Loveys' Blog

Potty Time?

2011-01-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

Guess who's getting interested in the potty???

Perhaps we should get one that's not so....pink.

Proud Performance

2011-01-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

After practicing for weeks and weeks, the day of Lucia's school Christmas performance finally arrived.

There was a party before the performance so the night before we made and decorated some Christmas cookies. I bought some food coloring pens to decorate with and that went pretty well. Lucia enjoyed it, but the cookies ended up looking rather...interesting.

And this is how Milo helped with the cookies:

Both Antonio and I got to go to the performance and Lucy was so excited.

Lucy's on the right, just behind the little girl who's swaying back and forth.

Birthday Party

2011-01-11T12:27:00.000-08:00

Just a couple of weeks after starting at their new school, Lucia was invited to one of her classmates' birthday party (and Milo tagged along).

I was itching to build something, so I put together this workbench and made a small toolbox to go with it.

Lucy was very proud to help paint and it dried just in time for the party. We got a few plastic tools to go with it and it turned out great.

The party was held at a bouncing place and the kids had so much fun that afterward they came home and crashed for a good three hours.

New School

2011-01-11T12:20:00.000-08:00

After we got back from Bolivia, we decided it was time to put Lucy and Milo in a new school. Lucy will be in pre-K(!) next year and the school we chose has the option of choosing to enroll in the state program or a private program, each with its own curriculum. We still don't know which one we want her to be in, but by moving to this new school, we now have that option when the time comes.

Lucy and Milo already love their new teachers and have made new friends. Here's a picture of each on their first day!

Hometown Holiday 2010

2011-01-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

The town we live in is always putting together community activities for the families around here and for the Hometown Holiday 2010, they didn't disappoint.

We were running late, so by the time we arrived for the Candy Cane Hunt, they were all out of candy canes. No biggie..we just moved on to the next event, which was a show at the ampitheatre.

We saw an orchestra playing Christmas carols...

...enjoyed a mini-performance of the Nutcracker...

...lit some candles while we sang Silent Night (not pictured: Milo getting a little rowdy with the lit candle)...

And at the end of the show, Santa arrived in his golf cart.

We then took part in a golf cart procession (this is the view from ours) and followed Santa to City Hall where we watched them light the "big 'ole" Christmas tree.

And since I have no idea what happened to the video I took of the lighting of the tree...here's another of Santa after we arrived at City Hall. This is where the little kids got to sit on his lap. My kids, however, refused to and just stared at him from afar.

Bolivia - Part 2 (Santa Cruz)

2011-01-11T10:32:00.000-08:00

After a week in La Paz we set off for the tropics...Santa Cruz, Bolivia. After battling that nasty stomach bug, it was nice to be able to stay at a resort and get some "vacation" time in.

Here's our Fred Flintstone-like mode of transportation at the resort.

There were about sixteen different pools in a very "natural" setting, all with fun rock slides. The kids had fun in the water...and so did Mommy and Daddy. That's me on the slide with Milo.

But even more than the pools, Milo was enamored with this fountain!

The kids discovered hammocks...and we ended up buying one in a market and bringing it home with us.

And we got to see lots of exotic animals.

Like toucans:

Parrots:

Sloths. Yeah, I didn't even know what a sloth was until this guy crossed the path in front of us.

There was an island crawling with monkeys:

In the distance it was hard to capture them on camera, but I think you can see this guy.

And of course some not-so-exotic animals (but still fun to see):

Lots to do and lots of fun!

Bolivia - Part 1 (La Paz)

2011-01-11T07:49:00.000-08:00

So we decided to forego Thanksgiving this year and instead we took a little trip down south - to Bolivia. This was Lucia's second trip there and Milo's first. It was great seeing family.

Here's Lucy with her "Gordis".

And here with Tio Javi.

Lucia and Milo showing their sibling love on the streets of La Paz.

The whole crew has fun in the neighborhood supermarket.

Here are Lucy and Milo learning how to entertain the family pooch at Antonio's cousin's house.

And this is how the kids get some entertainment while Mommy and Daddy have a cup of coffee.

We did run into some "hitches" on our trip. Namely, a nasty stomach bug and a street blockade:

But we didn't let that stop us from getting in our fair share of saltenias. Here we are at las castores...but I think Lucy preferred the lemonade (saltenias not pictured).

