A girl and her dog

Baby love

I regret that these two pictures came out so grainy but I took them with my cell phone and the lighting was dim.  I snuck in to check on Gavin during his supposed nap and there he was ... flipped over on his belly and head up high peeking through the crib slats.

Sushi

Life is about trying new things right?  That's what I tell my kids (especially come dinner time) so I thought I would practice what i preach.  There was a terrific sale on sashimi grade tuna this week and since Mike, Savanah and I all love sushi ... wait, for Savanah and I it's more like LOVE sushi ... I thought I would try my hand at making it.  I realize it takes a true sushi chef years and years (10 according to my husband) to profect the art so i'm cutting myself some slack on how mine came out.  No laughing!

I seasoned the rice with dashi, etc and fanned it and the whole nine yards ... pretty, shiny rice but dang is it sticky!  It just takes one time of forgetting to dip your fingers in the water to figure that out.

Mmmmmm spicey tuna.  Note to self, if I ever attempt this again I would scoot the ingredients towards the middle some so it would be prettier and more centered when sliced, i would come closer to the edge with the rice and i'd invest in the bambo rolling mat.  Otherwise I thought it was fun and tasted great!

I made an inside out roll as well but ate it before taking pictures.  Hey, it's a perk of being the one making the food right?

So over all i'm glad i tried it.  It was a nice project to try while the kids napped, but (like so many other meals) it is still better when someone else makes it for you.

Worms and such part 2

You can see why this guy (girl?) has been able to escape and also why, when he does, it stresses me out.  It's not so easy to see him on this carpet!  Olivia's solution to this.... don't let him out of your sight. 

I used some lettuce (that I'm sure he'd never eat but was the best I could do at the moment) in a box to try to give him some "space" but ....


 
 
 
it didn't end up giving him much "space" after all.  Olivia was all but in the box with him.

Then even that much distance proved too be too much so she decided to hand feed him.

And when he didn't eat on command (who reading this is surprised?) it was back to playtime.

New meaning to keeping a close eye on him.

worms and such

it all started with the smallest earthworm in Russell Co. Virgnina

i heard her tell the worm above that he was a great friend and a lot of fun.  after a while i heard her laughing at the worm and when i asked her why she said it was b/c she had (insulted him by) calling it a beetle wheetle when he's really a WORM.

today she made a new friend.  a gypsy moth caterpillar.

******  caterpillar update.  i was wrong, this is not a gypsy moth .... i think it's an eastern web...  and it escaped the jaws of Rexy only to be "lost" in the house.  Mike, as supportive as he is, told Olivia not to worry bc he was certain it would show up (via crawling on my face) overnight.  Nice Mike.  no surprise i found him in the middle of the night (since i couldn't sleep anyway) trying to elude me by blending into the pattern of the carpet.  soooo day two with Catty the Caterpillar has begun.

Pacifier Intervention

Do you think Gavin needs help for his pacifier addiction?

Grooming and feeding...it's what big sisters do.

Yes, she's doing what you think.  Olivia has a thing about toe jam.  Gross.  At least with her brother it's only sock fuzzies.  Either way Olivia said it had to go... so she sat and picked in between each of Gavin's little toes.  And for the record...he loved it!

Warning:  the following videos are not for those who have a weak stomach for kids covered in food.

Working with Daddy

Safety first!  Mike didn't have any safety glasses small enough for Olivia so they both settled on some swimming goggles.  Silly but functional right?

These two are going to build an AIRPLANE!  That's right, an airplane, and it's going to take longer then Mike thinks and it's going to be better then Olivia thinks...that's my prediction.

Olivia gets the hang of using tools pretty fast.

It's really taking shape.

Ok, I don't want to say "i told you so" but it's now day two....

And she loves it!!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Melville!

ps.  i'm just poking fun at Mike about how long it took.  he dropped everything else he had going on to work on this and to include Olivia.  not easy.  Thank you Mike!

Happy Birthday Olivia

oh my gosh....it's 1am on the twelth of april and i am just now posting pictures from January thru March.... please forgive me!  Here are a few from Olivia's birthday....


As some of you may know we brought Olivia to Toy R Us for her birthday to let her pick out whatever she wanted.  We started in the bike department since that is what her Dad really wanted to get her, i mean what he really thought she would want one.... but no.... no interest at all....  then it was off to the "pepto bismol pink isle" where everything was pink and princess (y?  ish?) .... but still nothing....  then it happened.... we were walking though the science isle and there she was... Rexy, the most beautiful dinosaur Olivia has ever seen!  She just HAD to have her.  BUT. mind you, it was not a "birthday present" because it can't be your birthday if you don't have a birthday hat and candles.  Words right out of Olivia's mouth!

                                                                      Olivia with Mimi!

 Auntie Lynna and Uncle Max

 A friend of mine recently posted a picture of her three year old with her dolly propped under her shirt "eating" b/c that is how she sees her Mommy feeding her baby and it made me think about these two pictures.  Gavin was crying and I turned around and saw this.... Olivia.... Pumping....  she told me "baby Gavin is hungry Mommy so hurry, we have to pump him some milk...i'm helping".  I LOVE this little girl!

 This last picture is for Grandpa.  Semper Fi!