Project One

Eva and I started to play with the new sewing machine today.  We wanted to adapt an adult tank top into a dress, but she didn't want to stand still while we figured out how to do the adaptations to fit her skinny body.  So, Plan B:  She found some blue flower fabric I had and we made a pillow!  I will need more time to get the feel of this machine, but so far so good.

She has been using the pillow while watching shows.  

EVA

Eva wrote her name for the first time the other day. With no help and no prompting. She just wrote it...

Bubble Trouble

Maeve took her first bubble bath this week.

She was thrilled, but unsure of what she should do with all that white stuff. Eat it? Splash it?

No worries! Big sister to the rescue. She knows exactly what to do with bubbles.

Upcycled Tutu

We are all happy to be home! Except Maeve, who is wishing for more people to smile at and dance with. She is quite the extrovert.

Eva made this skirt at the conference and was showing it off today. You can tell she is still a bit worn out from the trip.

Switched

Eva is my wave swimming, in the ocean, over her head, without a fear, girl. Since she could crawl she would just head right for the nearest body of water and go in. Waves, no problem. So I asked her if she would like to surf at the conference(showing her pictures of the last conference surf lesson). Surprise...the answer was a resounding "No." Okay, fine...and in pipes Elias, "I want to."

What? My son who spends all his time building and digging on the shore. Who rarely can be coaxed into the waves at all. Elias wants a surfing lesson. "You sure?" Yes, he was sure. We signed him and Craig up for the lesson. Up until a couple minutes into the lesson I was pretty sure he wouldn't do much with it. Maybe go out a few feet and sit on the board while the waves lapped at him. Stand on the sand.

Kids love twisting your world around. I love that they do!

Heading out.

Heading in. Upright and happy.

I asked how he liked his lesson. His response, "It is the most awesome thing ever!" His smile muscles were sore. Love this life!

Pelican Splash

Pelicans were out in numbers this trip to Del Mar. We watched them on several occasions diving for fish out in the waves. I love how quick they circle, dive, and come up with a fish. Eva said they look silly with their funny necks.

Time Out

Being at a conference with lots of other parents and kids for five days is amazing! It can also be a bit overwhelming. We decided we needed to take a break and spend a couple hours at the beach.

We think it was a good decision.

Stack 'em Up

Sometimes things in life just balance themselves out and line up for your viewing pleasure. We took great photos of the kids at Birch Aquarium, sometimes they pose perfectly. Sometimes the fish do!

Prepared

My kids crack me up. She is ready for rain...Provided it isn't cold out, rough terrain, or public space.

Round and Round

I picked up some dollar hula hoops to go along with my not dollar ones. :) Eva has been diving through them and playing with them in the pool. This is tons of fun and I have no worries about my good hoop becoming water logged.

We are off to GV conference this week and I am gathering items to take...I hope these fit into the van with all the rest of the hobby stuff.

Magnetic Personality

Eva floating a paperclip!

We played with magnets today.  I had a bunch of paperclips, iron filings, numerous small magnets and one powerful neodymium magnet.  We moved the filings around, made different lines of force, chased them, and floated them with our hands.

Hanging Out

Eva NEEDS to hang. She has since she was old enough to crawl. She does it everyday and when she has had a stressful time, needs to do it even more. When we are on a trip, one of the first things she does is find a spot that will work for hanging. We have found that couches tend to work the best.

I keep hoping I can get her to try a trapeze class. She used to hang off the car, in a full pike, through an entire TV show. She outgrew the car last year and it was with sadness she moved to the couch to hang. A bar doesn't work as she likes to brace herself, not just hang down. I love watching her face get calmer as she holds herself up!

Unexpected Audience

Eva felt the kitty would want to watch her swim, but wouldn't be comfortable near the water. Craig's reaction, "Why is there a kitten staring at me through the window?" I think he thought I put it there.

Glow Memo

Eva discovered the glow-in-the-dark letters yesterday and after we found a black light she spent part of today closed in the laundry room. We figured out we could open the closet door over the kitchen opening and make it dark. It also has what a closet doesn't, a metal washer and dryer to stick magnets to. I left some messages when she left the room and she would go "glow" them. I love the learning fun!

You Have to Crawl

Elias pulled out the tunnel today and had it immediately usurped by his baby sister. I don't think she had seen it since learning to crawl/walk. She was thrilled by the rolling structure and kept picking up an end and looking down it. She didn't want to go in it because that involved crawling! After several demonstrations by Eva and some encouragement from the camera, she decide to give it a go. She made sure to stop and give me a good picture. She then came over to the camera to take a look at herself. What a ham!

My Three

There they are, all three of them: Maeve (1), Eva (4) and Elias (7.5)

Trying to get a picture where are three are looking at the camera AND smiling is close to impossible. I do like this picture; it has all sorts of interesting things in it. Maeve is trying to figure out what her siblings are doing. Elias and Eva are almost holding hands. Eva, as usual, is wearing a big grin and, as usual, has chocolate around that grin. Elias is looking at the pond where he will quickly go when this photo shoot is done. None of them possess combed hair. Amazingly, they are in relatively clean clothes and there is an incredible lack of scabs and bruises. They are lovely.

For Laughs

Mischievous pixies... Eva and I spent part of the evening reading out of her pop-up book of fairies. I was not expecting this guy and he had us in laughter for quite a while. We then discovered that the shadows created by the pop-ups could be tilted and make new caricatures that were even better than the fairies themselves!