Perhaps their favorite place we visited was Pollos Copacabana (complete with kids' meals and a playland).

Until next time, Bolivia.

Banan-o-rama

2011-01-11T07:33:00.000-08:00

First Fire

2010-11-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

After an in-depth lesson from our "fireplace guy" on the in's and out's of our fireplaces (c'mon, we're desert folks), we lit/built/started(?) our first fire on Saturday morning. It has been getting pretty nippy around here and we couldn't wait to make our place a little more toasty. We were sure to give the kids a "fire safety" lecture and then proceeded to light up. Pretty nice!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Another one bites the dust... This one seemed more exhausting than the others. Maybe that's because we celebrated for an ENTIRE WEEK.

We started off on Saturday - the week before. There was a festival here in town and so, of course, the kids got dressed up and we went. All the hard work Abuela put in on Lucy's Dorothy dress paid off. She was beautiful. She had everything from the hair down to the ruby slippers. Oh, she even had Toto (courtesy of Nana) in a basket, too. I let her wear blush and lipstick and she was in heaven!

Milo's costume was a perfect fit, too. Easy to get on and off, not too bothersome (he wore it for extended periods - I think it kept him warm) and stood up to the crazy little chocoholic's torture.

The Friday before Halloween, the kids wore their costumes to school for their parties. Lucy was sure to protect Toto from the grubby little hands of her classmates (she told me).

The following Saturday there were two trick-or-treating activities at two different shopping centers here in town. Lucy was lucky enough to meet Snow White at one of them. Must've brought back memories of her trip to Disneyland (oh shoot, I've got to blog about that, too!)

And finally, Halloween Day (as Lucia likes to say), we got some pictures in on the front porch. The kids had a great time decorating with the fake spider webs. I don't know why I didn't get any pumpkin carving pictures this year, but our guy's by our door behind Daddy.

Here's me trying to get a good picture of Lucy and Milo...at the same time...smiling...

Not gonna happen.

I'm better off snapping some individual shots.

And finally, real-time trick-or-treating.

I'll leave you with our quick 'photo op' in an unknowing neighbor's driveway.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

My Little Punkins

2010-10-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

Lucia's New Favorite Pastime

2010-09-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

She could spend hours cutting and glueing anything and everything.

The Cat in the Hat

2010-09-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

The Cat in the Hat was at the zoo for labor day weekend. Since Dr. Seuss books are Lucia's favorite right now, we just had to pop in and say hello. Here we are getting our picture taken with the cat of the hour.

Notice, Antonio wins the Man of the Year Award. I am carrying both kids, the diaper bag, the snack bag (and who knows what else).

HA HA!!!

2010-09-22T11:03:00.000-07:00

One of Lucy's favorite things to these days is to try and keep a straight face while her daddy does all kinds of silly things, attempting to make her laugh. It goes something like this:

Oops, she lost!

Sprinkler Fun

2010-09-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Lucy and Milo love to play in the sprinklers, but aren't always up early enough to catch them in action. The other day they were, however, and not only were they able to have a little fun with the water, but they somehow managed to make a RAINBOW while they were at it.

Ink

2010-09-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

Milo recently discovered temporary tattoos...

That's a pirate ship, by the way.

Carry-Ons

2010-09-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

So this is what my kids do when they find themselves in an airport...

I think they enjoy the waiting-in-line part more than actually being on the airplane.

And I'm pretty sure the fact that they both fit in there means I can carry them on as hand baggage.

As long as they have their luggage tags, that is...

Mary LUCIA Retton?

2010-08-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

Lucy did a week-long gymnastics camp over the summer and she absolutely loved it - so we went ahead and signed her up for weekly Saturday classes. Of course, I had to get her the sparkly purple leotard she wanted :)

Here she is stretching:

And on the beam; check out that form! (Apologies, the pictures are taken from far away and through a window.)

A little cropping magic.

Again, I have to point out her form.

If that's not a natural, I honestly don't know what is!

A turn on the high beam.

And on to bars.

My little monkey.

Stay tuned for more gymnastics photos...and I'm sure I'll eventually have some videos, too :)

Fishing Derby!

2010-08-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went to a fishing derby here in town. Basically, we got to borrow some poles and worms and got a free tutorial on how to cast the line.

