Massanutten, Virginia

We took a few days off of school and headed south to Massanutten.  It is a ski resort in Virginia.  There to meet us was one of our favorite families!  The kids immediately fell in love with their huge bedroom that housed three sets of bunk beds.  What is with bunk beds?  My kids judge vacation homes by the number of bunk beds.

Our first morning was a refreshing taste of spring.  It was so warm that the kids ate breakfast on the deck.  Such a nice change of pace.  Spring can't come soon enough! 

After exploring the woods everyone changed into their suits for a trip to the water park.  It is the best water park we have ever been to.  It was warm - the key to success in my book, and had many different slides, a lazy river and warm pool (not quite hot enough to be a hot tub but warmer than everything else.)  All of the kids enjoyed the water slides, especially the one that accommodated three riders!  I can't believe the kids are getting old enough and brave enough to go down without an adult.  Adeline still has a ways to go but the other two went down the slides in all different combinations.

A good time was had by all. Of course, sliding with friends makes it all the more fun!

President's Day in DC

We spent President's Day at Baby Kate's house. The weather was perfect which allowed us to take in the great outdoors. We visited two nature centers, took multiple hikes/walks through the woods and hit some playgrounds too. Savannah ran her longest distance yet. . . 3.5 miles and Alex and I were able to sneak out for a 7 mile run too. It was one of those perfect weekends. . .

Here is a recap in pictures...

Lila masters every set of monkey bars she encounters.

I have said it before. . . Baby Kate and Lila look more like twins than Adeline and Lila do. These two are alike on the inside and out!

This hike was a favorite because there were stepping stones across the creek. They were spaced far apart and at differing heights which made them difficult to navigate. My Lila, who has an abnormally high jump and extremely long standing broad jump (we learned this during her latest PT evaluation), went full force ahead.

The other two got across nicely as well.

The girls found daffodils on the verge of blooming which made us all celebrate! An early spring is on its way.

I love these four girls. I especially love the way that Baby Kate just "fits."  I am sad that Lila corrects me and tells me to call Baby Kate, Kate.  "She isn't a baby any more Mommy.  It is just Kate now."  sniff

Speaking of "fitting," Monte is beginning to feel like family too. He is truly therapeutic for my girls.

Adeline

Adeline's  teacher pulled me aside and told me she needed to tell me a funny story.  There were too many scenarios running through my head to even count.  My other two children are predictable.  Adeline isn't.  By the way, of all the scenarios running through my head, telling her class about her personal savior - Jesus Christ - wasn't one of them.  It went like this. . .

One of the girls in her class brought up her baby doll named Jesus.  At that moment, Adeline tuned in and became part of the conversation.  "Mia, you know Jesus!  I know him.  Yes, I know Jesus.  Jesus has a cross.  Did you know Jesus died on the cross for your sins.  He died on the cross for my sins too.  He died for everybody's sins."  The poor little girl came back to Adeline with, "I don't want to talk about death."

That's my Adeline.  You never know what you are going to get.  She looks small, dainty and almost fragile but this girl is strong, confident and full of stories.

Adeline goes against the grain of being a girl.  Other girls do NOT like this.  They even tell on her when she won't be the Mommy and  insists on being the Daddy.  Adeline will NOT be the Mommy or the Sister.

Adeline likes to play with trains, cars, and Legos.  The only way she will pick up a baby doll is if it is our baby doll that is dressed in blue.  It's a boy of course.

She doesn't like pink. . . and HATES bows ( she even complains that there are 1/2 inch bows on the back of her Gymboree socks every time she puts them on.  I never noticed the socks had bows until she pointed them out.)  I put bows in her hair anyway.  Does that make me a bad mommy?

Her favorite colors are dark blue and green.

She loves to wear jeans and t-shirt.  I showed her a dark blue dress in the store, a few days back.  I thought I had a chance of her liking it.  I was wrong.  "Mom, you know I just like jeans.  Look at these jeans.  These jeans are nice."

