Kissing Cousins

Max and Isabelle aren't really kissing cousins...but they sure do love each other. They had so much fun on his visit and Olivia got to know Max better too. It was painful for them to all say goodbye when it was time for Max to head back to the airport but we promised them all that they would see each other again real soon...and we plan to make good on our promise!

Creekfest 2012

We have really been pleased with Isabelle's first year of school as a Kindergartner at Creekside Forest Elementary. I have become very involved volunteering in the classroom and also working with the PTO. I think it is a mix of our intense parenting mixed with my public service gene that has caused me to be at the school almost as much as Isabelle some days and I have been very lucky with Ben's new work schedule to allow it to happen.

Creekside is a new school, only opening 3 years earlier, and they are starting some wonderful traditions as a school. This spring the PTO hosted a huge school fundraiser called Creekfest 2012. We happened to have cousin Max in town visiting so our busy week was double the fun with Belle and Max hand in hand. Creekfest began early Friday morning with a 1 mile run that Isabelle raised sponsors for. She called her grandparents and aunts and uncles asking for money for her race and raised beyond her goals for Mrs. Grimes class. Isabelle was excited for the run and completed the mile without stopping to walk once. Olivia and dad were there to cheer her on while I worked the race and tried to keep 600 kids running happily and safely.


That night they celebrated their victory with a party at the school. We rode ponies, jumped in bounce houses, watched a magic show, ate lots of yummy pizza, tacos, cupcakes and cotton candy and danced, danced, danced. Isabelle, Olivia, Max and her friends did the YMCA, chicken dance, conga, and every other DJ'd dance possible. Isabelle had high hopes of winning one of the raffle prizes (especially the American Girl Doll) but sadly her name was not picked out of the bucket. We went home from a busy and fun event sweaty, dirty and tired. And the school raised over $40,000 profit to spend on all sorts of fun things for the school! It was a successful night on all accounts!

Dos, due, deux, two!

Little Livi the Brave turned 2 years old on February 25th, 2012! We begged her not to, but she did it anyway. It's her new terrible 2 year old way...doing things we tell her not to.

Isabelle was so excited to celebrate Olivia's birthday and couldn't wait to help her pick out a theme. (What's a party without the all important theme?) We decided that a zoo party would be the perfect way to celebrate and of course that meant a trip to the zoo was the first thing on our to-do list. Grammie was planning on being out of town the weekend of the party, so she joined us a few days earlier downtown at the Houston Zoo.


The girls were thrilled to have grammie with us on this adventure and she even brought birthday gifts to open while we waited in line for our tickets. The weather was perfect for a day spent outside and we had fun eating popcorn and looking at hundreds of animals together. Olivia could name almost all of the animals and wore her birthday badge proudly as she climbed, ran, and jumped through the zoo. The best part of the day was the perfect ending when the girls got to ride the huge zoo carousel twice in a row before making our way back to the car and heading home tired and happy.

Luckily this year Olivia's actual birth date fell on a Saturday so it was a perfect day to party. Aunt Alee, Uncle Nick and Leo drove down from College Station, Aunt Tara flew over from Miami and Grandpa Elmo drove over from Cypress all to show Livi how much she is loved. We had a great time eating pasta, playing with balloons, and eating the special Texas chocolate sheet cake that Alee and Belle decorated to look like a zoo, complete with edible grass.

We were careful to not wrap any of Olivia's gifts until the big birthday actually arrived because this year she knew just what to do. She loved ripping off all of the colorful paper and was so excited to discover all of the fun things placed inside. Olivia loved when we sang Happy Birthday to You and wanted us to sing it to her over and over and even chimed in singing Happy Birthday to me! It was a lovely 2nd birthday for our little Livi and we are so glad that she is our baby.



A few fun facts about Miss Olivia at age 2:
* She knows her ABCs and loves to sing them often.
* She can count to 10 and then goes into her teens but after about 14 you never know what number will come next.
* She has an amazing vocabulary and speaks full sentences with correct past/present tense, etc.
* She likes nuggets and french fries and dip from Chick-Fil-A and asks for it about lunchtime most days.
* She is never going to win a nap-award but sleeps from about 7pm to 7am everyday.
* She thinks she can do almost anything Isabelle can do and has no fear in trying.
* She has recently discovered coloring and sometimes spends several minutes coloring a picture...and other times spends several minutes trying to color on things she shouldn't.
* She thinks it is funny to hit you and when you fake cry she laughs and does it again.
* She knows all of her basic shapes and most of the rainbow too.
* She loves to be outside and and can't wait until it is time each day to go outside and pick up big sister from school.
* She LOVES to read and we spend hours and hours each week with books.