Here we are with the resident fisherman as he gives us the demonstration:

Notice, Antonio is hanging on to every word.

And here you can kind of see him starting to get into the motions.

A close-up of the bait.

Of course, Daddy wasn't about to touch that, so luckily his sister was willing.

First attempt: Not so bad.

"I think I know what I'm doing."

And we wait...

And wait...

We never caught anything, but we (Lucia) sure looked cute trying!

And Milo? Well, he looked adorable in his fishing hat :)

Flippin' Fun

2010-07-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

Dance Class!

2010-07-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

Lucy started a dance class. It's a ballet/tap combo class. More than anything she loves dressing up...especially in her ballet shoes and her "other ballet shoes (you know, the black ones)".

Hope you don't mind the video. They close the door, so I had to sneak it through a crack :)

Milo's Got a Shiner

2010-07-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

More Fourth of July Fun!

2010-07-14T10:43:00.001-07:00

After the wonderful parade in the morning, we all took a nice nap and then headed to the Golf Club for the evening festivities...

We started off with some snacks on the lawn...

And then Lucia wanted to try rolling down the hill like the other kids.

Milo gave it a shot, too.

They had a bouncy castle for the children. I think Lucy felt sorry for Milo since he was too little. She played with him more than she jumped!

And, of course, the evening ended with a great fireworks show. I've never been able to get good pictures of fireworks :(

Until next year!

Fourth of July Parade

2010-07-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Now this is what I'm talking about, people! This Fourth of July parade is EXACTLY why we moved here. We had such a great time with the kids and really got a sense of the "community". A couple of take-aways for next year: we'll drive the golf cart and park it on the side and definitely bring a bigger bag for candy!

They didn't stay in their chairs for long, but they sure made for good pics while we waited for the parade to start.

Here it comes!

Elmo was the Grand Marshall.

The kids got flags to wave.

We saw horses...

And princesses...

And golf-cart fire trucks...

Got a whole lot of candy...

And finished it off with red, white, and blue popsicles.

And just in case you can't tell how much fun Lucia was having...here's a video:

Soccer Shots!

2010-07-14T09:23:00.001-07:00

Lucia has been playing soccer on Saturdays. Here are a few shots of a typical session:

Warming-up...

Stretching...

Trapping the ball...

Making sure Mommy and Daddy are watching...

Dribbling...

And shooting a goal!

Father's Day!

2010-07-14T09:13:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Father's Day with a crazy lunch in our favorite Mexican restaurant. Crazy because eating out always is with these two kids. Lucy and Milo presented Daddy with the cards they picked out themselves. They signed (or in Milo's case, chewed on) them and Daddy was really happy. He actually confessed that he got a little teary-eyed :)

Tag-A-Long

2010-07-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

Someday he'll be able to keep up with her...

Build-A-Bear

2010-07-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

Another thing that Nana and Grandpa did with Lucia while they were visiting was take her to Build-A-Bear in the mall.

She picked out a pink bear and waited patiently in line with Leela.

Then actively participated in the stuffing process...

Unfortunately, my camera's battery died after this and so I have no more pictures. I can assure you, however, that she picked out a tank top, some panties, and some slippers for her bear and went on to name her "Princess".

Zoo Atlanta!

2010-06-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

During Nana and Grandpa's (and cousin Leela's) visit, we spent a day at Zoo Atlanta!

First stop, the petting farm for a hands-on experience...

Lucia's favorite part was getting a pink brush!

Grandpa took Milo in so he could get up close and personal with the goats.

And Salina made friends with a pot-bellied pig!

Outside of the petting area, we saw all kinds of great animals...

Even some baby elephants...

And then there were all the other things the zoo had to offer. Like making a souvenir out of a penny...

And riding the choo-choo train.

All in all, a day well spent with Nana...

And Grandpa.

The New Kitchen Reveal

2010-06-09T18:15:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to finally let Lucia have her kitchen and reveal the fruits of my labor. Needless to say, she was super excited and went right to work cooking and washing dishes. Milo also joined in on the fun and soon showed us his alter-ego: the Mad Chef (I've got to get a picture of that soon)!

I spent weeks googling play kitchens, only to come to the conclusion that in order to get what I really wanted...I'd have to build it myself. It didn't take long at all and I am more than happy with the finished product. They spend hours playing with it...which is exactly what I was going for!

