Daycare Failure

Yesterday I tried to take Libby to daycare. It was just horrible.
I first dropped up all of her stuff with Felicity. Felicity thought it was so cool to be a big sister in the infant room and kept telling Libby everything was going to be o.k...
She needed to be telling me that!

So, I handed Libby to one of the providers and left to drop Felicity off with the intention of coming back, nursing Libby down, and leaving.

But when I came back, I knew it wasn't to be.
Libby was crying.
Babies everywhere seemed to be crying.
I was crying.

So I scooped her up and went home.

We now have a new plan, and I am feeling much better about it. MUCH.BETTER.
Anna is going to come on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And then Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I will get a student.



In more happy news: Libby sits up and is most excited by, get this, grass.

Girls Week 2009

Once upon a time, Daddy went away to a conference in New Mexico. Mommy stayed home with the girls and we survived.

It's been an eventful week, but we did it, with a little help from Anna ;)

Some week highlights:

I went with Libby to visit her new daycare room. She'll be at the same daycare as Felicity, and although she'll be in the infant room with tons of trained providers, I am super sad all the same. She's going to be going just two days a week so that I can get some writing done, so that I can get some publications and then get tenure and have a pay check and health care insurance, you know, so we all don't starve. It's the little things.

And although Felicity spent most days from 9-3 at school, it still proved to be a busy week. I tried to do as much with Felicity in the afternoons. So, we went to the pool one day (and Libby actually swam!!), we had a picnic in the park, we went to dinner at the Choo-Choo restaurant, we went to Target, we went on a ton of walks, played in the pool in the front yard, and even attended a birthday party. Not bad, for being a single Mom.

Here are some highlights:

Beautiful Libby poses on the Circle:

Felicity spent a good portion of the week's afternoons playing and jumping with Zoe:

Anna came by a lot to relieve Mommy and keep me company! She discovered that Libby really likes Clifford (and the color Red):

Felicity was also a tremendous help to Mommy! She occupied Libby, used her manners, and was a good listener. She was soooo good that she got to sleep in Mommy's bed every night.

During the course of the week, we experimented with food. Although she appears to like a variety of fruits and veggies, her tummy is NOT ready. We're going to stick with chewing on a green bean and gnawing on whole carrots for a while :)

So now that Daddy's back, things seem back to normal! Now Mommy's plotting how she gets to have a week off ;)

Sweet Potatoes!

Libby had sweet potatoes for the first time yesterday. Although she's hardly as interested as her sister was in food, she does like the spoon. She hasn't quite moved past her tongue thrust, so most of the food ended up on the bib. But we'll keep trying.

What struck me so much was how much the girls are looking alike, especially at the six month mark. The photos below are of Felicity and Liberty at six months (actually Libby has about a week to go...) and the eyes are nearly identical. I think Libby has a different mouth...maybe an Avon mouth? But the eyes really make both girls look like their Daddy :)

Can you tell who's who below?

Felicity Whidden: Thrill Seeker and Roller Coaster Addict

Yesterday was Lake Forest Days, a carnival that sets up in a pristine park amidst multimillion dollar houses. It is a carnival quite unlike any carnival I have ever seen. Imagine your average carnival. And then factor out all turkey legs, funnel cakes, obese people, and tank tops and then substitute those with organic frozen yogurt, yoga-moms, and an explosion of Lilly Pulitzer. Then you've got the Lake Forest Carnival.

Felicity has a little friend from her class, Lauren, who lives right across from the park. Yes, Felicity has friends. It's a relatively newer phenomenon. But it's hilarious. She no longer demands that either Chris or I entertain her and instead requests playdates and begs to go outside "by MYSELF, Mama. Not with you." She's a big girl now. In fact, she took her first shower last night. All by herself.

Anyway, Lauren's mom and I coordinated a playdate that would involve going to the carnival together. Felicity was a bit skeptical at first, but then began shaking her fists and laughing maniacally at the possibility of RIDING THE ROLLERCOASTER...AGAIN! And as she ran around with Lauren, the Moms trailing behind, I had a brief glimpse of what is to come. She will probably be attending this thing in ten years, this time after dark, riding the scary rollercoasters and begging that I drop her off with her friends a block away so that no one sees her Mom in the minivan. No doubt it will involve meeting up with boys. AHHHH. I have to stop or else I'll need a Xanax.

Anyway...Felicity loved the rides. She shrieked. She screamed. And she ran like crazy to get to the next ride.

Felicity Turns Four

I still cannot believe that I have a four year old. And my God is she the girliest four year old in history. Elisabeth says that she's five girls in one. And I have to agree.

For this year's birthday party we opted for low key. We had a small barbeque with just neighborhood kids and then cake. I did go all out on the cake. Felicity wanted Fancy Nancy and apparently there are copyright restrictions on using Fancy Nancy, so el cheapo Jewel wouldn't do. But the fancy bakery would. I have to add here that we went back and forth on whether she wanted a Cyndi Lauper cake or a Fancy Nancy cake. It was a very tough decision. But, in the end, Fancy Nancy won out. And Felicity had a blast. Here are some highlights...