Abby, Zoë and Enzo

Zoë said to me this morning, "I'm going to miss my sister when we're grown up and we're wives... but maybe we can live right next door and see each other every day!"

The girls and I headed to Wal-Mart without Daddy today, something we haven't done in a while.  As as I was helping Zoë and Abby with their harness buckles, Ms Betty said hello to us and let us know that we could get a free 5x7 photo with the easter bunny back at the photo center.  I'm up for anything free, so we headed back there and I let the girls get their picture taken before we began our shopping.  With Abby and Zoë sucking on lollipops in the cart while I shopped, we made pretty good time getting all of our groceries and then went to pick up our picture and check-out.  Before going outside into the super windy weather, I checked the items on the receipt, put it on the eggs, and helped the girls get their coats on and zipped up.  After I had Zoë and Abby all buckled in and the groceries unloaded, it was 12:20 and we were ready for lunch. 

Before I left the lot however, I realized I didn't have the receipt.  I had paid with credit card and we all know how precise Chris is with keeping records and keeping track of all purchases, so this was bad news.  I zoomed back to a parking space, ran back into the store with the girls and searched all around the check out area.  I went to our cashier and asked her if she was able to look it up on her computer but she said I'd need to talk to someone else, who happened to be walking by.  I explained things to her and she told me to meet her at the service desk.  She began trying to look it up on a computer with my credit card, along with the help of another woman, and finally they found it and printed off the receipt on some computer paper.  We got back in the car and it was now 12:45 and we were now very hungry and tired so I pulled in to Taco Bell against my better judgement and got us three bean burritos... I paid cash.

Lately Zoë has taken to telling us that she wishes her name were Abby, or that we should have named her Abby.  She does this whenever Abby gets something, or gets to do something that Zoë wants to do.  If we ask Abby to do something for us that Zoë wanted to be the helper with we hear "You should have name me Abby!".

Zoë and Abby are very excited to announce that they are going to be BIG sisters!  We are expecting our new addition the first week of October, so I'm almost 12 weeks ( three months) along now.  And it is confirmed, there's just one baby in there.  I have written journal posts with things regarding this pregnancy, such as when we found out and the first Dr.'s appointment, but have kept them all as drafts until now.  So, if you view as far back as mid January you can read those posts.

We went today down to Boston for a scheduled appointment with a Dr. that will perform the cerclage, should we chose to have one placed.  Given the circumstances of the pregnancy with the girls, we are leaning towards having it done, but the Dr. also told us that we do have a chance that I won't develop an incompetent cervix this time around.  If we decide that we want me to get the cerclage then we need to let him know by the end of the week.

Before we met with the Dr., they sent me for an ultrasound, where we got a nice view of the baby.  And it actually looks like a baby now, much different from our first appointment.  It was great to see the flicker of heart beat and to see the baby moving around in there.  Abby and Zoë behaved very well, and thought it was funny watching the baby on the screen.  We drove down before 8:00 this morning and didn't get home until after 1:00 p.m. so it was a long time for the girls, but they really did pretty well with it all.

(Ultrasound photos coming soon)

Just when we feel Spring in the air, it goes and snows on us again.  It didn't accumulate too much, but was unpleasant nontheless.  Abby and Zoë were bummed that they couldn't go to the stuff-a-bag sale with me, especially since Auntie Reanna was meeting me there, but they got over it.

Later on in the day we played two different princess card games (Mommy won one and got to go to the ball) and the girls drew lots of picutres.

Today, being 3-14, is "Pi" day.  I only know this because Chris informed me of this exciting news this morning.  I guess it would have been a good opportunity to do some sort of math project related to it with the girls, but I am so not math minded and hadn't the vaguest idea of what I'd actually do.  It would have been more fun, in my mind, to go make a pie and call it close enough. 

Instead we went outside for a little bit, just to the front porch, to enjoy the warmer temperatures (45 F).  Abby got a kick out of the breeze making her hair blow, and watching the shadow of it on the ground.  A couple passed by asking where they could get a good bowl of chowder, so I tried my best to give them a few ideas and then the girls and I went back inside.

Last time we were at the library we got a couple of early reader books that were "read together" books.  They have one page that the parent reads and then on the following page it has a couple of words in bold for the child to read.  Both Abby and Zoë really surprised me with sounding out some of the words.  Some they knew, others they just sounded them right out and then re-read the sentence.  Abby also picked up one of the early readers we got about a dragon and was sitting on the couch and I over-heard her sounding out and reading every page!

