And we're off...

Dan and I are on our way to the hospital--literally in the car--to c-section this baby boy out! We're ready and overjoyed with excitement, if not a bit nervous. 

But nothing is more comforting than this picture Sofia's teacher just texted us. It's Sofia holding a drawing of her new family and it warms my heart!

We're ALL excited for this little boy to join our family. And he has two big sisters who can't wait to welcome him into the world!

Nesting

We've been working hard getting this house ready for our new baby boy. The first thing we did was move the girls into the room that previously was the playroom. 

It was so fun for me to buy them new beds. But they each chose the bedding they wanted--Sofia wanted horses; Ana wanted owls. Luckily, they coordinated. All the pink furniture is the same we bought for Sofia's nursery back before she was even born. 

In order for their room to mot be overwhelmed with toys we thought hard about what their interests currently are. They both like to play dress up so they have a little corner of their closet where they can reach all their shoes, purses and princess dresses. They also both spend hours drawing, coloring and cutting and pasting, so they have their own little art station now with the beautiful painting Emi gave Sofia to serve as inspiration. We got them a new table to work on and chairs in Sofia's favorite color--green. 

Ana really enjoys playing with Little People, baby dolls and dressing up her Build-a-Bears, so we dedicated two lower shelves to those. And Sofia loves her toy horses and making Lego creations so she has dedicated shelves for those things. 

We also made them a little personal station for getting ready with a mirror, a coat rack for their sweaters, and a little chair next to a basket full of the shoes they wear most regularly. In order to build their independence it was important for us that everything they need for taking care of themselves is within their reach. 

I'm still on the lookout for some artwork above their beds and some wall shelves for their breakables and collectibles, but we're at a good stopping point until after the baby comes. 

I've been really proud of how clean they've kept it and it seems like the organizational aspects we put in place are functioning. We've also been pleasantly surprised with how well Ana transitioned into her "big girl bed". I think she was ready for the independence and she loves ushering Dan and I to the door after prayers and tucking herself in. "I do it myshelfs," she likes to say!

Nursery

After the girls were all settled it was time to get the baby's room ready. I've been collecting lots of things over the months so it was fun to finally put it all together. And on our last trip to the baby store to pick up the infant carseat Dan spotted the cutest airplane mobile and we had to get it. 

We love that this room has so much space for baby Mayor to move around in and play. And we're certain he'll be joined by his two doting sisters so all three will have lots of space. We already find Ana in there rummaging through baby toys and Sofia practicing her cartwheels so we're looking forward to the days when the baby boy will crawling around after his big sisters. 

Again, I'm still on the hunt for some artwork and decoration for the walls but all of the important pieces are in place and we're ready for him to come soon. 

We can't wait!

First Day of School

Here are some photos of Sofia's first day of kindergarten at Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet. I think kindergarten would be more monumental had she not been in the same classroom with Ms Kuhnen for the past two years--for PreK-3 and PreK-4. But since Montessori schools group their classrooms with three different age groups with the same teacher, this year didn't feel as new and exciting as it may have for other Kindergarteners. I have a feeling next year, when she gets a new teacher and joins a Lower Elementary classroom of 1st-3rd Graders, will be quite a big deal! But nonetheless we were all excited to see her start her new school year. We're so very proud of her and all she's learned so far. This year she tested into the Gifted & Talented program and she's an eager learner so we're excited to see what the year has in store for her!

Dinner with Grandma...in the bathtub?

The girls had one of their special overnight stays with Grandma last night. She kept them the whole day so Dan and I could visit and tour Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, the hospital where baby Mayor will be born in just a few short weeks. We also used the free time to have a quiet dinner and a movie out. It was so nice. When we got home we saw this sweet email from Grandma, recapping their night. How cool is Grandma!? It said...

New Book

I bought a new book, and we read it today.  First Sofia read it, then I read it, and then Ana did her best to read it too.  

Then we decided to do what they did in the book, so we ate dinner in the bathtub….hot dogs, mac and cheese, fruit.

Then the girls had dessert -- chocolate popsicles -- in the bathtub.

We decided that if we were going to eat dinner in the bathtub again we would bring in pillows first, and probably use the master bath's tub, for it's larger.

It was fun trying something new and different…….try it sometime yourself, for it's interesting……….a totally new experience.

Love, Grandma

These girls are so blessed to be able to have such a close relationship with a grandma who is nearby and loves to do fun and different things with them. You can see the joy in their faces! We're glad to be so close. I know they're growing up making wonderful memories at Grandma's house that they will keep with them forever. 

The Tooth Fairy's First Visit

Well, it happened! Our little girl lost her first tooth. I still remember the first time she found out that kids lose their teeth. She was probably just three and the idea petrified her. Times, they have a-changed!

I really don't think I've seen her more excited and proud about anything before. 

Her tooth has been loose for some weeks now. And she's been working on it, pushing it with her tongue, showing it off and announcing it to anyone who looked her way. But then suddenly today, seemingly out if the blue she hopped in the car and announced excitedly, "I'm going to lose my tooth today!" with such certainty. 

Thirty minutes later we're sitting on my bed and she's showing me her tooth. She was right, it really was wiggly and looking pretty unstable. So, I asked her if I could try to pull it. I never thought she'd say yes, but she did. I yanked with a tissue but stopped when she winced. She giggled, continued scoping it out in the mirror and came up to me three more times, each time handing me a tissue and saying, "Ok, try again!" The third time was the charm!

Thank goodness she couldn't stop talking about the tooth fairy all night so Dan and I wouldn't forget our duty. Sofia insisted on leaving the TF a note reminding her to lock the door after she left and to please not take the box with the tooth in it with her. She also gave the evicted tooth one last cleaning with a toothbrush so it looked it's best for the Tooth Fairy, who left five one dollar bills in the little wooden box to replace that little tooth. I can't wait to hear her reaction in the morning! 

Going through these "firsts" with her is so fun! I can't wait to experience these moments with all three of our little ones. 

Thunderstorms are scary

Thunderstorms are scary, so it's a good thing God gave these little girls a strong, comfortable daddy to protect them. 

Ana was covering her eyes and hiding her face until eventually she fell asleep. Daddy soon fell into line and Sofia just posed for the picture. 

High Chair Acrobatics and Getting Ready for School

Ana loves to squirm around in her highchair so I took some shots of this crazy little girl. She's so fun!









And while Ana's busy in her chair, Sofia is busy bundling herself up for school. She loves to add her own accessories, hats or scarfs each day - it doesn't really matter how cold or warm it is outside.

I love watching these girls express themselves! They're such cuties - we're really loving these days...

Halloween 2011

Well, even though I took some time off of blogging it doesn't mean we didn't do some really cool things in 2011. For instance, Halloween!

Sofia has a lot of good ideas - but too many sometimes. She came up with a new idea for a costume at least once a day. So, we set a deadline of October 21 and started journaling all of her ideas. I wish I would have kept the list but it ranged from princess to Spiderman and I think there were about ten ideas on the list. One of which was Menchie,



the frozen yogurt mascot from the shop up the street. That would have been fun to figure that one out!

But she ended up surprising me and choosing an idea that I had come up with - a butterfly. I loved the idea because we could coordinate Ana's costume. I took inspiration from one of our favorite children's books, Eric Carle's A Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Ana would be the hungry caterpillar,



and Sofia would be the beautiful butterfly.



Ever since the success we had making Dan's robot costume the year before I've felt compelled to make the Halloween costumes when I can. The butterfly wings were pretty easy - just a ModPodge project with colored tissue paper. But for the caterpillar I attempted my first sewing project on my own. I started it by hand and thankfully my friend intervened and showed me how to use her sewing machine! I purchased some crocheted caps from an Etsy seller and we had our little caterpillar,



and a grown up butterfly!



It was a special year because not only was it Ana's first Halloween but it was also Sofia's first time to trick-or-treat with her classmates. We live on the same street as her teacher, Mrs. Kuhnen so I thought it would be fun to invite the class over for a little party and trick or treating on our street. It was a blast! I'm so glad we did it - Sofia had so much fun having everyone over and we had so much fun seeing her in her element with all of her buddies.







I think normally she would have been shy approaching each house but with the added security of all her friends around she just loved running from house to house screaming, "Trick or treat!" What a joy!

A Weekend With Dad

I am the luckiest girl! I got to spend a last weekend in New Orleans with these girls,



our friend Tracey and my sister.

I love that city, it was my fourth visit and I never get tired of it. We spent some time in the Garden District, ate a fancy lunch at Commander's Palace and walked around the French Quarter. All the while, Dan was home getting some one on two time with our sweet girls who, despite my elation about my alone time, I missed like crazy. I kept begging him to text me photos and videos. I'll share some of them here so you can see what a weekend with Daddy is like.

So while I shared with him pictures like this,



he would send me sweet shots like this. Quite a contrast, huh!?





I was sad to miss Russian Christmas this year while I was away, but I thought of the kids as we passed by the nativity scene at the St. Louis Cathedral. I sent this picture to Sofia since she has such a fascination with baby Jesus and the nativity. Notice on the face of the church the shadow that is cast from a statue of Jesus in the courtyard. Our tour guide called it a Before and After scene of Jesus. I thought it was pretty cool.



Dan sent me pictures from Grandma's house of Sofia wearing Aunt Mac's red hat,



and video of her playing with a new Christmas present from the Henkes.



and video of Ana being Ana... crazy.



I sent them video of the street music on Bourbon Street. (Turn down your volume; it's kind of loud.)



It was also a big football weekend so they laid around in their pjs watching the game,





and Sofia got her puppy ready for the Dog Show



before heading out to the park.



They're so sweet - all three of them. We sure are lucky we have such a great daddy! I know they probably had even more fun than I did with these girls - and that's saying a lot.





But it's true what they say... "distance makes the heart grow fonder," ...I came back loving my kids even more than I did before. Thanks, Daddy!

Happy New Year

It is 2012. I can hardly believe it.

2011 was a whirlwind. I could barely catch my breath! But things around here are settling down.

Sofia settled into school well. She is four now and already counting the days down until she's five. We keep reminding her to enjoy four.





Ana has settled into her own as well. We can hardly believe she will be ONE in just a few short weeks. She is still full of smiles and laughs. She's started to stand on her own and she's picking up on the sign language for "milk" and "all done." She can clap and blow kisses but still has only two little bottom teeth.





Dan and I have settled down too. Now that Sofia is in school our nights are spent quietly in the home, eating dinner as a family and enjoying our routines. We've succumbed to the truth that the home just won't always look perfect and that these kids sometimes get the best of us but we're really, really happy so it's ok.

It's my earnest hope to keep this blog updated so we have our memories logged. These are precious and important years and I want our girls to be able to look back and know how much they are loved.

One year ago, 2011. This was our first family portrait; taken the day Ana came into our lives.



And here are the most recent family portraits from November. What a difference a year makes - what a fun time!