Florida Beach

As we go to eat dinner after a long day of flying, Bella said "Whoa that a big hamgumburger and it's hot" when her dinner came. We got up to the room and unpacked. Finally got into bed about 10 and they were both out; however, about 2 hours later they were up and ready to play. I think they were confused that it wasn't a nap but time to stay in bed.
When we got to the hotel there was a wedding. Bella LOVED the white dress and purple flowers the bride had. When we got to the room she asked if I had brought my wedding dress with me, because she had hers. We have since seen several weddings at the hotel and Bella just loves all the white dresses, she asked Nana if she had hers too. Then going to dinner she said her blue dress with white flowers was her wedding dress. I said if I can get away with a $29.50 wedding dress then we're set!

Our first day at the beach. The three of us got up and had breakfast in the room. Bella devoured my bagel and Gabby did pretty good with her banana and rice krispies. Then we got ready and headed down to the beach. We got there right when Papa did, so we walked out and found some lounge chairs. Gabby didn't like the sand on her feet. She kept trying to wipe it off, so I took her into the water and she didn't like that either. We finally started digging and filling up buckets with sand. Bella kept tip toeing around the seaweed, when I asked her what she was doing she said "stepping over the spiders." She thought that was pretty fun…although she didn't want Papa to bury her. After building sand castles and a sand turtle, Bella and Papa headed into the water. It was nice and calm and cold. Bella and Papa ran away from the waves and Bella thought that was a lot of fun. Gabby wasn't too sure still so I kept picking her up when a wave came so she could "jump" it. Finally I plopped her down in one and she made a big splash. After that she loved the water. Of course it soon turned into "myself". Bella decided it was time to head to the pool, but once she started picking up the sand toys, she started playing again for another hour. We finally got rinsed off and headed to the pool. There was sand in every part of the their swim suits. We got some chairs and blew up Gabby's floaties and Bella's fish tube and we headed in. Gabby thought she could swim and kept trying to get away from me. She'd sit on the step and say "myself, myself". Nana finally came down and we convinced the girls to get out of the pool and to get more "hamgumburgers". While waiting for the burgers Gabby just about fell asleep. We kept her awake long enough to eat and head back to the room. The girls then proceeded to take a 2 ½ hour nap.

When they got up Joel had arrived from his flight. We headed to find something to eat and ended up driving to a great restaurant that had boats come in and bring people to eat there. We saw a school of flying fish too. Bella had calamari for the second night in a row…and devoured her chicken strips and chocolate cake. Gabby was funny making her kissy face poses and showing everyone her muscles.

She kept sneaking her French fries during dinner, we would say "eat some more chicken" and she would grab a piece put it in her mouth and then when she thought we weren't looking she'd put it down and grab a French fry. The next day we headed to the beach before the rain came in. It didn't take long and it was pouring outside

so we headed to the children's museum. They had a great aquarium exhibit and then a huge exhibit upstairs about the body. Bella like playing the different notes to see how sound waves work

Gabby liked the little slideOne night the girls and I went down to the beach to listen to the waves.

Finally our last beach day the sun was out in full force. Once we told the girls it was sunny, Gabby grabbed her swimsuit, floaties and fish. I have never seen the girls get ready so fast.

The last night in Fort Lauderdale we ate at an old landmark – Cap's Place. We felt a little like we were camping, but the restaurant that started in the 1920 was an old rum running establishment. Al Capone used to visit as well as the Rockefeller's. Churchill used to meet with Roosevelt to strategize during the war. The food was good, but the history made it worth the little boat ride to the "Island."

Easter

We had a great time at Easter. The girls were so pretty in their flower dresses. Bella was excited that the Easter bunny knew what size flip flop she wore and that she got a pink and purple ones with glitter on them. She was also excited about her "Pocamahamous" doll although she was a little upset about Gabby getting Jasmine.
After church and naps we headed to Papa T and Nana's house for brunch. The girls loved touching the ice bunny.

Then we had an Easter egg hunt. Bella was on a mission to find eggsGabby shared with Reese.Then after Gabby had found a few eggs she plopped down and started eating her candy.

Pappa & Granna Visit

I don't think we could have squeezed any more into one week. It was crafts galore. We started with coloring the Easter eggs the afternoon Granna and Pappa came to visit. First we dyed, then painted, then glittered, or as Gabby called it "more sparkleys" The next day we went to the zoo. We got there when it opened and had so much fun. We only lasted 3 hours, but it was long enough.

Gabby looking at the rattlesnakes.

We got to feed the giraffes...Bella and Gabby got to feed them lettuce and everyone else fed them pellets. This was Bella favorite part of the day.

We also saw the Manta Rays. Gabby just wanted to play with the water...we had to keep her from climbing and going for a swim. Bella got brave and put her hands in but was the first to say "I didn't touch it". They didn't want to leave, but once they got splashed with a fin they were scared to put their hands back in and ready to move on.Bella got to ride the camel with Daddy and then again with Pappa.

