Meet the newest member of our family

Arecely is officially moving in on the 25th of August. She has been a wonderful addtion to our family so far. She speaks to the girls in spanish, cooks amazing food and teaches Mia a few salsa steps. The girls love her and I find her pretty amazing. She came here from Mexico to learn english and to get her masters degree in marketing. She will be attending Wash U (a few blocks away) in the evening after a few preliminary courses. Three of her best friends from Mexico are here and are nannies for families close by. Lately, Dennis has been traveling more than he has been home so it will be a nice addition for me.

A kiss

M+M

Thinking of you....

Dennis and I were glued to the televsion through the night. We love Minneapolis and feel like it is part of our home. This amazing city holds many of our dearest friends and greatest memories and we feel very sad today. The cell phone signal was down into the city and it makes you really realize when you can't reach someone during times like these, just how incredibley important people are to you in your life. Luckily, everyone is okay...and I'll be sure to tell them how much they mean to me more often.

Familiar feeling

I've been a full-time mommy over the last week waiting for the new nanny to start and I remember thinking of my school days in terms of the time between morning break-lunch- afternoon break-study hall-last break of the day- and home. Not really considering anything I may have learned in between that time. Today I realized I think of my mommy days in terms of the time between morning nap-sesame street-snack-long nap-doodlebops-snack-and the Dennis hand-off.

Is this wrong? Shouldn't I be enjoying the amazing development my children are experiencing throughout the day? The subtle bonding elements they share in the sweetest of ways? Shouldn't I be skipping to Mia's room upon her wake-up call to discover something new and wonderful? What about baking a cake together and then I can lovingly dot her little nose with icing just like the ad shows.

I love them...I really do. I just can't help but feel some sort of accomplishment that I can hand them off to Dennis (before he even has a chance to put his man purse down and slip into his capris) unharmed, well-fed and well-rested. Someone please tell me they did/do the same and their children are good citizens.

Dear friends in Minneapolis...

 

Just in case you were wondering, the capris are back in full force. Although, he has added a few new colors he hasn't had any altercations...yet. Nor does he really seem to care. He swears it is going to catch on this season. Um, not so much.

Only an architect...

 

would care this much about restoring windows. Since the moment we moved into our house, Dennis has been borderline obsessed with getting our living rooom windows operable as they once were sometime before cars were around. I, myself, think they are just fine, other than the small fact that they are not tempered and the kids would be in big trouble if they accidentally ran through them, but I'm greatly mistaken (as I've been told over and over again) about them. Evidently, the windows are supposed to go all the way up inside the wall; which I'm still finding hard to imagine. Now, most husbands come home pretty ecstatic when their sports team has won some huge championship..not my little guy-he just won the world series of securing a true window restorer. Mr. Cousins (or Mr. Cushion as Mia calls him) has worked with historic windows for almost 40 years and he has begun the process. I don't think Dennis has been this happy since we found the living room paint color. That is why I love him.

Mia never misses the opportunity to jump on our neighbor's rocks

 

Mia spots a "hop hop"

 

Milk and Stickers...

 

Feeling purple

 

Too early for coffee

 

wake up miss mazy

We miss MOMA... Mia wakes up every morning and says DADA! DADA! i go into her room, she says MAZY! i unzip her from her dome and then we run to mazy's room... see for yourself.

mazy loves the wagon trips to the loop

 

Mia don't....

Mia has been such a trooper since Mazlin's arrival. I find myself continually telling her to be gentle, don't pull Mazzy, don't push Mazzy, don't let Mazzy eat your lunch, don't pierce Mazzy's ears or write on her face :). I'm not sure if other parents do this, but I always reflect on Mia's day after she goes to bed and usually feel awful. I know one day they will both plot against Dennis and me, but for know I feel like Mia is the odd man out. Everyone tells me that it changes with time.

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Swimming at Aunt Debbie's