Happy Birthday Dear Lucia!

2010-06-09T17:44:00.000-07:00

We were so happy to have Nana, Grandpa, and cousin Salina visit for Lucia's birthday. We threw her a party at home on Sunday and she got the wonderful Dora cake she had been requesting for months...thanks Nana! She got more presents than any little girl needs and she really blew out her own candles...first time ever! What a great birthday!

Celebration at School

2010-06-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

When Lucy got to school on the day of her birthday, she was quite pleased to see that her teacher had posted a sign on the door, which said "Happy 3rd Birthday Lucia!" She was also very pleased (and surprised) when I showed up in the afternoon with chocolate cupcakes - with pink frosting - for her class...just like she had said she wanted. Her classmates sang "Happy Birthday" to her and then dug into the sweets. Later on I heard her ask one of her friends, "Did you like my cake my mommy made?" Awww.

Birthday Pancakes!

2010-06-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

In honor of Lucia's third birthday, I made her some special pancakes on May 28th. She got them in the shape of an "L" and a "3". Since it was a Friday, I thought this was the least I could do before shipping her off to school. Seemed to make her happy :)

Sweet Thang

2010-05-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

No, there was no coffee in it...

But yes, there was chocolate...ooops!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly...

2010-05-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

Since this is a "reality" blog I guess I'm obligated to post about the good, the bad, AND the ugly - the ugly being what we saw last week. Viral rash? Allergic reaction? We're still not sure...but we do know it was NOT the chicken pox (as confirmed to this frantic, unexperienced mother as she rushed her son to urgent care on Sunday evening).

Don't worry, he's all better now (and cute again)!

They Branded Him

2010-05-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

Look at this. Look closely...do you see what it is? It's a full set of teeth marks, that's what it is. Milo's only got two teeth, so I know he didn't bite himself. And it wasn't his sister either... Grr.

Well, It's Tradition After All...

2010-05-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

A kid's gotta have chocolate cake on his birthday (his real birthday day). Milo just happened to scarf it all down before I could get the camera out!

Just a Spoon Full of Sugar

2010-04-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

Actually, we don't need one. This is a video of Milo taking his medicine (ear infection). He loves it. We used to have to hold Lucia down, kicking and screaming bloody murder. Then, she'd spit half of it out. This guy always asks for more...

Getting Around

2010-04-23T03:55:00.000-07:00

What's Up Doc?

2010-04-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

Lucia and Milo were due for a check up this week and so we scheduled a visit with a new pediatrician. I knew Milo was going to have to get some vaccinations, but as far as I knew, Lucy was all caught up. Since she's a bit apprehensive about going to the doctor (she associates it with shots), I carefully explained that we were just going to get her weighed and to look in her ears and mouth. I assured her she would not be getting any injections.

She was such a good girl. They gave her a cute little gown with pink (her favorite color) teddy bears to put on. We found out she's almost reached 30 pounds and she "speaks VERY well for her age." I passed on the iron test because I wanted to avoid the needle and since she is by no means lethargic, I wasn't worried. Then...I was informed she still needed two shots and she'd be set until Kindergarten. Uh-oh...

Long story short, a fantastic nurse and two "bug bites" later, Lucia hadn't even made a peep, let alone shed a tear. I seriously thought I would be shedding tears because I was so proud of her. You'd better believe I agreed to buy her a big 'ole pink lollipop.

Happy (Quasi-)Birthday Milo!

2010-04-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

Uncle Bobby's Big Day

2010-04-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

Uncle Bobby and Auntie Audrey got married this past weekend and we suffered through two 4+ hour flights to witness their nuptials. The wedding was lovely and it was great to be back in AZ with family again.

Yes, my children wore the same outfits they wore on Easter...is that so wrong?

They still look as cute as ever in them, don't they?

We started out with a seat up front...had a great view of the groom and that adorable little "ring bear".

But Lucy couldn't be convinced to use her "library voice" so we had to move to the back. I decided to be creative with my photography.

Later on, Lucia got ahold of the camera and was quite creative herself.

An elegant, entertaining, but exhausting, evening.

Messy Eater

2010-04-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

Easter Gifts from Nana

2010-04-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

Egg-citing!

2010-04-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

We attended our first community event in our new town - the annual Easter Egg Hunt! It was the Saturday before Easter and there were a lot of games, food and people. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and seriously wore the kiddos out. Here are some of the highlights of our day:

Of course they had to wear their lovely Easter clothes.

