09.22-09.26.11

We've had a pretty fun week.  We had a nice three day weekend with Paul because of "Saudi National Day."  We love extra long weekends.  We made a couple visits to the mall and ate out a couple times. It was fun taking out the new Yukon.  I still haven't gotten a proper picture of it because we are keeping it in the garage - it barely fits - and this makes it impossible to get a full bodied picture of it. 



The Yukon, in the garage so not a full bodied photo.

 It looks exactly like the picture I posted the other day when I announced we were getting it so if you HAVE to see it, take a gander at that post.

Abs enjoying a cracker

 The girls are doing great.  Abigail is shaking her head back and forth in the "no" motion a lot lately, and she enjoys head butting us from the back when we are holding her.  She also enjoys pinching me when she is nursing - reminds me of a cat sharpening its claws on a soft pillow when it's getting ready to curl up and go to sleep?  She is particularly fond of eyes and eyelashes and pokes me in the eye a lot.  And the hair... she is fascinated with pulling hair.  I know her tricks and habits so I am prepared to counter them, but strangers who offer to hold her and expect to enjoy holding a cute, cuddley, chubby baby get some nice surprises.

Madeline is doing really well.  She has a lot of energy in all areas of her life... especially tantrums lately.  Some days I feel like the most horrible mother on the planet and like all I am doing is putting her in time out or telling her not to do something.  Other days are awesome and she is sweet and attentive and obeys me when I tell her to do something - oh wait, that was a dream I had last night, not reality. 

She really is a sweet kid, but when something doesn't go her way.... get your ear plugs STAT.  I often refer to it as "the screaming banshee call" because man oh man is it piercing.  I'm trying to be patient, and sometimes, when I get really wrapped upin the emotion, it's nice to have someone like Paul there to tell me to just walk away and let her settle down.  You know, she gets it from me.  I am the emotional lunatic in our house.  I just hope we can learn control together and get on with our happy lives. 

Sharing with Abigail has become a bit of a problem lately.  That's usually where the tantrums begin.  So we are working on it. Madeline has an awesome imagination and I love listening to her play.  She is doing great at riding her scooter she got for her birthday.  She loves to play and loves her friends.  She also loves playing my iPad and watching her "shows" - Go Diego Go, Dora, and Wonder Pets.  We often hear her when she is playing quoting the opening statement from the wonder pets show.  We're trying to limit her time on those last couple of activities.


tickle time and peek-a-boo

 This past weekend was Saudi National Day. They held a festival and cricket game on camp this weekend so we thought we'd go check it out.  I wanted to get Madeline a kite because I thought it would be fun for her.  It wasn't really windy, but she could still run around right?  We ended up going pretty late, about an hour before it was supposed to be over. 


This kite will go up!

 The first  kite we bought broke as we were putting it together.  These were pretty chea kites.  And actually, I could probably make one that was sturdier.  So, I had  Paul get another one. He wasn't too happy about it, but I had totally psyched Mads out about it all.  So we got another kite... thankfully we had our old stick from the first kite because the second kite was missing the stick.  So, phew, we finally got a kite together and ready to fly. 


ready to run, up up up!

 First attempt didn't go so well.  Mads ran and it totally did a nose dive.  So we tried again. Not gonna happen. 


Down, down, down

 Abigail woke up from her nap among the excitement and was pulling some pretty awesome faces...

Abs, well rested and excited about life!

Third time... it went up.... but down again. 

One more try

Finally, I told dad to carry the Madster and fly the kite.  It went up! They were able to run back and forth twice before it plopped back down. 

Then, we were done.  It was hot. It was humid.  We had been there for 15 minutes.  Time to go get some ice cream and go home and watch a movie. 


Dad helping get the kite up

 Sunday was the open house for Madeline's preschool.  I got her all dressed up and pretty - it doesn't take much for her to be adorable (she basically has to wake up and she's there) - and we went to meet her teachers. 


Madeline before her preschool open house

 Here is Madeline with one of her teachers, Miss Tori.  We've met Tori before at a friend's birthday party and a couple times since then. She is really nice and way cool so Madeline was excited.  She had a good time at the open house.  I attended a meeting about the school while we were there.  I am really excited about it all.  Everything seems well planned out and organized and I have heard nothing but good things about this preschool.


Madeline and one of her teachers, Miss Tori

Sunday I actually started exercising again, for real, not just talking about it, and it kicked! my! butt!!  It was so hard.  I was that lady who worked really hard and then half way through the hour long workout started doing low impact.  It reminded me of this old workout my mom used to do that was on PBS I think, maybe not, but there were three levels high, normal, and low impact.  The high impact lady or man were uncomfortably energetic and the low impact person was crazily slow and light in their movements. Each of the people would take turns on each level... I have GOT to find that and blog about it. Anyway, I was the low impact girl. 

After the open house we stopped at F's house for a delicious lunch and some play time with Madeline's buddy, B.  It is always fun to visit with them. 

Monday was a day of baking. I made homemade chicken vegetable soup in my crockpot; some carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting; and some delicious cheesy garlic biscuits.  Paul was surprised that dinner was actually ready when he got home. My family is really picky.  Paul ate all his soup - at least I thought he did.  Until I looked in his bowl when I was cleaning up dinner and found about 20 pieces of celery.  Mads?  She just ate some chicken.  eeesh.  Abigail enjoyed the carrots and potatoes.  Of course they all loved the cupcakes and biscuits because who doesn't like cupcakes and biscuits?