Disney World

In mid-September, we took a family vacation to Disney World with Lolo and Lola. Gabi still talks about this trip and how fun it was. Bella then mentions riding on a boat (and perhaps Donald Duck).


Princess Gabi with Daddy in front of Cinderella's Castle


Bella on the Mickey ears at the Contemporary hotel
Our first day, we went to Epcot and ate dinner at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway. This was perhaps the best meal of the trip, although I had a stomach bug. Disney was running a promotion with a free dining plan, so we had a scheduled sit-down character meal once a day. It was fantastic! The additional quick-service meal each day turned out to be plenty of food for the rest of our meals, even with Bella not old enough to have a dining plan and just eating off our plates. An extra benefit of eating at Cinderella's Castle: showing off for Cinderella was great motivation for Gabi to start walking on her cast!


Cinderella at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall


Troll of Norway


Bella banging on the drums


Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground at Hollywood Studios
On day three, I came down with the flu (probably swine flu). Bella also caught it. Given that it has about a two-day incubation before symptoms hit, I'm guessing we caught it on the plane. Boo! The flu was miserable, but at least I had lots of help caring for the kids. The little market in our hotel even had children's medicine for Bella, which helped her sleep better at night, only waking up coughing about four times a night instead of every 20-30 minutes like she did before I gave her Benadryl. The flu lasted over a week for both of us, well after we had returned home.


Prince Charming visited us at dinner at 1900 Park Fare


Sleeping Beauty came to breakfast at Cinderella's Castle
Gabi says, "No more pictures! You promised: just one picture!"


Bella running around Toon Town playground


Gabi's "birthday" cupcake
(We celebrated Bella's 2nd birthday while at Disney World,
so we had to celebrate Gabi's "birthday" as well.)


Lolo and Bella investigating a warthog skull at Animal Kingdom


Bella up close to a live crane!


"Minnie Mouse" Gabi with Mickey


Seeing double!


Bella with her favorite Mickey bush at our hotel
On the last day, Gabi got up early to go to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique inside Cinderella's Castle, where a fairy godmother turned her into a beautiful princess! Just today she proudly told me that she still has a little of the bluish "Cinderella's slippers" nail polish on her fingers from the boutique at Disney. Gabi requested that the hair extension match her own color hair, which I thought was an excellent choice. She looked quite glamorous! She even wore a butterfly jewel on her cheek. As you can see from the pictures, we brought all of Gabi's princess dresses from home to wear while at Disney World.


Chasing bubbles at the Magic Kingdom: a definite highlight


Princess Gabi in the bubbles


Gabi flying on Dumbo with Lola


Tigger signing Gabi's cast


Piglet hugging Gabi


Bella kissing Piglet
(Don't give him your swine flu!)


Gabi on a ferry between hotels


Bella exploring Wilderness Lodge
Michael rode "It's a Small World" with Gabi seven times over the course of our trip. Gabi also enjoyed the teacups and Figment/Imagination and even Peter Pan once she got over her fear of trying it. She watched the Dream Come True parade three times because the characters came up to interact with her.

Besides the boat rides, I think Bella's favorite part was running in the rain (which was on-and-off in the afternoon our first two days) and splashing in the puddles. Once Bella got sick, her favorite part was definitely going back to the hotel for a nap, poor baby. I guess that's why two-year-olds are free!

Gabi's broken leg

Last Monday, while I was cooking dinner, Gabi fell in the playroom and said she hurt her leg and couldn't stand up. I expected a large bruise to appear, although it never did. When my kiss didn't help, I gave her an ice pack, Tylenol, and Motrin. I had to carry her to dinner and to the bathtub and to bed. At bedtime, I explained that she needed to sleep because when she rests, it gives her body energy to heal itself. She thought that sounded silly, but she trusted me.

The next morning, Gabi sweetly told me, "Mommy, I must not have slept enough because my leg still hurts." Since she continued to insist that she could not stand up, and she was having pain just moving her leg or flexing her foot, I took her to the doctor. He could not find anything wrong on exam; her leg wasn't even swollen. When he asked Gabi how she hurt her leg, she told him that she fell trying to jump off the slide in our playroom. (News to me!)


