Big Day

Georgia had the day off from school and we made it a special "Georgia-Mommy-Day" by sending Sophie to baby camp. She picked out a new dress to wear - this one is a hand-me-down from Cousin Avery. When she put it on, Georgia spun around and said, "I feel like a bride!" We started with a trip to the dentist, like brides usually do.

G was a champ. She looks so cool in her shades.

Then we headed to the nail salon so I could finally get my childhood wish of creating a living, breathing Barbie doll to play with.

Georgia was so quiet - it reminded me of how she crept into the hospital room the first time she met Sophie. She was just taking it all in.

By the end of the mani/pedi party she was, of course, dancing up and down the hall of the salon. But initially, she was just thinking, thinking, thinking about what it all meant. 

She sat with her nails drying like this for 15 minutes, no lie. It was so funny to watch.

After the nail place, we had lunch and then went to see a play about fish in the ocean. She was a great companion.

But my favorite story of the day might not be the most appropriate. At nap time I was very tired, but G was not. She went to her room for quiet time and I actually fell asleep. We have been leaving her door open during naps and at night so she can take herself to the potty - a big girl privilege that has resulted in a few mishaps such as flushing the entire roll of toilet paper at once and decorating the counter with toothpaste. About 45 minutes into quiet time, she crept out of her room, came into mine and touched my hand. Then she said, in a stage whisper, "Don't worry Mommy, I cleaned all the poop off of the sink. You can go back to sleep."

There may be more disturbing things someone can say when waking you from a dream, but this definitely ranks up there. It also makes me laugh hysterically every time I think about it.

Sophie at 15 months

That's 23 lbs, thank you very much!

Sophie was a champ at the doctor...

That is, until the nurse came in. She completely remembered the nurse from last appointment's 3-shot extravaganza. Even though we only had one shot this time, Sophie screamed as if it was 12-months all over again.

"Who, me?"

Abigail's Zoo Party

Abby's parents had the great idea of a zoo birthday party this year - complete with animal masks! Georgia was happy to meet all of Abby's nice friends.

The birthday girl wore a princess costume, natch.

After some party games, we headed down to the pizza playground. Georgia was so happy to climb the tomato.

Yep, my favorite photo, too.

Ok, this one is a close second!

New Rule

This morning, Georgia informed mommy of a new house rule. After getting her dressed and hair-done in anticipation of her THIRD field trip of the school year (go Miss Jones!), we went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and Georgia told me she wanted to brush her teeth with daddy.

Mommy: Am I not doing it right? Is there something I can do better so you would want to brush teeth with me?

Georgia: No.

Mommy: Well then why do you want to brush teeth only with daddy?

Georgia: Because he looks like me.

Hmmm.

Sisterwatching

We all went out for brunch after dance class a few weeks ago. Sophie is learning to use a straw, and was particularly motivated because...

Her big sister also was using a straw.

Big sister thought it was very funny. It was.

Somebody likes having a little sister (so far).

Sophie Gets Her Ears Done

In early March, Sophie joined Georgia in the ranks of little girls with tubes in their ears. Here's hoping this prevents the numerous ear infections she's suffered since August!

Soph was a model patient, despite not eating since midnight. She loved the playroom in the children's surgery center. Particularly the chairs.

roo

Unlike Georgia, when Sophie came out of the anesthesia, she was cuddly and sleepy and huggy. When they brought me back to get her, the nurse she was snuggling said, in a deadpan voice, "I suppose you want your baby back." Darn right.

 

She was none the worse for wear and even accompanied mommy and daddy to a restaurant for lunch that day. What? We take our date opportunities where we can get them.

Nicknames

In light of our recent Mouse House Adventures, Georgia has seen fit to offer some rules about appropriate nicknames. Here are some of her acceptable pseudonyms:

• Monkey
• Monkerson
• Monk
• Goofball
• Goofball Monkey
• Flower-Dower
• Honey Bunny

She no longer accepts the following:

• Monkey Butt
• Sugar
• Sweet Sweet

She particular abhors these:

• Sophie 
• Cece

Ballet Videos

This took a LONG LONG TIME to download, so please enjoy it :)

Ballet Baby

At long last, we were invited into Georgia's dance class for a 15-minute "visitation" during which the little lovelies showed off their talents. That's G in the middle in her pink leotard.

She kept grinning over at us the whole time, it was awesome.

Sophie loved it. Oh and it was St. Patrick's Day to boot.

Georgia and Abigail were so proud of themselves!

Georgia's Day at the Museum

Last week, G-Daddy signed up as parent chaperone for Georgia's class trip to a big museum about natural history. He has generously offered to narrate the following photos.

First she and her classmates put on their official school safety vests.  

 Then everyone headed to the bus stop. Daddy was assigned to watch Georgia and her friend Jemima, a very sweet, quiet girl who made a perfect counter-personality to G.

 Riding the city bus for your school field trip -- now that's urban schooling!

 First they headed to the famous Butterfly Pavilion.  While they waited for their appointed time, they watched  a museum guide get ready to feed a tarantula.  Her material was a bit mature for the crowd, aside from a couple of 8-year-old boys up front who from all the answers they knew to her questions, appeared to be serious bug fanatics.  They instruction lasted too long for us to actually get to see the feeding.   

Then, on to the Butterfly Pavilion, a special room with an air-lock entrance and exit to keep scores of live butterflies inside.  Georgia was not as impressed as Daddy.

 Things improved in the dinosaur hall:

The Ocean Exhibits were also pretty neat.

Here a museum guide tells G and Jemima that the giant whale hanging above her had recently given birth. 

 Lunch was bring your own brown bag, a fun departure from the usual school menu.  G and Daddy had identical lunches: ham sandwiches, cheese sticks, yogurt, grapes, and applesauce.  Here G puts on her best pleading face asking if she has been good enough to get dessert (she had).

Then the obligatory shot in front of the giant elephant . . . 

Before long, we had been all over the place, were tired enough to sit down, and had only a half hour left before our bus ride back.  What to do last?

Go and see the Hope Diamond, of course.  As G told Mommy later, "It was a princess necklace."

And then the official school conclusion to every field trip -- sitting down outside for a snack. 

Happy bus ride back . . .

Editor's note: Upon finishing his narrative, Daddy said "I now have more respect for you" because dealing with blogger and its nuances (margins, fonts, alignment bugs) proved a lot more challenging than he had thought it might :)