Happy Easter!

Below are pics from the Shoemaker Easter yesterday. The girls had their first piñata experience and honed their egg-hunting skills. Jackie said re piñata "I don't like that purple star. I tried and I tried [to hit it with a stick and break it]." Hilly freaked when I tried to take the stick from her, unsurprisingly. Both girls were exhausted from the day.

Also pictured are the baskets they woke up to this morning. I said to Jackie "happy Easter!" and she immediately said "Did the Easter bunny come?"

ER and eggs

Where to begin- 2 nights ago I changed H's diaper and let her down from changing table. She ran into our room, tripped on nothing, fell and got a goose egg. Since it was sticking out and she was acting normally- off to bed. That night, I fell down 4 steps- on my butt all the way and hard. I do this every pregnancy and believe me when I say it is an attractive sight. Still, have to call doctor to let them know. Since I still felt old Ben moving, no need for hospital. Yay.  Right after I fell, Jackie (who I thought was fast asleep) yelled, 'Mom!  Are you okay?'  So I went to show her I was okay.  And then the first thing she said the next morning was 'Was happened on the stairs last night?' and then she said to me, 'You have to walk SLOWLY.' and made me practice.  After I demonstrated slow walking down the stairs she said, 'Good job!'

Next morning we met friends at DCM- P along w Jax's old BFF, Will, and then some other randoms. En route, Jax said "Mom? I am going to be shy." The girls were good, but I had trouble sleeping since apparently falling down the steps can mess up your back and neck also, I was too tired to go to lunch and we left early. We got to take a long walk w J, though, which made the girls happy.

THEN while Jim and I were eating and talking, I didn't realize the girls were jumping on couch.... Until I heard that familiar sound of Hilly falling. Followed by a scream. Hilly hit her head on coffee table and there was an indentation. I wasn't messing around and immediately we headed to ER while waiting for doc to return my call. See pics of us in waiting room below. Jack was devastated and said crying as we were leaving "You're taking her to hops-pital? But I will miss Hilly!" Jim said she kept pointing out Hilly's pictures and toys while we were gone and wouldn't go to bed til we were home. Hill checked out fine and we came home. Every person we saw at the hospital couldn't help but comment on how adorable Hilly is- down to her little boots.. Can't argue w that. I thought they were going to call child services on me since they would point to her old goose egg and say, 'Is that where she fell?' And I had to respond, 'No... that is another bruise.  The bruise we are here for is the one on her temple.'  This kid is shaving YEARS off my life.  But she gives me the finest hugs I've ever known.

This morning we dyed eggs. They are our LGBT friendly eggs.

Also photo'd below is Jax helping Dada make cupcakes for the Shoemaker Easter. They each got to taste test. Lately, Jax has been calling us "Mom" and "Dad." It breaks Jim's heart, but I find it pretty cute.

Conferences, Bunny, First Pedi

This morning we woke up to Easter cards from Gma E. Jax's card contained a coloring page so we broke out the crayons.

Then Jackie's conference while the girls played in a room reserved for kids during the conf. Jackie as usual got rave reviews- she and P, her BFF, are together constantly. This makes me happy bc I love my BFFs. Girls rule. Bros before hos, Jax (or whatever the female equivalent is). Remember that!

We met our friends for lunch and Easter bun stalking at the mall. After our friends left, Jack asked to see him one more time. We stared. Then waited in line. At our turn, we stood 3 feet away and waved. He gave us a coloring book/crayons.

On way out we passed a nail salon and Jax said she wanted to go in and have her toenails painted. She LOVED it. So brave and totally into it.

Post 2 Today- Videos

Easter in Pre-school

First pic- trials and tribes of NOT being the oldest. As a 2nd child, I vividly remember the cruelty and unfairness and uncertainty that existed courtesy of my brother. So much of my early life was dominated by him- bc little sibs just wanna hang w older sibs and older sibs make it pretty clear that they could take you or leave you. Now from a mom's POV, I see that the older sibs derive a great deal of comfort from that leadership role. Illustrations on the stairs, below...

2nd- Jax had her Easter party at school yesterday. The teacher texted me that pic of her hunting eggs (w her beloved "Easter bag," no less). Meanwhile, Hilly and I ran serious errands- also Easter related- and as a bribe for H to chill, I gave her her first "white bar"- or rice krispies treat. A beloved snack in this fine brick house.

I picked Jack up from school and she was sooooo exited about the egg hunt. She kept saying "and we stood by a table and RAN and got all the eggs!" Regarding Sunday's Easter hayride, she keeps recounting the wonder of when we all yelled "Easter bunny!!" and the big bun waltzed around the corner of a large wooden flower-prop. She thought this was amazeballs.

She got home and systematically and excitedly opened each egg. Her favorite prize? Princess ring that also contains lip gloss. She took it to the library story-song session we attended this morning.

After long naps, the girls ate and played puzzles. If H can't get one in she screams and throws it across the floor. Jim said "She IS my child!!" As much as I want to help her in these times, she's gotta learn to try and work at things. I noticed after she chucked a piece, she would begrudgingly get up, retrieve it and try again. That, my friends, is success. She is a worker bee afterall. Who knew patience was a genetic trait? I learned Jackie has a great deal. Poor Hillers, my love, does not.

Speaking of patience, today we met up w our friends for story-music time at the lib. Jackie and P danced for a few songs, then they busted out shakers and Jax got freaked out. So I took H out of stroller and H ran through the crowd and started rooting through library lady's bag and climbing on stacked chairs. Jax yelled "Mommy! Look at Hilly!" H started dancing to music and Jax joined- H's participation makes Jackie much more comfortable, as I always note. They were fated, what can I say? THEN song lady bumped H and H fell and BURST into tears. I picked her up while removing a stick from her hand (dude, sticks for props w toddlers? This lady gets a C, tops). Hill freaked and had a public meltdown. It was so awesome. Luckily I had veggie sticks and both girls sat there the rest of the time wolfing them down together. It was nap/lunch time but overall, we failed at story time. Guess it's just not our thing.

P hugged Jackie today and said "Jack, you're my best friend. And best friends are beautiful." That girl is good stuff. She is good to Hilly too.

Lastly, we went to park where I froze my a$$ off in the wind, H loved the swing and Jax said to me "mom, I love when we are at the park." Too. Cold.

Hilly falls all the time as usual but lately she says "Ow!" and I say "Are you ok?" She says "Yeah." Weird, right?

Ok, Signing off. I have serious housework to do.