4...

And the sage continues, Harper is ill.  Again.  Great day, picnic, park, vomit, movie: Snow White, while the others ride bikes outside.  I would be worried, except that she's happy as a lark sitting in her room, asking for snacks and apple juice and watching movies. 

We got Spirit!!!!

Lucy has been doing "Cheer Club" for a few months now.  Every week she skips off to school, happy as a little, well, cheerleader, and learns some absurd cheer, set of jumps, etc.  She comes home, sometimes acts too cool for school and won't show us and sometimes, it is all she can talk about and performs for us nonstop.  Two months of Cheer Club culminated in a pep rally.  Now keep in mind that they are not cheering for any team, or particular sport.  Let's just say that they are cheering for their school- yeah!!!  Families poured into the gym and awaited the big show.  And it did not disappoint.  Videos below- go team!

Video and photos from Gramzie's video

Disney Fever

The girls have Disney fever.  They talk about it nearly every day.  Lucy tells me constantly, "remember, I get to go when I'm six!" and Harper tells me that it will be "so exciting to see Cinderella's castle." They talk about what characters might be there, what they will do there, etc.
When we were at the Air and Space museum the other day, Harper noticed that one of the suitcases that you can open up and check out the contents in, was full of Disney World goodies.  She opened that case up at least 10 times, admiring the Mickey ears, the Minnie Mouse doll and the princess items. 
Lucy lives to see the commercials for Disney World, you know the ones where the kids are clueless and then are told they are going to Disney World and they nearly pass out with excitement and happiness.  She loves those ads and we have promised ourselves that when the time comes we will surprise the kids with the big news.  No worries, we'll get it on video- screams, jumps, happiness and all- ahhh, the thrill of it!

Gramzie, Pop Pop and Hunter visit

Just short of running a bed and breakfast this week, we had a full house.  First, Gramzie and Pop Pop visited for the weekend, Pop Pop leaving Sunday and Gramzie staying in DC for a couple of nights while she worked on the Hill for a few days, in the meantime, Hunter visited, then Gramzie came back, left on Thursday and we saw Hunter again on Saturday. Needless to say, the kids were spoiled with attention, gifts and lots of fun activities.
We went to the St. Pat's parade with Gramzie, where Graham spasmed everytime he saw a car, a motorcycle or a dog (and there were lots of dogs!)  Harper loved all the bands with the drums and bagpipes and Lucy's favorite was seeing Darth Vader and the Storm Troopers.  Oh, and of course, Graham made friends with some gray haired man sitting next to us, whom he high-fived everytime he saw something cool.
With Hunter, we went to the Air and Space Museum, where once again, Graham spasmed over airplanes, helicopters and more airplanes.  Harper loved the walk-thru airplane and being able to look into the suitcases to see what people packed. 
On Wed we went to see an African drum and dance concert with Gramzie and our friends the Butlers.  The kids loved the music and Harper even got on stage to dance with the dancers.  Then we checked out the "Nemo" tank where Harper and Gramzie marveled over the vibrant colors of all the fish and Harper told the story of Nemo a million times over again.
In between all the outings, there was much game playing, "zoo" playing, book reading, and movie watching.  Good times!

Three's A Charm?

AHHHHHH!  Here we go again.  Same time, same bat channel, sort of.  Midnight rolls around last night and then we hear it, the sounds of one of the kids gettig sick in their sleep.  Ugh.  We go into battle the beast and find Lucy crying, claiming to have thrown up.  We can't find it, only to realize she is holding a very nasty surprise in her hands.  I take Lucy, clean her up and console her, Ian cleans up any remaining mess in her room and then we get her set up for a nasty night of throwing up into a garbage can.  At least she made it into a receptacle every time, unlike her little sis, we didn't have to strip the bed, shower the sick, etc each and every time. 
Sat morning rolls around, movies and naps for Lucy, the little ones are fine... until Graham throws up at naptime, and then again this afternoon.  We're just hoping that Harper doesn't get sick again.  Or Ian.  Or me.  Ugh, I feel like a skipping record!  
Time change tonight, spring starts next week.  We are ready to put this winter behind us.

