaking, and I think every time I tell someone I feel guilty and want to take-back my decision. I want to stay. I want to go. Maybe we should stay. Maybe we should go. That's it. We're going. *sigh* We've informed the landlord, who is showing our apartment, so I've had to keep it super clean and we have had to leave for a few hours at a time while he shows it. This is inconvenient but necessary in order to leave on good terms with him and hopefully get some of our deposit back. We've reserved the rental truck, booked one-way flights for me and the girls (much to my disappointment of not getting to drive, I really want to drive!), put "for sale" signs on the truck (also much to my disappointment, but necessary), and we have our fingers crossed that Dave has almost secured a job at Northstar.  We still have not found a place to live. We still do not have enough money to make the move and pay for deposits and rent.....BUT, we are figuring out the last bits and I'm sure that we'll make it by the skin of our teeth. As always.

I am so happy for you girls that you will get to see your Grammie and Grandpa, and Uncle Ben & Kori. It will be the most exciting place for you to grow up, I promise. Seattle would also be a very exciting place to grow up, but we're hoping that Tahoe will be safer, smaller and will provide you with everything you need. Someday when you are in your 20's you will understand how special it is that you got to grow up in the Tahoe basin. You may even understand much sooner than that, as I know me and my friends all did....but ya never know, you could hate us for making you grow up outside of a city in a small town. 

A lot has happened with you two over the past month. Zoie, you are a teething maniac and are cutting all four top teeth right now...all at the same time. You have been miserable for weeks, and despite that we can see them poking out of your gums they are still bothering you quite a bit. You also started to crawl yesterday! About 7 days ago you figured out how to rock onto your hands and knees from a sitting position, and you wobbled for the past week, but all of the sudden yesterday you picked up one shaky arm and one shaky leg and moved them in sequence! It's like watching a baby animal learn to walk for the first time, or a caveman or something...all wobbly and shaky, but moving like a little snail you push forward. It's so dang cute, and hilarious! I will try to catch more of it on video tonight. You are still refusing a bottle, which is going to be really tough in a few weeks when I have to go back to work! You get so mad when you see the bottle, it makes you cry just looking at it. You are so stubborn it's amazing you aren't a little Taurus yourself.  You are such a funny girl though - you love to laugh at your sister and you love to have scarfs and things put over your head for a game of peek-a-boo. When I flew down to Tahoe for the job interview you had a great little trip and absolutely loved Auntie Kori and her giant white dog Blanca Blu. Your sister HATES dogs, but you think they are pretty funny and are always excited to grab a handful of fur.

Harper you are becoming such a polite little girl. You say "Tank you mama" almost every time I get something for you or give you food or drink. You are just starting to say "TuseZoie....we'll see how long this transition takes. Such a happy thought to imagine the two of you sleeping in a room together peacefully -  through the whole night. Another *sigh*. This move will be the perfect time to make a few changes in our lives, many big many small, and for you, this will mean a lot of BIG things. Going back to school and making new friends! Having time with grammie and grampa whenever you want it, and being able to play outside in the woods of Tahoe! Such an exciting time ahead for you my little peanut, I can't wait for you to learn how wonderful it all will be.

Well - "Where are you mama?" is being called from your bedroom, so I have to sign off for now. I'll try not to make it so long in between posts this time.

Smile girls, your mama loves you :)

Harper turned 2! Woo hoo!

I haven't updated in a few weeks, so sorry folks. We were super busy preparing for Harper to turn 2 years old! I hand made all of the invitations and decorations for her party so I have been a busy crafty mama.

