Lake Huron: Day 2

Utter craziness. We were up early and over to the cottage so make some quiche for the hordes. Turned out pretty good. I wanted to run out and have some coffee with Gwyn, but it's amazing how long it takes to sunscreen girls and try to put babies to sleep, and then Jane got a piece of glass in her foot. Whew. I really needed caffeine at that point! Then I just probably scared poor Gwyn with how stressful young children are! Mike was toasted by the time I got back from dealing with both girls. It was kind of a long afternoon, Jane was waiting ever so impatiently for Averie to get back, and Penny was a little too hot and it took forever to get her to nap. Jen made some great lasagna, and we tried to stick it out for a campfire since we'd promised Jane that Sunday was 'THE' night for it. We had a few marshmallows, and we even let her hold the stick with Mike helping. Penny would NOT go to sleep, so we finally called it and headed back to Jen's to fall into bed. This is a vacation, this is a vacation, this is a vacation. I'm going to keep repeating that until we believe it.

Lake Huron: Day 1

Off to Lake Huron...first stop French Laundry for yummy breakfast...then the hike to P.H. It was beautiful at the lake. Jane and I spent some time searching for sea glass, and we found a good handful. She was pretty excited, and it was nice to have some time to just walk by the water. This year is a bit more comfortable for me with her; I'm not quite as freaked that she's going to randomly run pell-mel into the water. Or fall into it.

We got a family picture of sorts. Jane is kind of anti-camera at the moment. It's super fun trying to get her to look at the camera, much less smile. I haven't quite managed to communicate the concept of fake smiling so it will just be over all ready! Jane got some 'Averie' time, she's been dying to spend some time with her cousin. We went for a little walk on the beach before dinner, but both the girls were chilly with the wind. It is cute to watch them together, though.

Go play

Holy poo, is July over already? I mean, I 'know' the date and all, but seriously, this month has flown by!

Had to get out of the house today, so left way early for my haircut. Jane has all this twitchy energy and was vibrating and driving me insane....and then I get all snappy and wow, we need to get out of here already.

Got some new books at the library and had some napping and quiet time in the car and then played for awhile. Jane is so sweet...she buddies up to this cute 2.5 yr old little boy and runs all over with him. Lots of 'be carefuls' and 'there's your mommy', she's such a little momma. Then, these bigger boys show up and start kind of playing keep away from Jane and this little boy. So she's trying to 'protect' him and then at one point she says to one of the boys--can't you just play nice? Seriously, such a girl and so cute and I love how she kind of stands up for those smaller than her. It's a great trait. Penny entertained herself playing with wood chips...I only had to fish about 2 out of her mouth. Mike intended to meet me at the salon and take the girls home, but he got caught up in traffic and I was almost done by the time he was there. The girls did awesome, Jane hanging out by me, and Penny sat nicely on my lap while I was shampooed...and then while she cut my hair. She was pulling at her own hair and looking in the mirror. Cute stuff. She got a little antsy, but then he got there and all was good. Jane made a little friend, so he ended up staying, 'cause it's just not worth pulling her away at that point!

Crazy packing day tomorrow, we're off for the Laber Lake Huron Cottage weekend. Mike's taking Monday off, so 3 solid days of just family fun and crazyness. Just gotta get everything we need put together.

Hmmm....

So, I hear that sometimes kids 'forget their words'. Absolute best tonight. Laying in bed with Jane (I get some good ones at bedtime!) tonight and she asks, "Mommy, can I have some diarrhea?" "Umm, whata what now?" "Some diarreha, pleaaase" "Ummm, what? You know that diarrhea is the watery poop that comes out of your butt, right?" "Some diarreah for my lip" "Oh, you want some vasoline?" Big smile, "YEAH, some vasoline". (She had a cold a week or two ago and we put some vasoline under her nose a couple of times since it was so red from the kleenex). Whew.

Other than that, nice rainy day. Gram D & Dave came for lunch and hung out with the girls for a little while, and Mike and I got the upstairs cleaned a bit. So, next time he gets time (haha), at least Mike won't have to clean first. He also cut down a tree or something out in the woods...I hear chainsaws and tow straps and the second chainsaw comes out b/c the first one got stuck...and I go 'lallalalaa, i don't want to know--be careful!'

Rainy day cooking.

Did a bunch of cooking today. Had a zucchini from the CSA that I wanted to use up, so made some yummy zucchini carrot bread. Came across these Weelicious zucchini carrot pancakes, and I figured since I already had the food processor (and the zucchini) out, I'd make them for lunch. Jane 'looooved' them, and I thought they were pretty tasty. Penny ate one, too. Ran to the store before dinner and came home in a rain storm, so we went outside to play for a couple of minutes. Warm summer rain, pretty fun. Love Jane's expression....'yeah yeah the cute baby is walking'.

Jabbering...

Nice weekend. And it's the middle of the week all of a sudden! Jane's had a rough couple of days with some serious meltdown knock down drag out tantrums. Today we managed to get through without anything crazy. Whew. Tires everyone out.

I snuck in after Mike put her to bed tonight to get some cuddles; she thought that was kind of funny (me coming in and asking for cuddles). She was jabbering on and on. I got to try to NOT explain incest and homosexuality...sweet.

* She starts by asking when Sam and Maggie will be getting married (her second (?) cousins).
-I say, they won't be, they're brother and sister!
* Well, why not??
- Because we just don't do that, we find NEW people to start a NEW family with. It would be like me marrying Uncle Baird or Daddy marrying Aunt Jenny--very very weird.
* Well, when I grow up, I'm going to have my kids get married.
-To each other?
* YES!
-Mmm, hmm.
* You know what would be funny Mommy?
- Hmmm?
* What if two Daddies were married--like if Daddy and Uncle Baird were married---oooh and if you and Aunt Jenny were married--wouldn't that be SILLY?!!
- Yes honey, veeerrrrrry silly. (biting my toungue b/c my first response is to go all teachery on her and start explaining that sometimes that happens, just in case she has some kid in school with gay parents (yeah, in livingston county, it could happen, right?), but no...back away, back away...she's not going there...leave it alone...leave it alone.)

Good times.

Busy busy...

We're busy today. Jane had a DDS appt. She did awesome as usual...talking to adults nicely, and listening great to the directions for her appt. She even got some flouride. Penny actually sat nicely on my lap for most of the appt as well, which was good. Ran to Walmart for a few groceries...I am now driving a semi-truck of a grocery cart! We moved Penny out of the infant carseat last weekend, so now she HAS to sit in the cart. She's a monkey and often tries to climb out of the seat, and she's figured out how to undo the velcro on the seat cover I have...but Walmart had a HUGE cart with over the shoulder buckles and a seat for both girls. Holy heck it's huge, but both kids were pretty happy. Jane is doing a few weeks of a dual gymnastics/dance class, and it started this afternoon. She had a blast and made a few friends (hugged the one girl like 4 times on the way out). I think the best was when the dance teacher was going around asking the girls for their names...and Jane responds 'cinderella'. The teacher is like....'ella'? No, Cinderella...oooh, then the teacher understands. So, they've come to an agreement that Jane will be Jane in gymnastics and Cinderella in dance class. Too funny. Working on listening skills in the gymnastics class...which I LOVE. Yummy lentil and bacon stuffed trout for dinner. Mmmm.