It was an eventful yoga class today.  First, about 5 minutes into class, the only little boy bonked his mouth and was bleeding all over.  His Dad had left so Ms. Amy was trying to comfort him and get him all cleaned up.  When he went back into the practice room I heard Zoë say, in a high pitched concerned voice, "Are you alright?"

They got to practice being lions, for March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb.  I also caught some glimpses of happy sitting post,  table, down dog, tree pose and some games.  I also heard and caught glimpses of the girls not listening so well.  There were times when they just went off and ran or jumped the gun in a game, so we had to talk about that after class.  They weren't the only ones, but they need to work on doing what is expected of them even if other kids aren't.

Daylight savings actually worked to our advantage.  It got the girls to sleep until 7:00 a.m, which of course would have been 6:00 - their normal wake-up these days.  So now we figure, to keep Abby and Zoë's internal clocks in check, instead of trying to have them asleep by 7:30 at night, we'll try to have them asleep in between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. and then they'll wake up at 7:00 or later.  Ta Da!... we hope.

So, even though we knew this was our plan, Chris really worked it up.  He kept telling the girls they were going to get to stay up late tonight and watch a movie and had them jazzed about it all day.  They were lovin' this special treatment.

Abby and Zoë's new vice is the jolly rancher flavored jelly beans Nonna sent.  They ask for one when they come downstairs in the morning, when they get up from nap, any old time really.  And they are always thinking of us too... "Mommy, would you like a jelly bean?"  translation: Can I get myself a jelly bean while I get you one too?  Please don't take this to mean that we'd like more of these, I am looking forward to the end of the bag.

With warmer weather promised for today (42 degrees F) I was excited to take the girls to the park to get some much needed running around done.  After helping me make big salads for lunch, it was time for a rest so I told the girls that we'd go after a short nap.  Abby asked if they could rest upstairs in their beds (they usually nap in the living room) and I told her that I didn't think that was a good idea because they tend to just play and get rowdy and if that happened then we wouldn't be able to go to the park.  Both girls assured me that they'd go right to sleep, have a nice rest, and then get up and go to the park.  Well, after many warnings, and them getting sent downstairs, and Abby not sleeping at all... they missed the park.

Abby also missed out on her nap and later on she was so tired that she fell asleep in her little chair watching the computer screen, where Daddy had the visualization going for the music that was playing.

We got to Nonno's hotel at around 10:00 this morning and met him, Uncle Matt, and Caitlin, in the hotel room and then got ready to go to the Boston Children's Museum. (Thanks Uncle Matt for getting the tickets). This first thing the girls wanted to try when we got there was this very interesting climber thing.  Both Abby and Zoë were a bit unsure at first, but then Abby forged ahead and had to convince Zoë to follow along.  This climber went straight up and let out two floors up.  It was all visible and while Daddy and Nonno stayed down to guide the girls to start, the rest of us went up one flight of stairs to encourage the girls as they went.  Then we rushed up the next set of stairs and met them at the let out.  There were a couple of times that Abby had to wait or back up to help Zoë out, but once they got to the end Zoë was really happy that she'd done it and proud of herself.  We started on the top floor and worked our way down.  The girls got to make little boats to bring home in a construction area (even using the saw!), they got to try another climber and sat in the construction vehicles.  There were wet exhibits and bubble fun as well as some t.v. character related places. 

After seeing everything we went for a lunch at a little restaurant at South station.  After lunch Caitlin had to catch  the subway train home to tend to Sage and the rest of us went back to the hotel room for a nap.  Some gourmet cookies had been delivered to the room while we were out, as well as a fruit basket and once the girls were up from nap they dug in.  Same as last year, Abby decided not to have a cookie, after sitting with it for a while, and just wanted to munch the fruit.  Zoë ate about half her cookie and then took to the fruit as well.  After some relaxing we got ready to go down to the pool and swam a while.  Once the girls were chattering away, we got out and went up to get rinsed and warmed in the shower and then had some more down time. 

Uncle Matt had to leave to catch his train home so we said good-bye to him and then after a while we went downstairs for dinner.  We sat in the bar type area off of the restaurant and sat in big cozy chairs and bench seats.  Abby and Zoë shared a gnocci dish with me and really liked it.  They also both got their own shirly temples to drink and thought that was pretty cool.  They started saying the funniest things and just being very dramatic.  Abby was thanking Nonno for ordering the food and for this and for that, saying it all as if she belonged in high society. We finished up and then got two sleepy girls and one very sleepy Mommy ready to go.  Nonno went down to the garage with us and got some goodies out of his trunk he'd brought up from New Jersey with him.  He gave giddy Abby and a teary-eyed Zoë hugs and sent us on our way.  We all had a great day and the girls just loved every minute of it.  Thank you Nonno Ernie for a very special day. 