Harper, I cannot believe that two years have gone by since the day you were born. I remember you coming into the world early in the morning (6:52am to be precise) so tiny and fragile. Now you are a rough & tumble 25 pound "big" girl, and you even tell me "uchgh, so heaby" when you give me a hug now (repeating what I would say, Ugh, you're getting so heavy!). It's the cutest thing, the way that you imitate my sarcasm almost to a tee. We celebrated on your actual birthday (which was a Monday) by me asking you all day what you wanted to do or eat, and you responding with "watch Elmo?" and "goldfish!". Then daddy stopped and picked up three yummy gourmet cupcakes at the market on the way home and we put in two candles and sang to you after dinner. You had no idea what to do with the candles, and daddy ended up blowing them out for you. You also didn't care one bit about the cupcake - you just picked the rainbow colored sprinkles off the top of the frosting and then called it off - screaming "I want to take a BAFF!!" (bath) We had a small party for you this past weekend on Saturday and a few of your little kid friends came over, the rest were adults & a few of your old teachers from school. You had a BLAST.  We even practiced blowing out birthday candles the day prior, so at your party it was a complete success! You loved opening presents and playing with the balloons that daddy brought home. We had a great little 2nd birthday party, and I hope that when you're older, you'll have some glimmer of a memory of it. Like....I remember my mom making this awesome Curious George cake that had polka dots all over it and actually had rainbow cake colors swirled inside. I remember strange things like that from my childhood birthday parties - what my mom baked, or where in the house we all set up our sleeping bags for the slumber party.  Two may be young to remember memories, but I still hope that you will someday.

Zoie, you were a little trooper during the whole party, you just had to be in my arms most of the time. We're starting to realize how "stranger" anxious you are, when your sister definitely never had issues with other people being near or holding her.  Zoie, you just haven't had that kind of exposure to other people, so you're glued to one of us all the time. You cut your second bottom tooth at the beginning of May (right when you turned 7 months actually) - and it's started to peek up above your gum line next to it's neighbor. You are definitely a miserable teether though, and I wish we knew a way to help you get some relief. You are FINALLY sleeping a bit better. We spent a horrible week teaching you to sleep on your tummy & unswaddled, but it seems to be paying off.  Last night you only woke up one time at around 3:30 for a feed.  That was the first night in your entire life that you have slept that long in one period.  It was awesome, and let me tell you how much better your mama feels when I get that much sleep. A whole 8 hours, with only one brief interruption! WOO HOOO!!!  That was wonderful. Now let's do it again tonight and every night thereafter until you're done nursing and can make it all the way through the night.....we are all ready to sleep such long hours again!

So. Tired.

It's been more than a week - I'm sorry. I'm just. so. tired.
Zoie has gone back to being awake between 1:30/2ish and about 5/5:30 am.  It's a horribly long stretch in the middle of the night. By the time I finally get her down again I'm wide awake, starving, and have horribly chapped lips from "shushing" for so long. For crying out loud baby (literally).

Anyway. I'm just. so. tired.  But I finally figured out the slideshow! So that's your new stuff.  The new slideshow (there is also some recent artwork I did for a friend mixed in there).

Harper you are talking up a storm and we are having more conversations about details, for example; last night we talked extendedly about the fact that Zoie has nipples (you noticed while we were doing a diaper change), and then upon putting your hand on Zoie's chest said: "Pretty hot?"  (Referring to her skin temperature).  Oh so entertaining.  I also was tickled the other day in the middle of a tantrum when I told you "Oh Harper, hush hush", and you looked at me and screamed "NO HUSH HUSH!!!!".  I about died laughing inside, I didn't want you to think I wasn't validating your feelings. Your tantrums are definitely getting more dramatic and louder....nearing the Terrible Twos we are just a few weeks away I'm afraid.

Zoie I can see your little tooth! You are eating pears, bananas, apples, baby cereal, and avocados (still don't like the sweet potatoes).  And you are sleeping horribly. Again. Laughing at your sister all the time and you are sitting up really really well.  You are starting to like the stroller more (I've been walking twice a day with you girls) and we're able to make it a little longer each day.  Daddy even took you for a run yesterday and you fell asleep in the stroller for the first time. Hooray! Don't get any ideas though, I'm not running with you in the stroller in the middle of the night in order to get you to sleep. 

There are so many other things to say I'm sure....but they are all lost in the fog of my sleep deprived memory.  Just wanted to do a quick update & will try to post more later in the week. 
Enjoy the slideshow!

