Pretty Girls

Brad had the camera the other night, and this is what he got:


Leiden was mid-squeal on this one--it's pretty classic Leiden these days.


This video didn't quite capture what I was hoping for, but it's still pretty cute to see the girls in action. I was in the living room when I heard giggling and laughing, so I went in to investigate. They were just sitting there, eating a snack, and laughing at nothing. This behavior is very common in my house right now. Both girls think the other is a crackup. And they are!

Ultrasound Pics

Here are the pictures from the ultrasound. Baby's feet...(excuse all the blurriness, I was in a hurry to take the digital pics!)


A very macabre look at baby's face. You can see the brain, eyes, nose, and mouth. It's still a little macabre. Happy Halloween!


The vaunted three white lines that indicate a girl. I've never seen them until this one, even though both the previous radiologists for the first two girls told me about them. Baby girl #3 is healthy, measuring right where we want her, and is due February 19, 2010.


There are no cute profile shots with her thumb in her mouth or anything like that, because she refused to turn the right way to get one. I actually have to go back and have another ultrasound because they need to verify that baby has a nasal bone and a chin.

Carrots!

We planted about 12 carrots in the spring, and Brad pulled them up the other day. Here's what they looked like. He said they tasted wonderful! Next year we'll allot more carrot space.

Etsy Photo Shoot

Yesterday, I had another little pillowcase dress to get pictures of for Etsy, and Leiden is the eager recipient this time. She was pretty cute!


I caught this totally by chance--she thought I was still snapping pics of the dress, but I happened to look up just in time.


She's doing this funny thing, lately, where she knows I'm taking pictures, so she moves right up into the camera.


Anyway, new item up in the shop--mission accomplished!

Mac at the Park

Mac has completely fallen in love with the park where Leiden has her preschool. She loves the slide there, because she can do it entirely by herself. She can climb up the steps, sit down, and go 'weeee' all by herself. She looks pretty happy!

What a cutie. Of course, all this means is that when it's time to get Leiden from school, Mac freaks out and throws one of her trademark fits. Screaming, arching and twisting, and generally making it very difficult for mommy to even decide to go to the playground. But look at that smile.

As an aside, the shirt she's wearing is the latest addition to my shop. Lovely long sleeve peasant top that's flowy and comfortable!

www.spicedsugar.etsy.com

The Mac Attack

Mac will tell me she's 'poopy', and so I'll tell her to go to her room and we'll change her. She goes trotting off, but when she gets in her room, she thinks it's pretty funny to try to hide from me. This is her behind the crib. I couldn't get any good shots of her face, but she'll just look at me between the slats.


She's got some pretty crazy hair going on these days, and this is a very common facial expression for her.


It's getting really long in the back--layers, even! And still bright blond!


She was a very happy girl when she woke up from her nap the other day. Not always the case.


Full of fun and mischief, that's our Mac Attack.

Leiden's Admonitions

Just a minute ago, I hear from Leiden, "Mommy, come look what Mac did!" That's never a good thing to hear, so I go haring off to find that Mac has, yet again, participated in one of her favorite activites. She has squirted out a bunch of Leiden's conditioner on the carpet.

I said, rather angrily to Mac, "We do not do this. No."

While I'm cleaning it up, I hear Leiden saying to Mac in the girls' room, "Mac, that is a wrong choice. Don't you remember, from I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus?"

And then she starts singing that part to Mac, "At times, I am tempted to make a wrong choice,"
and then says, "See, Mac, that's a wrong choice."

Excellent. If only Leiden would remember that song when she's doing something she shouldn't!

Scrapbooking

I'm almost 3/4 done with Mac's book, so that's exciting. Just in time for number 3! These are all from Mac's 8th month.

First Day of Preschool 2009

Leiden started preschool this last Monday, September 14. She goes 3 times a week now, for 2 1/2 hours. She seemed excited about it, talking about it all the weekend before, kind of counting down the days 'until Monday'. Here she is with a big grin!


These are her teachers, Ms. Kathy (left) and Ms. Sandy (right)


Hopefully preschool will provide Leiden another opportunity for social learning and perhaps how to lose a bit of her timidity. It provides me with an 18 month old used to having her big sister around! Mac was a bit at sea this week, not to mention that she's starting to act more like a 2 year old. By Thursday, she seemed to be getting it a bit better. I was even able to get some sewing done!

