The Week in Review

This was Tuesday.  I was probably working on something on the computer and wanted James close-by while he was eating his toast.  That’s why he’s in his high chair in the living room.  :) 

He loves toast.  :)

Wednesday… Joanna’s last swim lesson at the Y!

We have been so pleased with her teacher this session, Miss Ann(e?).  She’s like head of the department of something – very very good.  Joanna has come so far in the last month!

I was very fortunate to be able to go to many of the lessons sans little kids, and they were happy to be at home with my mom.  But they all came to the last lesson, and Natalie just wanted to get wet and swim!  She started out in her regular clothes, but got pretty wet just sitting on the ground by the pool and putting her feet in, so I switched her over to her dress.

Isn’t she just the cutest little thing?!  At one point, the kids in the lesson were all sitting on the wall, waiting to jump in, and she tried to sneak over and sit with them.  Ha!

Joanna at the end of her lesson.  She is such the little fish!  I love how easily she’ll put her whole head in the water now.

Thursday was a lazy day for me… no pictures.  I snuggled a lot with James while the girls were at school.  I may have done a couple of chores, but mostly I read… a whole book.  It felt good!

Friday afternoon our little friend Katie had her 3rd birthday party at a park nearby.  We got there a little late b/c of James’ nap, but still had plenty of time to party!  I took no pictures of my children.  :)

After naps that I day I got brave and took all three to the bank and grocery store.  (It’s actually not so bad, I just usually go with fewer of them!)  I had James in the Ergo and the girls in the car cart.  Pretty soon James will be able to sit up in the front seat of the shopping cart – I think he will love that!  Anyway, so James spent most of the shopping trip just gazing up at me from the Ergo – it is so so so sweet.  Toward the end though, he felt like I wasn’t paying him enough attention so he started to “talk” to me very very loudly.  It was very cute but really loud!  It made people smile though, which I just love.

Saturday I got to sleep in – wahoo!!!  Then the girls and I went to “Abby Beesally’s” birthday party at Jumpalooza.  Matt stayed home with James and it was just so so nice (for everyone, I think!).  The girls are big enough to play on their own without getting into too much trouble.  Natalie found a few things she could do all on her own and she did them and did them and did them, and I helped her with a few other things.  Joanna didn’t really need my help at all.  Oh, wait – one thing.  Her buddy Anna came to me at one point saying Joanna was stuck I needed to come.  I figured she needed help with something, but when I got there she was literally wedged between two big inflated walls where people were not intended to be.  And she was crying kind of hysterically.  After I pulled her out, I gave Anna a huge hug and told her how thankful I was she came and got me.  I was almost in tears.  I’m tearing up just writing about it!  Joanna was totally fine, but I get scared thinking about what if she’d gotten stuck all by herself – how long would it have taken me to find her?  How long until I even started looking?  I love the buddy system!

On to happier things!

Natalie’s hair tie and clip got lost in all the jumpingness… oh, well.  :)

At the very top of this ladder thing you can see the head of my tiny little Natalie.  I could not believe she could climb up all by herself!!  She did this one over and over and over and over…

I’m so impressed that Abby wrote her own name on the door!  Go Abby!  (Amy, I’ll be sending Joanna and Natalie over for school – when’s a good time?)  :)

Pizza face:

Birthday girl with her mouth full of pizza!

Sweet Natalie and Emma.

They turned the lights out for “Happy Birthday.”  It was very cool!  Abby LOVED it!

It didn’t take long for Natalie to crash on the way home.  I love how she’s clutching her goody bag.  :)

Happy birthday our sweet Abby!  It seems no time at all ago I visited you in the hospital the day after you were born.  I remember your tiny feet, your big ol’ bows, and commiserating with your momma about our little babies who just wanted to cry!  What a beautiful girl you are, and I’m so glad my girls are growing up with you!