Gretchen turned 5

...more than 6 months ago.  5 is a big deal!  Every once in awhile I think I need to pay more attention or cherish more moments and then 6 months pass and she's on her way to 6 instead of just turning 5.  Such an attached little baby has turned into a little sprite who bounces among all of her friends and favorite things.  Last night she was talking to a tree about it's birthday.  She's become a brilliant master of manipulating her sister "that cheetah dress really doesn't look so great with your brown hair..wouldn't you rather wear this?"  She can write her name! Yes as a matter of fact we think that's pretty amazing.  Yesterday I laid next to her as she was sleeping(since it's really the only time she holds still) and just remembered that darn little crying thing we brought home that changed our life and is now 5 of all things.  Trying to remain a mature composed grown up is pretty difficult these days.  Just have to watch her practically walking on air with joy and forget all about my own sadness with her growing up!  Think I'll go talk to a tree.

insert 17 adjectives here

Yes Fina has been wearing these ears nearly non stop for a week now.  Sometimes she has several sets on fox, butterfly, princess, kitty cat, santa hat....last night she was wearing two different high heel with two pairs of slippers on each foot.  She also carries bags and boxes with her. Everywhere.  This may be a "I'm unable to share" thing or an "I don't have my own room" thing or as I prefer to call it a "Fina" thing.  We are a house filled with weirdos so it's difficult to set yourself apart and that's all Fina's doing.  She's a lefty.  She's an "arter".  She even says the "big piece of poop is mommy and the little one is me".  She's crazy.  And she fits in completely.

Tuesdays with Fina

Every Tuesday Gretchen heads of to pre-k while Fina and I get some special time just the two of us.  The last few years she's been mostly a prop in the cart while I grocery shop or napping in the car.  Now-almost 3! she has a lot to say.  Fina's been talking for quite a while now, but when her sister isn't around she cannot stop talking!  We go to Baby Mama Drama, the zoo, the park, the mall.  She is a little Gretchen mimic at all of these places..coins in the water, elevator, escalator repeat.  Of course her own uniquely Fina as well-accusing babies of wrong doings, knowing exactly which establishments have the best cookies, and yelling 'too tight, too tight' when we hug her too much.  

Fina is going through something...being 2?  teething?  worries about the economy?  Whatever it is she is not her usual self of happy, bubbly, full of armor girl.  She has spent much of the past week or so lying on the floor in frustration over Pretty Ponies, cookies that are the wrong shape, colors that are green-not blue, storybook words that say 'wagon' not cart, pictures of small doors that are unnerving because no one could possibly fit through them, and diapers that absolutely positively do not need changed.  It's tough being the youngest, but she quite often hangs in there climbing up the tallest bouncy house ladder on her own to go down the tallest bouncy house slide you have ever seen.  Crying yesterday because I would not take her down again the twirly, TOO tall water slide at the pool that scares the holy heck out of me.  SHE would have gone on forever.  This is the thing about Fina, when she finds something she loves she does it over and over.  Painting, drawing, anything texture-y is her thing.  Love that she is surrounded by people who can comfort her (including her big sis) as she goes through this 2-ish thing of hers.

we work out

Every day this summer has been filled from morning to afternoon with doing things and seeing people.  Exhausting?  yes.  Fun?  an even bigger yes.  Last week was Living History Farms and visiting friends and of course Nana.  Today we saw cousins and a magician at the library.   I'm longing for a day where we just stay home and hang out and get dirty in the back yard.  The curious nature of these two is astounding to me to watch-at home or away in an organized event.  They want to learn, want to practice, want to ask questions and constantly figure things out.  They WANT to move their bodies in new and interesting ways.  Just got me to philosophizing a bit about where this goes.  I long to sit on the couch and relax-they long to jump off the couch or do standing push ups on the side of the couch.  They are seeing and experiencing brand new things every day and they take it in like crazy absorbent sponges.  Staying home or going out.  It's really fascinating as an educator(former?) to see this all first hand.  Beyond a doubt they have made me appreciate the world a little more and want to experience and try new things.  Still enjoy relaxing on the couch whenever I can though!

Union Park..two blocks from our house and there almost every day.  Swim/snack/carousel-repeat.  Girls love to ride at least 3 or 4 times and would probably stay on it longer if their parents didn't get so dizzy riding along. But, yes they are nearly big enough to ride the carousel without a parent.  Cliche' but true-they are growing up very fast.  Here they are with daddy and he is a good one.  Gretchen uses daddy as her baba and holds him and rubs his neck when she is sleepy.  Fina nearly jumps out of her skin when daddy gets home at the end of the day.  They both have two parents who put it a great amount of effort to care and be close to them.  Quite lucky girls!  

Time to go play 'dragon wife and husband' in the front yard now.  Weirdos for sure.  Not sure where they get that!

bffs

There's been a lot of quiet around our house lately.  Two girls who are constantly playing with one another.  Playing with their stuffed animals, having them take naps, or taking them to the doctor.  ALWAYS changing outfits and putting on shows and asking to be introduced...ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, introducing Gretchen Axness and her little sister Fina Lind.  They come running out of the room(unless Fina is overcome with stagefright) to perform their dance moves for us.  We got a mini couch the other day and you'd have thought that we spent a million dollars. They got all of their blankets, insisted on taking their nap on it together.  They are true best friends, and of course at times worst enemies who "I do not want to be your friend anymore"   One of my best memories of childhood is my brothers and I off playing together making up all sorts of fantastical stories.  They seem to understand one another very well.  They know how to make the other one really angry and really happy.  The other day they teamed up against me screaming that they didn't like me anymore.  I know they love me-even when I scream a bit too much-as I hope they know I love them-when they do insane things.  Today we went to a bouncy house spot and it was the first time they went off together to play.  One of my friends says this is the stage of life where I get to become a 'bench' mom, since no one needs constant supervision or assistance as much.  Lovely ladies for sure!  So glad they will have each other the rest of their lives.