"Bwini Ice Pack"

(sorry for the weird hand on Sabrina...she really does still have all her limbs in tact, but the photo was too cute not to share) 

The sisters are really clicking.  A story the other morning reminded me of the importance of writing these things down since I'm sure I'll forget the pure sweetness of these moments all too soon.

The other morning, Kali bumped her head on something (we're never really sure, she's basically a bull in a china shop so this happens often) but this particular morning, she only wanted Bwini (Sabrina, Brini, Bwini, Sabina) to get her the ice pack.  Sabrina happily obliged, loving any chance to be the big sister & caretaker for Kali, and Kali and I went to sit in the comfy rocking chair.  But when we sat down, Kali nudged me a little and said "No Mommy, Bwini sit" - so Sabrina came to sit with Kali, put her arm around her and Kali laid her head on her shoulder.  awww.  Such a sweet moment.  I wish I had gotten a picture of it, but of course it was over before I could.  Hence, writing it down so I can remember it.  They are laughing and playing together more and more.  And we've even caught them getting a little naughty at the dinner table together and then cracking up at each other.  I'm sure this is just the beginning of that behavior.  It's hard not to laugh with them while telling them not to, say, smash their food with their hands.  It's been such a nice corner to turn though with them truly enjoying each other's company and knowing each other more and more each day.

Kali is talking up a storm these days and saying new things, and saying things more clearly every day.  Her favorites these days are "it's in my tummy!", "Yummy in my tummy", "My do it" or "Me do it" (we're working on that one!) and everything "Bwini".  She loves to talk about Nana and Poppy, yell at the dog (unfortunately), sing parts of Happy Birthday, "Row Row Boat" (or "whoa whoa boat"), and "ABCD...P...Y..Z" and she can count most of the way to ten, although it gets a little choppy there in the middle sometimes.  She's loving BMS and is always in a great mood when we pick her up.  She has close friends Hunter and Nora there, and loves to say hi to Bwini through the fence.  They apparently have a little thing of touching each others' bellies through the fence.  One day her teacher told us that the only time Kali cried or got upset all day was when Sabrina had to go play and she left Kali standing at the fence in the Toddler playground.  Crushing!  Sabrina's response "Yeah, well...I just HAD to run away RIGHT THEN.  I had something really important to do with my friend, Cici"

Kali loves big trucks and we even spent a lovely (kind of) Friday evening last week having a picnic on our front lawn while they re-paved the road.  Sabrina and I agreed that it was stinky and smelly, but Brent and Kali were enamored with the big trucks, the loud noises, and the vibrations it caused in the ground.  Kali was completely focused the entire time.  Now if she hears a diesel engine, she goes running to the front door or window (sometimes flipping over a trash can under the window to climb up on it so she can see) to see the big trucks.  Then she'll say "Mama, it's all done.  Truck is gone"

Sabrina started dance class two weeks ago, after her skiing class ended, and she's looking forward to her concert on a big stage (Louisville Middle School) in June.  One of the classes had a lot of new kids who weren't behaving well at all and it really seemed to bother Sabrina.  She's still a very sensitive kid who gets worked up in chaotic environments, especially with loud noises.  I hadn't seen her bothered like that in awhile, but i think the chaos of the classroom with 10 little girls running around (and many not listening) unsettles her.  I was really able to see the benefit of Montessori education for her.  It's so quiet, structured, and organized she really seems to thrive there.  She has great friends at BMS - Cici (Cecilia), Raquel, Kaya (boy), Anna, and Jiyu.  We had her spring conference last month and it was wonderful to hear how happy, social, helpful and chatty she is at school.  The only "negative" they mentioned was that she LOVES an audience, which doesn't surprise us, but we realized how specific the environment has to be.  She's not one to perform in front of a group of strangers or be the loudest one in the bunch at dance class, for example, but put her in the position of demonstrating how to do one of the work projects at school, and the girl thrives.  They said that she's not rude or disruptive in doing this, but sometimes they simply have to force the kids to move away from Sabrina so they do their own work sometimes.  But they said the kids respond very well to her and people just want to watch her do her work.  Maybe we've got a future teacher on our hands.

Brent and I are both enjoying our jobs these days and managing to get some good workouts in at the gym or running the trails (Brent).  I've managed to have pretty consistent girls' nights out with friends lately, and Brent's looking forward to using up all the "daddy points" he's accumulated this winter for some epic mountain biking this fall.  He spent a lot of great Daddy-Daughter time while I completed another Vocal Performance Class this fall/winter with a performance in mid-March.  We are attempting, as always, to do better about recording the great things our girls say (somewhere other than Facebook...oops), organizing the house, keeping track of photos between our various devices, planning vacations, making sure we're saving money well, get our will and estate stuff in order, spending quality time with the kids, cooking healthy meals for us and the kids, playing as much as possible, and striving for balance somewhere between it all.  It's not easy and I have bouts of insomnia from time to time just trying to keep it all straight, but it's full and wonderful and I wouldn't change it for the world.  So with the best intentions of posting more often and with photos/videos, signing off.