friday, 4/23
uh, duh, ballet for the girls. but today's class was ~special~ ... i was watching the girls dance (or not dance, as the case may be), and turned away as they were putting away the ballet barres so i could respond to a text from my boss. i look up and see the teacher carrying belly who is sobbing. i turn to the mommy next to me and say, "ok, i'm awful and totally missed that. what happened?" apparently, belly got herself stuck between barres as they were putting them away and the other kids kept pushing and pushing, leaving belly squished. ahh, the dangers of ballet.

i was also thankful today for lots of visitors--surprise and expected. former nanny came to visit with new baby boy, and the girls were very nice with him. belly even bounced him in her old bouncy and was singing him to sleep. then, sis2be arrived earlier than expected at the airport and since she had a 3+ hour layover, I picked her up so she could see the girls (and her own sister, who was in the area too) and have lunch. bulilit was showing off her walking skills for her auntie.

speaking of bulilit... it's never a good sign when the kids are quiet, but it was adorable to watch bulilit occupy herself for a good half an hour playing with a bottle liner and pail. when she then moved on to something a little more destructive -- which she tends to do on occasion (ok, more like all the time) -- you can't get mad at her because she looks up at you with the brightest eyes and cutest smile. melts my heart every. single. time.


thursday, 4/22
i'm sitting outside on the playground while the kids play and i work. i love that the playground is right behind our house and that my wi-fi extends out here. :)

i know i appear super focused with my laptop on my lap, but why is it so hard to crack that neighborhood mommy circle? (e would say it's because i'm too shy.) i just think it's funny that all the neighborhood kids and their moms know my kids' names... but probably have no idea what mine is.

after a couple hours playing on the playground -- and letting belly and bulilit roam the grassy hills on their own -- i deposited them both in the tub. thankfully, e got in with them and distracted belly enough for her to stop crying and screaming. (i tease that she's just like her ninong, who hated baths with a passion as a kid.) bulilit, on the other hand, needs no encouragement and the other day almost went head first into the tub in her excitement to get into the bath. hilarious. when i went to pull her out last night, she looked at me with her best, "i don't think so" look and firmly shook her head. as we finished getting them ready for bed, i realized my kids get their hair blow dried more than i do.



wednesday, 4/21
have i mentioned how much i love cuddling with my kids? belly gives me hugs and cuddles almost whenever i ask, but bulilit is a little more stingy about it. so cuddling with her is extra special. and it's so cute to watch her exploring her new independence gained by toddling around on her own. the smile on her face as she realizes she's getting further and further is beyond compare.

also had a long chat with my brother ... happy that even though they are thousands of miles away and the girls don't get to spend as much time with him as they used to, we can still talk and gossip and bounce ideas off each other. (yes, cheesy, i know.)

one more thing i was thankful for on tuesday... i was really ready to throw my hands up in frustration and surrender, because life is really overwhelming right now. my cousin forwarded me an email that contained this chart, which, at the moment, was EXACTLY what i needed to read/hear. god truly does work in mysterious ways...