Adeline HATES having her hair done.  She often tells me, "I want to look crazy today." Meaning, she doesn't want me to comb her hair.  When done combing her hair, she requests one ponytail in back.

Adeline's best friend is Anthony.  She couldn't care less about the other two girls in her class.  Adeline adores Anthony and Anthony adores Adeline.  He will even sneak her name on her paper for her because he has noticed writing is one of Adeline's challenges.  Everyone says they are two peas in pod.  It's cute. Just not typical.

My point here is that Adeline has yet to embrace her feminine side.  She gravitates to all things boy.  However, when you take a good look at her, there is a beautiful, feminine girl trying to crack out of a very boyish shell. While most days she is sporting crazy hair and the jeans/t-shirt looks (if not an astronaut or fireman suit), every now and again, I get a glimpse of my beautiful girl - looking girly.
 

 If she were choosing pictures to post, she would most definitely choose this over the above!  I love that she doesn't care what the rest of the world thinks!

Go Duke

It was spirit day last Friday. The girls were supposed to wear their favorite team. We aren't a real sporty family but were able to come up with some Duke attire.

A shirt that was much too big and a cheer leading dress turned shirt!

Three years ago. . . Why must they grow?

Adeline's Mornings

Adeline has given up going to the babysitting room while I work out.  We play together or do school work for the first hour or so of our morning and then I head out for my much needed workout.  Adeline doesn't accompany me anymore.  It makes my heart a little heavy.  I let her have her way since she finds toys to play with and leaves Alex alone - I mean totally alone for the most part.  She gets lost in her make believe world and is flying around the playroom, pretending to be astronaut Jet.  She will sit and play for a good hour with Littlest Petshop, Legos or just about anything that lends itself to imaginary play.

However, there are those days. . . those special days. . . when Daddy has to talk to important people.  He can't risk an interruption, no matter how unlikely they seem.  He can't fix a toy or kiss a boo boo.  These are the days when Adeline gets the iPad.  Lately, she finds a little snack to put on her nightstand and settles into her bed with Max and Ruby or Curious George.

After returning home the other day, I searched the house for Adeline and this is what I found.  Somehow I could fast forward into the future and my five year old seemed fifteen.  So capable, independent and technologically competent.  I can't quite put my finger on why, but the entire scene seemed way too old. 

Backstroke with a Smile

Lila and Adeline continue to make progress in the pool.  Last week, I was able to take a video of Lila doing her backstroke.  Once she saw me hanging over her, she couldn't stop laughing.  In fact, if you watch closely, there is a little wave in between strokes.  I was trying to get her refocused but it was useless.  Brushing the bugs off her ears, which is keeping the arm close to the head and something that she can do well when concentrating, wasn't in the cards.  I am kind of glad she lost concentration.  Her smile is so sweet and her laughs were so funny.  So Lila!

Our First Nature Hike

About a month ago, our family headed outdoors for no other reason than to take in nature.  It was cold but it was sunny.  That was enough for us to put on our exploring gear and head out.  We haven't done a lot of this in the past because none of the girls hang extremely well with natural elements - namely bugs.  We decided that winter is the ideal time to fall in love with nature.  There are no bugs and there is less moving vegetation that easily spooks Adeline.

Our idea worked and the girls had a great time.  They found acorns, secret squirrel holes and many walking sticks.  Sticks are so simple yet so fascinating to my children.  I suppose that is because sticks are only welcome when walking through the woods.  By the looks of things, Adeline is offsetting her small size with her new found treasure!

 

During our walk, the girls found a last patch of snow.  All of the snow had been melted for days but this random patch was still holding strong.  Quickly, the girls helped me make a miniature snowman.  Lila used her mitten for the hat.  Tears were shed when we had to leave him behind.  He looked so cute sitting on the 

beach.  (We still have a snowball that Lila wouldn't part with.  It sits idle in the freezer.)

We hope to get out a few more times before the bug hatch.  There is no doubt the bugs will make walking through the woods a little more challenging.  Hopefully, the girls will be so interested in the change of seasons and the beauty that spring offers us that they will stoically shoo the bugs away and keep on hiking!