March 2015

It has been too long since I posted. And I have let the hope of going back and catching up keep me from posting, so realizing that I am just going to forge ahead though it may leave a gap. 

Things are good. 

We had a long cold winter with a pretty good many snow days and sledding etc. The daffodils have returned and we hope warmer weather is soon to follow.

The kids are just getting taller and taller

Chris and I were in Mexico in February for Meg's 40th celebration. It was really fun. 

Grammy was very nice to come and stay with the kids so we were able to relax and know everyone was having a good time. 

Recently the kids and I went to visit Lex, Todd, Quinn and Beckett in SC it was a lot of fun. 

Zaven completed another season of Cotillion. He seemed to enjoy it and Milla, Poppy and I got to go to the final dance. Zaven and I waltzed. It was fun. After we went to Waypoint for dinner (Chris was out of town for work) 

Nell had a great winter short course swim season with The Coast Guard Blue Dolphins. 

Esmé is busy and loves to read and play outside. She loves Mister. 

While Milla and Poppy were here we got planters and boxwoods for the front porch I am so pleased with how they turned out! We also planted our terrariums. Very fun. 

Esmé captured some of my Saturday activities- laundry! 

Christmas is coming

I have not been very good about posting lately. 

Everyone is doing well and we are staying busy. 

Nell has joined the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins Swim Team and had her first meet at the beginning of December. She swam really well and has been working hard at her hour and half long practices. 

The house was on the home tour. It was a busy time and we were glad Milla and Poppy were here with is. 

We were in DC for Thanksgiving and that was a blast. 

Nell turned 8 and we had an ice skating party. 

And now Christmas is coming so soon. 

Yesterday the girls and I walked over to Merchants Square to see the 30minute Christmas carol performance. On the way over we ran into Santa and he have the girls candy canes. 

Zaven and Cannon went and saw Santa and too a selfie with him earlier in the day. 

Big girl bed

A few days ago Esmé decided that she was done sleeping in a crib. It came up kind of out of the blue. But as we were driving to school we were talking about it and she was wondering when she could get a new bed. I told her "we have on in the garage for you, so it should not be a problem". It was quiet for a minute and she asked "am I going to be sleeping outside?"  I assured her that no, we would bring the bed into her room, she sounded pleased:) she is a sweet little spirit. 

Well when the bed was not in the room that night she was upset and did not want to sleep in the crib anymore. I convinced her to one more time, well she did, but then nap time came on Saturday and she wanted no part of her crib, she settled on the floor in Nell's room. Where she proceeded to have a 3.5 hour nap with her head on the hardwood floor- after refusing a pillow. Then that night, with the bed sill in the garage, she again slept on the floor in Nell's room. And again Sunday for Nap. But finally last night the bed was together and she got to sleep in her room in her sleigh bed. Still no pillow. But she was pleased. 

This might also be a good place to record a funny little fact about Esmé she says a lot of words as though they start with the letter "B" even when they don't. Garage is on of them. She also says "begether" for together. It is a very cute thing that I am sure she will outgrow quickly and I don't want to forget it. 

Sweet brother

Just a quick post to brag about Zaven. He is such a sweet boy, as I am sure you all know. 

But a few recent examples. 

Saturday night we had a new babysitter and Nell was spending the night out. So the sitter, Esmé and Zav went out to dinner and I guess Zaven was very sweet because the baby sitter described him as "the perfect brother". 

When we got home that night, not very late, Zaven was still awake and missing having Nell around at bedtime. He asked if her favorite stuffed animal could sleep with him. In the morning, same thing, still missing Nell. 

Now granted it was not 5 minutes from her arrival home that he was calling her an idiot, but....

Then he posted the cutest video of Nell skipping home after school. I noticed she was not carrying her back pack and asked where it was. He said "I carry it home for her everyday"

I love their close relationship and hope that it will be a part of their lives that brigs them strength and happiness. 

School 2014

I know I am so behind. But as I can grab a minute here and there I am going to try to post. Even if they are brief and late and potentially out of order!  The kids are back in school. Three different schools. Esmé is at the Montessori school and seems to really be liking it. She does her "work" and comes home quite tired. She knows quite a few kids in her class from church and has made some new friends. I am excited to see what she does there. 

Nell is in 2nd grade at Matthew Whaley. She does not have many friends from last year in her class, but I went for lunch the other day and there seemed to be a nice group of kids. Her teacher is Mrs Johnson and all is going well. 

Zaven started 6th grade, Middle School at Berkeley MS. He is really liking it and thinks the teachers are good. It is an early start to the day for him. 

Ballet Camp

Nell had a great week at ballet camp. We signed her up to fill the childcare gap, but I think it ended up being really fun. They did jazz, ballet and tap. There was a week-end performance and it was great. 

More posts to come to catch up from being out of the habit of posting, but so many fun summer memories that I want to document here 

May

We are going along great. 

We are staying busy. 

We just enjoyed a great Memorial Day weekend with the Duck in Norfolk, Zaven's birthday and Chris returning from England and stupid movie club and cookout at Kingspoint all part of the mix. 

Hard to believe that Zaven is 11. What a special sweet boy he is. It was fun with the days of the week matching up to the year he was born. I was able to start telling him his birth story of Thursday night, when I had gone in to be induced. I guess I could have started on May 16 with his due date! He was worth the wait!  

We had a great day Saturday. We got up early and went to Norfolk to see the giant rubber duck. It is a 40 foot art piece by Florentijn Hofman of the Netherlands. We had an easy ride down and fun posing with the duck. 

We then came back to the burg and went to the pool with the Oniells. Sadly it was a bit murky but the kids had fun. Then esme and I went home for her nap and I made Zaven's cake, Zaven went to the oniells to watch lacrosse and Nell and Kate went to the CW pool with Patty. That night we had Stupid movie club with the girls at the Masons and the boys at our house. The adults were at the Oniells for a cookout and ended up skipping the movie in favor if enjoying chatting and perfect weather. It was a really fun night. John and Kate spent the night and we woke up on Sunday and celebrated Zaven's birthday with bacon and French toast casserole.

 The kids and I went to church and then the brewer and John O and Meghan and esme and I went to the Richmond Flyibg Squirrels game. Nell stayed with Patty and Kate at the CW pool. The game was great. Zaven and Walker got to do a game between innings and had their names announced and they won some go kart tickets.

 There were lots of snacks and treats. It was a great day. We got back in town in time to pick up Nell and go get Chris from the church having returned from 10 days in England. He as a trooper and we all went to Plaza Azteca for Z's birthday dinner. Zaven wanted the staff to sing and they did. We went home and had a yummy cake. Chocolate cake with cherry icing. It turned out pretty well. 

Monday was Memorial Day and we were sorry to learn that the Kingspoint pool was closed. We spent the morning packing some boxes and then Zav was invited to te pool by Cannon and we were invited by the Oniells so we all went and had a great time. Esme has a new floaty thing and was able to jump in and swim around which delighted her. Then we headed to Kingspoint for a cookout. We all fell into bed exhausted!  A great weekend.