Firewoman in Training

Last week, we went to a local fire station with my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group.  Lynley is always fascinated with fire engines though she doesn't like the loud sounds that they make.  The last time that we saw a fire engine that we could get on and sit was at the Easter egg hunt but Lynley was very afraid because the engine was running.  So, going to the fire station was a risk.  She kept her hands over her ears most of the time even though there were never any loud sounds.  After quite a long while, she finally got the courage to get in the fire engine.  Mom had to get in too.

 She loved it once she was in it.  She even tried on the fire hat which is VERY heavy.  She finally asked me to wear it because it was making her dizzy.  No wonder, it probably weighed at least 10 pounds.  After all was said and done, it was a success and Lynley loved it.  She might have loved the fire hydrant outside the station even more.  Fireman are incredible people.  It is amazing the way that they live in order to keep us safe.

Going to the chapel and we're gonna see a wedding!

Lynley has been to two weddings in the past few months.  The first was a very short ceremony so she did great!  She loved seeing all the Princesses (bride and bridesmaids) The last one was more of a traditional wedding and Lynley didn't last 5 minutes in the ceremony...but she had a great time at the reception.  She loved getting dressed up in her Easter dress and wearing Mommy's pearls.  The bride was Korean so they had a lot of Korean and chopsticks.  Our multicultural little girl loved the food and even tried her hand at chopsticks.  She did great!  We were so impressed that she could eat noodles with chopsticks.  A difficult feat for most adults!!!

Lynley also had so much fun running around with other boys and girls at the reception.  Good thing the bride and groom were so laid back and expected that with a lot of children...this is what it would be like!

Potty Training Success Stories

Very proud to announce that Lynley made it a whole day about 3 days ago without diapers (except for sleep time) or an accident. We were home that whole day which made it a little easier.  The next day, Lynley wanted to wear "big girl underwear"/panties while we went to play with some friends at the mall.  I was very nervous because she wouldn't even let me put a pull-up over it....just in case.  I did bring a change of clothes with me but she didn't need it.  YEAH!  This is such a big achievement because when she is playing she tends to get distracted and forget that she needs to go to the bathroom (after being so used to diapers).  She made it again all morning and early afternoon today playing at McDonalds in big girl panties....letting me know when she had to use the bathroom.  She hasn't really used the bathroom anywhere but home except for two days ago.  We are so proud of our big girl!  I know that she will have setbacks...we had a little accident at home today but we are on the way to being potty trained.  Just in time to have another in diapers....at least, it won't be two in diapers!

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, How does your garden grow?

Some of you know that there are a few garden enthusiasts in my family.  My mom and father-in-law are quite in to gardening and/or getting others to grow gardens.  When my mom, AKA Grandma Book, was here in January she bought us some peas to plant.  Grandpa Nick gave us a Topsy Turvy and another kit to grow things. We are trying strawberries in the the Topsy Turvy and trying to grow Snow Peas in the the other kit.  Since we don't have a yard for a garden, our porch is our garden.  I was inspired by all the gardening to try to grow herbs since we use a lot in our cooking. 

Lynley is loving gardening.  She loved the planting and now loves watering her plants though she goes a little overboard sometimes.

We were so excited this week that our first plants, the pea plant, has produced 8 peas at this point.  I don't know how much luck we will have the rest of the summer as it is soooo hot here.  We will see.  Our herbs are growing great!  The strawberries and other peas show not signs of growth...but it is always worth a try.  Here is our proud gardener and one of our prize peas...close up!!!

Tea for Three

A few weeks ago, the three of us went for tea at a local tea house that I had bought a Groupon for.  It was originally for myself and a friend to go, but the coupon was to expire so Seb was a sport and went to the tea house with Lynley and me.  Lynley had the best time.  She loved drinking tea from the cup and dressing up.  She felt like a princess!  She had a little tea and a lot of milk and sugar...but hey...that is a little girl's tea should be.

Lynley has had a lot of practice with tea at home.  Her Aunt Sorina introduced her to hot tea when she was about 1 1/2 and since then everytime I have hot tea at home, Lynley must have some too.

Lynley also enjoyed the other people at the restuarant.  Some women were setting up for a baby shower.  The guest of honor was having a girl and got to see firsthand how much fun they could be.  I didn't tell her the fun comes with an equal measure of trouble! ;-)   Lynley kept saying they were princesses and loved watching the other women!

We have a tea lover on our hands...takes after her momma!  Lynley also had her hand at taking her first picture....not too bad!

Another princess on the way!

Meet Collette with knees to her chest!

This is old news to many of you but I got really behind....may be a constant state with blogging....We are having another baby girl!  We are so excited though daddy would have loved a baby boy. He is excited to have a healthy baby girl!  So far, everything looks great.

At the ultrasound, from the first picture of the face, I knew it was a girl.  The nose just looks like a girl's!!! She is very active.  The ultrasound tech had a hard time getting the pictures she needed because of how much she moved.  You know coming from someone who does it all the time to say the baby is active...that the baby is active.  Probably takes after her big sister.  How I wish you could stockpile sleep!!!

Her feet!!

The Dr. came in and took a million more pictures which made Seb and me very nervous.  After several minutes, he said "Enough pictures of this beautiful baby!"  What a sigh of relief from both of us!  Since then, we have heard only good things from test results,etc.  We are thankful for what appears to be a healthy baby girl and pray that God continues to develop her beautifully! 

This precious love will be named after her grandfathers.  Nicollette Warner....we will call her Collette.  Just a few more months until we meet the little princess until then we have these sweet pictures and her plentiful kicks to know her by.  Lynley is constantly kissing my belly and giving Collette kisses and hugs!!!

EASTER SUNDAY!

For some of you, this is a long awaited post to see pictures. 

When Lynley woke up in the AM, the Easter Bunny (mom) had set out Easter eggs filled with candy leading to her Easter basket.  She had lots of fun picking up each one to see what candy was in it so much fun that the toys in the basket were small potatoes.  I vow next year that there won't be half as much candy.  We will see if I can stick by that!  She is still eating the candy a month later (she only gets it when she goes on the potty which is at least 1-2 times a day).  

 

 



Lynley's first marshmallow chick ever!!!



After the basket, it was off to church looking like a precious little princess in her white Strasburg dress her Aunt Sorina gave her.  Those dresses are quite long (even for a girl in the 95% for height...not sure who they aren't too long for) and we are grateful for Grandma Bunica who took it up a little the night before or Lynley would have been tripping on the dress something fierce.  Lynley looked adorable as all can see.

We had lunch afterwards at a restuarant and after everyone took an afternoon nap, we had Easter dinner.  A custom in Romania is for each person to have a boiled egg and take turns cracking each other's egg going around the table.  As you tap your eggs on your neighbor's, you say in Romanian "Christ is Risen"...you neighbor cracks your egg and says in Romanian, "He is Risen indeed."  Lynley, of course, didn't understand the words but loved cracking the eggs.  I think it was the highlight of dinner for her.  She is still loving making, cracking, and peeling eggs now.  She is quite good at peeling eggs for a 2 1/2 yr old.  I definitely have a great helper in the kitchen.

Couldn't make it through the day without trying on the new rainboots Lynley had been begging for!!