A little snip here, a little snip there. ~ Best Shot Monday

Posted on November 12, 2007 by carrievoris

I really like this pic of Em, even if it is a little “senior portrait” looking. Do you notice anything strange about the photo?

Yeah, me either – until we were at the Pier yesterday and her little wispy “bits of bangs,” (which I thought were just more crazy bangs) were kind of “dampened” to her forehead because of the mist from the ocean. And there was a definite jagged “slant” to them, almost as if…they had been cut.

J: Did she, or someone, cut her bangs?
M: No, I think she has some weird bang growth…hey…wait a minute. Emma! Did you cut your hair?
E: No, Mama.
M: Did somebody else cut your bangs.
E: Um, no.
M: Did you? We aren’t going to be mad, we just want to know.
E: Yes. I did when I was in the playroom.
M: Honey! Why did you cut your hair?
E: My bangs were in my way. They were in my eyes, so I cut them off.

*sigh*

It really is hard to argue with logic like that.

For more Best Shot Mondays, hop on over to Tracey’s.

A Tasty Turkey Treat

Posted on November 9, 2007 by carrievoris

Emma clearly gets her culinary skills from me.

Her recipe for a Thanksgiving turkey as narrated to her teacher at school today.

Ingredients: vinegar, ketchup, potatoes and turkey.

First you put the vinegar on top. Then the potatoes, then the turkey. Then squeeze ketchup on the Turkey. Put it in the oven to cook. Cook for 60 hours at 70 degrees.

Simple. And Dewischous!

God Loves High School Musical

Posted on November 7, 2007 by carrievoris

I may have mentioned the High School Musical Mania in our house, although the girls call it “High School Music-school.” But if you have not witnessed Addie’s rendition of “Breakin’ Free,” especially the beginning that starts –

We’re soarin’, flyin’
There’s not a star in heaven
That we can’t reach

-well, then! You are in for a Thursday treat.

J. caught the girls goofing around on video on his laptop the other night. It isn’t Addie’s best performance, but it is still pretty funny. I especially love the part where Emma tries to tell Addie how it is supposed to go and Ad gets fed up and tries to squirm away.

Good times.

While we are on the subject of High School Music-school and the obsession, today while we were in the car they asked for a HSM song…

A: Mama, turn up High School Music-school?
M: Sorry Ad., Mama’s iPod isn’t charged up.
E: But it is the Radio Disney, right Mama?
M: Yes, it is. But you can’t control what song they play when you are listening to the radio, Em.
E: Maybe God can play “Fabulous” for us.
A: Or “Na-na-na-na” (Music in Me, for anyone who knows/cares what song A. was talking about.)
M: I think God probably is worried about other things, not what song the Radio Disney is playing.

And then, I kid you not, the next song was “Music in Me.” (Na-na-na-na.) It wasn’t too surprising since they pretty much rotate Hannah Montana, High School Musical, and the Cheetah Girls. So every third song is usually a HSM song. But such timing!

A: (shrieks) It is Na-na-na-na, Mama, it is!
E: See, Mama?! God likes High School Music-school, too.

Can’t argue with that, I guess.

Happy Halloween!

Posted on October 30, 2007 by carrievoris

Happy Halloween to your princesses and fairies, or ghouls and goblins. Whatever you may have lurking around today. Have a great (safe) trick-o-treat!

First Born ~ Best Shot Monday

Posted on October 28, 2007 by carrievoris

She is opinionated. She has a fierce independent streak. She has a hugely stubborn attitude. She is a bossy big sister.

She is exactly like me.

I see myself in her expressions. I hear myself in her voice when she speaks.

She inspires me to be a better Mommy, a better, more patient person. I have to be. For she is always watching. Always imitating.

She is my first born.

But every once in awhile, I get to see her as simply a sweet little four-year old. Just a precious little kid running free, with all of that “first born” stuff tucked safely away. It always brings a smile to my face, and makes me so thankful that she is (and always will be) my first baby.

Make sure to stop over to Tracey’s and see what is inspiring everyone else this fine Monday.

The Week in Review

Posted on October 26, 2007 by carrievoris

I have all kinds of things to write about today, so I’ll just do this post “Reader’s Digest-style” and hit the highlights of the week.

Emma Misses Her Daddy
We all do. But E., the clever little monkey, realized that if she says she misses her Daddy and acts very sad, she gets a little more attention and love. And she has been using it to her advantage all week long. When J. got ready to leave on Sunday night, Em had a little meltdown and was sobbing, “But I miss you already, Daddy.” Which, of course, broke J.’s heart and he was trying to console her while the car to take him to the airport was waiting out in the driveway. So after he left, I cuddled with Emma and we talked about some fun things we could do to make the time go faster this week, (and the promise of sleeping in Mommy’s bed) and soon she was happy and sleeping again.

