Dentist/Adventureland

Yesterday, Delaney went to the dentist for the first time. When I first told her she was going a couple of weeks ago, she was a little scared. I totally hyped it up and made it sound so fun. Who doesn't love going to the dentist? :) So when it was time to go she was really excited :) On the way there in the car, she said confidently, "mommy, you don't have to go with me." I said, "ok." Well when the time came for her to go back there, she really wanted me to come. I stood in the doorway, while she sat in the chair. Her eyes were huge, and her bottom lip with sticking out and she was fighting the tears but trying so hard to be brave. Then, she gave me a thumbs up sign and I gave one back to her. She just looked too cute! For about the first 5 minutes, I thought she would start crying. I just kept saying, "you are doing such a good job, isn't this fun!" The hygenist was really good and Delaney warmed up quickly. They were able to do everything. When the dentist came in and asked her to open her mouth, she opened it up as big as she could and said, "AAAHHHH." She was so funny. They said her teeth looked great!

Last Monday, my parents, the girls, and I went to Adventureland. We had a really good time. They were so excited and had such a blast. Delaney and I went on the log ride together. We went on a couple of spinning rides, but my mom and I always feel terrible after them and my dad can't do them, but Delaney kept wanting to go on them...I told her next time her dad would go on them with her (come to find out he gets sick on spinning rides too). It was a pretty cool day (in the 70s most of the day), but the water park is included, so we went for a little bit in the evening b/c my girls love to swim. We went on the lazy river a couple times and they went down a few slides.

A couple of funny stories (these might be the kind of stories where you had to be there - but I want to remember them): My mom took Averey to the car ride. There are police cars, firetrucks, motorcycles, etc that just go around. Well, my mom thought Averey might try to climb out, so she thought she would ride with her. As my mom was trying to climb into a little firetruck, haha, the lady came and told her she was too big to ride on this ride - it's just for kids. My mom was so funny when she was telling me. The firetruck was really little, and she said she was having trouble getting in. The lady said she would stop the ride, if Averey was trying to stand up or do something she shouldn't. Ahhh, such a funny mental picture.

A few of the rides say if the child is under 36 inches, then they need an adult to ride with them. Well, I don't think they enforce this if the child is close to this height, but I didn't know. Averey is around 34-35 inches. So there was a ride where all these semi trucks or something like that were attached and went around a track in circles. This was one of those rides, where they said a parent needs to ride on the sign. So I told my mom, I will ride with her and my mom said well I will go too (I guess my mom was bound and determine to get on those kiddie rides :))Well, Delaney gets in the front and Averey climbs in next to her and then you shut the door (they are completely enclosed). So my mom and I climb up behind them (not even next to them, and they can't see us and we can't see them - it was very unnecessary for us to go on this ride), and we sit side by side in two seats meant for 3 year old. The older guy regulating the ride, kept making jokes like you two behave and was kind of making fun of us. All of these parents are standing behind the rope as the ride keeps going around the track. My mom and I kept laughing because I am sure we looked absolutely ridiculous, and the ride seemed to never end, haha!

Stories about the girls:

Delaney is always saying, "yesterday, I went to the zoo...mom, remember when we went to the museum, yesterday" Anything she has ever done was done "yesterday" :)

Delaney is also really into making up extremely long songs about many different topics combined into one song. It's funny.

Tonight at dinner, Delaney wanted to pray (normally when she prays she just names off every person or animal she knows and it gets really long). This is how she started tonight, "Lord Jesus, Thank you for blessings and Juju's cats - squirt and jasmine....etc. (then she went into naming people)" It was so precious how she said it, but it was so funny. Those 2 cats get lots of prayer :)

Averey is really into wearing dresses (several in one day). After she has one on for a while, she rips it off and says I don't like it, I want that one. She always is wearing necklaces, bracelets, and wants bows in her hair. She also has been carrying around her purse, and she packed it herself with 2 pairs of sunglasses, 2 cell phones, a magnifying glass, and jewelry.

Averey also randomly says, "Mommy, I like your eyebrows", "I like your shirt", "I like your hair". She is always complimenting me or others. She is transitioning from a baby to a little girl more each day.

If you mention, nap, sleep, bedtime, pajamas, or anything in that category - Averey goes hysterical - completely freaks out. So I have been trying to use code words such as rest or we got to get all ready so I can tell you a story in your room. It doesn't work all that well, so hopefully it's just a phase.

Have a good night!

Life Update

I have been terrible at updating my blog - Life has been so busy! I am just going to do a quick run through of some of changes in our life the last few months. It feels like life is finally slowing down a little, and we are definitely enjoying summer!

Since I last blogged, my Grandma (my dad’s mom) passed away on April 20^th. She was truly an amazing lady, and I am so thankful for her life. She made each of us feel so special, even though she had 14 children and 43 grandchildren and many great grandchildren. She was coherent to the end and passed away peacefully with 9 of her 14 children by her side. She was quite a lady and is missed

Easter was wonderful, and Mother’s Day was special. I am so thankful to be a mommy to 2 amazing little girls. I am blessed beyond what I deserve. They truly are gifts from God.

My last day of work for UNMC Physicians was the last Friday in May. I worked there for 5 years. For the past 3 ½ years (since Delaney was born) I have only worked 1 day a week. I am grateful for my time year but excited to move on.

I now work at a Crisis Pregnancy Center and LOVE it! I feel so incredibly blessed to have this job. I will only be working 2 days per week. It’s like a dream job to me. The people have been great, and I love what I do!

Anyone who knows me knows that dance is extra busy from about April through recital. We had recital on May 22^nd. It seems that every extra moment of the day is spent doing one thing or another related to dance, during this time. It is so busy, and I felt like I was constantly shuffling the girls around. Delaney definitely improved from rehearsal (she picked her nose in one of her dances for quite a while – in a video on my facebook). All the dancers did great, and it’s always a lot of fun!

Grant also transferred work to another store and it opened at the end of May. I don’t think I saw my husband for almost a week straight, with me being tied up with recital weekend and then the new store opening this week – it was crazy. Another change...Grant is going to be starting a new job at the end of July. We are really excited about this b/c he will be working fewer hours than he is now and will be working Mon.-Fri. days. His schedule this past year has been so erratic and he has worked so much, but he has loved his job.

My sister came in town for recital and was here throughout the week. It was so good to see her. I miss her so much, and it was so fun to see her growing belly and to feel baby Josiah kick. I really miss having her in town. It’s always so hard to say good-bye.

Speaking of good-byes… my wonderful brother and sister-in-law, Emily moved to CA. I am so happy that they get this opportunity to go to a ministry school there, but we miss them so much! Also, they recently found out that they are expecting a baby in February! We are very excited to have another sweet baby in the family!

Fourth of July was a great day! I am so thankful to live in America! The girls had so much fun, and they love fireworks! They also love to catch lightning bugs. Delaney caught a few and said, “I am SO excited! I didn’t squish them!” Delaney is a really good bug catcher (or killer)..and loves to smash flies with her hands, haha! They had lots of fun times with their cousins!

 Life is good. We are blessed.