Looking adorable.

Getting ready for the hunt - Lucy was with the one and two-year-olds.

There was no age group for Milo, so he had to sit on the sidelines...no big deal.

He had a blast watching.

Getting anxious...look at all those eggs!

And they're off! Lucia got a little guidance from Daddy.

But she really didn't need it. She knew exactly what to do!

See Daddy, look at all my eggs!

And afterwards...the obligatory picture with the Easter Bunny.

You aren't the only one who thought he was scary-looking.

This Easter Bunny's much cuter.

And this one, too!

Let the Birthdays Begin!

2010-04-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

It was our first birthday celebration of the year! Daddy turned the big "three-something". (Does it really matter once you get that old?) Anyway, we did throw him a mini-party at the kitchen table...

Mini apple pie: an extremely appropriate birthday cake.

Lucy had to help Daddy open the card she picked out.

And, of course, make sure he saw Spiderman on the front...

...and where she signed it on the inside.

He needed help opening his present, too!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

On the Move...

2010-04-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

Eleven Months Old!

2010-04-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

First One's Through!

2010-03-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

Can you see it? Can you? Milo cut his first tooth the day he turned ten months old! He was a bit cranky the previous week, which is very unlike him, so it was a relief to see that little bit of white peek through. Now he's a happy boy again!

Lazy Bums

2010-03-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Computer Literate

2010-03-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

Lucia loves to talk to Nana and Grandpa on the webcam. She's always begging Nana to read her a book through the computer. Here she is listening to another story... Can you see Nana on the screen?

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-03-18T18:20:00.001-07:00

This year, Valentine's Day was a lot of fun for Lucy. The night before her school party, she carefully signed all her cards for her classmates, folded them in half and secured each one with a little heart sticker.

She also helped make Milo's (since he was asleep). He gave each of his friends a teething biscuit with a special card attached.

And Lucia certainly was happy with what she got in return. She came home with a bag full of goodies and valentines especially for her!

Another Cheerio Lover is Born

2010-01-31T18:05:00.000-08:00

Although he still has no teeth, we finally let Milo get a taste of the wonderful world of Cheerios.

Here he is exercising that pincer-grasp.

Giving it the once-over.

The first taste.

Thinking about it for a minute

And going in for more...both hands this time!

Nine Months Old!

2010-01-31T18:04:00.000-08:00

It Was About Time!

2010-01-31T17:47:00.000-08:00

I finally gave the boy a haircut.

Here are the before pics.

During.

And after. Isn't that a handsome fellow?!?

While we were at it, Nana straightened things up for the girl, too.

Another satisfied customer.

And here they are showing off their new do's!

(FYI: We've decided to let Lucia's bangs grow out. Stay tuned for an updated look in the weeks to come.)

Simple Solutions

2010-01-08T12:17:00.001-08:00

Milo has outgrown the baby bathtub, but since he's so mobile it is way too difficult to just put him in the big bath. Our few attempts at this resulted in a lot of swallowed bathwater :( Luckily, Nana is internet saavy, and she discovered this bath seat for that in-between stage. We purchased it and, as Daddy says, "It was worth every penny."

Around and Around

2010-01-08T12:16:00.003-08:00

Now that all the hustle and bustle of the holidays has passed, we're back to our old weekend routine: going to the mall. (I guess it's what we do even if we don't live in Dubai.) Last weekend we went out to the Mall of Georgia. There is a nice carousel inside that Lucy loves to ride. She will not, however, ride on a horse. She simply refuses. Instead she loves to go "around and around" like this:

Santa Babies

2010-01-08T12:16:00.001-08:00

Getting a clear shot of Milo as Santa wasn't nearly as easy as getting Lucia as Santa. He just moves too much! Nevertheless here are our two Santa babies for you to compare:

Our "Gingerman" Village

2010-01-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

Lucia and I definitely wanted to put together a gingerbread house for Christmas. She is mildly obsessed with "gingermen" and so she liked the idea of making their house. I actually came across a kit to make an entire village, so that's what we did!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

Well, we weren't quite sure we were going to make it to Atlanta in time for Christmas. After a two-day delay, our moving truck finally got loaded and we set off at about 3:40am on Christmas Eve. What is normally about an 8-10 hour drive took us nearly 14. It actually wasn't as bad as it sounds. The kids were well behaved and the stops that we made may have been more for Mommy and Daddy's benefit than theirs.

