Round round get around, I get around...

There is no rest for the weary, isn't that how the idiom goes? That is definitely the case for parents of small children. It seems like we are always on the go and thankfully my smart phone captures some of our adventures along the way. So lately, we've: spent a Saturday at the Children's museum, mowed the grass, enjoyed family movie nights, went to the ENT for the 1000x time, climbed, dressed up, colored on paper (and walls, tile, toys, etc.) and played "beauty salon" at home. We've drove fire trucks, had breathing treatments, gotten real haircuts and spent lots and lots of time being silly. With only 24 short hours in the day and so much in the world to discover and do we have to make the most of our time. We would hate to ever slow down and take a nap....zzzzz.

Soccer is the ballet of the masses

Isabelle has taken an interest and classes in many hobbies in her short little life, to name a few... basketball, cooking, gymnastics, ballet, tap, swimming and the list goes on. But so far none of them bring her quite as much joy as SOCCER.

Thankfully soccer starts really early in the year in Houston to avoid the heat, so our spring season began the first of February and wrapped up a few weeks ago. Isabelle was on the team with her B.F.F. Paloma and the two had a great season running, kicking and cartwheeling around the field. It was their first season with goalies and referees so the games were intense and some of the soccer moms were too.

We were on team Salt Lake and although we made a conscious decision for Ben to NOT coach this year with his new business taking up all of his spare time, somehow Coach Ben got the job anyway and once again had a great season with his little girl. Olivia was the best cheerleader on the sidelines often running onto the field to get that ball and eating the team snacks mid-game.

I'm not sure if we won or lost more games, it didn't seem to matter, because Isabelle couldn't wait for practice each week and loved when it was time to suit up for the game. She cried when the season ended but alas we promised it would be time for soccer again real soon and cheered our little sport up by reminding her that tennis started in just a few days. Isabelle loves to be busy and we love our little athlete.

Whose your daddy?

Ben was the Watch Dog at Isabelle's school for the day. He and Belle wore matching t-shirts and had to be at school early. They had a schedule for Ben to follow and he was in all sorts of places in the school helping out in a variety of ways but his favorite part of the day was spending time in Isabelle's classroom and also eating lunch with her in the cafeteria. All the kids knew that Belle's dad was the Watch Dog that day since she had on the special shirt and she has never been more proud. Now their picture is hanging up in the Hall of Fame at the school and Ben is forever a hero to his daughter! Well done Dad!!

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!