Ugh. I missed an orthodontist appointment for Dorothy today and it made me realize that I do not have my shit together when it comes to orientation to dates and time. And plus also, I have too many balls in the air right now. It's almost FALL and going to the OFFICE time again, which means more balls. WHICH MEANS: time to get it together.

Today while Dorothy was at dance class (she is trying out for the dance team and now has FIVE CLASSES A WEEK until the end of summer), I spent an hour with my calendar and my planner, and I think I have a better idea of what is happening when. Also, I realized that I need to spend time with my planner AND digital calendar every night. Probably I should spend like 45 minutes with my computer after Minnie goes to bed-- something I am loathe to do-- because I get so little thinking time throughout the day.

Something else that is helping me: Lunchtime acupuncture:

Minnie explored her first blanket fort

She also loves to throw anything she can reach out the fridge-- so helpful

Ben is such a Harry Potter fan that he wears Harry Potter glasses while he reads to the kids.

 

Water ballet

 At the beginning of the summer, the water ballet show seemed SO FAR AWAY. But! It was tonight! And the summer is ALMOST OVER (not really-- I think we still have more in front of us than behind us, but it goes so fast from here).

Dorothy made me email the pool manger before the pool even opened because she could not live with the suspense of not knowing if water ballet was back or not. She missed it terribly last summer. Tonight was as fun as she thought it would be with an adorable costume, lots of makeup, cookies, and her friends.

Talking Minnie

The baby books (the google more like it) say Minnie should be able to follow simple directions like going to get her shoes when it is time to leave the house. THIS IS FALSE because we never leave the house and also SHE HAS NOT SHOES because she cannot walk and doesn't go anywhere.

But! She can follow the direction "brush your hair" and is very serious and handsome with her combover.

SHE IS BEN'S TWIN BABY.

I just loved this little scene. And think how great it would be NOT IN MY BATHROOM BUT IN THEIR OWN GD BATHROOM that no one uses.

Rabble rouser

All ready for school in end times. She insisted on shopping at Pottery Barn Teen because PB Kids is for babies.

Best sportsball mom shirt ever, I think we can all agree.

Dinner date with Jack! He picked the place and was totally cool with a SIXTY MINUTE WAIT for a patio table. I was ready to eat my own face.

He was SO ANNOYED when the waitress gave him a kid menu, but I immediately colored it.

And then he did the word search.

It was a little humid.

SO DELISH.

LOL at her little FACE. We went to the pool before nap, and she was READY FOR NAP

Last night, Jack and I got home a little late because we also went to the mall, and Minnie grabbed my face so I would look at her and rubbed her eyes and told me very clearly ALL DONE. She meant all done being awake, and it was darling.

Other things she says at 11 months:

Mama (not often)

Dada (all the gd time)

Dorothy

doggy (sounds like Dorothy; context is key)

Jack

hi 

yeah

up

nigh nigh (naps and also milk)

nanananana (no)

mine

more

I-did-it (all one word)

one (accompanied by one finger)

yum

all done

eye

hair

She is starting to put things together like "hi doggy" or "more yum." It's basically the cutest thing ever. 
 

11 Months Old!

 ALREADY?!?!

I have to tell you, she is every bit the delight she appears to be in these pictures, and we are the luckiest people in the world.

August is coming

Dorothy decided she didn't want to be on the dive team, so she's not. But that means she is at loose ends during dive meets which is sometimes, as you might imagine, A LOT. We have had 2 meets at public pools **gasp** and she has loved them because the pools were open for swimming during the meet. I have hated them because NO CHAIRS ON THE POOL DECK. Oh the humanity!

Jack and Coop had 2 meets last week, and they both won both, Jack has won 6 in a row and is having the most fun summer he can imagine.

THIS HANDSOME BABY IS THE SWEETEST.

Dorothy and Cooper are both loving swim team so much they might do winter swim team. I just love how cute Dorothy looks with a bun under a cap like a little Conehead.

The jazz hand! The clenched toes! I think she wanted my phone.

Santa baby:

All-City swim and dive is in 2 weeks, and then our summer opens up considerably which is to say we will have nothing to do the entire month of August. I am actually not looking forward to it because we have lovely quiet mornings with the kids at the pool until lunch time. This is the first summer ever, in fact, that the kids are at the pool more than I am.

I had big plans for Harry Potter summer school, but all we have done is plant a Venus flytrap and let Cooper try to germinate it in the Barbie pool (LOLz for days).

I manage one solid work day and then little frantic bursts and starts. Jack and I are both listening to audiobooks all day long. Ben is SO SO SO busy and I think looking forward to quiet days at home with the kids in school and even quieter days in his office. I am, toom.

But between that and now THERE IS AUGUST. **gulp**

 

Time flies

 You guys! I do not even know what the heck happened to my whole week. Um. I mean, I am teaching 2 summer school sections, and they are A LOT especially with a baby. I forgot how hard it is to work with a baby who is almost a toddler.

Another thing: Minnie had an ear infection-- did I tell you about that? Right before my brother came to town, we took her to the doctor just to check because she was teething and fussy and sleeping badly and bam! Ear infection. Luckily, she thought amoxicillin was delicious, and I used Gretchen Rubin's strategy of pairing to not miss any doses! For the first time in my entire motherhood career! I gave one with breakfast and one in the tub every single day for 10 days. And now she is also fussy again and her tooth is coming in, like horizontally sticking out of her top gum. Gah.

And then also, Big Brother started, so my evenings are suddenly much busier (LIVING THE DREAM).

Apropos of nothing: Minnie so looks like Baby Ben:

And speaking of Big Brother, Jack made ice cream pie for the premier:

Staycation Part 2

 I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING ALL NIGHT FOR THIS. Well, refresh no more.

One thing I forgot to mention: Minnie hates fireworks, even just teeny ones like tanks and pop its.

Also BOATS. After one cute picture, she cried and cried until Ben drove us both back to the dock and we got off, leaving the others to cruise the lake for 2 hours in the Buick Enclave of boats.

The rest of the people loved the boat.

Minnie DID enjoy ORDERING FOOD FROM A RESTAURANT and ate her whole order of scrambled eggs.

While Minnie napped, Dorothy played in this blow up pool

While everyone else went to the actual pool

Ben brought the girls when Minnie woke up.

And that was it-- 5 days in a flash!