The Dancing Fountains

Thursday we took the girls up to the new outdoor mall to play in the dancing fountains. As we got them out of the car, they gave us just enough time to wipe them down quickly with "Sun-scream" before they ran off to meet their friends. Although they were excited to see Emma Grace, Macy and "Mawl-lee" (Molly), they were not so excited about the temperature of the water, so they just sat on their towels for a little while to catch some rays. Slowly but surely, they inched closer and closer to the fountains to see what all the fuss was about. And Daddy showed her how to touch the water without getting wet. But, there was just something about that water that Maddie couldn't resist and by the end of the hour, she was soaked and having a blast with her friends! We stopped by the Marble Slab for "ize green" and hugs and then went home for a long nap! I am so glad that summer has arrived!!!!

He's Home!!!!

After 2 VERY LONG weeks of training, Billy is finally home! There are no words to describe the joy in my heart when he called our names and my sweet babies ran from one end of baggage claim to the other laughing and screaming "Daddy!!!!" They almost knocked him down they landed in his arms so fast. Billy was crying tears of joy and the girls were just beaming and it was a precious moment that will be locked up in my heart forever!

I Think My Life's About to Change!

It's funny the things a child will do when they are in time-out!

We have just started really implementing this with Claire (I know, I know!! She is almost 2 and we should have started it a loooooong time ago!) and I am learning that that girl is a feisty one! Lately, she does NOT like to be told "No!" and she really does not like time-out! So, today, she wasn't sharing and I told her to stop. She raised her hand to hit me and I took her to her crib and told her that she had to sit in there until she could calm down. I walked out as she screamed, but then something told me to peek my head back in, so I turned around and did just that.

And do you know what I saw?

Claire, still screaming, face red with frustration but filled with determination, and her little leg draped over the side ready to climb out. I just kept watching to see if she really could do it or if she was just trying hard for a failed attempt.

Oh, she's got it alright! And I made it to the crib just in time to grab her waist and ease her down.

As I posted here, this was the same reason that Maddie climbed out the first time and fell hard onto the hardwood floors. So, I think that my coveted nap time in the afternoon just might be in jeopardy for a little while! Aggghhh!!

I guess I have to decide quickly if my baby is ready to move out of her crib!

Wordless Wednesday - Sort of

Having fun at MawMaw and PawPaw's pond.

For more WW go here.

Maddie-Speak

Some more funny words/quotes by Madison. There are so many but these are a few of my favorites.

*Airporch = Airport

*Airplane a big chick = Airplane/A Big Jet (I told her to look up at the big jet in the sky one day and she said, "No Mommy! That's an airplane." I said that airplanes are sometimes called jets and she said, "Oh. It's an airplane a big chick." It's just too cute to correct her!)

*Iya not caleeb it! = I can not believe it!

*4-leeler = 4-wheeler

*Handy-Hanny = Handy Manny

*Seshurella = Cinderella

*Old McDonald's = McDonald's

*Eleventeen = any number over 16

*Phar-larn = fire alarm

*Bay-soup = bathing suit

Bright Lights, Big City, No Directions!!!

Thursday afternoon, I dropped the girls off at Billy's parents' house, and headed back home to get a good night's sleep because Friday, I boarded the 9:25 flight to Newark to see Billy! He has been gone for 2 weeks straight, so to say that I was a little excited to see him is quite an understatement! I got in just in time to throw on several layers (because it was raining and cold) and hop on the train to NYC with Billy and some of his co-workers to see the Yankees play the Mets at Yankee Stadium. We got off the train at Penn Station and were told that the game had been canceled. UGH!!!! Our one and only chance to see the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium before they tear it down..... Gone.....So sad! So we just went across the street and grabbed some dinner so that the train tickets weren't a total waste.

Saturday, the weather was perfect, so we woke up and went back into the city. We stepped out of the train station and our first stop was the Empire State Building, since it was close. There was a 2 hour line to go to the top, so we took off towards 5th avenue, since we were close. If I learned one lesson while I was there.... EVERYTHING in NYC looks close.

ON THE MAP!!!!!

One. Hour. Later......

We finally made it to Times Square. We got so many wrong directions to the fashion district that we just skipped it and went on to find out about tickets to the show for Saturday night.

NOBODY in NYC knows how to get anywhere!!!!! Not even the cops! (But God Bless the Cops! They have a lot more to do than give directions. Amen?!)

We got our tickets for Phantom, grabbed some lunch, stopped by Battery Park to see her:and then headed here:Ground Zero.

We walked around the gate and then went to Ladder 10, which was the first station on the scene and who lost all of its members on 9/11. There is a museum located there that I encourage you to visit if you ever go. There are no words to describe the sadness that fell over me as I walked through the room with the wall of photos and flyers from that day. Although I was disgusted and shocked on that day, and scared for weeks after, I never cried about the attacks. But Saturday, as I looked at the faces of all those innocent victims, and thought about the husbands and wives who will never see their spouse again, or the children who will never see their mommies and daddies walk through the door again, I just wept.

Although it was sad, and overwhelming at times, I am glad that we went down there to see it. I know that I speak for all of us when I say that I will never forget that day. What I was doing when I first heard, how we all sat around in a state of shock wondering what would happen next, and how we all hugged our loved ones a little bit tighter when we got back to them at the end of the day.

And finally, we made it back in time to see Phantom of the Opera and then all the buzz around Times Square. We had a fabulous time and can't wait to go back, stay in the city, and have someone with us who actually knows how to get us around!

Wordless Wednesday

Mmmm... Ice Cream! She LOVES her chocolate!!!

For more WW, go here.

This Little Light of Mine

For weeks now, Madison has been begging to play with the flashlight. I really didn't understand why she wanted to, but I let her do it b/c it was harmless and she had so much fun shining the light on things, such as the wall or ceiling or Claire's eyes....ahem.

Anyways, this morning, I found out where the obsession has come from. Her little MDO had their end of the year program for the 2 and 3 year olds and one of their songs was This Little Light of Mine.

I don't get usually get emotional about the girls growing up, but today I got a little sad as I looked at my baby girl up on that stage. She looked so big! I was a little worried that she might dance around the stage like June on the Little Einsteins, but she did so good lining up on her spot and waiting for the cue to to sing with her little friends.

We did have a bit of a "diva" moment, I suppose. Just look at this picture.....

I think it is time to get this girl in the choir!

I was so proud of Madison and her little classmates! They did a great job and I can't wait to have both of my girls up their singing next year!

Goin to da dot-ter

Since last Thursday, Madison has been walking with a limp. I have been back and forth with myself all weekend trying to decide if she really needed to go to the doctor or if it was just a minor injury that she would just get over. I finally decided today that I should take her in just-in-case.

This made Madison so excited.

Seriously, how many 3-yr-olds get excited about going to see their doctor?

Anyways, they couldn't get her in until 3:30 so we had enough time to go home and sneak in a nap. Madison kept getting out of the bed to come in and "tell me somepin," so finally, I told her that if she didn't go back to her room and go to sleep, we would NOT be going to see Dr. E today. She spun around and went right back to her room and I didn't hear a peep out of her until I went to wake her at 3:15.

I need to remember to hold that one over her head more often!

Anyways, we went to the doctor and nothing was wrong. He said that she probably just twisted her knee and that it should be better by the weekend.

On the way home, I asked Madison if she had fun.

Madison: "Yes, Mama! I had fun at da dot-ter. Dr. E is SOOO funny!"
Me: "You are sooo funny! I can't believe you like going to the doctor."
Madison: "I LUUUUV da dot-ter!"
Me: "Are you going to be a doctor when you grow up?"
Madison: "Nope!"
Me: "Well... what are you going to be when you grow up?"
Madison: "A big girl!"

Smarty britches!!

A Sweet Treat

This weekend, since Daddy was away, we decided to load up and go visit MawMaw & PawPaw. It was a much needed trip as the girls were getting quite tired of being with just me, and I was needing a few days to just be taken care of by Mama myself.

The girls had lots of fun playing with the bubbles and riding the 4-wheeler up to the pond to look for "da fish in da wa-der." We didn't see any fish because it was quite cool, but Madison did get to see a baby turtle poke his head out to say hi. She thought that was hilarious!

So, I told Billy a long time ago that I didn't want anything for Mother's Day because we have planned a special trip for this next weekend..... JUST THE TWO OF US! Can you tell I am excited? So, he agreed and I woke up at 5:30 to one groggy and grumpy 3-year-old and one cheerful nearly-2-year-old, but OK with the fact that I wouldn't be getting a present.

But, my Mother, who is the BEST MOM in the WHOLE WORLD, who had already let me sleep in all weekend long, woke up shortly after we did, and told me to go back to sleep!!! What Mom wouldn't love that!?! Then, at 10:00, my two sweet baby girls pushed the door open and giggled into my room with pink flowers that PawPaw had clipped from the flowering bush outside. SO precious!

After spending the afternoon with my parents and my sister and her family, we drove home this evening and I entered the quiet house, sad that the weekend was over. I checked the messages and got the sweetest msg from Billy wishing me a Happy Mother's Day and telling me to check the counter for my gift. I didn't know how he would do it, but I knew he wouldn't let the day go by without getting me something. He is soooo good to me!

This Mother's Day, I am so thankful for the job that I have! It is really difficult and there are not many thank you's throughout my day, but it is totally worth it at the end of the day to tuck them in and know that I have two precious baby girls who God put on this earth just for me and Billy to love and raise. And, I am also thankful for my Mom! She is awesome and knows just what her baby girl needs! Thanks for letting me come home and be your little girl this weekend!