The Girls

Go Dad Go!

Daddy's cheering section for today's Best Dam Tri in Coralville. 

They loved watching Daddy cross the finish line. Although Cece cried when Chris did not stop, but continued running 

It was a small miracle that the kids and I actually made it to the finish line in time to see him run across!

Waiting

To pick Maggie up from preschool. 

Caught on Camera

Ben likes to use my phone to take videos and pictures. He can still access these functions , even when the phone is locked so I'm often surprised by images he's added to my Camera Role. 

Tonight I watched a video he recorded. You can hear me talking in the background about how we need to leave for school in 5 minutes. It's clear that Ben is trying to be sneaky, "Siri," he asks in a low whisper. "What is Mom's password?"

Football!

Chris and the kids went to the Iowa game on Saturday.  It was the perfect day---great weather, the Hawkeye Express, Fun Zone before kick-off, and delicious concessions.  The Hawks didn't play well until the very end of the game, barely squeaking out a win, but you can't have everything, right?

Duct Tape

It's time to stock up on duct tape.  Cece just figured out how to take her diaper off.

Not a skill that I am ready for her to master quite yet...

Me:  Cece!  Where is your diaper?

Cece:  All gone!

A Week of Family

 

Following the triathlon on Saturday we spent Sunday in Zearing, Iowa celebrating my Grandma Hyland's 90th birthday.  All of mom's eight siblings and the majority of my cousins were in attendance.  It was a great day and I'm so glad that we were able to be at the party.

 

My uncle Tim came to Iowa City for a few days at the end of the week.  My kids loved having him here and loved all of the attention they received from my cousins Leslie and Rachael. 

 

There's nothing my kids like better than a new audience who hasn't seen all of their tricks. 

A Monster Ear Infection

(Note:  This conversation occurred in May and I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget it.  But then I lost the paper until earlier this week).

In mid-May Chris was diagnosed with a double ear infection.  The kids were amazed that a grown-up would have an infection in both ears.

Maggie thought about this and commented, "If you have a triple ear infection you need to have three ears.  I guess that's the kind of ear infection a monster would have."

It's hard to argue with that logic.

Cece: An Update

It's hard to believe that Cece is almost 18 months old.

She is a busy, busy little girl.  Who can blame her?  There's a lot to keep up with in our house.

She's starting to be quite the little chatterbox although her vocabulary is heavy on the names of her siblings' friends---Emmett, Henry, GG---and the neighbors' pets----Molly, Tessa."  Her demand for "more lemonade" is surprisingly clear.  And the other day we swear she said, "Let it go."  (We do listen to the Frozen soundtrack quite a lot).

Cece likes to do everything herself, including eating, and has recently started climbing everything in sight.  Her latest trick is to use her little piano as a stool that allows her to climb on top of the couch (see above).  She then tightrope walks along the top edge of the couch, burrowing into the pillows when an adult comes to pluck her to safety.

She adores popsicles, dogs (aka "woofs") and her siblings.  She loves to try on Ben's socks and shoes and walk around the house.  Today she brought a pair of Maggie's undies to us and proceeded to wear them over her diaper.

Cece has a fake cry that she will deploy when one of her siblings is up in her business and she wants her parents to intervene.  She has a "surprised!" face that never fails to make us laugh.  She hates her car seat and would play in the car for hours, if we would let her.

She is an astute observer of the world around her.  Earlier this summer we were in the car on our way to Cedar Rapids.  She and Maggie were sitting across from each other, buckled in their respective car seats.

Suddenly, we hear Maggie start to cry.

"Maggie! What's wrong?"  I asked.

"Cece's playing want-it-you-can't with me," came Maggie's response.

"What is want-it-you-can't?" I asked, confused.

"You know---want-it-you-can't!" Maggie says and pantomimes giving me a toy to hold and snatching it away from me just as I reach for it.

"Oh," I said.  "I wonder where she learned a game like that..."

"I don't know!" cried Maggie indignantly. "But it's not very nice!"

It seems as though things will get even more lively around here once Cece begins to really talk...

Up next? Halloween

School has started and the Halloween catalogs are arriving in the mail. 

Maggie has her heart set on being Elsa, from the movie Frozen.

The other day she asked, "Mom, can you order me some frozen ice powers to go along with my costume?"

Oh, if only it were so easy!

Self-Portrait of the Artist

One of the best things about my kids' preschool is how much it encourages creativity and a passion for the arts.  I love seeing the amazing creations that my kids bring home each day.

I'm a sucker for anything incorporating a hand or footprint and, of course, for self-portraits.

Here is Maggie's first self-portrait of the year, complete with the Elsa side braid.

This one will go in the keepsake box.

Fashionista

It's no secret that Maggie has her own sense of style.

A few weeks ago we were at a bike shop, looking at road bikes for an upcoming kids' triathlon. 

Maggie insisted on purchasing a scarf.  It was an adult scarf and the packaging indicated that it could be worn 17 or 19 or 23 different ways.

Maggie chose to wear the scarf as a pencil skirt, as pictured here.  It's a look that she was able to pull off with confidence.

Oh Maggie!

Me:  That doesn't look very safe Mags.

Maggie:  Yeah, but it sure looks fun.

Reunited