The Last Time?

I love when my girls aquire new skills, reach new milestones, and show increasing independence. BUT....boy, do I ever get a huge lump in my throat at every sign of their growing up. This one caught me completely off guard. We were at Wegmans and the girls were trying to squish into the car at the front of the cart-it was a tight squeeze with the winter coats! Alette said 'Mommy, we are just too big now...this is the last time we can be in here together'. Suddenly I was all sad and missing my little 'babies'.
On the other hand, if I do not have to push that ridiculously heavy and awkward cart around a grocery store ever again, I will be delirious.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We spent the morning at a friend's house - playing games, drinking tea and decorating cookies. The girls loved the chance to dress up!


Abria's energy flagged by the end of dinner. Here, she reclines in my arms but still manages to serve herself ice-cream dessert.


A very full and happy 5 year old!
Our valentine's day dinner out used to be a romantic affair for two-now it is a rambunctious dinner at the Pop Shoppe, a local kid-friendly restaurant. What's better than pink pancakes?

Pictures from the (recent) past

The snow and cold have been dreadful-so anytime it was above freezing we went out. Sometimes it was only as far as the 'pretzel man' at Rutgers, which considering he is parked only two blocks away, can take an astonishingly long time. The girls have to step on every block of snow/ice, run around every tree or pole, pick up random sticks....



Over the christmas break we took the girls bowling. Alette was adamant that she did not want to go...too bad. However, we all had a great time. They set up bumpers and even a slide for the ball so there was really no way the girls could avoid hitting a pin. I've blocked out the memory of our scores, but Abria and I did tie...for last place.

5 Year Stats-She's above average!

It is hard to imagine that 5 years have gone by since Alette was a newborn baby. We trecked to the doctor every month or so, she was constantly weighed, measured, poked, prodded...Now, a month after she turned five, I finally remembered to make an appointment.
Since birth Alette has been at the 50th percentile for height-despite having 6ft tall mom and a slightly taller dad. Most of the time, her weight was in the same percentile-in other words, a perfectly average daughter. No longer. Suddenly she has shot up to the 90th percentile in height and 75th for weight. I figured a crazy growth spurt was going on as she went from size 4 to size 6 in about 4 months. I nearly fell off my chair laughing when Dr. McHugh said she must be a good eater. Yes, she has a hearty appetite (when she chooses) but is still sorely lacking in variety. In the meantime, thank God for good health for my little girl!

More Snow!

It just will not let up this year! We are all getting a little tired of cancellations, icy sidewalks and bitter wind. I'm anxiously awaiting the groundhog's prediction tomorrow...

The Party!

After last year's fiasco, I was deadset against planning another party. However, Alette had her heart set on having all her friends over, so....
enjoy the pictures!


The kids gather for musical chairs. The game quickly morphed into a weird 'run around the circle, through the circle, and even if the music stops, keep running'. Alette wouldn't move from her chair....obviously figuring that she wouldn't lose her seat if she stayed stationary. However, we weren't eliminating kids, just pulling numbers from a bag so her strategy didn't help much.


If I don't make/ice another cupcake for a very long time, I will be very, very happy.


Andy tried to set up a relay race-not realizing that young kids are really terrible about waiting their turn if someone else is running. So instead the kids had a ton of fun burning up energy but running up and down the long hallway.


Cookie decorating! One of my goals was to send the kids home on a total sugar-high, a feat readily accomplished by allowing little kids to decorate as many cookies as they wish.

Welcome Paddington!

On a snowy Saturday we trekked out for a belated birthday gift to Alette - her very own pet. She's a very cute, young pig named Paddington. What a shock to discover that Alette actually had a name chosen, and it wasn't Cinderella. For now Paddington is residing in a cage in the kitchen but will soon take up residence in the girls' room.