NOT what the playroom looked like when Gabi fell
(I told Gabi that she hurt her leg because we had too many toys out in the playroom,
and that's why she needed to put her toys away.)
The doctor told me that he'd seen kids stub their toe and refuse to walk for weeks; however, he'd also had a little girl just sit and smile at him while he poked and prodded her arm, but an X-ray revealed that both the girl's bones were broken. So we got an X-ray for Gabi. Gabi's X-ray showed a non-displaced spiral fracture in her tibia, so we headed to Children's hospital for a cast around lunchtime on Tuesday. The next day, Gabi informed me that when she fell off the slide, she landed on Bella's door. (Maybe I'd have taken her to the doctor sooner if I'd known that.)


Gabi was very decisive about which color cast she wanted.


Gabi was surprised that her new cast was hard.


Thinking of a name for her new puppy from the ortho docs/nurses


Daddy took time off work to be with Gabi while she got her cast.


At physical therapy, learning to use a walker


She did it! (and has since refused to try again)


Gabi pointing out her friends' names on her cast
After a week, Gabi is much more comfortable in her cast and moving around. She still doesn't want to walk on it, but she has put some weight on it just fine. Here are some pictures Gabi's teacher took at school before Gabi broke her leg.


Gabi's PreK class on the first day of school


Omari, Nathan, David,
Gabi, Kate, and Isabel


Gabi and Isabel


Kate and Gabi

Bella's 2nd Birthday

Party at the Park
We had a small birthday party for Bella at the St. Charles park the Saturday before her birthday, and we invited all her classmates at her new school.


Lolo helping Bella slide


Swinging


Birthday girl!


Big sister


We met a puppy at the park, too.


Clara and Bella
School Party
On Bella's actual birthday (Tuesday), Gabi and I took cookies and apple juice up to Bella's school to share with all of Bella's new friends.


Bella's birthday celebration at school
Family Party
That evening, we invited all our Little Rock family over to celebrate with Bella. Bella loved the birthday song and requested "Mommy sing 'Happy To You' to Bella!" many times, including as a bedtime lullaby.


Bella and cousin Caitlin


Bella, cousin Daniel, and Gabi


Ice cream "cupcakes" from Lolo & Lola


Daddy's home!


Opening presents with Lola


Naming each animal (and its sound) from Lolo


Bella "reading" her new book


Opening a present from Ninang, Ninong, and cousin Steven


Helping baby Belle (from Disney's Beauty & the Beast) slide down
Playing with Presents
Bella has been enjoying all her new birthday presents. She and Gabi will re-wrap each item, sing "Happy Birthday" to Bella, and let Bella open them again and again. Then they play with the toys together.


Backpack!


Bella loves wearing her new backpack


Both girls decked out in Hello Kitty jewelry

First Week of School

Our little two year-old is big enough to be going to school! Yes, it's back to school time for our girls.... well, I suppose that it's technically not back to school for Bella, since it's her first time to go. So it's more like "to school" for her. Whatever you want to call it, here are some cute pictures from the girls' first week back.

Bella's New School

Bella spends 2 1/2 days a week at Second Presbyterian Preschool. We enrolled her here because her drop-off and pick-up times can be managed around Gabi's, and also because Mommy wasn't quite ready for her little ladybug to be away 5 days a week. Bella has really enjoyed her first week of school.




Before the start of the school year, Mommy and Gabi accompanied Bella to an open house. The girls enjoyed playing on the playground, especially the little house with windows just right for peeking.


Bella wasn't quite sure if she wanted Mommy to go home on the first day of school, but after being distracted by the play kitchen, she was ready to run off and make new friends. Here she is with one of her little classmates, Parker. I should probably also comment that there weren't many good pictures from Bella's first day of school, due to the fact that she ran up to Mommy as soon as she arrived to pick her up. Mommy had her camera out and ready, but by the time she opened the shutter, Bella was already too close for pictures.