We (Antonio) made the decision that we would buy a small (four-foot or so) Christmas tree when we got to Atlanta since the apartment (our temporary digs until we find a house) is so small. However, since we didn't actually arrive to the city until around 5pm, the only "small" Christmas tree we could find anywhere was a 24-incher at Home Depot. So we bought it.

Now, don't feel sorry for us. Even though our Christmas tree was tiny, and we were cramped into a one-bedroom apartment, and we had driven for fourteen hours after spending days packing everything we own (don't forget the blizzard that brought 24 inches), we still had a lovely holiday and the kids were just as happy as could be. We even have pictures to prove it!

Here's Lucy getting into the spirit as we unpack the Christmas decorations.

Milo getting into the spirit as well.

Beginning to decorate our 24-incher (that includes the base).

Strategically placing each ornament.

Trying to figure out how to fit so many decorations onto such a tiny tree.

Milo wanted to help out, too!

The finished product.

And later that night, Santa came with Lucia and Milo's gifts.

Christmas morning, Lucy and Milo saw what Santa brought for each of them.

Lucy was excited to see that she got a fabulous crib set for her dolls.

And a new PURPLE baby (which is exactly what she asked for).

Santa brought Milo a YELLOW baby (which is just what he asked for, according to Lucy).

Milo also got his very first sippy cup.

Here's Lucy finding out what's inside her stocking (hair bows and "princess" chapstick).

And Milo was happy with the toothbrush he found in his stocking.

All in all, a wonderful celebration. Here are the two cuties in their official Christmas attire.

Road Trip!

2010-01-08T11:53:00.000-08:00

Our road trip from Maryland to Atlanta took us about 14 hours and several pit-stops. The kids were actually very well behaved (thank goodness for DVD players). We left at about 4am and it was nearly 6pm when we finally arrived to our destination.

Here's Lucy toward the beginning.

About halfway through.

Are we there yet???

And Milo...well, his carseat.

Like My New Boots?

2010-01-08T11:52:00.000-08:00

Eight Months Old!

2010-01-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

Crazy Kids

2010-01-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

Moving means lots of boxes and lots of boxes mean lots of fun.

One Fine Tree

2010-01-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

While we were still in the area we just had to venture out (in the snow) to see Obama's tree...

And, of course, get a family photo in front of it.

Leisure vs. Labor

2010-01-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

The second snow storm of the winter (and our lives) brought nearly two feet and shocked us all! It was nice for a few minutes, but then Lucy decided she liked it better inside.

"I think I'll go back in Daddy. You can stay out here and play."

And that he did...

He threw snowballs...

And made snow angels...

And built a snowman...

But then it was time to stop playing around and get to work...shoveling the sidewalk.

And digging out the car.

While Mommy, Lucy, and Milo drank hot chocolate in the house by the fire... ;)

Moving On

2010-01-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

Moving to Georgia from Maryland meant leaving behind the school the kiddos have been in for the past several months. There are many things they'll miss...

The crib Milo napped in several times a day...

The exersaucer he joyfully learned to spin around in...

Ms. Kim...

Ms. Linda...

Of course, Lucy will miss the kitchen, where she often baked cookies...

Ms. Monica...

And all her friends...

Especially Drew-y...

We won't forget you!

They Grow Up So Fast...

2010-01-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

Here's my precious baby girl, not long after we brought her home...

Here's my silly little girl, being crazy as usual...

Don't Try This at Home

2010-01-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

Parade of Lights

2010-01-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

In mid-December we went to Annapolis (the capital of our short-term home-state) to see the Boat Parade. It was extremely cold, but very lovely. We saw a good number of boats, completely covered in lights, float down the harbor. There were many creative designs that the kids loved, especially the choo-choo train! Here are the pics of us all bundled up.

Turkey Time

2009-12-18T08:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, we like to dress our children up as turkeys on Thanksgiving. We're those kind of people.

Milo, 2009

Lucia, 2007

Mr. Independent

2009-12-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

Let it Snow!

2009-12-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

The first snow of the season fell this past weekend. Now, the blizzard (by my standards) that befell kept us indoors all day Saturday, but Sunday the weather was beautiful and we got a chance to enjoy the white powder.

