After Liv's recent and unexpected hair cut I was going to wait a while before taking her two year pictures, but a friend reminded me that I would want to remember this. So I took some scissors and evened out her hair and this morning Liv and I went out to take some pictures. I was so sad because the place we went was hosting a charity fun walk and all the roads were closed. Liv was such a little stink, but we were able to snap a few cute ones around the outside. Here are a few...
A few nights ago the power went off. Of course it happened to be while Shawn was out of town, and when I called the power company they told me it would be off for several hours. I started to panic a little wondering where my big flashlights and lantern were, how I was going to convince the kids to go to bed in the pure black dark, how I was going to open the garage so that I could go get Ethan from his friends, and what I was going to make for dinner. A few hours later, after I manually figured out how to open and close the garage, the power returned and things were fine.
In talking with Shawn the following day about this, he reminded me of how often the power used to go out when we lived in Dominica (the caribbean). It went off about once a week and usually for several hours at a time. Usually it was on Sunday morning after our long, hot walk home from church up a big hill while pushing Ethan in a stroller. We would come inside our little apartment and find the power out, much to our dismay. I remember many Sunday afternoons Shawn and I laying on the cold tile floor in our underwear (does this sound familiar to any of my Dominica girls?) just to help cool down. In thinking back about the power going off, yes we were hot and miserable, but it really wasn't a big deal. Life on the island didn't require much and was so simple. I cooked with a propane tank , washed clothes in the sink and we lived very simply.
I realize now how complicated we make life. Sometimes I wish I could go back to the simple lifestyle of Dominica (minus the earthquakes). It was easy to focus on the important things of life.
A few nights ago while picking Shawn up at the airport, the kids and I witnessed a full out fight right in front of us (2 feet away) in the parking garage. There was punching, screaming, swearing, blood, and rolling on the ground. I was scared and made the kids all get buckled up and ready to drive away. The airport security came and things calmed down, but it was so crazy. And, then the next day I heard some dogs barking outside so I looked out the window and saw a SWAT/Police Officer running down the road dressed in black with bullet proof vest and guns. I couldn't see anyone or anything that he was chasing, but seriously right in front of my house. Not to mention about few months ago when a car blew up in the field behind our house, or the regular midnight helicopter chases that circle our house. I realize it sounds like we live in the ghetto, but we really don't-just a normal Las Vegas suburb. Someday maybe life will be more simple.
The boys really need a hair cut, so do I for that matter, but Liv is the one who ended up with one today. When I walked outside to where the kids were all quietly playing this is what I found...
Then I discovered this,
and this,
I wonder who the culprit was???
Cole tried to lie about it, but seeing the evidence all over his shirt I knew better.
The really sad thing is that I was planning to go to the park tonight to take Liv's 2 year pictures. I guess that will have to wait, but I did snap this one this morning.
You can actually see that her hair was finally growing in this picture and now it is gone. I laughed at first, then I cried, and then I was mad. Now my sweet little girl looks like an old man with a mullet. I guess every kid has a crazy hair cut at some point in their life, lets just hope this is the last. Apparently Cole cuts hair, so if anyone needs a barber I know a good one!
Since Ethan spent the first 18 months of his life living on the beach we thought it was time to go back. So on our way to Disneyland we drove to Newport Beach to let the kids play.
While we were in Disneyland Shawn's mom and dad took Liv to Build-a-Bear for her birthday. This is Liv watching her new best friend, Polly (the name was Ethan's idea, I have no idea where it came from) getting made.
The store was really crowded and since you cant' actually really see Polly I took some more pictures of Liv and her this afternoon. Here she is....
Our first family trip!!
DISNEYLAND HIGHLIGHTS
-The pure excitement & magic of Disneyland
-Ethan and Cole riding the Matterhorn. Ethan white knuckling it the whole way, but now claims it is his favorite ride.
-6.99 for a yogurt, cheese stick, and cracker (food at Disneyland is highway robbery)
-Disneyland Firework show (Cole actually fell asleep while sitting on Shawn's shoulders)
-Losing my cell phone in California Adventure Land (and fortunately finding it also)
-Pressuring Shawn into riding the teacups with me and the kids. He even let me spin it a little!!
-Running the kids all day long. They were soooo tired and never slept better!!
-The kids loved the Buzz Lightyear ride, Pirates of the Caribbean, and anything they could drive. Cole and Liv were scared of the rides in the dark (for some reason a lot of the kids rides-peterpan, alice in wonderland, etc. are all in the dark and a little spooky). Ethan didn't mind the dark, spooky rides, but was scared to death on the rollercoasters. Cole and Liv on the other hand seem to like the fast rides.
-The Jedi show, even though the boys didn't get chosen to come up. The show was still cool.
-Liv did good waiting in the lines as long as then kept moving. We did have a few of her dramatic tantrums kicking and screaming while rolling around on the ground. I got several mean looks and stares.
-A successful trip to Disneyland (thanks in large part to Shawn's mom and dad. Thanks Randy and Leslie!!!)
LEGOLAND TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
-lying to the legoland employee about Cole's age so that he could go on the ride (I already feel bad about it, but I couldn't help myself. Cole would have been so crushed if he couldln't ride.)
-a small incidence of indecent exposure when Cole had to go to the bathroom and none could be found quick enough. Cole took it upon himself to find the nearest tree and drop his pants.
-Shawn's near fight with the teenage Legoland employee when he wouldn't let Liv get on the ride.
-convincing Shawn to go on a roller coaster with me.
-Ethan and Cole driving their own little cars. Cole was pretty good and Ethan was more concerned with crashing into people.
Today my baby is TWO! (and believe me she acts like the terrible twos).
(Liv is actually crying in this picture-she got in trouble for trying to touch the candles)
LOVE my new bike!!!
This is Liv and her new pink scooter. My mom got this for Liv for her birthday and she just LOVES it. She is so proud to go scooting down the road.
and one of the boys and their new trick....Cole riding on the pegs of Ethan's bike