We had fun looking at the monkeys. Gabby loved them and would say "look Mommy, monkey". When we went by the lions the male lion had just laid down and she said, "Shhh, Mommy the LiLi is sleeping...shhhh".

The girls stayed home all week and had so much fun. They played Don't Break the Ice. Gabby now LOVES this game. She kept saying "again, again"

Pappa read to both girls the Easter story. Bella understands the empty egg now. It was so cute the first thing she said to Pappa when they came in from the airport was that they needed to do the eggs. She got them down and went through all of them. When they got to the end she told Pappa that it was empty because the stone (in the previous egg) was rolled away and the tomb was empty because Jesus was alive. Then she told Granna the cloth was not a Kleenex and we can't blow our nose with it.Everyone's nails got painted, including Pappa.They made and decorated construction paper Easter baskets and cards for everyone.They made candy to fill the basketsThey tie dyed shirtsMade sock bunniesGot tattoosBaked cupcakesMade blankets

Making CardsHad running races and played hide and seekGabby's new way of doing a somersault.

Gabby has always been a talker with a large vocabulary, but this week she started with sentences and doing everything herself. She puts her shoes on and doing great with her cup and silverware. She gets so excited and says "I did it myself". She also loves to show off and says, "Look at me, Mommy" "Look at me, Daddy". Tonight after baths Joel was reading to Bella and I was reading to Gabby while doing her breathing treatment. When we were done, she said "I need a kiss" and then opened Bella's door and gave both a kiss. Then for the first time she said "I love you Daddy...I love you Bella". It was so cute. She ran to get her monkey and then went back into the room and said "one more kiss". She is so funny. She dances around right now by skipping and hopping and is just as independent and bossy as her sister...even though she said today "Bella's bossy". Through gaining her independence we have quite a few tantrums, but she is also a little actress just like her sister and will pout or make sure you're looking at her. Oh she is a character.

"The Easter Bunny Forgot One"

So I was going through the Resurrection Eggs with Bella tonight for the first time. When we got to the last one she opened it and said "The Easter Bunny forgot to put something in this one". Which then turned into a 30 minute conversation of why it was empty and who actually filled all the eggs...I thought she was finally grasping the symbolism when she said "I still don't know why they forgot that last one." It was so hard not to laugh...she was so serious.

Starting Tantrums

Well it took Gabby a little while longer to hit the full on tantrum stage than Bella, but she is full into it now. She is actually funny about it, because she doesn't roll around on the floor she just curls up in a ball with her butt in the air and sits there, or goes to a corner, or turns her head, or glares at you and tries not to laugh. Oh she is a character. She makes all kinds of faces and her new word is yes, but she says it like "eeyessss". She is so opinionated and wants to do it all herself (so familiar). Here they are posing for the camera.
They both love to play games.Picking out her purse for school

Sulfa Allergy...and Rashes

So I'm starting with the cute pictures. This morning the girls were playing and cracking up at each other. They had a tea party then took "naps" under the table. New gymnastic pictures from Monday...

So Gabby's MRSA was going away when Sunday she woke up with red cheeks and speckles everywhere...so she stayed home with Daddy. Papa T thought it was an allergic reaction to the antibiotic...so I called the pediatricians office and was told since it wasn't raised or itchy it was probably viral...so I kept her off the antibiotic the rest of the day anyway...

Monday morning the spots were all gone, so I thought maybe it was viral and gave her the antibiotic...figured we see what happens...(I don't know what this face was at gymnastics but it cracks me up)

By the time gymnastics was over the cheeks were getting red again...so we made another appointment to the doctor. By the time we got to our appointment she was red all over. Dr Yoblonski was pretty sure it was a reaction to the Sulfa but the rash was looking like Fifths Disease (viral rash). Once we got home and gave her some benadryl she woke up with less of a rash (so hoping by tomorrow it's gone).

So...this all means that she can't have Sulfa drugs. The probably with that is Sulfa is one of two drugs that kill MRSA. Luckily it is gone but if it comes back we may be in trouble since we'll only have one drug left that will work and we will have to pray that she doesn't become allergic to that one.

Now for Bella. We had her blood work done Friday morning and most had come back when we were at the doctors office yesterday...it all looked good but the test we were waiting on was still pending. She had a rash two weeks ago on her hands and then it went away...a week later it came back. Since it was only on her hands and nothing has changed they ran blood work to see if she has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. She complains a lot of things hurting, but most of the time I think she just wants attention...as tonight she came out and said her finger hurt, then her arm, then her leg...5 minutes later it was her hip and eye ball. She'll do anything not to go to bed. The cutest thing was after about 45 minutes of getting in and out of bed you could hear Gabby calling "Bella are you okay".

With all this rain we've had I'm hoping warmer weather and sunshine will help get all these bugs to go away!

Cabo book from Jennifer

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