Wild Kingdom

What do you think it is?

Pet catepillars of course!

Not one but two! And then we added 4 more! (not pictured)

Lillianna loves them!

No surprise there.

She picked them up, set them down, picked them up, watched up, laughed at them, talked to them, and spent a very long time picking out goodies for their home.

Antoher day we found a another fun pet...

Can you spot him? A little frog.

He's still with us but today we are having a "release party"!

Lillianna loved showing him to Ellenie.

Ellenie would pretend she really wanted to see him....but then would take 3 steps back.

Lillianna sure does love her little friends.

Ellenie is so lucky to have such a brave, bug loving big sis!

Extra! Extra!

A first time can only happen once.

Once.

So it's a very precious moment.

First breath...First steps...First...

drink from a straw!

That's right folks, Ellenie has entered a land full with the opportunity of fountain drinks and sweet tea. It was a lesson of necessity when the sippy cup was forgotten 30 miles away and this was the best the restaurant had to offer. Best part? Dandy and Wil were there to witness this historic event.

She was so proud!

Uh Mom, don't forget about me!

We had a wonderful visit with Dandy and Wil -

full of treasure hunts, flower picking, Easter suprises, Tea parties,

long talks, basketball, and lots of laughter!

Thanks for the great visit!

Oh by the way, I can't find Lillianna anywhere since you left...

Has anyone see her?

Family, friends, and Faux pas

Another day...another slide...

Another tunnel...another park...oh not just any where...

We are at a park with Mr. Connor, our newest favoritist baby cousin.
He wanted to play Peek-A-Boo

He's so adorable and his Mommy and Daddy are doing such a fantastic job!

Speaking of his Daddy, our trip to Nashville also included a major first...

Lillianna had her first trip to the Dentist! The best part? It was her Pediatric Dentist Uncle!
His new office is incredible and his service is superb!
Lillianna left with rave reviews about her chompers.


Ellenie borrowed Lillianna's shades and watched with great pride
as her sister got her pearly whites cleaned.


No trip to the Yezerski's would be complete without spending time with Cousin Poly.
He's a great (though often jealous) big brother.

Love you little Buddy!

We also got to stop through Decatur since it really is the shortest route form our house to my sisters. It was so great to have a great, much too quick, visit with old friends.

It was a very fun trip!

A much needed trip full of fun with my sister and getting to see the beautiful Mom she is to Connor. A much needed trip to see friends, for my girls to see their friends, to smile and laugh alot.

Now, it was not a much needed trip in the car. Ellenie is still a bit of a handful, whining or crying if she's awake. But I tried to be over prepared...I not sit a large, empty diaper box stocked full with snacks, bowls to put the snacks in, pacis, small toys, juice cups, books, blankies, and more that I can pass back to her. Lillianna also helps me out by singing songs to Ellenie, sharing her blankies with her, and trying to pass her other goodies as well. What a sweet sis. Recently, Brad was home so I gave Lillianna the choice of both girls going to run errands or just Lillianna going with me and her response was, "Uh, I think just me because Ellenie will cry since she does not like being in the car and so probably just me." And while I'm on the issue of tough travels...traveling as a single parent (Brad has been out of town for a couple of weeks)...is hard. Especially when your 1 yr. old colors on your sisters new couch with a ball point pen...or when your 3 yr. old has a rare and totally preventable pee pee accident on her new hard wood floors...or when you leave your car window open during 12 hours of rain and have to take those impossible car seat covers off and then put them back on...or when your one yr. old poops in the bath tub for the first time...or when...oh let's just say I am very thankful for my other parent! It's so much easier to share this wonderfully challenging, incredibly rewarding but overwhelming job of parenting with my dear husband. I'm so glad he's home!

Sisters

Everyday brings a new depth to the relationship between Lillianna and Ellenie.

Of course, some melt my heart and make me smile. Lillianna loves to help her little sister do lots of things and certainly teaches her alot. Most of the time, she is working on Ellenie's manners. Ellenie also loves her sister greatly although she doesn't always love the lessons Lillianna is teaching.

I love the way they look at the eachother.

Lillianna looks at Ellenie with such love, compassion, and pride.

Ellenie looks at Lillianna with great admiration, amazement, and love.

Before Ellenie was born, many people told me that she would always be entertained by he older sister. While that's true, it's often Ellenie that makes Lillianna laugh so hard. And Ellenie loves it and continues to do whatever she can to make Lillianna laugh. In the last couple of weeks a nightly routine has started that makes us all laugh. When they get out of bath, they stand at the side of the tub, thoroughly entertained as they watch the water drain...watching the "tornadoes" form in the drain. Well, one night Ellenie was bored with that and walked off with her finger in her belly button. Lillianna started laughing and said, "Ellenie says, 'I got my bottom and my belly button and I'm outta here'." Lillianna couldn't stop laughing and didn't stop repeating the sentence. over and over. Then Ellenie realized she was laughing and talking about her so she pranced back in and then back out again. Now every night, every night single night, Ellenie can't wait to get dried off so she can take a few steps, turn around and wait for Lillianna to say, "I got my bottom and my belly button and I'm outta here."

In other news...

Belle and Cinderella moved into a new penthouse castle condo.

Spring Break 2009

What started as a slow, rainy week turned into a fun, busy, beautiful week.

Watching the rain and wondering what we were going to find to do all day....

Ellenie found her belly button to play with...

and then they both found a great place to hide from Mom.

Then the Millers stopped on their way to the beach and we had a super duper slumber party!

Bentley, Ellenie, Leah, Ella, Lillianna, & Daisy enjoyed fruit snacks and Dumbo.

Then oldest and wisest cousin Ella read bedtime stories. So sweet!

It was very quiet once the Millers were gone so we hunted for more fun things to do...

Lillianna decided to fill many vases with beautiful flowers she picked herself.

We also had picnics...with Ladybugs (seen in the bowl) and sang Ladybug Picnic over and over.


Cheers!

Ellenie picked her own version of bouqets as well.


A week full of light and love!

Career Goals

L: Can we have a pet horse?

Me: Um, horses are very expensive and they need a very big area to run and so...etc.

L: Well, when I grow up and when I'm an ice-skater girl, I want to have a pet horse.

Me: That sounds great!

L: And then I want to be a Princess Ballerina Cowgirl too.

A good time.

The most color coordinated sisters dressed by the most oblivious Mom.

Being silly at the park.

Her best supermodel baby pose she could come up with.

The Parsons Track Meet : Lillianna won the 400 meters (she really ran the entire track at once) while Ellenie took top prize in the 25 meters.

Running and picking flowers.

Next to hosting tea parties, they are her favorite things to do.

Practicing for the high dive in upcoming months.

She chased this poor, old, tired Robin (barely seen at right of pic - looks like a leaf) around until it flew to a low branch, sat, panted, then squawked at her. She asked it nicely to come back down at play, then stomped her feet, then started to cry. They never did compromise.