Reanna and Corey arrived at about 4:30 this afternoon, just in time for a game of Strawberry Shortcake.  Then their friends Megg and Andy arrived a little bit later.  We ordered some burritos for dinner and then sat and chatted while we waited.  Abby was unsure of Megg's humor, as she informed her that she eats bellies everyday.  When Reanna and I went to get the food, both girls warmed up to Megg and when we got home they were taking turns sitting with her. 

At one point while us girls were sitting at the table, Megg had gotten up.  On her way back to the table she gave Andy a kiss and as she was walking to her seat Zoë looked at her and said, "Are you married?"  Megg replied that they weren't yet, but would be getting married in August.  Zoë looked at her and asked, "Well then why do you have boobs?"  I had to clap my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing at her very serious question.  I guess she has equated the fact that when you grow up you get boobs and the fact that when you grow up you get married to mean that you don't get the boobs until you're married.  So, I tried to straight faced remind her that boobs have nothing to do with having kids or getting married, that they're something girls get when they're starting to become women.  That was interesting dinner conversation.

Zoë and Abby started their extra day off on the right foot, with a big serving of green smoothie.  Then they got to watch a new princess movie, which Mommy kind of enjoyed too.  As the girls were getting ready for bed they got to talk to Nonna on the phone and found out she was going to be sending them a package, which they just can't wait to find out what's inside of.  I'm sure they'll be eagerly waiting for the mail on Monday or Tuesday.

Abby and Zoë got new wooden bird puzzles from Nonno today.  They have a little wooden tray to put the pieces together inside of and the girls really like them.  They were so excited to try the new puzzles out that they ripped the plastic off themselves and set to work.  The first go 'round I helped get them going, but the second time they both sat working on their puzzles and got them all put together.  Thanks Nonno Ernie!

Today Abby and Zoë each got their own plant to care for.  Chris got two of our little planters that we'd bought with the seeds and he let Abby and Zoë put their names on them.  Abby chose to do one letter of her name on each side of the planter, Zoë did her name small all on one side.  Next Chris set the stuff up at the table and the girls got to reach into the soil bag and put handfuls into their planters.  Zoë looked so disgusted at first, it took her a little time to get used to the feeling and just grabbing handfuls of dirt in general.  Next Chris gave each of the girls one of the plants that have grown well so far and they put some more soil around it and then watered their plants.  Now if we could only get some sunshine to set them in.

At the store today we picked up some on sale croissants.  When we got home we melted chocolate chips and Daddy spread some over croissants for us all to taste.  Abby and Zoë had a blast with the gooey treat.

We happened to go to a Stop & Shop 16 miles from our house and who should we see but Dave the Butcher?!  You may remember that he was the Butcher at the Shaw's here in town that we'd see every week and the girls became 'friends' with.  We said good-bye to Dave nearly two years ago, when he switched to a different Shaw's.  Apparently he switched to Stop & Shop sometime after that, because he spotted the girls near the meat section as they were coming out of an aisle with Daddy.  We were all surprised to see each other, but he remembered the girls names and was very happy to see them.

Auntie Reanna asked the girls if they wanted to go to her house and go sledding with her and Uncle Corey and their friends who are visiting.  We agreed, so the girls and I drove over and then we drove down the road to a sledding hill.  Reanna informed me that our sled was actually the only one, as Reanna and Corey don't have one.  Abby saw the little playground as soon as we parked and her and Zoë did a couple of rounds on it before going over to check out the hill.  The first hill we saw was crazy, I didn't even let the girls over the guard rail.  Then Uncle Corey saw a sign that said that trail was for experienced sledders only.  We walked a little bit more and found the actual sledding hill for us normal sledders.

At the top it still seemed a bit much, but Uncle Corey and Mitch jumped on the sled together and they informed us that a little further down, the hill was nice and open and not so steep.  We let Reanna have a try and Shannon as well, and then Reanna went even further down the hill (the adults were going from about halfway) and went with Abby and then with Zoë.  After the adults had some more turns (Mommy didn't join in on the fun, as I my hip has been hurting for the past couple of days) then Corey went with each of the girls.  Next time it was Abby and Zoë's turns, I took them yet a little bit further down the hill and let them each go alone and then once together.  They had a blast, but Zoë started getting tuckered out on the climb back up and talked Reanna into giving her a piggy back ride.  Abby caught sight of this and asked Uncle Corey to do the same for her, but he put her up on his shoulders and she didn't like that so much, so opted to walk instead.  Back at the top the girls used the slide a few more times while Reanna, Mitch, and Shannon climbed to the top of a big tower, and then we headed back home.