But…every time she has been in trouble or in timeout this week, she has turned on the tears and blurted out, “I miss my Daddy!” For the first few days I gave her a reprieve, but now it is just getting ridiculous. When she has her hands over her eyes, crying, but looks through the fingers to see what kind of reaction she is getting from me…I think I’m being played a little bit.

She did win some brownie points the other night when I was putting her to sleep in my bed. She was all warm and snuggly and she put her hand to my cheek and said, “I like it when it is just us, Mommy. I really like sleeping with you, too.”

I know she doesn’t want it to be “just us” most of the time, but for that little moment it was nice.

Addie is “practically perfect in every way”
A. had her 2-year checkup yesterday and the doctor just kept exclaiming how perfect she was. She exceeds every one of her developmental milestones, she is 50-60th percentile in both height and weight, and our doctor just could not get over her vocabulary and mastery/understanding of our conversations. At one point when I was relaying her typical diet to the doctor, she asked how many fruits and veggies a day A. normally eats. And Addie pipes up, “I like broccoli. Yes!” The doctor just looked at me in complete shock. I don’t know if it was the fact that A. really does like broccoli, or that she happened to contribute so willingly and well to the conversation.

When the doctor was doing the examination, she would tell A. “Okay, now I’m going to check your ears. Is that ok?” And A. would sort of quietly nod and just tilt her ear up towards the doctor. Not a peep. I was so relieved and so proud of her. The doctor said at the end, “Simply extraordinary. I wish all of my patients were this great. She is absolutely perfect.”

I agree with her, I would only add “practically” in front of that perfect.

She was sitting on the potty today and did her “business” in the appropriate place and I told her “Great job, I’m very proud of you, Addie!” And she looks at me very seriously and says, “No poopy in my pants! No poopy in a cup or a plate, either.”

Um, did she just hear me retelling that story too many times? I had assumed that the cup was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but did she in fact mean to do it? In a cup?

Yeah, “practically perfect” is much more fitting for her, I think.

Mommy Is Now Most Certainly Certifiably Insane
No, it is not all entirely just from this long week sans Daddy.

I have been looking for a little inspiration in the workout arena for awhile now. I’m kinda stuck in a rut. I keep thinking that I will try to run another marathon. But honestly, my knees are really, really creaky, they probably would be sorely unhappy with 25+ mile weeks again. And the amount of time and effort it requires to train for a marathon – it was hard when I was doing it without kids, I just don’t think I have it in me.

So instead? I registered for the inaugural Pasadena Triathlon. Shouldn’t require as much training, right?
Ha.HA.HA!

I told you I was quite possibly on the slippery slope to becoming insane. I figure with all of the spin classes I do, and the occasional running, I just need to step it up a bit and add some swimming. I think I can do it. And I have until March. So send me some encouraging stories about friends and family who have completed a sprint triathlon. I am particularly interested in how you transition from the pool to the bike to the run. Should be an interesting ride, that’s for sure.

But I feel like now that you all know, I can’t back out. Right?

Run! ~ Best Shot Monday

Posted on October 1, 2007 by carrievoris

I guess my BSM is actually kind of a series. My favorite shot is the third one, but you kind of have to see the progression of photos, it is cuter that way.

So here are the girls outside of the aquarium, watching this little fountain/water wall.

Whoa! The water shoots up, far and fast!

Run, quick…so we don’t get wet!

There wasn’t a chance they could even get remotely wet – but they “ran away” from the fountain for a good 15 minutes. Hey, whatever keeps them occupied, right?

For more Best Shot Mondays, run on over to Tracey’s…quickly!

Getting a little crowded in here.

Posted on September 24, 2007 by carrievoris

Daddy didn’t bring back presents from his trip last week to Chicago, so while we were out last week, (Little sidenote – we had 2 consecutive date nights…that is two nights. In a row. Without children. Doing grown-up things. It was heavenly.) he found a couple of friends that he had to buy for the girls.

Yes, the last thing they need is more toys. Yes, they are a wee bit spoiled by their Daddy. Yes, the cat is larger than Addie and she can barely carry him. And, yes, the monkey looks suspiciously like Emma.

So they have been carefully added to the respective entourages. And I wonder why Addie doesn’t want to nap lately?

That is her, curled up under kitty to the left of the crib. In case you couldn’t spot her.

Also present: bear, blankie, old kitty, snoopy, Birthday puppy from Nena, Birthday doggy from Uncle Jeff and Wendy, Birthday puppy (and purse!) from Aunt Meesh, Elmo book, and the ever-present Cinderella gown. Although she did take it off, it is never more than a few feet away from her.

By the time we get everything in the crib she wants to sleep with, you’d think she would be tired. Maybe there are just too many diversion. Or maybe there just isn’t enough room for her to stretch her weary body out…