Florida Day 4: The Epcot Center

Our last full day in Florida was spent at the Epcot Center. Honestly? I wouldn't do Epcot with little kids again. Truly. Much less exciting than the Magic Kingdom, but this was where we had made reservations for Leiden to eat breakfast with the Princesses! Here we are at the big ball.


Leiden was all gussied up for her exciting breakfast.


Mac was just tired of being cooped up, and probably tired of reflecting the sun's rays off her shiny face.


When we first went in to the breakfast, Leiden got her picture taken by a 'professional' and we got a picture package that was not in focus. Excellent. But, 5 of the major princesses were there, and here's Sleeping Beauty!


And of course, Cinderella! She was excited to have a little twin there for breakfast.


Snow White, who has always been a bit creepier than the others.


And Ariel, without her flippers.


Mac taking a turn at royalty after breakfast, which, I might add, was remarkably good. (It better have been for a grand total of over $100.) Mac definitely did her part and ate more than Leiden by a long shot.


Here we are in the World Showcase, which is actually pretty cool for grownups. Everything themed by country.


We did find Jasmine wandering around. Leiden consented to hug Jasmine, but wouldn't go near Aladdin. Good girl.


I think the girls had the most fun in a tiny little play area that had fountains to run through. And it was darn hot, so it was very refreshing. Mac was completely soaked by the time we left, and Leiden was barely splashed.

Later that night at the hotel: one of Mac's new pasttimes is to put clothes on herself. Sometimes she even gets it right. Those are her shorts around her neck, and leiden's shorts (just one leg) and her underwear on Mac's legs. She'll get it in no time!

All in all, it was a great trip, but I think I like Disneyland better. At least California is a bit cooler! And everything is just so darn expensive. But, we've gotten a good family trip in before baby comes in a few months, so we're good!

Florida Day 3: The Magic Kingdom

The big day: the Magic Kingdom! Leiden was pretty excited--as excited as she gets about anything. I don't think she knew what to expect, and what she saw was probably just this side of being too much for a 4 year old. This is the ferry to the gates.


She was excited to see Cinderella's castle, and was just sure that Cinderella was in there, somewhere.


Leiden was fine with Goofy, but Mac wanted nothing to do with him. I don't even think Leiden had ever seen or heard of Goofy before.


Mac was too young for Disney World. There were a lot of rides for her to go on, but there was also a lot of time sitting in the stroller, and she would fight the rides a bit, too, because they meant she had to sit still. Her favorite attraction? Any puddle she could find. I didn't get a picture of it, but at one point she was on her knees, crouched down, trying to drink the puddle water. Sheesh.


Leiden would not stand by Buzz.


But she got a giant lollipop, which she did not lick, but bit pieces off and crunched away.


Mommy and Leiden on Dumbo, which, thanks to Grandmere, she was also excited to go on. When we first walked into the park, she was asking where the elephant ride was.


The merry go round--or Cinderella's Carousel, to be exact. Mac looks pretty funny. By the way, shiny faces were the order of the day. The stick sunscreen I had brought with us to use on faces was SO greasy. So they just wandered around shiny. I'd rather that than burned.


All in all, a good day, if a long one. We got to the park at opening (9:00 AM), and didn't go back to the hotel until after the fireworks, which ended at about 9:30 PM. Did the girls sleep in the next morning, though? No. People in hotels have no consideration when they're walking down the halls past rooms. They talk very loudly at 6:30 AM.

Florida Day 2: The Beach

On the second day, we drove for two hours over to the west side of Florida, where the beaches are on the Gulf of Mexico. This means warmer water with smaller waves. Perfect! --If you like being roasted alive! It was SO hot. And to be honest, the ocean is not my idea of a very refreshing swim. Don't like the itchy salty drying thing. The girls loved it, though! And it was very beautiful. White sand and blue water.

Mac is such a little fish it's almost frightening. She has no fear in the water, and the only thing that gives her pause is the taste of salt water.

Leiden, too, was remarkably comfortable in the water. Usually she'll just wade, but she was out chest deep in the ocean at times.

Me with a giant-brimmed hat and sunglasses--in addition to the SPF 50 sunscreen on my face, neck and arms!

This beach had restaurants right off the sand, where we were refreshed.

Here's some live action for the day: