machtyn.com

Last Monday Gabi had her 2 year old check-up. It went very well, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Gabi didn’t need any shots. In fact she has 2 years before she needs to get any more shots. Unfortunately, that means that Rachel’s next appointment (4 year old check-up) is going to have shots. I’ve heard that it’s not going to be good.

Anyway, Gabi’s stats are as follows:
weight: 27.4 lbs. (50 – 75%)
height : 33.75 inches (25%) She’s a shorty.
head: 19 inches (50 – 75%)

Monday night we had Gabi’s family birthday party. It was a simple affair. The only picture I took was of her and Jeff’s dad who was reading her a story. I thought it was sweet, but the picture quality isn’t perfect.
We’ve finally started to see some improvement in the weather. At least we’ve seen the sun more frequently. We’re still getting rain, but it has come over the past couple of days as afternoon thunderstorms. My mental health is grateful for the improvement in the weather.

We’ve had these costumes for a couple of years now, and Rachel has often enjoyed putting one or the other on. Now, though, Gabi is almost big enough to fit in them, so it’s fun when they dress up together. Unfortunately Rachel is almost too big now, and she can barely fit in them. I don’t know where I’ll come up with another cute costume for her to wear next.

Laundry day, and I was folding clothes. The girls were excited to help, if you want to call it that. Rachel put on one of her daddy’s shirts, and Gabi put on his pajama pants.
Next they both climbed into a pair of my pajama shorts. They are so funny!
I finally remembered to take the better camera to Rachel’s swimming lesson yesterday.

It is hard to believe that Gabi is 2 years old today. But she is.

Because today is Sunday we did not do too much to celebrate. Her real birthday party is tomorrow. But we did have cupcakes and opened one present.

Also tomorrow is her 2 year old check-up.

Ready for church

Make a wish!

That was a good cupcake!

For her birthday, Gabi got a baseball tee with a bat and a ball. I have high hopes for her future athletic career.

Rachel took some swings too

Stay tuned for the continuation of Gabi’s birthday celebrations as well as results from her doctor’s appointment.

I wanted to write this yesterday, but blogger was having problems, so I couldn’t until today.

Yesterday I had an appointment to tune a piano at 9:30 in the morning, so I needed to get out of the house by 9:00. I was a little lazy, so I was trying to get everything ready kind of at the last minute. The girls were eating their breakfast when Rachel announced with some urgency that she had to use the potty. So I got her going in the right direction, and went into my room to get dressed myself. When I came back Rachel was still in the bathroom. Now the bathroom is a great place for Rachel to cause trouble so I decided to check on her. I said out loud “I’m going to see what Rachel is up to.” I heard some pattering feet, and I knew that I had better get up there and fast.

I went up to the bathroom door, and when I went to open it Rachel was blocking it, holding it closed so I couldn’t get in. I said “Rachel, what are you doing?” Rachel confessed “I need to cut my hair.”

Oh no! Please not that!

I pushed my way into the bathroom, and there was Rachel with the hair cutting scissors, sitting on the floor.

While Rachel did succeed in cutting some of her hair, fortunately it was done in such a way that I couldn’t even tell where she cut it from, but I could see the evidence on the floor, 3 locks of hair, about 3 inches long. It’s a good thing she has such a fabulous hair dresser who gave her a style that is so forgiving.

Rachel was so proud of herself. She said “I am so beautiful!” Well, I couldn’t argue with that, but I did tell her that she is not to cut her hair anymore.

Today was the Kentucky Derby. We had a Derby Party at my in-laws’ house. In keeping with tradition, we each drew the name of a horse in the Derby. Then we all have a horse (or 2) to cheer for. The winner gets a prize, the person who comes in 2nd gets a prize, the person who comes in 3rd gets a prize, and the person who comes in dead last gets a prize. Well, Gabi’s horse (Comma to the Top) came in dead last, but what was really funny is that Rachel’s horse (Watch Me Go) came in 2nd to last, mine (Twinspired) came in 3rd to last, and Jeff’s (Midnight Interlude) came in 4th to last. The four of us managed to get the last four horses. What are odds of that happening?

Just in case you missed the race, here it is:

We have had a pretty miserable spell of weather. Rain, severe weather, more rain, cold, more rain, more rain, more rain. Yesterday the rain finally gave way to sort of blue skies, but it was pretty cold. Today, though, it was a BEAUTIFUL day.

This afternoon we started by going for a bike ride.

Next we did some work in the back yard. I prepared my garden boxes and planted my tomato plants.

Jeff came home early (Derby Parade), and he helped finish the garden.

Then we got out the sprinkler for the girls to play in. It was maybe a little too cold for that, but they didn’t seem to mind.

Rachel started taking swimming lessons at the YMCA yesterday. She was in the group for children ages 3-5. Each child took a swimming test to place them at the appropriate level. Rachel really did a great job. She loves swimming. Okay, when it comes to listening and following directions maybe she wasn’t exactly perfect, but all things considered she did great.Sorry for the horrible pictures. My blackberry does not impress me with its camera. Next time I’ll bring my real camera (if I remember) and get some better pictures then.

Yesterday afternoon we went to Lexington to Jeff’s sister Trish’s house. The recently completed their basement, and they had a combined open house/birthday party for their daughter, for Brian (Jeff’s brother) and Amber (Brian’s wife), all of whom celebrate birthday’s within the same week. Anyway, the new basement is BEAUTIFUL. Rachel and Gabi had a really good time. They have a work-out room with a heavy punching bag. Rachel and Gabi enjoyed beating up on the punching bag.
A few more pictures: Last Monday on our way to piano lessons, Rachel fell asleep in the car.

At the home of our student, Gabi managed to acquire a red vine licorice. Her clown lips are evidence of her enjoyment.
That evening we went to Chuck E. Cheese for Brian’s birthday party. That was my first time ever going there. Rachel and Gabi both enjoyed it a lot, and Rachel professed her love for Chuck E. Cheese for the next few days.

Yesterday I took Scout to the groomer for a haircut. This was his first haircut since the end of last summer. His hair was getting very long, and I have to admit it was also getting pretty matted. What can I say, with toddlers around, the dog just doesn’t get the attention he used to. I haven’t hardly brushed him at all. For one thing, he doesn’t like it, and makes it kind of a hard job, and for another thing, I’ve been emotionally depleted with all of the rain. It is taking all of my energy away.

When I went in to pick Scout up in the late afternoon, the girl at the desk said “we couldn’t save his ears or his tail.” My first thought (which I did verbalize) was “what, did you have to amputate his ears and his tail?” Turns out all that meant was that they cut his hair totally short everywhere. They did leave some long hair on the end of his tail (which looks kind of silly, actually). I’m glad. I think he looks cute.

A week ago Wednesday Rachel and Gabi and I had the opportunity to go wading in a creek near by a friend’s house. It was pretty fun.

The next day after their naps I took the girls to a park. We brought Rachel’s bike so she could ride around the path.
Just as we were arriving a local field hockey team ran by us. Rachel said “hi,” but all of the girls ignored her. That made Rachel sad, so when a couple of ladies walked by Rachel said “nobody will play with me.” It was so tragic! Anyway, we proceeded around the bike path with Rachel riding her bike, me walking and Gabi alternating between walking and being carried. A little past the halfway point the field hockey team ran past us again, and Rachel again tried to get someone to say hi to her, but they didn’t.

As we nearly completed our circuit, we came across the field hockey team doing some callisthenics. Rachel boldly joined them and did lunges with them. She didn’t seem to be too much in their way, so I let her stay. Pretty soon Rachel started tagging along with the assistant coach, and she participated in quite a bit of the practice.

As the afternoon wore on I texted Jeff to find out what time he was planning on being home. By the time I had contacted him he had already been home for a half an hour. The girls did not seem inclined to want to leave, so Jeff picked up a bucket of chicken from KFC and joined us at the park.

After we ate and played some more we took the girls to the woods which had a creek running through it, so we had the chance to do some more wading in the creek. It was really a wonderful afternoon and evening.

I realized that we might spend a lot of time playing in the creek this summer, so I decided to buy the girls some water shoes to protect their little feet from the sharp rocks. On Friday we went to Walmart and bought some. I got some for me too. As we were on our way home Gabi fell asleep in the car. That is pretty unusual for her, so it should have given me a heads up, but it didn’t. Rachel fell asleep too, but for her that’s not as much of a surprise. Anyway, we went home and I put them down for their naps, and when they woke up I gave them lunch. Gabi didn’t eat much, which was a little unusual, although as she is approaching 2 years old she is getting a little more unpredictable. I still didn’t recognize any warning signs. After that we went to the house of a friend for the kids to play. While we were there I was holding Gabi, and before I knew it, she threw up all over me. And all over the dining room floor of my friend. We got her cleaned up, but she seemed okay. Rachel and my friend’s little boy were playing Hungry Hippo, and Gabi meandered around, occasionally being held by me, occasionally lying on the floor, occasionally playing. I was holding her again, and again she threw up all over me. I finally decided that we had caused enough havoc and mayhem at my friend’s house, so we packed up and went home.

I am happy to say that by the very next morning Gabi was totally fine again.

On Monday afternoon we headed back to the park again. This time we were armed with our water shoes, so we headed to the creek for some wading. Two mallard ducks swam past, so that was pretty fun. After a little while we decided to go for a walk. I don’t know how far we walked. That was our first exploration along those paths, but the girls walked for a solid hour. They were both pretty wiped out by the time we were done.

Aside from Gabi’s unfortunate emesis, it was a very nice week.

On Tuesday night we had some severe weather come through. After the fact I found out that 11 tornadoes touched down in the area (Kentuckiana). Fortunately, we came through the entire ordeal unscathed.

As it was approaching midnight we saw that there was a tornado warning for our county. We brought the girls out of their room (upstairs) and brought them into our room (downstairs) to ride out the storm. Rachel slept the entire time. Jeff carried her down to our room and she slept like a rock. He put her in our bed and she didn’t move. Gabi, on the other hand, was very upset to have her sleep disrupted. She refused to be held, and she flopped around on our bed, so much that I was getting worried that she would fall off the bed. She didn’t, but I worried. (That’s what I do.) At 1:00 the worst of the storm had passed, so we brought the girls back upstairs to their room. Gabi took a little while to settle back down, but pretty soon she was back asleep. Rachel slept as Jeff carried her to her room, but within 5 minutes she came back downstairs and said “Excuse me, I don’t have any room.” (Meaning she needed some room in our bed.) I was too tired to make her go back upstairs, so I let her climb in bed. I meant to wait until she fell back asleep, then take her to her room, but I fell asleep, so she spent the rest of the night in our bed.

The best news of all, we didn’t lose our power.