All suited up in their new winter coats. FYI, every time I put Milo's on him, he promptly conks out.

Posing for the camera in our "Winter Wonderland". (Milo slept the entire time.)

Lucia's first touch...not so sure...

But it sure is fun throwing snowballs...

...at Mommy!

Now it's time to build a snowman. First, you make a ball like this...

Here you have the body...

Put another ball on top...

Add a third, and voila! A lovely little snowman!

That you can then DESTROY!

And a video to sum up the fun :)

Pearly Whites

2009-12-06T18:05:00.000-08:00

Lucia's first trip to the dentist was on December 4, 2009. Technically, we were a little late, as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentristry suggests that children should have their first visit by their first birthday. It didn't go as well as I'd have hoped. She didn't cry at all, so I guess it could have been worse, but she certainly didn't open her mouth very much, so the dentist didn't get that great of a look. Oh well, no cavities were detected and it seems we're still waiting on two molars on the top: 18 teeth in all.

Lucia in the waiting room, feeling a bit nervous.

Feeling a bit MORE nervous in the dentist's chair.

Getting brushed with flouride.

And experiencing the spit sucker.

This is the widest she opened her mouth the whole time.

No tears though, so she got to pick out a toy from the treasure chest after it was all over!

Oh, and Milo still has yet to cut a tooth, so we're right on track with him!!!

Another First!

2009-12-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

Lucia went bowling for the first time at Cliff Castle Casino in Camp Verde, AZ! She got to use the bumpers, of course, and fared pretty well. She adopted her unique technique early on and maintained her style and form throughout. She ended up beating Nana and Salina! Here are the photos:

Daddy's a little apprehensive about wearing "used" shoes.

Who knew they even made them so small (size 6)?

Lucia doesn't mind them...she's even admiring them.

Time to choose a ball.

Learning the basics about where the ball goes after you throw it and how it comes back to you.

Ok, it's Lucy's turn!

Daddy guides her up to the lane.

She positions herself...she liked the "kneeling" stance.

One big hurl!

Looking good...

Not bad at all!

Let's have a look at that scoreboard... And in case you were wondering what Milo did the whole time, there he is, observing as usual.

Lucia with an 80 in the top of the 9th!

Good Times

2009-12-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

While we were in Phoenix recently, we got to spend time with some of Daddy's old friends. Here are shots of Daddy and Lucy at Happy Hour with Rodrigo, Martin and Chulo's daughter, Tany.

Seven Months Old!

2009-11-21T19:49:00.000-08:00

Future Van Gogh?

2009-11-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

It's really neat to see how Lucia's drawing/coloring skills have evolved. She used to just scribble all across the paper, but recently she started trying to actually color in different parts of the pictures. She's also able to draw circles now. Sometimes they turn into hearts, but hey, that's a legitimate shape, too.

Here's a picture of her yesterday in the library doing a coloring activity for Spanish storytime.

Holding her work up for all to see.

A close up. Check out the use of color - blue ice cream, green shirt and shorts, one brown shoe, one orange shoe...

And finally, this is from about a week ago when she was coloring in the bathtub. She asked me to draw a tree, so I drew two (mine are the two on the right), then she drew her own (on the left)!

The Pink Pig!

2009-11-16T18:11:00.000-08:00

So, the idea is that eventually we will settle our family in or around the Atlanta area. As such, I thought we'd get started and participate in a local tradition: riding the Pink Pig. Now, I can't go into all the details (you can Google it), but let's just say that this goes way back and basically you just ride a pig-shaped train around in a circle. Here are a few photos of our fun-filled day.

The sign at the entrance.

A picture of the Pink Pig in its early days. It started as a monorail, but is now a train.

Priscilla the Pig greeting all the patrons.

Mommy and Lucy with Priscilla.

An enormous inflated Priscilla.

Inside the tent where the train is.

Lucy with the pig balloon that the nice balloon man (not to be confused with Balloon Boy) made her.

Milo attempting to eat said pig balloon.

Yet another display of the Queen.

Mommy and Lucy riding the Pink Pig. (Disclaimer: Daddy's pictures ALWAYS come out blurry.)

Lucy pointing out her "I rode the Pink Pig 2009" sticker. She got a stamp on her hand, too.