Your mama loves you girls :)

A Very Merry Half Birthday to Z!

We are having a rough nap today, so it's going to have to be a quick one! Hopefully I'll get a slide show of photos going at the top of the blog so you can see the new ones easier.
Five Things About You this week:
--Zoie you turned 6 months! Hooray! I can't believe a half of a year has gone by and you're already halfway to your first birthday.  What a whirlwind it has been, but you have turned out to be a sweet snuggly little girl.
--You are sitting up all by yourself without the boppy.  This has inspired Harper to sit and play with you much more often, and she thinks it's pretty funny that you reach for and grab your own toys now.
--You have cut your first tooth! We can't quite see it yet, but we can feel it, sharp as a little razor in your bottom left front.
--You started eating sweet potatoes this week, which you have completely hated thus far. Gagging and wincing with each bite.  You even tasted the 1/4 teaspoon that I mixed into your rice cereal. Little stinker...you're so particular! They are of course fresh sweet potatoes, baked and pureed right in my own kitchen....but you still don't like 'em....it's gonna take quite a few rounds of trying new foods I'm sure.
--You are almost sleeping better....I would say 6 nights out of 7 you get up every four hours to nurse and go back to sleep pretty easily. The 7th night your midnight demon comes out and we spend about 5 hours crying, shushing, rocking to get you to sleep, but to no avail.  You always fall asleep at 6am soundly and want to sleep until 9 or 10.  Again.....little stinker!

Harper you LOVE your new stroller and are so excited to have Zoie ride in it with you. You like to peek around the corner of your seat to see her back there.
-- You said "you're welcome" to me for the first time the other day after I said "thank you" for something. It was so cute! We are really working on getting you to use your manners.
-- You are obsessed with painting and art making right now. You want to be sitting at the desk most of the day coloring, using colored pencils, or painting. Daddy brought home a canvas board with a big painted number 3 on it that you and him have been painting together. It is a Jasper Johns tribute he says.....pretty cool looking right now I must say. We'll have to post pictures when you two are finished with it.
-- We went to story time at the library yesterday and you are starting to sing the songs and fingerplays with the librarian this week (we've gone about 5-6 times now). It is great to see you learn new songs and look around to see the other kids trying out the movements as well. You love to get your hand stamped at the end of the session and you are ready to run up to the front before she's done singing the good-bye song. Between the stamp on your hand and the coloring of your own hands with markers each time you're at the desk, I don't have any doubt that you'll be bugging us for permanent body art as soon as you're old enough. Just like I did to my parents. I'm in for it......
-- You discovered that you love raw zucchini this week! It's been great to give you something fresh and healthy, easy to cut up and you love to dip it in ranch. Well, you love to dip pretty much everything....but this is a great new addition to your "favorites".  You also have started drinking out of a "big girl" cup (without a sippy lid). We found the perfect little colored plastic cups at Ikea last weekend. I think they were $1.99 for a set of 6 cups. All perfectly sized for you! You are great about slowly taking sips and we have had very minimal spills thus far. You have picked up every other skill we've started with you pretty quickly, but this was a really easy one for you. Potty training however has been a different story....we're hoping that you'll be more interested SOON because your 2nd birthday is right around the corner. Whoa! Just a few more weeks and our baby girl is going to be 2!!!! How did that happen? We're looking forward to a celebration!

Smile girls, your mama loves you. 

Blue Crayola appetizer followed with an entree of peanut butter

I love it when we get messy - and I'm pretty sure you do too Harper.  The other day you colored your face while I sat next to you approving your behavior.  I told you, "if you want to color your face that's fine, but it means we will have a lot of scrubbing to do later".  You happily continued with your blue beard while I sat there and thought about the wonderful picture opportunity it would be.  What kind of crazy mom am I? Letting my child color all over her face so I can take a cute picture later? Well that part yes, but also, why not? We always need to ask that of a child. Why not let you experiment with how it felt, what it looked like, and even what it tasted like. As a result we got a lot of giggles out of the project and as you can see I got some great photos to save for your high school yearbook:

I have to be brief today because naps are not going very smoothly. Zoie you are teething, and although you haven't cut any actual teeth yet, you are chomping on everything like a little rabbit.  Five months has been great thus far and in just a few days you're going to be 6 months old. A whole half year has gone by. WHEW! Let's see.....if I had to sum it up into a list this week, I suppose I would save a bit of time.

