Look Out Lance Armstrong

This Christmas we bought Luca a balance bike. For those of us that are "older" we didn't have these growing up, so I was a bit skeptical about their success in helping children transition from training wheels. Nonetheless, Santa gave Luca one and she rode that sucker everyday for months. When the Bensings moved, Cousin Paige was nice enough to give Luca her fancy bike that was too small for her. After a few minor adjustments and new brakes, etc.. Luca's bike was ready to go. Sadly, when we arrived at the bike store, Luca was beside herself to find out this bike did not have training wheels. The bike shop repair man even told her that this bike is so fancy that it cannot have training wheels. Luca left the store crying. In her dramatic ways she even screamed "I cannot believe this, I don't have training wheels." I knew that Luca could do it, but she did not believe in herself so I decided not to make a big deal of the drama (I'll save that for when she's in high school!). We got to the park and I told her we can just forget it and go buy a bike with training wheels later this year. Luca wiped off her tears, put on her helmet and waited for her dad to grab the seat. Next thing I knew I was pushing Harper in the swing and there went Luca, sans Justin. She did so good and we were all so proud of her. There was a woman watching her son play at the park who thought that this was just the sweetest moment. She took a few pics for us and emailed them to me. When we got home, I was able to take some pics. Harper made it difficult because she tried to escape from our watch. I did manage to snap some. By 8:00pm, she was showing her skills to the neighbors and asking if she could ride it all weekend. She cannot wait for her cousins to come home so she can show them her new skills. Justin and I were both so proud of her. Way to go Luca! Needless to say, I'm saving the balance bike for Harper.

A Harper for Sale!

Okay, bedtime routine, I'm a bit of a slacker. Life Happens, what can I say. My main rules are that my kids have nothing sugary after five pm and that we start our routine by 8pm. I would love to know why, considering those two factors, my children are still wondering around at 1030pm looking for food and entertainment and more food. Luca is tolerable, because she will lay in bed and sing or talk to herself until she falls asleep. And regardless of her bedtime she is quite pleasant in the morning.
Harper, she's a different story. She's my sleeper. I wake her up everyday for school, she would sleep until 830am, if she could. Well Harps, I have news for you, Mommy is officially tired!
Last night, Harper asked me to read THE SAME BOOK to her MORE than ten times. This book "I'm a Big Sister," is also the book Justin threatened to burn if he had to read. Harper has heard the story so many times that she has gotten to the point where she finishes the sentences of the book and answers the questions. We fell asleep, with book in hand, about 11:00pm, and to say we had a peaceful night, well-would be a flat out lie. As a result of four nights of restless sleep and subsequent back pain and "that look of fatigue," I have placed Harper up for sale to the lowest bidder..............yeah right, like I could stand a night without her. Besides she has the most funny "bead head" I have ever seen.

Good Old Fashioned Soft Serve

While waiting for the train to come in with Justin and his parents aboard, the girls and I stopped in downtown Mountain View for a treat. It is very difficult to tell if Luca is going to be in a "picture mood" as you can see from below, I got lucky and both girls were hamming it up for the camera, that was after I got "the look" of course.