One happy tradition maker.

We'll keep the sticker and leave the T-shirt on the rack!

Lucia Elisabeth Ingalls

2009-11-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

Sporting the Little House on the Prairie look. Who knew that Laura's middle name was Elizabeth (Wikipedia)? Wow, so much more in common than I thought.

Mama and Her Babes

2009-11-16T18:06:00.000-08:00

Below is one of the few pictures I have of me with my babies. I am most often the picture taker of the family...

Milo's First Boo Boo

2009-11-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later. Lucy was slightly younger when hers occured. I was told that he fell over onto a book. Hmmm....a likely story, Daddy. Whatever the circumstances, he ended up with this scrape across his tiny little nose :(

Halloween Fun - Part IV

2009-11-08T17:17:00.000-08:00

Lucia had an absolute blast trick-or-treating. She could hardly believe that people were actually handing out candy when she knocked on their doors! Everyone had a really good time (even Milo) and now I just have to get her to understand that we can't do this again for another YEAR!

Halloween Fun - Part III

2009-11-08T17:09:00.000-08:00

Lucia was a ladybug for Halloween and we decided to make her costume ourselves. Here she is helping put the pompons on her tutu and then posing at home in the finished product before going out.

Halloween Fun - Part II

2009-11-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

One of the activities we did in celebration of our first Halloween in the US was bake pumpkin cookies. With all that was going on, I really couldn't be bothered to whip up a batch from scratch, so we went with the Pilsbury ready-made kind. Lucia basically made them herself!

Oh, and they were really yummy, too!

Halloween Fun - Part I

2009-11-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

Since real pumpkins are hard to come by (and expensive when you do!) in the UAE, this is the first Halloween that our family has carved one. Daddy and Lucy enjoyed the project, but I was forced to remove the guts myself. In the end, Daddy proved to be quite good with the knife and we ended up with two cute Jack-O-Lanterns.

Ha ha ha!

Lucy has a look at what's inside...

...and decides she's not sticking her hand in there.

No thanks!

See how yucky.

At some point in during the carving, Mr. Jack-O-Lantern needs his nose blown.

Daddy's surprised by his skills.

And together they admire their work.

One for Lucia, one for Milo.

Happy Halloween!

Second Time Around

2009-10-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

Some of you may recall that it was a long time before I let Lucia ride in the "germ-ridden" seat of a shopping cart. Well, I guess it's true what they say about parents being a lot more laid-back with Baby #2. Here's a picture of each of them their first time in a cart. Ages: Lucia 11.5 months, Milo 5.5 months.

Six Months Old!

2009-10-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

Maybe She's Born With It

2009-10-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

Nope, not a mascara commercial...just my baby girl taking a nap.

Visit to the PuNkin Patch

2009-10-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

Will He Ever Listen?

2009-10-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

Raise your hands if you love Costco Day!!!

Wait Milo, you're supposed to do it, too...

Milo, I said you're supposed to do it, too!

That's it...

Ay ay ay, what are we going to do with this kid???

Kickin' Back

2009-10-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

Always doing whatever Daddy does...

Stop, Drop, and Roll

2009-10-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Well, looks like we're going to have to teach her that at home. The firemen came to Lucia's school to teach the lesson on fire safety while we were away in NYC. At least they left her the hat!

Sitting Tall

2009-10-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

Milo's started sitting up by himself! This is the picture of him doing it for the very first time, so even though it's blurry, I still think it's post-worthy.

Quarters Shmuarters

2009-10-04T16:52:00.000-07:00

A good friend once advised me never ever to put money into these little kiddie rides. She said if you do it once, you'll have to do it every time. But if you never do it, they'll never know the difference. Wise indeed, Lucia has a great time even if they're stationary.

Back Seat Rider

2009-10-04T16:49:00.000-07:00

Here's Smiley Miley enjoying his view from the backseat of the stroller.

In Her Shoes

2009-10-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

Food Fun

2009-10-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

I guess I should've told her to stop playing with her food, but I thought she was being quite creative...

Pretty Painted Face

2009-10-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

We recently went to a picnic where there was face painting for the children. Lucia chose to get a pink flower on her cheek and promptly smeared it :) She loved it though and for several days seemed to think she still had a flower on her face.

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling...

2009-09-13T05:43:00.000-07:00