Harper. Five Things About YOU:
--You rocked out at the Kirkland Library's story time for "ones" last week - you jumped and flapped your arms for 30 minutes and got all the kids around you going. It was hilarious. You have started to sing the songs with the rest of the group as well....so cute. You love the song "Open Shut Them".
--You discovered sidewalk chalk at the park the other day. Another mom was nice and shared with you, and you walked around and drew a little green chalky scribble on every hard surface you could find. Marking your toddler graffiti all over the benches, sidewalk, slides, rocks, you name it!
--You are fascinated with sticks and pick them up wherever you find them. You always make sure that there are sticks for mommy and daddy as well. You often offer them to other kids at the park, who look at you like, "hey, okay, maybe this is a good thing to play with....your mommy lets you play with this"?
--You have been very interested in cooking and always want to be involved with what I'm doing in the kitchen. You love to dump the measuring cups and stir, stir, stir.  You even baked cookies with daddy and sat on the counter almost the entire time.
--You have been such a fabulous sister with Zoie. When you're jumping on the bed you always demand to me "Soie jump"....because you want me to pretend to jump her on the bed with you.  I told you I was going to put Zoie on the floor with you to play and you said to me, "Boppy"....and you went and retrieved it and set it on the floor near your toys. (We place Zoie in the Boppy while she's sitting so it protects her if she falls over...it's a C shaped pillow). You always bring toys to her. And just recently when she's crying you've started telling her "Soie Soie....no trying (crying).....Soie pop Soie pop......no trying!" It's so funny to hear you demand her to stop, or demand her to play with a particular toy, and then take another out of her hands saying "LET TOE!!!" (LET GO!!) Ahhhhhh, sisters.

Zoie. Five Things About YOU:
-- You are ALMOST sitting up on your own. SO EXCITING! That makes a huge difference in your play time, and you are much happier sitting playing with Harper than laying on your back.  You are reaching for toys and putting everything you grab directly in your mouth. I have to be careful because Harper keeps trying to feed you goldfish crackers, which I don't doubt you will stick in your mouth.
--You have discovered the cat. Every time you see one of them you track them silently with your eyes and stop with curiosity when one of them comes near you. I remember this with Harper too, fascinated by the cats. In fact, I think Harper crawled for the first time in order to reach Satchmo.
-- You are becoming quite the little flirt, giving anyone who gives you eye contact a huge toothless grin. You're definitely a cute little conversation starter, with kids and adults alike. We've been calling you "Zoie Pop", it just seems to stick...and when we sing "Zoie Pop, Zoie Pop (to the tune of Lollipop) you grin at us and laugh. It's so funny!
--You are FINALLY starting to sleep a little better at night. You have about 5 good nights in a row, and then 1 or 2 horrible ones. BUT, aside from those 2 nights you are sleeping pretty soundly - getting up at 1:00 and 5:00 to nurse and sleeping until about 8 am.  Perfect as far as I'm concerned, and way, way, better than where we were just 4 weeks ago.  Those two horrible nights are still pretty horrible though, so we just need to work that last bit of midnight madness out of your system and get on a 7 day schedule. I can't complain though, like I said, better now than one month ago!
-- You are loving rice cereal and eat it every day at lunch with Harper. We can't wait to start some sweet potatoes and pears, I just have to remember to pick some up at the grocery store the next time we're there. Time to get down the mini food processor and the stacks of ice cube trays. Homemade baby food here we come, AGAIN!!

Your mama loves you two :)