Random things

A few random happenings, before our crazy summer travels start. When we don't have the structure of school and other weekly activities I rarely know what day of the week it is.

• Lucy playing dress up.
• Leland is into extreme coloring. She will cut out her pictures and tape them all over the wall. This little shrine has doubled in size since I took the picture.
• Enjoying popsicles from the ice cream truck that drives around our neighborhood.
• We had a turtle in our front yard! It had this mysterious brown goo behind him, that looked like poop, but after he left we noticed that it was dirt and he was sitting on top of a hole he dug. Maybe he, or really she, was going to lay eggs, but didn't like the paparazzi snapping pictures and took off.
  

Dancing it up on stage at the Children's Museum. I love Lucy's shoulders when she dances (top right)
Our "pool" - the fountains at an open air mall. The big girls love running through the water and Charly and I hang out in whatever shade we can find.

Chasing Rainbows

I love a good summer thunderstorm. They are quick. They can be fierce. And usually, within minutes the sun is shining again as you feel the steam coming off the pavement. And sometimes, if you are lucky, you will catch the glimpse of a beautiful rainbow.Just after bath time one evening, Chuck called from work saying he could see a rainbow from his window at work. So I threw the girls in the car in search of the rainbow. (I didn't initially tell them where we were going, only that we had to be quick. Last time we went in search of rainbows, it had disappeared quickly and I slammed Leland's fingers in the car door - not my best mothering moment.) Luckily this time, we found the rainbow. When we first arrived, it was only a quarter rainbow, but within a few minutes we gazed upon a full arch.Needless to say, I had two giddy little girls on my hands. Rainbows are so magical to them and it's the simple things like seeing a rainbow for 5 minutes that just makes them so happy.

It's been almost 2 weeks since these pictures were taken and Lucy still asks, "Can we see the pretty rainbow?" every time we drive past this spot.

My world is finally changing

I need to finally write down an update on Charly. My baby, who is now 11 months old but because of her lack of growth, I feel like I have had a 5 month old for the past 6 months. Which is great in many ways, as I have mentioned before - lots of use in those 3-6m and 6-9m clothes, totally not thinking about another baby as we approach her 1st birthday in a few weeks, staying in the same place I put her down, etc. But I do have to confess that it is hard to see babies her age and younger cruising around, standing up, growing teeth, growing up.
Well, my world is changing, our prayers have been answered.

She is finally gaining weight and at her last weight check was 16lbs 8oz (after being 15 lbs or less for 6 months). She finally touched the growth curve again! Below 5th percentile, but still - touching the curve. We are starting the process of physical therapy for her gross motor skills to help her little body get stronger.

Last Friday, she crawled! (and I got the first moves on video!)

We are still unsure of the reason she did not grow for 6 months, but for now we are checking in regularly with a pediatric GI doctor to make sure she continues the growth she has made in the last month. There is no reason to put her through tests if she is now growing.

She waves. She claps. She gives kisses. She eats like crazy and definitely is starting to figure out how to tell you what she wants to eat. She also does this funny "Where is it?" pose.

We love this little girl so much and we are so grateful for the answer to our prayers that she will grow healthy and strong. I know that my Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. Sometimes things are in His time line, not ours. We just have to have patience and faith.

Zebra Time

We've been lucky enough to spend lots of time with Aunt Zebra lately. She came to stay with us when Chuck was in CA and she stopped again in Richmond on her way home from FL.

When she came for a few days, we were able to do some Richmond tourism. By accident, we ended up at Hollywood Cemetery. I got turned around driving towards Carytown, totally going the wrong way and when I stopped to check out my map, we were at the entrance to the cemetery. It was a beautiful day and so much fun to drive around. I love the views of the city and the James River from up on that hill. There is some amazing history and beauty.

Barbara and Lucy walked around for a bit while I was nursing Charly. Lucy walked right up to a little headstone that had some shells and jump rope on it and says "A little kid is buried here." She knew right away and kind of hugged the headstone, it was really sweet.We also happened to walk up to the grave site of the parents (or grandparents) of some of Barbara's old neighbors. She just recognized the name and it was really cool for her to randomly find.

After getting Leland from school we went to the Japanese Gardens at Maymont. There were very few people there and it was so pleasant walking around. We were able to get some great pictures.Barbara also watched the girls one night so Chuck and I could go out on a date. It was fabulous and a bonus date since we were also able to sleep until almost 9am the next morning. The girls went into Barbara's room when they woke up in the morning, instead of coming into ours.

The girls love taking pictures and Zebra lets them take endless pictures of each other and helps them come up with different poses.

Happy 3rd Birthday LuLu!

For Lucy's birthday, we did our 2 family traditions. Big breakfast with a few presents and out to eat at Red Robin. For her breakfast she requested blueberry cake with Diego on top. I was going to make blueberry muffins and just put them in a circle like we did for Leland's birthday. When she saw me get out the muffin tin that morning, she protested. "No! I want a cake!" So I poured the muffin mix in a circle cake pan and she was satisfied with that.
Lucy's personality has been shining through lately. She is hilarious and loves to laugh and smile. She is a gorgeous little girl. She knows all her letters and can spell her name. She wants to read so bad just like her sister.

Lucy has been going to speech therapy for a few weeks. I feel like it has helped her enunciate somewhat better, but it really has helped her just talk more overall. I feel like she is more comfortable talking to others outside our home now.

At night, almost every night as we leave her room, she says"I fine. I go to sleep now." She always wants to sleep with a princess sheet, her baby coco, and a toy tractor.

The girl LOVES yogurt. She would eat it all day long if we let her.

Both girls right now are really into the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. Chuck introduced it to them when we were reading the Old Testament story about Jacob and his 12 sons. We listen to the CD in the car and they watch an old Donny Osmond version online. Lucy loves to sing the songs. It's hilarious. Her favorite song is Jacob and Sons.

Growth
height - 40 inches
weight - 38 lbs
95th percentile for both

For comparison, Leland is 42 inches and 40 lbs. Lucy is quickly creeping up on her big sister. I often have strangers comment on my twins.