Ordinary day.

This weekend was pretty ordinary.  Yesterday, Gabbie had a play date with a friend and then they came over for dinner.  Today we went to church, and both girls got their haircut.

It was Lilahs first haircut, and I booked it for right after church, like a rookie.  She was so tired from not getting her morning nap that she threw a fit most of the time, and ended up getting her hair cut while Joel held her, in front of a retail display with lots of fun toys to look at.  In spite of her "spirited" demeanor, the cut turned out absolutely adorable, thanks to her wonderful stylist.  (It had started to get very long on the top, but underneath was still shorter, so It had this awkward style about it.). Then we went for a cupcake and headed home. 

We played and had dinner, before the girls went to bed.  

Like I said, pretty ordinary.  It was so wonderful.  Spring is starting to pop up a bit, so the girls could walk around outside, and they are getting to an age where they play well together (most of the time).  

Sometimes I feel like these ordinary days are something that we hurry through to get onto the next big event... The next big milestone, party, trip, etc.  I think we forget that these are the days that matter most.  These are the days when we are helping our children turn into who they will be and helping them figure out what they love to do.

These days count, too.  

:)

What a trip.

This blog post will not be about the ladies.  Well, not really.  

I took a vacation with a dear friend to Washington DC/Virginia.  Just us; no husbands, no kids.  We stayed with her wonderful, warm, accommodating and patient aunt and uncle.  Since Gabbie was born over 3 years ago, I've only been away from her for 2 nights (hospital stay aside), and Lilah is now 19 months and I've never had an evening away from her.  While I understand that this is very common for many moms, I needed a break.  DC has been a dream of mine for nearly 15 years, and everything worked out for this trip.  I knew I couldn't bring the girls to all of these museums (they are a bit too spirited to be patient for an hour during a tour of America through the wars), so I knew my poor husband would have to sit this one out.  Next time, dear.

I prepared my home and my family for the trip: I cleaned, grocery shopped, laid out outfits, and even ordered bribery for Gabbie.  My husband is very capable, but I was also nervous.  I checked in with them via video chat at least once a day, and texted my husband frequently.

I slept in a bed without being sleep-kicked by a three year old.  I went to the bathroom without having someone trying to bang down the door to see where I went.  I ate delicious foods and didn't share my plate with someone else.  I even had a little time to find some boredom, just looking around me.  (The same cannot be said for Joel, I know.  I'm certain he lived on Starbucks.)

I saw memorials, museums, monuments, and even the presidential motorcade.  We rode the metro, got lost in the rain, shopped at street vendors, and I took hundreds of photos.  I'm sure some folks would have preferred a beachy vacation, or all all-inclusive resort, but this was my dream.  I went in my late teens with my family, and while I enjoyed the trip, I didn't really appreciate it.  I'm sure most of us didn't really appreciate a lot of things we did as teens.  

This time I was enthralled.  I loved hearing the stories, reading the information cards, and seeing our history.  The First Ladies dresses, the china pattern in the Washington White House, the military fatigues from the different wars... It's all part of what made our country.  Arlington was incredibly humbling, seeing the resting place for so many thousands who made so many sacrifices.  

Then I got souvenirs for my family.  I got some apparel for the girls that says Future President on it, which is quite cute.  It's very cool to live in a country, knowing that regardless of skin color or gender, it's a possibility for any child who is born here to hold a position of such prestige.  Even if not the leader of the free world, they could be Secret Service, a doctor, a researcher, a pastor, a teacher.... They could really be someone who shapes a life and makes a difference.  

There were lots of class trips there for spring break, and it made me really look forward to going with the girls when the time comes.  

I am on the plane now, heading home to see my family and to have what I am sure will be a chaotic weekend, and I am so excited.  My batteries are recharged and I'm ready to go.  

(Don't worry about Joel.... We are going on a small kid-free vacation next year.  That one will have a sandy beach.)

Starburst

This fit is brought to you by 2 little Starburst candies.  

It was a reminder that not all of these moments are happy or joyous, but they are memorable.  

Gender stereotypes

Today we took Gabbie to Build A Bear to get a bear for a goal she's trying to achieve right now. We walked in and she looked at the wall of bears and all of their colors and shapes and she chose a blue bear. Initially I wanted to steer her back toward a pink or even a rainbow bear but I stopped myself.  

Then we went to the wall of clothes; they had a special where you could pick two outfits from the wall for $15. So I told her she could pick one and then she and I would pick the other one together. I kept wanting her to pick girly colors and girly outfits but she kept going back to the outlets for the little boy bears (which were pretty cute little surfer type outfits).  She chose a boy outfit, for her boy bear, and together we chose a white dress for if she wants her boy to be a girl sometimes. 

She wasn't able to think of a name for her bear, so I told her we could come back another day and get his certificate.  

The pink bear that was the twin to her blue bear was very cute.  The outfits for the girl bears were alright - a lot of halter and cropped tops, honestly.  (Why does a bear need to show midriff?)  Why did I feel like her choosing a girl bear would have been better?  What did I care?  

I certainly don't care that she chooses cars as often as dolls when we play at home.  She knows more about pirates than princesses, and we are happy, as long as they are happy. 

I was so frustrated with myself for nearly putting the pink bear in her hand.  Who am I to determine the gender of this bag of fluff?

Unfortunately, this gender stereotyping would be something that both my girls encounter very often in their lives. It has gotten a lot better than it was even when I was a kid from when my mom was a kid, but we still have a very long ways to go.  

I look forward to continuing to teach the girls that it's totally ok to be a superhero, and play with cars, and make pretend dinner, and wear a crown, and be "girlie girls" with the "hearts of boys".  

They were perfectly made to be wonderfully unique.

(The photo I am attaching to this blog post is a picture of her about a week before, playing with her cousin Teegan and sorting out cars.  Gabbie is very methodical with her cars.)

Just another day.

 "Look sister, it's just me Gabbie, and now I'm Batman."

"No.  No no no no.  No!"

My girls.

Delilah wasn't feeling well today (teething, I think), so I was holding her while I made dinner. I asked her if she was being a "mama's girl" today and Gabbie yelled at me from the bathroom, "No!  I am your girl!".  

I never understood parents loving both kids equally but differently... Until I had 2 of my own.  

My little superhero.

Gabbie loves to wear her Batman mask from Halloween.  Sometimes when we are in the playroom she puts it on and just wear it around. Lilah, however, does not like the mask and every time Gabbie puts it on Lilah goes running and crying , looking for a grown-up. I feel like a terrible mom, but it makes me laugh so much when this happens. Today when Gabbie did it, she made sure to tell Lilah that she was a good guy and was here to help. It made me laugh even harder but it was so cute, at the same time.