Day for Dad

Everyone who knows Eric knows that he is an incredible father, but the girls and I get to see it firsthand. They are very lucky little girls to have him as a dad. I am really really proud of his fatherhood. Some dad's ask for some free time away from their kids on father’s day. I can totally relate to that, but not Eric. He was up early, allowed ME to take a nap and also spent the entire afternoon with both girls so I could go re-rent our townhouse in Ballard. We all feel a little 'withdrawal' on Mondays when the weekend is over. I am so lucky to have such an amazing parenting partner. I love you Eric. We love you DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD! We used food as a form of celebration. Dad's day dinner was seared scallops over angel hair with a piquillo pepper seafood sauce and fried capers. Eric was a happy dad.

Happy girl at brunch

The girls got him a new pair of soccer cleats, the least they could do....

At rainbow park

So Ryanne turned 2 and a half years old last Wednesday. She is so much more advanced that I ever thought any 2 1/2 yr old would be able to do, like hold down a full conversation, even a debate (which I usually win because it’s about something she doesn’t want to do). She recites songs, full books, nursery rhymes, remembers names and places. At 2 1/2 years, it’s a daily adventure.

Here is Finley in her first shopping cart. By the end of the trip both feet were above the handle bar.

Finley started clapping on Monday. It was from mimicking her sister and mom. I often play lots of music in the house. Some kid music and some mom and dad music. I fall victim to singing the kids songs in my head, sometimes in the middle of the night. I have been able to seek out decent kid music that I can actually listen to like Jack Johnson's Curious George, and 'They might be Giants’ ABC's and 123's. (Actually kind of catchy). I can sing this one word for word:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6h7LEru69U

We also picked up ‘Caspar Babypants’, also known as "Presidents of the United States of America", who is from Seattle and plays here live a lot.

Just like kid music, our daily morning ritual of Sesame Street may be getting to me a bit too. Should I be nervous if I start seeing words in bright puffy letters above my head, especially when I’m really tired? The early mornings can really hurt; all you can do is amuse yourself. The other day I woke up singing: “its prime time, time to make a rhyme, its prime time for rhyme time”…as cats and bats and rats were dancing in a circle in my head.

Ryanne’s last day of school was fun for her. I had asked what she wanted to get them as a little gift for loving, encouraging, and teaching her all year, and she thought the best present would be “a sandwich”. That probably was her best idea since it was dinnertime, I had to laugh to myself since we wouldn’t be giving it to one of them for a few weeks. We settled on nicely scented soaps.

Along with being such a great dad, Eric speaks highly of me in front of Ryanne and Finley. The other day I had a white shirt on, and I gave Ryanne another white shirt to wear as her dress for her nap. She said " I look pretty, like Mommy". It was so nice that she said that, but I also know Eric tells her that too. Luckily my 2 1/2 yr old cannot recognize any flaws just yet, and my loving husband sees past them. =)

These photos are from a day I had nothing on the calendar...just my girls and our imaginations at home...ALLLLLLL day.

I love introducing new foods in the summer

Ryanne and Finley's first wrestling match..

Sisters bath

Naptime

This morning the sun came out. I decided we were going to attend one of my local stroller strides workouts. It’s a workout that you bring your kids to. That said, it’s never the most focused, but it’s better than nothing. I ripped Finley out of her first and best nap, threw everyone and everything in the car (vests, snacks, water, toys, shoes, and kids). We got through the workout with some tears and many tic tac mints later, and we walked up to the car to unload and Ryanne asks “Can I drive?”, I was laughing out loud but in my head, my future flashed in front of me…approximately 13 years and counting.

When we got home I rushed to make sandwiches and forced my kids outside for a picnic because I have been dying to be outside in sunny weather. The picnic lasted through only half of her sandwich when she looked at me worried and told me she had pooped her pants. Without getting angry, I just tell her we need to go inside and clean her up. So I gathered Finley, the plates and cups and head inside. As we head inside, Finley starts shoving Ryanne's peanut butter and jelly into her mouth (not a good thing), Ryanne starts freaking out because a bug landed on her head, and I had to hide the dead mouse that Shush left as a present under my hovering shoe. It was chaos. After managing Ryanne's pants, I turned the TV on, and just had to take 2 minutes to take a shower...it was all I could do to wash off the poop, peanut butter, sweat and potential rabies. I decided I would pretend the day just began once again and write off the morning all together.