THE park

Bear Branch Park, or THE Park as it is now known to our family, is WONDERFUL.

We (Lulu, the girls and I) joined the Bunnis family for a picnic dinner at the park. It's been such glorious weather lately that it seems a shame to waste it.

First we stopped by Skeeters, a nearby BBQ/Mexican type joint, to pick up the food and then re-convened at the park. Unfortunately the park isn't labeled very well so it took us a while to figure out the playground and picnic tables are BEHIND the skate park (there's also a pool, rec facility and dog park there + sporting fields), but once we did we got to "Eat! eat! eat!" as Clara likes to do :)

 

Naturally the kids didn't last super long at the table because can chicken tenders or quesadillas really hold a candle to slides, swings and see saws? Not if you're a toddler especially!

So after the kids ate enough to satisfy their mommies, they were allowed to run (somewhat) free and play to their sweet hearts' content.

The see saw caught their immediate attention. Clara's adorable legs can't quite touch the ground yet though, so Logan and I climbed on behind our kids so they could actually do it.

Clara thought for a moment she wanted off, but then she started climbing right back on.

So I got on the other side and gave my thighs a good work out making it go both ways :)

Then there were animals to be ridden.

But the REAL fun came when they discovered the slides, one in particular. It's a bunch of small rollers. I honestly wasn't sure what Clara would think when she tried it for the first time but I assure you, she loved it!

 Unfortunately it's a bit easy to smash tiny fingers, so we kept telling them to "put your hands up!!' as they went down the slide, which seemed to help some.

"mo'?! mo'!?"

Pretty soon they thought it was fun to go down together!!

These two sweet kids crack me up.

A couple of videos of the fun:

 

 

 

 

 

There were some other fun things to do:

 

But they always went back to the other slide :)

It was hard to drag the kiddos away, so it was many thanks to Logan for both capturing them and then convincing them it would be fun to walk to the car holding hands to get them to go home, haha.

Video:

 

Saying good bye to our friends:

I think the adults had just as much fun as the kids, so I think it's safe to say we will be back again very soon!

ENT

After Clara's 5th ear infection in 4th months, and almost constant infected nose (sinuses), we were referred by our pediatrician to an ENT. 

She likes to wait in her own chair like a big girl. 

During the hearing test and the pictures they had to take of her ears she did AWESOME. We kept "beep beep bee beeping" every time they looked in her ears and that seemed to help her stay calm. 

Then we twirled while waiting for the doctor. Unfortunately this was a longer wait than our toddler can handle in a small boring room gracefully. She was officially bored and irritated by the time he got there so she wasn't excited about having someone else look in her ears, even if we did beep. 

After looking at her medical history and her exam today he strongly recommended having tubes put in her ears as well as having her adenoids removed. 

They showed us a video (from the 80s I'm pretty sure) about the reasoning for why it helps. Clara was only interested in the little boy actor's "choo choo" :)

We are scheduled for May 15. Please pray for our peace that this is the right decision, or interference if it's not. I'm nervous about the procedure, no matter how common it may be. It's never been MY daughter going through it, always someone else's child. But I do believe it will help. A reduction in infections would made the standard of living for all of us so much better. 

To reward her cooperation she was given a lollipop on the way out. 

Yummy!!

In case you were wondering, Emma was there too - sound asleep in her carrier :)

A puppy life

And they think they have it so hard. 

Silly puppies. 

holy moly

This morning was the first time I've had to get both girls up and out the door completely by myself. Usually Bryan helps with one or the other before he leaves for work, but both were still sleeping right up until he stepped out the door.... little stinkers. 

It turns out that it's rather challenging to hold a crying newborn WHILE wrestling dressing a wiggling toddler, and nursing the one while attempting to feed the other. And getting them both in the car when one wants the carseat to sway and the other is worried that the clump of mud she found on the patio might be hungry. 

Aye caramba. 

Crossing her feet like a lady

golly gee she's cute

"Mommy! It EAT!! Eat!? Eat????"

