Camille celebrated her 5th birthday on Saturday with 5 of her preschool friends and Uncle Ben.  It was a gingerbread girl (or boy) party and we played a gingerbread version of pin the tail on the donkey, and duck duck goose (or gingersnap gingersnap gingerbread cookie) and some other random games with the parachute.  The kids seemed to have fun and didn’t want to leave, but Camille was done after about an hour and a half (or maybe after the presents were opened).  Her favorite toy seems to be a little wind up doll from Gigi Pop Pop that plays “You are my Sunshine” and her head moves.  I guess it has been a long time since I threw a birthday party…it was a lot of work and Chris worked just as hard (or harder) than I did.  Just trying to make the cake was a challenge…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luckily Ben made made the gingerbread person for the game:

Other news, Harry is now pulling himself up to standing, in his crib, or anything else he can grab onto.  What were we thinking getting Camille MORE polly pockets for her birthday??

Remembering XMas

Some video’s from XMas.

Signs

Chris and I are firm believers in sign language with babies.  We loved being able to communicate the basics with the girls at mealtime, like “do you want more?” or “are you all done?”  We figure it’s especially important for Harry since boys tend to develop their language skills a bit more slowly than girls.  So we have been doing basic signs with Harry for a month or maybe more.  Lately it seems that Harry has decided to make up his own sign for “more” .  Camille took a picture of it (shown above)–stick ‘em up Harry!    He is also waving  Hi and Bye which is kind of fun.  He spends very little time playing with any baby toys–boring!  He prefers finding small pieces of paper to shove in his mouth, or the tip to a crayon, cat food, or any spare change he can find on the floor.  Harry is a speedy army style crawler so we are having to be very good about picking up.  I spent 3 hours Sunday decluttering and cleaning (a couple of Amazon wives were coming over for coffee Monday morning) and Camille and I spent 30-45 min. on her room today.  We’ll try to stay on top of it as best we can. 
Chris and I have a babysitter secured for Sat. night.  It is my friend’s husband’s birthday, so 6 of us are going to Steelhead Diner in Seattle for dinner.  YES!  A night out.  Let’s just hope that this plan doesn’t get cancelled and we have a good time.

Perspective

So, I should have read my friend Elizabeth’s blog before typing my last crabby post.  Turns out, her son had to go to the hospital for 2 days for rotovirus, and then he split his ear open and had to go to the ER.  And I’m complaining about missing a girls weekend?  Sorry. 
Chris was up all night trying to finish a document for work (which still isn’t done) and I was up with Harry at 4:30…so both of us would probably be too tired to appropriately enjoy the weekend.  He’d be too tired to be full time dad while I was playing with my girlfriends, and I’d be too tired to go out for dinner, be a tourist, and stay up into the wee hours of the night talking.  It’s all just as well.
The good news is that it’s supposed to reach 50 degrees and some sun next week…so I’m keeping it all in perspective.

Cancelled on again

I’m starting to get a complex.  We were invited to 3 parties over the holidays, none of which we were able to attend.  The first one we couldn’t go to becuase we were knee deep in snow.  The second was cancelled because there was a death in the family.  Then, the New Year’s eve party next door was cancelled due to “a family situation”.    I was already starting to feel a little bit self conscious.  But now, I’m just annoyed.  Yet another fun event cancelled.  Stefanie (my high school friend)  was supposed to fly in from Dayton to Portland, pick Marcy up in Portland, and then they were going to drive up for a girls’ weekend.  BUT, there is flooding which has closed down I-5, the highway between Portland and Seattle.  So, they will just have a girls’ 2-some in Portland.  I will be here.   No girls’ weekend.  I say  ENOUGH.  Enough rain, enough snow, enough PRECIPITATION, PERIOD.  That’s all for now.  I’m going to go to bed and listen to the rain pound on my roof.

Chopper

Big news…Harry’s first tooth popped through this morning.   
The other news is that it is snowing again.  I’m not sure if this is considered news anymore.  It’s just that the streets were finally clear and walkable, and now this.  Luckily I got Stabilicers (things you clip on your shoes that allow you to walk more easily on the snow/ice) for Christmas so I can hopefully still get out.  Chris thinks the girls will have school tomorrow.  We’ll see. 
Things I enjoyed while the girls were on their extended school vacation:
1. letting harry nap whenever he wanted
2.  not having to pack lunches
3.  staying up late to read with the girls and not having to rush them off to bed
4. not having to drive Camille to school and back daily
5. not having to get up at any specific time
6. fires in the fireplace
7. reading Into Thin Air about climbing Everest

While Bits and Ben were here we had some good laughs.  Over the course of  the 2 days they were here,  the girls squirted an entire tube of peppermint massage oil on Ben.  He was a sport.  Harry liked stealing Zack’s pacifier and putting it into his own mouth (usually he doesn’t take a pacifier).  At one point we tried to take everyone outside for a walk.  But, by the time we got everyone suited up, and got out the door, I think we only ended up going about 2 blocks before we had to turn around.  Elyse took a fall on the big rock in our yard before we even left and temporarily lost consciousness (runs in the family I guess) and within the first few minutes Camille was whining “Why do we always have to go for a walk” and the boys’ hands were getting cold.  So much for that idea.
Our new years eve was completely uninteresting.  However, new years day was nice.  We took the kids to the zoo.  It was a cold gray day but we visited the indoor exhibits and the animals we did see were very active (snakes slithering around, ocelot walking around, bats expanding their wings, etc.).  It was good to get out.  We also enjoyed a nice fire in the fireplace in the living room by the tree.  Our tree is still doing well, drinking, and keeping its needles.  We’ll keep it up as long as we can, and then use it for firewood.  Camille’s hoping to keep it up until her birthday.  She’s planning a Gingerbread themed b-day party with 4 friends from pre-k, 2 girls and 2 boys.  Should be very interesting.
I was hoping to have some hula hooping videos to post, but they’re on Chris’ computer and he’s busy doing work, so those will have to come later.  These pictures are just tide-me-overs from Christmas Eve before church.