My Birthday Weekend and Father’s Day

Saturday was my birthday and it was a great day!

After a leisurely morning, we went for a little hike behind city hall. Someone left a stroller in the parking lot:

Fiona looking cute:

A lot has changed on this trail since the first time we were on it. For one, it seems like it was smoothed out and made wheelchair accessible. It’s smooth enough to write on:

 

Do NOT go gentle in that GOONIGHT. Not sure if you want to go into the “goonight” at all. Sounds kind of sticky.

Lots of plants and rock-wall reinforcement:

 

 

Met a lizard on the way down:

  

It was a pleasant little hike. We almost made it to the end, but turned around because a certain someone was getting hungry. We had lunch downtown and ran into a good friend who joined us. Then we went to the supermarket. It’s been transformed because it was sold to another company. Wasn’t really that different. Odd to be there on the weekend because I’m used to going in the morning during the week. We went out to dinner with my parents, uncle, and cousin.

Fiona fell asleep on the way to the restaurant:

Hand in bowl. Some things never change (note the hand in the food bag):

Dinner was pleasant but the service was really slow. What should have taken a little more than an hour, if that, took over two hours.

Here is a picture of Victoria sleeping on her side:

She slept through part of dinner too. Her solids are going well. We can add apple sauce, zucchini, nectarine, parsnip, and rutabaga to the list of things she’ll eat. Although, she wasn’t totally thrilled with the nectarine. I think it had a weird consistency for her.

Father’s Day was quiet. We weeded the garden while playing “Paw Patrol” and hiding little treasures for Fiona to find while she was digging up grass. Then we bought a mattress for Victoria’s soon-to-be-assembled crib and some other baby stuff, and a new vacuum. My dad visited and I gave him a mug that says “I [heart] Grandpa” with pictures of him with Fiona and Victoria. John received a mug with family photos that says “Our Family” and they both got key-chains with pictures of the girls. John and Fiona got haircuts.

And I got to take that illusive middle of the day nap for once:

Miscellaneous and Fiona’s 5 Year Check-Up

My lovelies in a giant playpen at my mom’s house:

Fiona hopped in with Victoria and Victoria loves it.

Victoria sleeping in the car, looking like she is thinking “Oy Vey.”

 

Look who’s sitting up:

My mom feeding Victoria:

 

An odd lemon from our tree:

She really is too big for one of these:

True story: One morning Victoria was being really fussy and wouldn’t stop crying unless John held her on his head like in this picture:

I think it’s a sign she is definitely a member of this family.

Fiona got this handy organizer for her art supplies:

She decided to use it only for crayons, organizing them by color. The brown cup is supposed to be for scissors.

Here is Victoria playing with some of her favorite toys, the plastic shapes from the sorter.

Victoria really gets around. How did she get so far away?

 

I can’t leave that girl anywhere! But seriously, she rolled pretty far away. She is trying to crawl, but she can’t coordinate her arms and legs to do it, so she either pushes herself backward, or gets nowhere after a lot of effort. It is very frustrating for her. She also babbles like crazy and I love it! I really need to record it before she stops or learns some words. I think it’s the cutest thing. If I am talking to someone, particularly if I am speaking loudly or the conversation is heated, she interjects with these loud babbly pronouncements. It’s really funny and I think she’s trying to be part of the conversation. Aye. I always wish I had a camera after. She is also very intentional with everything she plays with, but again, no video to show what I mean.

Here she is with my dad on the grass (Fiona playing off camera while I deal with plumbers):

 

He had to have his arm out to prevent her from rolling away on the grass. It’s not that we care if she is on the grass, but she will eat the grass if it comes in contact with her hand, and we don’t want her to eat the grass.

He was really “on the ball” on this one!

Fiona, eating oranges with my dad:

  

When Victoria goes to sleep, lately, she curls up on her side. I haven’t got a photo of that, just this one:

 

Here are Fiona and Victoria in a shopping cart together:

It was Victoria’s first time in a shopping cart and she seemed to enjoy it. She really likes looking around and being part of the action, so I think we’ll do this whenever possible from now on.

Fiona had her five year check-up this week. She weighed 36 pounds (that’s almost 25th percentile) and was 42 inches tall. She might actually be taller than that because she was slouching a little. Anyway, she’s come a long way from being in the 3rd and 10th percentiles for weight and height. The doctor said “she looks like a million bucks” and is definitely ready for kindergarten. We had to go to a lab to draw blood to test her iron and hemoglobin and some other stuff (I told him how tired she says she is lately and about the fevers she was having this winter). Let me tell you, Fiona was amazing! She sat on my lap, held out her arm, didn’t squirm, didn’t cry, didn’t even complain. She watched the whole time. It was all over very quickly. Sadly, there were no cute band-aids, just the usual gauze and tape. She didn’t want to take the tape off because she wanted to show her dad, who was away for the night. I convinced her to take it off after he bath but took pictures for her:

 

The red spot on her arm is the vestige of a temporary tattoo. She said she can’t wait to be old enough to get a real tattoo like I have (and like Kendra and Ben and Grandma have). I told her when she is 18 years old and legal adult, then she can get a tattoo, but not before. Sigh, my little 31 week preemie kiddo is turning into quite the big girl. I still can’t resist that face. I think with two of them now, I’m toast. A kiss goodnight and my heart melts.