Feeding it some grass which is what I told her mud eats 

Watching the mud "eat" grass while she eats her muffn

By this time my arm is about to fall off from rocking the carseat to keep Emma happy.

Phew. Finally ... 

off to school! hooray mommy!

 Then Emma and I met up with Lulu for a pedicure. Emma was greatly admired. And I like this place because the fumes aren't strong at all!

out of order photo from this morning

 THEN, after lunch with a family friend, Lulu and I picked up Clara from school.

We met Liz and Alex to walk to a park a little further away that I've been wanting to check out (also get some exercise walking). We took the dogs and the double stroller which by the way is HEAVY. Better workout than anticipated!

Unfortunately Lulu had to leave almost immediately to get their A/C fixed. (Sorry about that Mom!!) This guy has been HOURS late (or days late in some cases, so who knew he'd actually be there within the time frame!? Clara was in the swing at the time and cried for "woo woo" (Lulu) when she had to leave. But thanks for taking the puppies back home! I definitely couldn't have handled all 4 creatures by myself, oh my gosh.

Right after Lulu left Emma woke up starving. So I pushed Clara in the swing while nursing Emma. Sometimes I feel like Super Woman. But in this case since I was leaking milk everywhere and my toddler was screaming at me to put Emma in the swing next to her I mostly felt like a very damp and frazzled mom of two young children. 

Also: I dare you to try to get a 25lb toddler out of a baby swing WHILE nursing. Who needs dumbells!?

Finally I successfully got both feet out of the swing at the same time and was able to get her on the ground so she could go play on these fun little dudes:

Alex and Liz behind Clara

 She looks grumpy in several of these pictures because she was.

But then Liz volunteered to hold Emma for a little while and Clara cheered right up because Mommy was playing with HER!

I'm not sure why she looks upset or terrified in this picture, because she thought these things were AWESOME.

You may notice the absence of shoes. I noticed this as well.

Sigh.

This really is a pretty neat little playground! It's geared for slightly older kids, but Alex seemed to really enjoy it and Clara finally warmed up to it.

Playing with her compadre

After some water and snacks we walked the kids back home via a slightly longer route. I was EXHAUSTED by the time we got home, holy moly. And Clara was CRANKY, sheesh. 

I wanted to relax so I ran a bath. Clara decided to get in with me. Then I thought, "what the heck?" and gave Emma a bath while I was in there too. Both girls peed on me in the tub. 

And now they are asleep.

For now.

Bryan's birthday! (& first date night w/o the girls)

First off, happy birthday Bryan (yesterday)!! (I'm a few days off on blogging.)

Papa and Lulu graciously agreed to watch Clara while Bryan and I went on a dinner date for his birthday. Last minute I decided I could leave Emma with them too if they felt comfortable watching both. I think Bryan thought me leaving Emma so we could truly have a meal where my attention was focused solely on him was a brilliant birthday present - and the girls had a great time with their grandparents! Emma slept and Clara played. Sounds just like them, doesn't it? 

But before Bryan got off of work, Lulu & I took wee Emma Lou rug shopping for their living room. I had been wearing her most of the day already (running various errands) and so she was ready for what I like to call a stretch-and-poo break :) She was admired by many, because, well, she's adorable!

Then the girls and I hung out with Lulu while we waited for Bryan and Papa to get home.

Napping and praising at the same time - multi tasker

If Emma gets her diaper changed, I want to too

 Clara LOVES to hold her "bebe Emma"

Emma HERE

 But sometimes when she checks out her sister she slumps over just a little bit.

Hiiiii, bebe Emma

Then Daddy arrived!! 

Bryan and his girls

Plus me

 Make a wish!

blurry close up selfie

After we had a delicious and leisurely meal at Saltgrass (Bryan's favorite! and also the place where we had our first date without Clara, it's becoming tradition!) we went to pick up the girls. This was so sweet of Papa and Clara I had to capture the moment :)

This girl loves her Papa!

Thanks for watching the girls and HAPPY BIRTHDAY FELLA!