Slumber Bugs

My girls are early birds so I hardly ever catch them sleeping. They must have been really tired from a very fun Memorial Day weekend. Marin woke up and 5:45 and I brought her into my bed so we could kill 15 minutes before I got in the shower. She fell back to sleep and Katie snoozied past 7am. I couldn't help but sneak a few pictures of this rare moment.

Just Keep Swimming!

Here is my Little Nemo and Mini Minnow at their pre-summer swim class. Marin the Little Nemo gets to swim with Marlin, I mean Chad, before she goes out on her own. Getting into the water was a bit of a shock for Marin during the first class and she cried. As soon as they busted out the rubber duckies she was a happy girl. On Saturday during her 3rd lesson, she cried again...when class was over and she had to get out. I guess she likes it!

Here is our Mini Minnow taking a leap into the water with the help of a jet pack and noodle, just in case.  They had them go underwater for the first time (most of the Minnows are class repeaters including Katie) and as they finished and patiently waited for the next task, Katie yelled across the pool to me "Hey MOM! Did you see me go underwater?!" It got a chuckle for cuteness from the instructiors and other parents.

Here is Katie with her class. There are 3 girls and 14 boys!

Josh and Friends

The kids have been visiting with the animals lately. We went to see Josh the Camel last weekend who has a grassroots following and is somewhat of a local celebrity. At 9 feet tall, I guess I would stand out in a crowd, too.

Giggles and Laughs!

Nothing like a little girls weekend for some fun! Ella came to visit recently and there were alot of giggles and laughs...and hair conditioner.

Perusse Postcard Challenge

This won't be a surprise to those of you on Facebook but the Perusses have laid down the Perusse Postcard Challenge and it's starting to gain momentum.


How did we get postcardmania? We had saved a postcard that my cousin Paul sent from Australia last year and one from my friend Tamara who sent one from her honeymoon in Honduras. The girl's daycare spent February traveling to world and virtually-visiting places like Machu Picchu and Saint Basil's Cathedral. They would light up telling us about all the fun facts of where they went. Chad and I learned a few things, too!  So we, or me, decided it would be fun to try and collect a postcard from each of the 50 states and beyond! Facebook seemed liked the logical place to start. So far we have....


Of the 50 states:

1. Minnesota
2. New York
3. Colorado
4. Florida
5. Georgia
6. North Carolina
7. Hawaii
8. California

...and beyond

1. Australia
2. Honduras

We have a few more postcards promised or in route. I'm trying not to be annoying and reach out to people. That said, it looks like we are gaining some speed and people are jumping on the cause...or just anxious to see it end so I'll stop posting pictures of the girls with postcards on Facebook . I anticipate middle America and some southern states will be a challenge but we're going to give it a shot. On a side note, I've enjoyed chatting with some old and new friends who are helping us out. And the girls seem excited when they count and sort all of their postcards.


We grandfathered a couple in but here is the first one to kick off the challenge: MINNESOTA!
 

Delicious!

This is the response of a two year old who was given cold, leftover pizza for lunch.



DELICIOUS!

Happy 2nd Brithday Marin

Marin is 2 years old now!

She was the happiest girl on her big day and kept saying "Happy Birthday to ME!" all day long. ...and in the last two weeks since her birthday. ...and whenever I mention it's someone else's birthday. Well, pretty much all the time.  

She's grown so much in the last few months. She went from speaking a few words in December to full-on sentences in January and has been chatting up a storm ever since. She's now 32.75 inches tall and weighs 25.5 lbs. She went from being in the 11th percentile for weight to the 50th. You grow, girl!

Marin makes us laugh all the time. She has the best facial expressions and can speak volumes with one look out of the corner of her eye. She's really helpful around the house and is diligent about making sure Abby is fed and given treats. She loves to be outside, on the swings or riding in her buggy.

At daycare, Marin is an active participant of circle time where the "big kids" discuss the calendar, weather, patterns, etc. She's always raising her hand and saying "I got it!" but then falls short of a response.  She loves to do crafts and color with her markers. 

Marin loves to snack and isn't afraid to let you know she is hungry.  We hear "nack" often. She's an equal opportunity snacker and always gets some to share with her big sister "Atie". We call Katie and Marin Pete and Repeat. They are as thick as thieves.

She's still our little cuddler and will pat you on the back when she hugs you. It makes my heart melt when she says "I wuv you!"

She isn't a huge fan of waking up and is a little cranky during that time. I'd say her most difficult time of day is dinner time. She's very focus and determined when she wants something. If she doesn't get what she wants, she'll let you know...loudly and forcefully!

Marin will be joining the Little Nemos Swim Class this spring and is practicing using roller skates. She loves to climb the ladder of our swing set and go down the slide. When the neighborhood kids come over, Marin is only a few steps behind the rest of gang.

Marin is a spitfire and we are really enjoying watching her grow! Happy Birthday Marinator!