Car rides with Sophia and Ella

Last night I went with the girls to watch Sophia dance at a local Irish restaurant/pub and we met our friends the Lazars and their extended family for dinner.

We were all exhausted driving home and then out of the total silence came Ella's little voice from the third row:

Ella: I wish I had a step mother.

me: What? Why?

Ella: Carleigh has one.

I realized she was talking about Carleigh's step-grandparents who were there.

Sophia: That would mean that mom was DEAD and dad married another lady.

Ella: I don't actually want a step-mother.

Sophia: AWKward...

Irish Dancing season

March is Irish Dancing season as Sophia dances in a number of parades and local celebrations. Sophia LOVES Irish dance and Ella has been hooked as well. They both dance around the house saying the steps over and over. A mom taped the one last week at a local church St Patrick's Day party. Sophia is a beginner and in the group with the white blouses and blue skirts. She's the only one in a blonde wig I think. Near the end of the first link and the third. At the end when Sheila Tully asks someone if they want to learn a new step and they say "no"...that's Ceci. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVjbCsdx7w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfPoLJYNBHQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqaZ8ZbMEBo

Daddy the hair model?

It was a slow afternoon at our house and the girls decided to try a hair salon with the little hair Rick has. The were able to put both bows and flowers in his short 'do. Sophia has face paint from the Northwestern Women's basketball game I took her to earlier in the day.

The Collection

At the Wilmette library they have various collections of residents displayed. Most of these collections reside in the homes of residents over the age of 75. Lots of hummels, salt and pepper shakers, etc. Ella was determined to display the girls' extensive Silly Bandz "collection". They pestered Rick to ask about how to get a display case. He asked at the front desk assuming they would dismiss the girls with a smile.

Rick: How do collections get displayed?

Librarian: I can put you on a list and we'll call when a case opens up.

Rick: Ummmm, it's a collection of SILLY BANDZ...

Librarian: Just write your name here and we'll call.

Rick: The collection belongs to my girls here....RUBBER BRACELETS....

Librarian: OK, write your name and number.

So, he did. That night every time the phone rang Ella would jump. "Was it the LIBRARY?????"

Then, two months later we got THE call. They were ready for our collection of 67 silly bandz. This trend is already passe among the kindergarten set but the girls were beyond thrilled to exhibit their collection. They dug out all the silly bandz they could find from under couch cushions and proudly headed to the library.

Sophia and Ella made a beautiful sign to accompany their prized collection and Rick took them down to organize the elaborate display and decide how to arrange the rubber bracelets. I'm sure that once word gets out they will be selling tickets for this collection. They may have to live without their bracelets for a while because I have a strong suspicion that this collection will be in heavy demand to go on loan to libraries around the world.

Here is the iphone picture Rick took of the proud collectors in front of their display case:

Happy Birthday Katie and Cecilia

Katie and Cecilia turned four last month and I can't believe it has been four years since I had two sweet little babies. That may be my mom selective memory kicking in but I don't remember them giving me any problems. This year they have grown up a lot and we are really seeing their little personalities emerging.

Katie is a sweetheart. She's the first one up each morning and comes right into our room and puts her little hand on my back or face to wake me up. She's always smiling and loves to laugh. She gives everyone hugs. She gave our real estate agent a big hug last night for putting flowers in her room and said "I can't believe you put flowers in my room!"

Cecilia is a ham. Her sense of humor is coming out and she loves to make people laugh. She's also quick to give someone a hug when then look sad. Kids are drawn to her and she has made lots of friends at school this year.

Watching the bond they have and seeing them interact is fascinating to everyone around them. They don't let each other get away with anything and will correct each other when they don't agree with how their sister is retelling a story. They make me smile everyday.

They both love playing soccer. I signed the girls up for soccer at the park district and they are definitely the stars of their coed class. While the other girls are giggling in a group, Ceci and Katie are kicking the ball and celebrating each goal. They give their coach a hug on the way in and say "I love you Coach Abe". A usually stern Abe looks at me and says he can't believe how cute they are. Their soccer nickname has become the Turkey Twins.

Here are some photos from our family party:

I got a generic birthday cake from Jewel and we all decorated it with a variety of left over cake characters. I think we had Barbie, Dora, a couple Care Bears and a random Sesame Street marching band member. Katie and Ceci thought it was a blast to decorate their own cake.

Soccer

Our Fall has been full of soccer. Sophia made the Wilmette Wings travel soccer club. She tried out in June and I know I was more nervous than she was. Her tryout bib was #62 and I knew they were only taking 24 girls so this meant there were going to be a lot of girls not making the teams that Sophia was pretty confident she was going to make. She did make the team and at her first game Rick said he had tears in his eyes watching her play. She really plays her heart out in every game and we have all loved watching her games.

Ella has been a soccer star in her own right. She played her first year of Kindergarten soccer this year and the Fireflies dominated the Kindergarten group. :) Their uniform color made the nickname obvious. Ella had at least a goal in each game. One game she had 5 and the Fireflies completed an undefeated season.

Here Ella is on her way to scoring a goal...what a game face!

I don't think I've ever seen anyone more excited to get a trophy:

One afternoon I looked out the back window and saw Ella in shorts, her ski jacket and uggs kicking the soccer ball around the backyard. Here is my candid of her celebrating a gooooooaaaaalllll.

Here's a picture of Ella and Sophia during a chilly game:

And Ella with her BFFs Sean and Jane:

Halloween

This year we all went Halloween shopping out of the mound of dress up in the basement. Sophia went as a witch to school and then decided to be Glinda the good witch from Wicked for trick-or-treating. It was a little chilly but still a great night for everyone to be out. It was a typical crowded night in our neighborhood with parents towing wagons full of adult beverages while the kids sprinted from house to house. Katie and Ceci were able to keep up pretty well this year.

My rule every year is that they pose for a photo before they are allowed to start the candy dash. I get the frozen smiles for the first one until I tell them that I need real smiles in order for them to go out with their friends.

Here is the better shot after they realized they weren't going anywhere until mom got her Halloween picture.

Katie and Ceci's costumes may look familiar because they wore the same ones last year. They really wanted to be Tinkerbell and Ariel again and the costumes fit! Here they are in 2009:

I love this one of Ella because it captures Ceci sprinting in the background.

This is actually a great candid by Rick because it captures how crowded the sidewalk is with kids and their entourages with coolers in their wagons.

Ceci was keeping up with the big girls and could barely stop for a photo.

Katie was having a harder time running with her fish tail. She kept tripping over her tail and had a difficult time running with it so tight around her legs.