Bella has quickly acclimated to her new routine and gets very excited when she gets to school. One of her favorite parts of her new school are the painted footprints out in front. So much fun to walk on colored feet!

Gabi in PreK4

Gabi loves going to school. She has moved up to the Transitions/PreK4 class at the Anthony School (sorry, the website is acting funny at the moment). She'll spend this year getting ready for Kindergarten, so she'll be doing a lot more schoolwork-type stuff. She still gets plenty of playtime with all her friends from last year, though.




While Bella was enjoying her first day of school, Gabi had a special day with Mommy. One of the highlights of the day was getting her haircut at Pigtails and Crewcuts. She got to sit in a little airplane and watch Cars while she got her pretty hair trimmed.


Gabi had a get-together with her school friends the day before school started. They all met up at the school playground for a popsicle party. Gabi spent most of the time holding hands with her friend Samantha.



Never one to miss out on popsicles ("ah-sick-ah!"), Bella tagged along for the party. Other little siblings (like Betsy) also came out for the party. Just like at home, Bella lets us know that she's finished and wants to go play ("Finney! Bella pyay?"). Our little monkey likes to climb on the big kids playground equipment.


Gabi's first day of school was very exciting. She told us that her new teacher is named Ms. Stephanie. Her classmates from last year, Kate and Nathan, are also in her class this year, along with some brand new friends.


This pretty little girl is trying hard to be a grown-up, and her assignments are starting to get into big kid material. So far, they have been working on learning to write their names with only the first letter capitalized ("Gabi" instead of "GABI"). Today, she came home from school and said, "Mommy, I'm tired. We worked hard today!"

Happy 2nd Birthday, Bella!

More Summer Fun

The last two posts highlighted our summer travel and many guests. These pictures outline some of the activities that comprised the rest of our summer.

Swimming


Fountains at the Athletic Club swimming pool


Enjoying the water park area after swim lessons


Catching the water


Floating with Isabella after swim lessons


Running through the water park area
Little Rock Zoo


Feeding the rainbow lorikeets


Riding the zoo carousel
Bella's 2nd Haircut


Haircuts at Pigtails and Crewcuts come with animal crackers!


Bella's new haircut


Stopping to smell the flowers
At Home


Playing in a living room tent


Annabelle dressed up in "click-clack" shoes and a hat


Little Mama rocking baby Asha


Gabi volunteered to clean the kitchen floor
Gabi attended a few summer camps at school: pirate week and superhero week and art camp, in addition to "Fun, Fabulous, and Fancy" week (pictures below).


After "glamour day" at summer camp


After "cheerleader day" at summer camp
Around Town


Trains and trees at the Wonder Place


Gabi's night out with Mommy and Daddy to see Dora Live


Bella found a leaf on our morning exploring downtown


Swinging at Veda's house


Veda and Gabi swinging together


Bella at Butler Park


Bella collecting sticks at Reservoir Park
Birthday Parties


Samantha and Gabi at Grey's birthday party


Bella riding the carousel at Grey's birthday party


Gymnastics at Ainsley's birthday party

Summer visitors

This summer, we had many visitors come stay with us. We obviously took more pictures than just these, and I'll post them to our Shutterfly page. Email me if you need the address. We love to have guests, so let us know if you'd ever like to come through Little Rock!
Notre Dame friends (6/10-6/15)
Gramma Jane, Grampa, and Uncle Brian (7/10-7/12)
John & family (7/12)
Stephen and Alicia (7/20-7/27)
Joy, Lauren, and Eric (7/28-7/30)

Notre Dame friends (6/10-6/15)
In June, we invited a dozen of our best college friends to come hang out at our house for a mini-reunion. They were here over our 6th wedding anniversary, and they presented us with the most awesome framed collage of pictures with everyone's signature on the mat!


