Helaina has a new cousin!

This morning Helaina's new cousin, Baby Anna, was born. We're very excited about her arrival and can't wait to get our hands on her. "Aunt Berta" will be visiting the hospital tonight but Helaina will probably wait until the new family goes home (much to her disappointment). Instead of flowers for the new Mommy at this point in time, I decided to bring a "welcome baby" decorated cookie to the hospital tonight to celebrate Anna's birthday. Check out the little pink feet decoration! Pictures of Helaina's new playmate to be posted soon.

Update! Here she is - positively the cutest little bundle of baby ever and she looks just like her Mommy did when she was a baby. Anna's got more dark, wavy hair per square inch than Helaina!!! What is it about babies that makes you cry the first time you hold them?

She makes me laugh even when she's asleep.

While Helaina was still asleep this morning I went into the garage to toss some trash and saw this.

She had safely buckled her Panda into the passenger side of her Barbie Jeep! I chuckled at the sight.

Later I walked through the living room and saw this.

She's apparently taken up interior decorating now by placing her red ball into one of my knick knacks. She knows that touching these things are a no-no but I guess she thinks sprucing them up a bit is ok. This little girl melts my heart on a daily basis.

What comes at the end of a 4-day weekend with Helaina?

This!

Daddy had a 4-day weekend for Memorial Day so it was go go go with Helaina and we were exhausted exhausted exhausted after all was said and done. We have always believed that adopting a toddler at our age would either kill us or make us younger - jury's still out on that one. She kicks our butts just about every day with her non-stop energy. We crammed a lot of stuff into 4 days and here are a few highlights.

Ft. Rickey "discovery zoo", where there are animals to feed, pet and get up-close and personal with. Feeding the deer was a big hit.

I think this donkey wanted a little smooch.

Superman style down the slide, of course.

Helaina made her way through the giant ball crawl, the web of ladders and countless tunnels to get down the giant curvy slide - she did this about 20 times. Her motto: "One more time, Daddy."

What's a long weekend without an ice cream cone?

A day at Green Lakes was also on the agenda. The water was very cold and the sun didn't come out until after lunchtime, but that didn't stop Helaina from charging into the icy water full throttle. Daddy reluctantly had to go into the water above his ankles - I only went in up to my knees. Very chilly this early in the year. There were only a handful of kids in the water up to their necks, and Helaina was one of them. The water temp didn't bother her in the least.

Splattered with mud because she dug a big hole in the sand, filled it with water and plopped herself in it and played.

Of course when it was time to go she didn't want any part of that.

Helaina can't get enough water play so the Pablo sprinkler came out this weekend too.

Take a look at those thighs!!! I think that's where her macaroni and meatballs go!

Daddy's boat is in the driveway now so Helaina helped him get it ready to go in the water.

We ended the long weekend with a cook-out at Uncle Jack's house Monday evening. Helaina should have been exhausted by then but she kept going and going and going - she's our little Energizer Bunny.

Happy Anniversary to Mommy and Daddy

Five years ago today I finally got Jim to the altar (well, technically the Justice of Peace). Some thought it would never happen (including me), but it did. It took 6 months of planning, almost to the day, from engagement to nuptuals. About a month before the wedding Jim had his first bout with gout (yikes) and could barely walk. My girlfriends teased that they would wheel him down the aisle in a wheelchair if they had to (and they weren't kidding). About 2 weeks before the wedding his back went out. Again the girlfriends came through stating they would roll him down the aisle on a stretcher if necessary (and again, they weren't kidding). Then it was my turn - a week before the wedding I got a terrible cold that turned into a cough that turned into no voice at all. I was willing to write "I do" on a piece of paper and flash it to the Judge on our wedding day if I had no voice. I over-medicated myself to the point of nausea with every over-the-counter medication available thinking a doctor wouldn't give me drugs for the common cold anyway. We were to be married on a Friday evening and that Wednesday morning I was woken up at 4am with a piercing pain in my ear that felt like a knife was jabbing it. I made an appointment to see my doctor first thing that morning. Diagnosis: ear infection. Upon hearing that I completely broke down, explaining to him through tears and sobs "I'm getting married in 3 days and going on a Caribbean cruise, please help me!" I was given a 3-day pack of strong magic pink pills that he said would have me feeling better by the next day. Tempted as I was to take all 3 at once, I resisted. He was right - I felt better on Thursday and took my last magic pink pill the morning of the wedding. Miraculously we were both healthy by 6pm on Friday, May 21, 2004, but I will admit my "I do" was still a bit raspy. My motto this year: Five years and a million tears (mine, of course). Wouldn't change a minute of anything. Here's to lots more.

Dinner out at a near-by Mexican restaurant. I had a raspberry frozen drink, Jim had Mexican beer and Josh had a salt-rimmed tequila drink. Helaina couldn't understand why she couldn't have any of my raspberry "slushie".

When Helaina started getting antsy I gave her the camera. Below are 2 of her photos. Surprise, Daddy!

We opened gifts afterwards at home and Daddy's gifts trumped Mommy's gifts, as usual. He broke the "no more jewelry" rule. When I mentioned that, he told me "Rules are meant to be broken." Hmmm. This time I got a silver locket that opens to put 2 tiny pictures inside and it's engraved so he made sure I can't return it. The back of the locket says "WOW, 5 years". He also had the plaque in the picture below made at a local woodworking place. So thoughtful, as usual. Helaina and I are 2 very lucky gals.


