Happy Valentine's Day

For Mother’s Day this year, I wanted to do something outside as a family (and lucky for me, it was sunny and 80).  But while I wanted to be outside, I wanted to go somewhere that the girls could walk out of the stroller and not be in the way or run over. 

After playing around, I found the Lehigh Valley Zoo.  I was a little skeptical.  I’m use to the Philly Zoo.  The Philly zoo is BIG.  Big zoo equals big animals.  But I was pretty sure that the Philly zoo was going to be packed. 

So off to the Lehigh Valley Zoo we go.  It was an hour drive and we left about 20 mins before the girls nap time.  My thought was that they would sleep in the car. 

Hannah had other plans.  What does a 2 ½ talk about for an hour straight in the car, well, let me tell you:

·         Why do I call daddy Kevin and not daddy

·         Why are there balls in the sky (this was looking at the balls up on the electrical wires)

·         Are we going to the flamingo zoo

·         About 3 rounds of Baa Baa Black Sheep

·         About 3 rounds of Money on the Bed

·         Where is Thumbkin

·         I don’t know how to sleep in the car, so I’ll just relax

·         I’ll feed my peaches to the elephants, OK

·         Are there going to be boys at the zoo

·         I’ll feed the hippopotamus, OK

And there was LOTS more.  I gave up trying to keep the notes on my phone. 

The zoo ended up being great for the girls.  Both of them could walk out of the stroller, they saw animals, there was a playground, and we got around the whole zoo in 3 hrs.  It was perfect.  Here are some pictures J
Oh, and when Hannah woke up on Sunday morning, she said “Happy Valentine’s Day Mommy.”  Close enough :)

Take 1

Take 2

Feeding the Birds

Addie stuck in the stroller

Take 3 (after this I gave up getting them both to smile at once)

Sleeping on the ride home :)

Thanks for the Random Advice

On Saturday, after running errands, we decided to take the girls out to Friendly's for dinner.  We walk in and the hostess immediately explains that her goal is to win a stuffed animal out of the 'grab' game in the front of the store for her two year old son.  Walking us to our table, she remarks that we have two girls and asks if we are planning on having any more children.  While this is a little odd to come from a complete stranger, she was friendly, so we explained that maybe a little down the line.  She then asks if we are aiming to have a boy next time, because if we are, she knows the trick.  Again, to remain friendly, we just go along with her and say yes, it would be fun to have a boy.  At this point she goes off on a 10 min explanation about how her sister's sister-in-law works with fertility and that the trick is to drink Robitussin.  What?  Apparently she said that if one of us (she couldn't remember which one), takes the normal amount of Robitussin, it will guarantee a boy.  It apparently worked for two of her friends. 

So, while I will not be following that advice.  Um, thanks :)

Happy 1st Birthday Addison

Here are some pictures of you growing over the year J.  You are getting to be such a big girl!

·         24 lbs – 18 month clothing

·         4 ½ teeth

·         Curls are coming in

·         Becoming more picky about what you eat

·         Love to paint/color

·         Started walking about two weeks after your birthday (and now you are everywhere)

·         Love to go in the wagon and be outside

·         You think its hysterical to try to pet Bailey and Foster

·         Love playing ‘chase’ or ‘boo’ with Hannah

·         Just a happy little girl

Who Lives in the Ocean

I had a bachelorette party this weekend and was trying to explain to Hannah where I was going and what was going on:

Me:  I’m going to go help Miss Kate celebrate her wedding party

H:  Where is Miss Kate?

Me:  Miss Kate lives near the ocean

H:  Are you getting Miss Kate?

Me:  No, Miss Jessica is picking me up and we are going to go see Miss Kate for her party. 

H:  How you getting Miss Kate out of the ocean?

Me:  oh, no.  Miss Kate doesn’t live in the ocean.  She lives near the ocean, in a house.  Who lives in the ocean?

H:  Aunt Sarah

Me:  No, Aunt Sarah doesn’t live in the ocean either.  Remember, the fish and whales live in the ocean.

H:  And the pink dolphin. 

Hannah believes Aunt Sarah lives in the ocean, and has, for quite some time because I tried (like a year ago) to explain that they were going to the ocean for their honeymoon. 

And thank you Sprout TV for teaching my daughter that there are pink dolphins. 

3 Blind Mice

So as a follow up to the ‘Rabbit in the Grill’ story, apparently we didn’t actually solve the problem.  It seems that our little mouse must have had babies. 

While walking Foster outside, I only took one step off of my front step and I noticed three very tiny little mice.  So, of course I throw Foster back in the house (and the way he tried to attack them, you would think a steak dinner was running around on the ground) and go outside to figure out what to do with these little things. 

I decided that they would get stepped on because they were just lying out in the grass, so I found a bucket and added an empty paper towel roll, grass, some wood chips, and a clean rag to keep them warm and carried them into the house. 

After calling around to pet stores, they all said that the mommy mouse was probably eaten by a bird because she wouldn’t leave her babies that young. 

The mice were super small; about the size of a quarter.  Two of them didn’t even have their eyes open yet.  Based off of my reading, apparently this means that they would need to be fed by a bottle every hour to two hours.  Sorry little mice, I don’t have time for that.  But I also don’t have the heart to just let them outside to die.

Next phone call – the AARK.  First thing the guy asks me “What species of mouse to you have?”  My answer, “I don’t know, they are grey and I found them in my yard.”  Probably not helpful to him at all.  Thankfully the AARK (wildlife animal rescue) happens to only be 1.5 miles from my house.  So off we go to the AARK. 

I thought I would just be able to drop them off, but nope, I actually had to fill out basic paperwork for them.  And just incase I care to ever follow-up, they were given a reference number and I can call and check on them J. 

And while I am well aware this is way more than any person should ever do, this accomplished two things:  1. now the mice are definitely away from my house and not just in a hole outside my house.  2.  I don’t have to walk outside one day and see a collection of dead mice.  I call that a Win Win. 

Spring Weather!!

Yeah Spring Weather!  Get us outside!

We finally got to use the double wagon with two kids in it!  Not just Hannah laying down in it :)  I tried to get a picture of the two kids and the two dogs, but it's hard enough to get the kids looking the same way, let alone dogs too. 

And this was Addie having a snack.  Apparently Hannah, Bailey, and Foster were also hoping to have some.



Terrible Two's

I think the Terrible Two's came on full speed ahead in the last two weeks.  Apparently Hannah's favorite word is 'NO' and she knows everything. 

This has been causing very good times at home and school.  I actually wanted to cry when I picked Hannah up from school this week.  It's the first time I picked her up and heard that she was bad.  Like she spent time in Addie's baby room because she wouldn't behave.  Awesome. 

I was also told that she wasn't the only one.  It was her and another friend that she's been in school with since 5 months old.  I don't know if that makes it better or worse that she's not alone in the trouble making :). 

Hopefully with a lot of talking and making sure we are giving a lot of positive reinforcement this won't last until she's 3 :). 

Keep your fingers crossed!