{My Girls}

A quick post with a picture of my little ladies...

I cut Lexi's hair this week. It was her first real cut, and I had planned to have a friend cut it for us... but Lexi asked me to cut it and I didn't want her to get nervous about it, so I did it right then and there and I LOVE IT! Its great for her, too... but makes her look so grown up.

Abbi & Millie are getting too big, as well. Such a great picture of my three little ladies.

Childhood Dreams and Ambition...

One day, a long, long time from now, someone will ask Abbi, "What did you want to be when you were younger?" Her responses will vary... mermaid, princess, dance instructor, ballerina, singer, and now, figure skater. At the age of 4 (almost 5!) she is taking the opportunity to sample every activity we offer. What a courageous and smart girl...

So, after watching a Disney movie about a figure skater turned hockey player, she decided she wanted to try to skate. Her first attempt was in stocking feet on our laminate floors. Not achieving the results she had hoped for, she asked me if she could learn to skate... and of course, I said yes. I want my girls to have the opportunity to follow their dreams, and I want them to learn to dream at a young age.

Tonight was Abbi's first night in SnowPlow Sam... just minutes after I laced up her single blade rental skates, she was walking across the floor as if she had her favorite beat up flip-flops on! Another mom asked me what her level of experience was midway through the class. When I explained this was Abbi's first time on skates, the other mom was astonished! She told me that most kids she has seen in her 2 1/2 years as a skating mom hold onto the teacher well into their third class. Abbi held the teacher's hand from time to time, but set out on her own. Even at the end of class, when given practice time, Abbi remained on the ice alone... marching and gliding and, of course, practicing her falls.

What can I say? I am so amazed and proud of my daughter. She's such a wonderful girl and I love seeing the world through her eyes... new experiences to be tamed. Nothing too scary to attempt. "I can do anything" attitude. I hope she never loses this spark, no matter which activity she ultimately chooses!

Another first... Rice Cereal!

It is so hard for me to comprehend how quickly Millie's first year is passing us by. Time sped up a bit more on Wednesday when our family doctor suggested that we try her on rice cereal, provided she shows interest. Well, she's been watching us eat with great interest for some time, so I decided to give it a go. Upon picking up a box of the cereal at Wal-Mart, Millie put a hand on the box... knowing... possessive of her new food. She was excited when we sat at the dinner table with a bowl of the thin white paste. And she LOVED it. Unlike my older girls, she didn't spit it out or have difficulty moving the food to the back of her mouth to swallow. She ate it in minutes, crying for more and grasping the spoon when the bowl was empty. She's such a fun baby, which makes her growing so quickly easier to handle.

Her development has amazed me. Her personality amuses me. She's a wonderful baby and has truly completed this family.

Tomorrow, we have another first. Abbi has decided she wants to try ice skating! So, we will be joining the skate school at the Leafs Ice Centre. Pictures will be posted as soon as possible!

First Day of School!!

Where has time gone?! It seems just yesterday, we were finally bringing Abbi home from the hospital...and today we brought her to her first day of pre-kindergarten! She was so excited, as was I. Lexi was sad... her favorite playmate was gone!

Abbi greeted me this morning in only her panties, ready to jump in the shower... and surprisingly, her enthusiasm never wavered. I helped her into her classroom and then asked, "Are you ready for me to leave?" and she said, "Yup!" I was so proud of her.

The only sore point of the day was after we picked Abbi up, while walking to the car we were nearly run over as the mom of a schoolmate backed out of her parking spot. Not a good way for that mom to make new friends!

In other news, Millie is 4 months old!!! Yay!

Many more pictures to come... its been a hectic, fun summer.

The CHEESEBURGER!

We watch a lot of the Food Network (my personal fave is Guy Fieri...) One day last month I watched Sunny Anderson's "Cooking For Real". She made her take on a bacon cheeseburger and I was hooked! I made them last week and Russ is already begging me to make them again. I had my brother and mom drooling over the description of them... and you know me, the photographer... I even took a picture. So, here it is, and I'm even going to share how to make them... let me know if you try!

I started with 2 lbs of 85% ground beef, which I seasoned with garlic salt, ground pepper and a dash of worcestershire sauce. I mixed it up and formed 8 large, but thin, patties and set them aside.

I diced up 8 slices of bacon and sauteed them. Russ said he would have prefered the bacon to be crispier, but I prefer mine soft. After removing the bacon from the pan (put on a plate lined with paper towel), I sauteed 1/2 small yellow onion in the bacon fat.

The cooked onions joined the bacon on the plate and cooled for a few minutes. I then mixed in 1 cup shredded cheddar and put a little mound of the mixture on 4 of the hamburger patties. The 4 remaining patties were used to top the loaded patty. I pinched the sides so everything wouldn't ooze out and threw them on the grill!!!

They were AMAZING. Very tasty! And unlike a regular bacon cheeseburger, where the bacon all falls out after the first bite, each bite had a bit of bacon, onion and cheese! YUM. My mouth is watering just typing this!!!

Here's the finished product!!! (Excuse the poor picture quality... I was more interested in quickly documenting - then eating - the burger!)

Major Milestones: First Dental Appointments and NO MORE PACIFIER!!!

I know Abbi should have been to the dentist some time in the last 30 months. I KNOW that... but its one of the things that keeps getting pushed to the back burner. I asked for recommendations, but no one LIKES their dentist...well, except for our family doctor... but that dentist doesn't take our insurance. Anyway, excuses, excuses...

So, today they went for the first time. I talked it up big time... how exciting it would be! how great their teeth would look and feel! The new toothbrushes they'd get! (plus, I bought them each a new brush and new paste) Surprisingly, they were both pumped up for it! Not nervous at all... Well, Abbi was a *little* nervous, but not so much that Lexi caught on.

Abbi was the first in the chair. Sat in there alone for x-rays like a pro. Let the dentist poke and prod her teeth and enjoyed the cleaning. Even did okay for the flouride treatment! I was so proud... Then, it was Lexi's turn. She almost JUMPED into the chair. She tried to cooperate for x-rays, but we know Lou... she's TINY. And she has a tiny mouth, too! The x-ray slides wouldn't stay in her mouth! Then the dentist came in to look at her teeth and she said to him, "I see the dentist! He looks at my teeth." The dentist chuckled... probably not the reaction he's used to from a 2 year old. She even sat through the full 60 seconds of flouride, despite the hygenist telling me she probably wouldn't be able to. SO PROUD!

Afterwards, they picked out their presents from the gift chest and talked about how FUN the dentist was. I was amazed.

In related news... Lexi has kicked her paci habit. On a whim, I asked her on Monday to give me her pacifier to give to Millie... and I told her, if she gave it to me, I'd buy her a present. She said she wanted a toy and a snack. Okay! Since then, she's asked for her pacifier 3 times - twice when she fell and one day when she was really sleepy. But, each time, I've reminded her that she gave it to me and that we'll be buying a toy for her. Once, she said, "I want it back," and I replied, "I don't know where it is." She listed some usual places, "Ummmmm...how about the table? how about your hand? how about the diaper bag?" And when I said I couldn't get it, she dropped the subject. This was actually MUCH easier than I'd expected and we'll be buying her a new Princess Presto doll tomorrow (from a current fave, "Super Why").

So, here are pictures from today's dentist visit.... Unfortunately, I won't be able to document Russ' visit tomorrow... his first in years. My visit is a week from tomorrow, and I'm hoping to go into it with the same enthusiasm as the girls!

More pics from vacation

I couldn't load all my slideshows into the previous post, so here are the rest...