Introduced to video games


Telling Kimba about the "bee-bugs" (ladybugs)


At the River Market


Climbing Pinnacle Mountain


Learning to "play" Joe's bagpipes


Yoga with Cynthia
Gramma Jane, Grampa, and Uncle Brian (7/10-7/12)
Of course Gramma Jane, Grampa, and Uncle Brian found a weekend to come visit!


Swimming at St. Charles pool


Pouring water on Daddy's head


"Cuddle Mommy!"


Girls with the grandparents and uncle
John & family (7/12)
Michael's best friend from high school (who now lives in Atlanta) came back to visit family. We saw them one afternoon to met baby Lucy, and Michael did an echo of Wesley's heart.


Jelly on the tummy
Stephen and Alicia (7/20-7/27)
Uncle Stephen came to follow Lolo and his coworkers around for a week, so Aunt Alicia got to hang with the kids and me.


Neighborhood walk


Playing pirates


Sand table at the Wonder Place


Jumping into St. Charles pool


Dress-up with Samantha


Swinging at the top of the slide


"1-2-3-Whee!"


Splashing at Riverfront Park


Waiting for the waterfall
Joy, Lauren, and Eric (7/28-7/30)
My aunt Joy and her kids came for a short visit, and then they took the girls back to Texas with them to drop them off at Gramma Jane and Grampa's house for a week until we joined them at the family reunion.


Gabi and Eric climbing at Riverfront Park


Bella and Eric running through a tunnel


Splashing in the fountains

Summer travel

Now that school has started again, I am finally posting pictures from our busy summer. Sorry for the long delay. I'll compress all of Summer 2009 into three posts; this one covers our summer vacations.
Big Cedar Lodge (6/6-6/8)
Trip to St. Louis (7/3-7/5)
Family Reunion (8/7-8/9)

Big Cedar Lodge (6/6-6/8)
We went to Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, MO with Lolo and Lola because Lola was giving lectures at a conference one weekend. The resort was a beautiful place to explore, play, and relax.

Bella by the pool


Walking with Lola and Lolo


Caught by a fish


Picking flowers


Waterfall view


Lazy river


Ready to swim


Waving the flag


Relaxing on the boat


Tubing!


Driving the boat


Pony ride


New cowboy hat


Checking out the horses
St. Louis (7/3-7/5)
Over the 4th of July, we drove to St. Louis to visit Michael's aunt, who is a cloistered nun at the Mount Grace Convent. That weekend was also the Celebrate St. Louis festival with free concerts. Lolo and Lola kindly watched the girls at the hotel so Michael and I could have a date night watching the Counting Crows under the Arch with fireworks following.


Date night in downtown St. Louis


Sleepy baby at the convent


Visiting the nuns


Kiss goodbye


Posing at the cathedral


Cathedral garden


Mommy and Bella outside the cathedral
Family Reunion (8/7-8/9)
We drove to Texas for my annual family reunion and had a blast with tons of cousins, as always.


Swimming with cousins


Water fight!


Horseshoe with Grampa


Defending the goal


Card games


Talent show


Gabi with cousin Bryn
New cousin!
Two-week-old Cade was too young to hang around all the people at the reunion, but Michael and I stopped by his house to visit on our way out of town.


Meeting baby Cade

Dance Recital

To finish up with May, I wanted to post a video of Gabi's preschool class end-of-the-year program and of her dance recital. We were not allowed to video to actual recital, so this video is from the dress rehearsal. Gabi wasn't paying full attention at the beginning, as you'll see, but she did well (and the recital itself was awesome)!



Unfortunately, when I tried to copy the video I made of the preschool Spring program, I discovered that I had recorded over it. Oh, no! But, in searching through old tapes, I did find these songs that I never shared. Gabi sang these last winter, so it's about seven months old, but it's still cute.

Opposites

I've mentioned before that Annabelle, our little tom-boy, loves planes, helicopters, tractors, trolleys, etc. She is also into collecting sticks and leaves.

In contrast, back in Atlanta, our playgroup voted Gabi as the most girly-girl of the group, which is impressive considering her friends Sienna and Ava and Ella (although Ella had moved away by the time of that vote).


