Gearing Up

We're gearing up here in the Vaagenes household.  A 5 day conference for Ian in San Francisco seemed like the perfect excuse for the girls and I to head north.  I've learned that I can't tell the girls too far ahead that there is a trip in the future.  They get WAY too excited and impatient.

Mama, is TODAY Friday YET?!?!?!
No Ainsley girl.  Today is Wednesday.  We have two more days until we go to Minnesota.
Oh man!  But I've been waiting and waiting and waiting!
Me too Ainsley girl, me too.


As usual this trip couldn't be coming at a better time.  I am still feeling a bit off since Ragnar, unable to run much thanks to this CRAZY heat wave we've been having, and trying to settle into a new routine with the girls has made for an anxious restless mama.  It's really ridiculous how much my sanity needs to run.  I can't tell you how excited I am for the mere 84 degree high tomorrow.  Wooo hooo!!!!

The upside to my flurried mind and antsy body is that the girls and I have gotten lots done.  We've found our new favorite splash pad park (and drove by yet another today that we MUST try tomorrow according to Ainsley), braved the pool without daddy for the the first time this season (and Louise only ran away towards the deep end once...success!), started packing and cleaning for our trip (I know I know, I'm surprised I wasn't packed two weeks ago too!), and have been making LOTS of presents for loved ones born in July.


I wish I could share more photos of what we've been up to but almost all of them involve gifts that have yet to be given.   I'll do a more detailed post on 2012, the year of the handmade gift! but suffice it to say it's going really really well (despite a few last minute late nights on my part thanks to sorry time management, surprise surprise right?).

In other news, the girls continue to be ridiculously cute.  If I thought they were buds last month, oh boy, they are bffs now.  They hug and kiss goodnight without prompting and Ainsley is the first one to hear Louise up and runs to go jump with her in her crib.  Louise plays pretend with Ainsley so well now and they are getting much better about taking turns/sharing, or at least asking before grabbing something.  They still sing in their nonsense unison daily and are never without some elaborate play plan (for instance this afternoon Ainsley has informed me that we will be sewing lamby some footy jammies to match hers and Louise piped in good idee Acey!) And on that note, oh the talking Louise is doing.  I kind of forgot about this phase where one minute you're sure your child has turned the speech corner and then you're wowed all over again the next day by all the new things they're saying.

New notable phrases ala Louise::
I'm tirsty mama!
Yuce peez! (or milk peez!)
No no Acey, take turns!
Mo mo books peez mama!


And yes, everything is said WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT!!!!  It's so fun to hear my girl's sweet little voice all day long.  Single clear words and long chatter chatter stories I can barely decipher.  She has so much to say.  Oh!  and that child draws elephants ALL DAY LONG.  They are clearly her favorite animal.

So we're pumped here and quite antsy.  Being cooped up in the ac most of the time isn't helping much.    Today I'm thankful for LOTS to do before our Friday am departure (even if it's aiding in my anxiety a bit), two happy loving girls, and a couple more evenings with my boy to bang out the last two episodes of boardwalk empire (can't wait!!!).

Happy Wednesday!