On a bit of a personal note, Olivia had her well check a week or so ago and her new doctor was absolutely overwhelmed by little Livi. Like usual, she is taller than fatter but he was shocked by her speech and could not believe she said her favorite color was pink and named each of the shapes correctly that he pointed to. Dr. E actually took out his IPad and had Olivia "draw" him a picture that he saved to put in her file because he was so amazed at how capable she is. He asked us several times what we were doing at home with her and spent most of the exam explaining different programs we should get her involved in downtown like music, art and even diving! (Huh?) He called her a sort of prodigy and told me I had my work cut out for me. (I'm tired all ready.) Now who knows what this Dr. E thinks he knows or what our Olivia is capable or not capable of but I've felt slightly overwhelmed ever since. She seems to be following in Belle's footsteps and I pray that I can somehow keep up! I've said to her many times since that day I don't want you to get bigger to which she replies I'm not bigger, I'm a baby! And for me, those are precious words to hear. We love you Olivia and think you are the brightest star in the sky!

What's not to love?

It's no secret that Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday of the year. Ben claims it is because I have always had lots of suitors surprising me with gifts, flowers and love notes...and maybe that has helped...or maybe not. Perhaps it is because my parents always made a big deal celebrating that day and for as long as I can remember my dad has left me a "secret" Valentine at my door, this year included! Whatever the reason may be, I love all things Valentines and look forward to sharing the love each year!

Holidays are not Ben's "strength" let's say but he is always right on the money when it comes to mid-February. (He's no fool.) He surprised all three of his girls with gifts and flowers bright and early Valentine's morning and Olivia was so proud of her very own bouquet of flowers. We let her hold and carry them around a bit before we put them in water and that may have not been a great idea. Several times a day afterward she climbed onto the table to admire and smell her flowers and carefully pluck one of them out of the water to dance around the house with.

This year was especially fun since Isabelle is in Kindergarten and was so pleased to pick out a special treat and card for each member of her class. She made sure she gave the B.F.F. stamps to Emily and Paloma and the "love" card to Emilio and sadly the "girly" card to Brian whom she is convinced wants to be a princess. (Eek.) I was lucky enough to get to attend her class Valentine's party where we made a festive trail mix, decorated picture frames and had fun delivering our special cards in everyone's handmade mailboxes.

We were surprised Valentine's evening when Grammie and Grandpa showed up with gifts and heart shaped pizza for dinner. It was a lovely day to be in love and I am counting down the minutes till next year already.

Bienvenido a Miami

I get to see my sister Tara often here in Texas or in random cities across the nation throughout the year, but not so often do I get to visit her on her own soil. Of course the girls always want to go visit "Aunt Tary" and go to the beach, but I decided that instead this time I would just hop on a quick flight alone and spend a weekend doing big girl things like shopping, eating and running!

I convinced my mom to take a break too so the three of us enjoyed a long weekend doing whatever we fancied. One morning we woke up early and drove down to Miami Beach and got our exercise participating in the Live Ultimate Ocean Drive Run. We all run a 5k or farther every morning anyway so it was fun to run along the ocean and chat about all the weirdos racing that morning. Of course anyone who knows my mom would not be surprised to hear that she qualified for the silver medal in her age group so we waited for the awards ceremony with fruit and muffins in the white sand and cheered as Mrs. United States and the Dolphins Cheerleaders hung the medal around The Great Jeanene's neck.

We shopped till we dropped, ate tacos, bought shoes and formal dresses, ate more tacos, went to the movie and just had fun being together. It was a quick weekend trip and I came home rejuvenated and rested...which was needed since Ben and both girls met me at the airport mid-morning, skipping school with their pjs still on and crying with head colds and ear infections. Thanks Ben for letting me sneak away!

**And since I had no small children with me, I guess I never took out my camera!

Busy body

My little Olivia, she is so busy all day. I literally cannot get anything accomplished while she is awake...except dance, play, color, dress-up, read her books, eat her pretend food and dance some more. She scales walls, opens every door, cabinet or container that she shouldn't and gets her own snacks. I walk behind her and save her life multiple times a day and clean up her messes as we go. It's a pretty fun life right now with me little buddy by my side and I think that 18 to 24 months has been my favorite age to date.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear how much I love you,
Please don't take my sunshine away. Please don't take my sunshine away.