Sammy and Grammy

Samantha woke up with pink eye and Grammy came to the rescue (again)! Sam got to spend the whole day with Grammy and had a blast! Daddy was traveling and while I managed to get out of work briefly in the afternoon to get Sam to the doctor.

The next day Grammy came again to the rescue by taking both girls while I was at work! They both had a great time with Grammy as they always do! Thank you Grammy for helping us so much!

Play for the moms and older girls

Our friends, Nicki and Naamah, invited Samantha and I to a play, "Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type". Both girls were good once Sam checked out the bathroom, which is a typical thing for her. Afterwards we went out to dinner and enjoyed some time to talk. It's never enough time with them because it's always a great time! I'm especially glad that Sam and I got out by ourselves even for an afternoon. She thrives on 1:1 time and it's nice for me to just focus on her.

Children's Museum with Nana and Papa (and Buddy)

A few weeks ago we went to see Buddy from "Dinosaur Train" (a.k.a. Sofie's favorite show) at the Children's Museum. Nana and Papa met us their with the girls who had stayed with them the night before. It wasn't too crowded and the girls got to hang with Buddy a few times! There was also a China exhibit which Sam loved because she's learning about China at preschool.


The day would not be complete with a video of both girls dancing!

When I was little, I was so obsessed with dinosaurs that I named my dog (a rat terrier) Tyrannosaurus Rex. I think it's nice that both Samantha and especially Sofia love dinosaurs too!

Then and Now (Four Strange People)

I like to comment how Daddy and I are going to be just like Antie and Uncie in about 25 years. The four of us seem to have a special bond beyond kinship. Antie and I are at times the oddballs and are quite content to be that way. We have so much in common that it's scary, but we make it fun! Uncie and Daddy have always had an unique bond. Uncie is Daddy's mentor and guidepost for life. We treasure them and are anxiously awaiting our upcoming trip to see them.

This is a photo of us taken at Daddy's and mine wedding reception.


Here we are about 7 years later...


If our future truly is to emulate Uncie and Antie, then we are truly blessed.

Work to live, not living to work

Life has been nutty lately... I've been feeling pulled into work way too much, but something nice has come out of it. Folks from my previous company have started a new one and asked me for help. In this economy it feels almost greedy to have the opportunity to have 2 jobs so I'm very grateful. I feel rewarded for my efforts and being regarded as a person with integrity, loyalty and technical aptitude. Everything that has happened to me, every choice I have made has brought me to this point in my life. I have been extremely fortunate that people have taken chances on me, mentored me and given me guidance. They have let me grow and show them what I can do, demonstrate that I care not only in words, but with action. Without them and the choice they made, who knows where I would have ended up!


My lesson to my girls is this: Work hard, treat others with respect and accept kindness from people. Whether it's karma or the golden rule, you can have a charmed life.

Reunited

Daddy is back from his seemingly eternal trip this week. I listened to him play with our girls, hugged him and enjoyed our family reunited. I think we all missed him as much as he missed us. We are all happy he is home. Samantha, Sofia and I all keep busy and have our own fun while Daddy is gone, but it's even better when we're all home.

Movies and playdates

Samantha attended her first movie for Taylor's birthday party ("How to Train a Dragon"). She insists that she will only go to movies that have dragons in them now. Samantha's preschool recently took a field trip to see the movie in IMAX and 3-D. Of course, it was "How to Train a Dragon" so we didn't have to be concerned about the bigger screen scaring her. I wasn't able to chaperon this time due to my back issues, but Samantha handled the news and didn't seem too disappointed.

A playdate at a friend's house, the neighbor girl (Izzy) and friends coming here mean that we have been social butterflies lately. With Daddy's travel schedule and me feeling drained by my job and back issues, it's been easier to be with friends. It's nice to be part of the community and who can complain about that? I want to show my girls the world and give them the coping skills so they can deal with whatever they have to. Empowerment and education are the keys to their future. Confidence and knowledge are the by-products of those keys, giving them unlimited potential.

Here are some pictures:

Musical beds

Monday morning I was late, the kitchen faucet broke, I made a friend at dance played with the girls and Izzy, and now I'm up because our king-sized bed is occupied by our daughters. I ended up sleeping in Sofia's bed, where Sam joined me around 5am the next morning.

I can't stop thinking, "This is the rollercoaster of life... whee!" Then I sigh and just go with it.

It was quite a week for us, but with Grammy and Papa's help we made it through during Daddy's trip!

A self-portrait of us...

Bits and pieces

On a recent Sunday morning, Daddy took the girls out to the park so I could focus on a work task and get organized. Samantha had the idea to get me flowers, so they all came home with a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses. What a fantastic kid! I am so proud of her kindness. She is really a wonderful girl.

Last week Daddy was lecturing Samantha about standing up for herself to her sister. Sofia is two years old and she doesn't always understand sharing, so this has been an issue. Samantha was saying she didn't want the toy Sofia took from her, but Daddy explained the principle is important. Sam looked around and said, "I don't see the principal... like at school?" Ah, innocence.

Sofia is talking non-stop and has hit the "why not?" phase. Every question she asks that is answered with "No", her response is, "Why not?" This will continue until Sofia is satisfied with the answer. It's at times challenging, crazy and it's all good.

Passover

It's Passover which means lots of discussions about being Jewish. It was fun this year to talk about the Exodus from Egypt. Sam was engaged in learning about Moses and how the Jews were freed from slavery. I took her to the Matzah Factory with her Sunday School class and below you'll see some shots of her at work. We even ate the matzah she made!




Our normal tradition for the seder didn't happen, but Nana hosted a special one for us. Her matzah ball soup was delicious and it was wonderful to see my niece and nephew! They are growing so fast and of course their smiles melt your heart. Samantha and Sofia love their cousins so much!

We sang songs and hid the matzah multiple times at our house for our family seder. Grammy enjoyed it with us and it was a fun time!

Sofie's new bike

Sofia got a new bike, one that she can actually ride! She's getting used to pedaling, not so much steering yet and has already ridden to the park! Here are some shots of her and a video Daddy took...
Sofia is the kid that wants to do everything her sister does, but she wants to do it her way. Daddy said that she hugged the bike in the store and wouldn't let it go. It's nice that she has something that is hers and hers alone. However she will share as you'll see in the video!

Struggles at bedtime

Sofia can be challenging as all people can be. She is driving us nuts at bedtime. My only comparison is that Sofia is like the energizer bunny... she keeps going and going and then keeps going and going some more. She usually falls asleep about the time I want to crash which means that Daddy and I don't get any time to ourselves or time to spend together. It is beyond frustrating and to be honest, I'm running out of ideas. Sofia is pleasant in the morning, so maybe she is getting enough sleep with a nap at daycare.

I find myself missing that grown-up time more than anything. I don't have a problem with her being up, but she needs to be in her room and relatively quiet. Sofia doesn't do that either, she breaks out even if she knows we're there. It would be comical if it wasn't so maddening.

All in all, we have a vivacious and happy kid with Sofia so there really isn't anything to complain about. I have said this about both of my kids - I would rather have a kid who is stubborn and feisty because those traits will serve them well while they mature. That being said, I'll deal with it now because this "issue" too shall pass.

Just look at her... yeah, we're lucky to be her parents.