It was still warm outside after gift opening so Helaina decided to take a dunk in her pool. Ice cold water doesn't bother her in the least. She is so funny to watch. Jim and I just sit back and laugh at her antics.

When we say she's insane on the playground ...

... we mean it! These are some pics from the weekend (before the dental nightmare) at Helaina's favorite playground. She starts sqealing with delight, clapping and kicking in her carseat as soon as we turn into the parking lot. Her feet hit the ground running and they don't stop until we leave.

Hanging from the bar over the slide is a necessity EVERY time she goes down it. Check out the look on her face.

This slide bumps her fanny on the way down and she thinks it's a hoot.

She's just nuts.

Oh yah, why not go down backwards. She also likes to slide down superman style, although I discourage it because anything head-first with this kid panics me (with that million dollar mouth of hers).

Our road warrior ready to pedal faster than the speed of light. We have to run to keep up with her. "Helaina slow down!" can be heard throughout the park.

Daddy had her weaving in and out of these poles. She maneuvered like a pro.

Dental update: Helaina recovered from a her day of dental work amazingly. By dinnertime the same day after just 2 doses of tylenol and something to eat, she was feeling much better. By 7:00pm we were yelling at her to stop running through the house. She still has a puffy lip, some tenderness at the extraction sites and absolutely despises the taste of the dental rinse she has to use twice daily, but other than that it's business as usual. I hope she really does have "nitrous amnesia" like Dr. Scott said she would - because I surely don't.

Ah hoy, what's in that purple treasure chest?

Well, 2 of Helaina's teeth, of course.

Today was a torture for us all, but most of all for Helaina. We had our 2nd dental appointment with "Dr. Scott" who had to "wiggle out" 2 of Helaina's extra teeth (yup, 2 extra teeth on top), because they were decayed beyond repair. Apparently Helaina has an "aggressive bacteria" in her mouth that's causing decay so we now have a prescription rinse she has to use to try and kill these nasties off. Teriffic. She also had several restorations done (which I guess is the new word for cavities!) and one baby tooth crowned because it was also beyond repair and in danger of becoming brittle and infected. After 50 minutes of dental work, strawberry scented nitrous oxide, a papoose-style restraint for our little kicking queen and enough sweat out of Helaina to fill her elephant pool, our daughter was finished with her torture and we were allowed back in the room of doom. She was being weaned off the nitrous so she was a bit combative (ya think?) and very anxious to jump ship. She had already bitten one of the dental assistants once (by accident?, geez I hope) as she was applying gauze and having Helaina bite down on them to control bleeding. Dr. Scott said that she did very well and was under the influence of the nitrous for most of the procedure (we told him right off the bat that we didn't want him to continue working on Helaina if the nitrous didn't take hold, which it doesn't with some kids). It was a lot of work to do in one appointment but we preferred him to finish it all at once rather than come back for another round of torture, and he agreed. 7 teeth worked on in 50 minutes - good job, Dr. Scott!

Our exhausted darling on the ride home. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep from the traumatic experience.

Helaina resting on the couch at home (with yet another fat lip) waiting for her mouth to "wake up". We told her that the tingly feeling (from the novacaine) meant that her mouth was asleep!

It was an exhausting day for all. My nervousness started last Friday and continued through the weekend in the form of headaches, sleepless nights (not unusual for me) and stomach distress. Tremendously glad it's over. And kudos to my poor husband Jim. He had 2 hysterical, crying females to deal with most of the day. Word of advice to him - get used to it.

Mother's Day Fun

Mother's Day was more fun this year than last. Last year on Mother's Day we had been home from the hospital (for Helaina's palate repair) for only 2 days - her face was still swollen, lips were cracked and she was in a lot of pain with over 100 stitches in her palate. I was still tired from "sleeping" in an uncomfortable chair next to her bedside for 3 nights. After breakfast Sunday morning, Jim and I were discussing what to do for part of the day and the zoo came up. We were hesitant because it was cold and windy, but as soon as Helaina heard us talking about the zoo, that was it - no turning back. Last weekend I thought it was safe to put away her heavier coats, hats and gloves - had to go to the basement and get them back out. Silly me, guess I forgot we live in Central New York.

Daddy helped Helaina wrap one of my presents. Nothing like decorated brown wrapping paper with crayon scribbles to warm a Mommy's heart.

Nothing says "Luv you Mommy" like a new crockpot (Daddy had an ulterior motive with this gift). I realized a few months ago that the crockpot I have was purchased in the early 1980's. Even though it still works, guess it's time to retire it. Never knew the life expectancy of a crockpot was 27+ years. Also among my gifts was an elephant charm for one of my bracelets.

Penguin photo op at the zoo.

Helaina's newest word is flamingo, or as she says "plamingo" with a huge emphasis on the "ming"! Since we're working on the "f" sound in speech therapy, it's perfect for practicing. We got to see Indy the elephant from afar - too bad Siri wasn't out for us to get up close with. Helaina said Siri was taking a "bath bath bath".

It was feeding time for some of the animals and we caught the bears munching on carrots. This red panda scratching himself was funny.

Our fearless daughter at first took some coaxing to get near the stone tiger. It does have a fierce-looking face. Of course she had to give it a kiss when it was time to go.

Daddy had made a dinner reservation at our favorite Chinese restaurant, the Bamboo Garden. Helaina always enjoys her tea with "sugah" and dunking the fried noodles in duck sauce.