Belly Buttons

Does anyone else have a child that refers to their belly button as a belly but?  All three of mine do/did.  Yesterday, when going down for a nap, Lila requested, "I sleep with my belly but."  It was her way of saying that she wanted to sleep naked.  I thought is was rather cute.

I guess the heat is getting to us all.

Baltimore - Inner Harbor

Aunt Amy and Morgan flew out to Maryland for the Sheep and Wool Festival this past weekend. We knew we had to see them since they were only a couple of hours away. What better way to do it than to spend the weekend on the Inner Harbor? We took the kids out of school on Friday and drove down to pick Aunt Amy and Morgan up, and soon we were on our way to Baltimore. The weather was perfect and the company was even better.

The first stop. . . A Coast Guard boat. The girls were fascinated by its size and wanted so desperately to go in. We opted for a trip into the National Aquarium instead.

Two of the three girls loved the aquarium. It is huge and very dark. Lila paired off with Aunt Amy and is still talking about seeing the octopus. Savannah loved the Sting Rays but Adeline was not a fan. She was definitely interested in the fish but couldn't get herself over the sensation that they were going to come right out of the glass and get her. Again, unpredictable and fast movements from animals seemed to get the best of her. She did enjoy watching the huge sea turtle so it wasn't a total loss. We are members now so Miss Belle better gear up fro a couple more trips.

Dragon paddle boats were our next stop. This something I would have never considered if Amy and Morgan didn't raise the question. The rules stated four to a boat so Savannah teamed up with Amy and Morgan while the twins road with us. All three girls were VERY excited. I couldn't believe that Adeline was willing put on her life preserver. Once on the boat, Mommy and Daddy were quickly reminded that paddle boats (especially large ones) always take more work than you think. Adeline was insistent on "driving" which kept us going around in circles. Lila, on the other hand, just enjoyed the ride. Funny how I thought she would jump head first in the water and she never even budged from her seat.

After more exploring and sight seeing, it was time to return Amy and Morgan to the fair grounds. Since the dinner hour was upon us and not a nap had been had, I opted to take the girls to the hotel and skip the car ride. Our belongings were still in the car which left us stuck in an empty hotel room while nothing appropriate was on TV. No need to worry, the girls found plenty of ways to stay entertained. Here is on of them. . .

Once Daddy returned, we headed out for dinner. On our way we came across a pretty fun fountain and outdoor steal drum band. Daddy and The Belle shared a dance.

After the sun set we found ourselves over looking the harbor from our deck seating at Uno's. We scarfed down the pizza and enjoyed some yummy milkshakes.

After taking in all of the lights in and around the harbor - the Hard Rock Guitar being the favorite, we were off to the hotel for some much needed sleep. The girls had been going for 14 hours without a nap. I was amazed at how well behaved they were.

We woke up to wonderful weather yet again. Here are some pictures that include our water taxi rides, dreams of being a sea captain, and just enjoying spending time together. If you ever have a chance to a family trip the Inner Harbor, it is fun and easy. I think it was our best family trip yet!

Thank You Teachers!

Teacher Appreciation Day is upon us. . .  and I can't find the words that adequately describe the adoration I have for my girls' teachers.  These woman greet my girls with smiles and hugs each morning.  They work tirelessly to be an extension of my love and high expectations.  I feel incredibly lucky to drop my girls at three different doors each morning, knowing they are safe, loved, and pushed toward excellence.  What is even more gratifying is that these teachers "get" my girls and appreciate their unique qualities.  Savannah's teacher revels in her sweet/compassionate ways.  Lila's hard work and attention is never overlooked while Adeline's sweet perseverance is celebrated time and time again by her many teachers.

 There are 11 full time classroom teachers helping my three girls grow and develop.

Music to My Ears

My girls have been using their manners abundantly these last couple of weeks.  For example, while in the middle of dinner tonight, Adeline said, "Thanks for dinner Mommy."  Immediately, the other two did the same.  I couldn't believe it.  Sometimes Savannah will thank me and then the twins will follow suit but today it was Adeline.  Being thanked for making dinner is one way to make this Mommy feel super appreciated.  (Do you think it matters that dinner was pancakes, strawberries and scrambled eggs??)

The Lion King with Miss Green

I had the opportunity to take Savannah to The Lion King in Philly.  It was absolutely amazing.  She is the perfect age and appreciated the craft and hard work that went into the production.  She was captivated the entire time.  It was fun to get dressed up, go to dinner in the city, and go to a "grown up play" together.  If you haven't seen it, it is worth every penny.  The only problem is that once you see The Lion King, other shows become a step down in the visual department.

During intermission, Savannah was washing her hands.  She had turned the water off while soaping her hands.  She turned to me with a proud smile and said, "I'm saving the Earth."  If one person could single-handedly change the world, I think Savannah would be the one to do it.  She is green, almost to an annoying fault, and compassionate about the many corners of our world that are often over looked.

The Lion King worked nicely into Savannah's school curriculum.  They are studying Africa.  Last week, I had to drop the girls with Mr. Byron (yep, that is one daddy and five kids) while I went to work.  I offered to pay Savannah $2.00 to help Mr. Byron babysit.  She mentally counted how much money she would have after the job and came up with $40.00.  She then told me, "I want to send my money to Africa.  I know most kids would want to buy toys and sometimes I feel like I want toys but I know in my heart that I should help other people who don't have very much.  How can I send my money to Africa?"  I responded with many different charitable operations that are active in Africa and she narrowed it down to using her money to help provide clean drinking water.  I told her I would match her dollar for dollar which caused her to set a goal of $50.00.  "Then we could send $100.00 to Africa!" 


If I could live outside of myself as much as my daughter does. . .

March for Babies 2010!

I am humbled by my girls. . . their determination, joyful disposition, and love.  They are full of life.  A life, at one point, I doubted.

I am humbled by Savannah and her prayers for the little babies while on our walk, her heartfelt poster about her sisters, and ability to delight in her sisters' successes.

I am humbled by those of you who rallied around us with supporting words and generous donations.  We are wonderfully blessed to have such and amazing community of friends and family.

THANK YOU!!

We have come a long way.  Our first March for Babies landed Adeline in the hospital the next day.    The other walks can be seen here and here.

This year, we were full of health and positive energy.  We truly are the lucky ones!

Here we are after our five mile run/ride.

March for Babies, Here We Come!

We had shirts made this year which we were excited to sport.  The girls enjoyed matching their Mommy and Daddy.

Here is our "before" shot. . .