Walking down stairs
Bella really enjoys physical activity. These days, I will commonly see Bella walking on her toes or walking backwards. She also likes to try a handstand (which is more like the yoga "downward dog"). Bella had a blast joining in with the "big kids" at a recent birthday party at a gymnasium, walking on the balance beam and jumping on the trampoline. She loves to be flipped upside down, too! She will request "Tick tock, tick tock, ding!" which is where I hold her upside down and swing her back and forth (tick-tock) and then let her flip over while I hold her arms (ding!).

Gabi has never been the bravest or most athletic of children; her talents lie elsewhere. She took swimming lessons this June with her friend Isabella and hit a confidence wall, refusing to participate in most of the lesson. Finally, her second to last lesson, Lolo and Lola came to watch her and cheer her on. Encouraged by her personal cheering squad, she did great.


Intent on painting
Gabi's favorite games include writing letters, art projects, tea parties, and pretend sleep-overs. She is always trying to convince Bella to sit down (or lie down) and join her, but Annabelle cannot stay put. That little one just has to be moving.

Recently, Michael heard this while Gabi was writing a letter to Joe:
Gabi: "I'm going to give Joe some boy stickers. How about some Spiderman stickers? Spiderman is kind of a boy.... Chicks are girls."
Bella: "Chick aw gurr" (Chicks are girls.)


"Cows say moo!"
When I'm getting Annabelle dressed or fixing her hair, I have to chase her around the house. I have gotten quite good at brushing her hair on the move and aiming at a moving target to get her shirt over her head. My friend Adrienne thought it was so funny to watch me following Annabelle around the side of the pool with a spray bottle of sunscreen that she suggested I film myself getting her ready. I face similar challenges trying to take pictures. I need to find some time without the kids to play with my camera.


Louise's birthday cake
This picture begs for a caption contest.
Annabelle's initial language development was slower than Gabi's, but she is definitely a chatter box now! She calls herself "Lella" and Gabi, "Babi." When she is upset and crying, she will tell me, "Lella hrying" (Bella crying). If she gets a little hurt, she will say, "Sorry!" instead of crying, which I appreciate. (She's imitating what I would say to her after I accidentally bonked her. "Sorry!") I am much more sympathetic to that than Gabi's fake cries.

Some of Bella's most common phrases these days are:
"[I] did it!"
"[Where] are you?"
"Sun is hot!"

Today after the girls and I went swimming, while we were getting in the car, Bella asked, "Have fun swimming?" I usually ask that question after we finish an activity. It was cute to hear her say it. Also, as I buckle Bella in her car seat, she now says, "Lella buckle top" (meaning Bella wants to buckle the top part of her car seat strap on her own).


Hiding
Bella is developing her negotiating skills. Last week at dinner, I asked if she wanted some cherry bake, and she said "Yeah! Cheyyey cay!" So I said she could have some cherry bake if she ate all her chicken. Bella said "No kicky!... Rayee?" (pointing at her rice) I agreed that if she ate all her rice, she could have some cherry bake.


Last day of school
The month of June was very busy at our house, so I'm a bit more than my usual month behind on posting pictures. However, these stories are all recent. This set is the last of the pictures from May, though, so I will start on June soon!


End-of-school bouncy party
Gabi started to give up naps before her second birthday, but thankfully Bella still requests her naptime every day! Gabi can entertain herself during quiet time, but Bella has to be watched constantly.


Passive bouncing
Annabelle has mastered her colors and makes a game out of naming all the colors that she sees. "Babi [Gabi], blue plate." "Mommy, green shirt." "[I] see a yellow truck! Vroom, vroom!" She knows white and pink in addition to the primary and secondary colors, and perhaps some others.


At the mall with Lolo and Lola
Bella is also good at identifying shapes: circle, star, heart, and her newest two are square and triangle.


Amelia's birthday party
Michael taught Gabi his favorite joke: "What do you call someone else's cheese? Nacho cheese!" She loves telling jokes and being funny like her Daddy.


Purple ice cream!