Chumpy!

Harper is a talking machine.  She gabs day and night and has recently added nightmares and might terrors to her repertoire (she dreamsof bumblebees, her least favorite thing on Earth, and flies flying into her eyes).  During her waking hours, she talks about "anyting" she sees, hears, or thinks of.  She is full of questions, which she usually answers herself or answers with a "No, that's not right!" when given (the correct) answer.  She bosses Graham around, lecturing him throughout the day and tattling on him the rest of the time.  When Lucy is home she chats but also makes up nonsensical stories or words.  And, especially at mealtimes, she seems to come up with her own vocab for what's around her, here are some of our favorite Harperisms:

-"I don't care!"- She says this all the time, even when not being addressed.  This is her two-year old self thinking that she is really sticking it to us.  She even sings a song that has the very complicated lyrics "I don't care, I don't care, I don't care!"  In the end, she usually does care.
-"Chumpy"- this is her version of "Chubby" and she frequently calls Graham "Chumpy", often without even looking up from what she is doing.
-"Tootie!"- Another nickname for Graham.  It is usually combined with "ok" as in, "Ok, Tootie!"
-"Anyting"- it means anything, but it is far cuter

A peek at Spring

Plague, round two?

Today is suppose to be gorgeous outside.  It is going to be near 60 degrees, the sun is shining, birds are singing, little buds are popping up from the cold ground.  We have a big playdate scheduled with Lucy's friends: a set of twin girls and her other girlfriend.  We got an email that asked for help in the school's garden today so we had a plan: go to grocery, pick up picnic supplies, have a picnic at the playground, help out in the school garden for a while, head home for a snack and get little ones ready for bed and let the big girls watch Cat in the Hat (it's Dr. Seuss week at school) and then all the friends will go home and we will carry on, probably with more outside time and thoroughly wearing everyone out until dinner/bedtime.
BUT... we drop off Lucy off at school (dressed like a Who from Whoville- hilarious!) and make the 15 minute drive to Trader Joes to pick up picnic supplies, park and then... Harper throws up.  All over herself and the car. 
Plan aborted.  We head home, strip her down, clean her up, start Snow White on the DVD player.  She is hunkering down in her room.  Graham is following me around everywhere (EVERYWHERE) I go since his buddy is taken out of the picture, yet once again.  No friends, no long outside fun, no picnic, just cleaning up vomit, taking temps and administering gatorade.  Lucy has been diverted to a friends house for the afternoon to help avoid the plague, version 2.0. 
Please, don't let Graham get it.  Please don't let Lucy or Ian get it.  Please let me avoid it again.  Please let it be gone while Gramzie and Pop Pop and Uncle Hunter visit.  Please!

A visit from Bon Bon

Bon Bon came to visit over President's Day, which for all was a long weekend, until they made Lucy make up the Monday off due to all the snow days.  Not to worry, Bon Bon got a chance to work in Lucy's school on Friday, go to Harper's "gymnastics" class on Monday and squeezed in a trip to see the baby lions at the zoo on Sunday.  They played at the playgound, outside and had a fasion show.  And played lots of games.  Lots and lots of games.  Some were board games and some were just "games" that Harper made up.  This is Harper's new thing: games.  She asks for them nonstop and she doesn't usually mean a 15 minute game, she wants someone to play a "game" with her for hoursm usually entailing dressing up, play food, assorted stuffed animals and baby dolls and usually NOT her brother.  

Lucy came down with the nasty stomach bug that has gone around our house and school for weeks now.  She missed a day with Bon Bon as well as a birthday party she had been talking about for weeks.  But Sunday she was back on track and leading the way to see the 7 baby lion cubs at the zoo (she has chosen to study the baby lions for her science fair exhibit). 

We had a nice trip with Bon Bon and the kids are already asking when "can she come back?" and "I'm sure she'll be back in the Spring" and "why doesn't she just live here?"  All signs of a great time!