everything nicole

Tough Girls?

Randy took the girls to soccer yesterday & Gracie wanted to get something out of the car.  Randy told her to wait, so that he could go with her.  When she protested, he explained that it is his job to keep her safe, etc.  She replied, "Don't worry, Daddy.  If someone tried to take me, I'd kick 'em, bite 'em and lick 'em!"  Then Bridgie chimed in, "Yeah, and kick them in the nuts!"  Where do they come up with this stuff?  xoxo

Lullabies

Although I do not have much of a singing voice, a favorite part of bedtime around here is singing a song for each girl.  At least one if it's late and I'm tired, more if bedtime went smoothly.  I love this ritual because it's something my parents and grandparents did for me when I was little.  Songs like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Rock-a-Bye Baby, and You are my Sunshine are directly linked to my parents.  And Bye Bye Blackbird, Gonna Dance with the Dolly, and Mares Eat Oats contain some of my favorite memories of sleepovers at my Grandma's house.  

Like their stuffed animals, GracieGirl has her favorite song, while Bridgie chooses whichever suits her for the evening. Gracie usually requests Love You Forever and Lullaby.   In the past, I think I've done any combination of the above for Bridgie, but in the last 5 months she has narrowed it down to twofavorites: You are my Sunshine (because she is my sunshine) and Silent Night.  I guess I have never thought of Silent Night as a lullaby, but it is fitting!  xoxo 

 

Gracie Says

"Daddy, Bridgie listens to pretty much everything I tell her to do and nothing her parents tell her to do.  So maybe you should just tell me what you want her to do."  xoxo

Things I Wish for My Daughters

(A very partial work in progress)

• Bravery
• Strength
• Courage
• Compassion
• Love
• Laughter
• Comedy
• Knowledge
• Wonder
• Peace
• Work ethic
• Appreciation of sisterhood

To be continued. . .xoxo

All Banged Up

GracieGirl has been begging me for "hair straight across like Demi Lovato" ever since she saw Disney's Camp Rock.  Yes, it's my fault entirely for letting her watch the movie, but I was just excited to be able to watch a movie with her that didn't include rapping puppies. 
Last night during dinner Bridgie's hair was falling in her face & driving her crazy, so I grabbed my sizzors while Grace wasn't looking and cut some wispy bangs.  It took Gracie until this afternoon to notice that "Ohmygosh!  Bridgie has bangs!"  I needed to fix the quick cut I did the night before, so I agreed to give GracieGirl the much-adored bangs.  So, snip snip snip and. . .
. . .Too short.  I cut them too short.  But they should be pretty cute in a week or two.  Or three. 

xoxo
ps - cowlicks are a bitch. 

My Sweet Little Valentines

Dooce writes a monthly letter to her daughter Leta, who also recently turned five.  Although most of the blogging world has probably already read her most recent letter, I have to point it out.  What she writes so clearly explains how I feel about my beautiful daughters, and probably how most mothers feel about their children. 

You have changed so much since that first morning you spent with us, a morning that altered my life so drastically that sometimes it still feels like I'm catching my breath. I imagine that I won't ever stop feeling this way, won't ever stop having a portion of my brain dedicated to the thought of where you are and what you're doing, won't ever be able to escape the constant, nagging hope that you are happy and fulfilled. My pulse is forever closer to the surface of my neck because of you, because of my responsibility toward you, and I can't thank you enough for the dimension that this has added to what it means to be alive.

Motherhood.  It's one wild ride.  xoxo

Happy Halloween!

xoxo

Ppbbttt!!!

The two people who actually read this blog (my parents) have been giving me a hard time about not updating.  There was even talk of an anti-Nicole blog being started in protest. 
So, fine.  I'll stop playing with my hilariously-adorable toddler and her beautiful sister for a minute so I can update.  I'll ignore the ten thousand requests for more num-nums (Food!  Any food! More food!  Bridgie thinks this economic downturn is going to effect her food supply.  She may starve to death at any moment). But I'm just going to post pictures.  That way I can still betend to be a puppy.  I am the mother of all multitaskers. 
First we'll have my brother's wedding.  Pictures that I've been meaning to post for a month now.  Aren't they lovely?  

Then we'll move along to pictures from our last trip to the river.  We went to the same place where Bridgie broke her leg.  She only fell of bench and hit her head once!  Nothing broken this time! 

"Hahaha!  I went on the innertube really fastly!"

I would like to narrate more pictures, but Bridgie just bit GracieGirl for the first time ever.  Let the sibling rivalry begin.  You should feel guilty for making me post.  Every bicker between the girls from here on out will be all your fault (read: not mine)!  xoxo

Goggles

xoxo

I Got Hose

Xoxo