Party animals

As mentioned earlier, Mabes has decided she loves kittens. You might call it a bit of an obsession. She decided she wanted a cat party, and immediately started planning. Awesome, less work for me. I wanted to make a pinata again, but that kind of took a lot of time. Plus, they recently chopped down a bunch of our trees, so we had nowhere to hang it--it was a convenient excuse.
I decided to do cat ears and collars in addition to Mabes' well-planned games. The kids colored shrinky dinks with their names on them, we baked them, then put them on their beaded collars. Dave was surprised how long the beading took them--I've worked with several of these kids in our preschool co-op, so I was banking on it taking them a while to do that while I made lunch!
When they finished, they played games. At Mabes' request, Dave made a "pin the tail on the cat" game, but took it a step farther and had it be "pin everything on the cat." And then instead of Duck Duck Goose, they played Cat Cat Mouse. And Cat Cat Bird. Mabes was disappointed that we didn't have time for Dog Dog Cat. (Creativity was limited.)

Picasso's cat

I used Sarah's recipe to make strawberry cupcakes with strawberry icing. It uses real strawberries in both the cupcakes and icing, so it's practically health food! And I had made the candy cats (boo, the whiskers were messy, but I stopped caring after the first one) in advance, so the cupcakes were super easy to throw together the day-of.
It was a fun, easy party and I had a lot of fun planning it with Mabes. Of course, despite games and activities, the kids enjoyed running around playing cats the most. Mabes has decided she wants to be a cat for Halloween--with the ears and collar, I think her costume is pretty much done. I just can't let her change her mind.

I think she enjoyed her ice cream.

Six already?!?!

Dear Mabes,

Happy birthday, little girl. Six years ago tonight, I held you and wondered who you'd be. I wanted to call everyone I knew to tell them we had you--it was like the best birthday and Christmas all rolled into one. Before you were born, Daddy and I worried that you'd be overshadowed by your cousins. We worried that you would be the boring, quiet child in the corner at family events.

We didn't need to worry.

I can think of lots of words to describe you, but not boring and quiet. You are fun and crazy and say the most hilarious things. (Daddy thinks I should have a Mabes-isms twitter account--I don't think I could keep up with you.) You are a great big sister; Annabelle adores you. Your energy is unparallelled. You are so strong-willed, outgoing, and extroverted that your dad and I often wonder where you came from.

We've had a long, great weekend. You were tired tonight, and I know that was part of the reason you were a little emotional. We sat in your room and you told me you were nervous about growing up. You're excited about 1st grade, but also scared. You told me that you think about all the challenges, and how there are more challenges in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, and that scares you. You're worried that 1st grade will be more work than you can handle. You're worried you'll do something wrong. You're worried it will be hard.

This is a side of you I don't see often. While I don't know where the crazy extrovert came from, I can clearly see that the worrier in you is all me. I didn't know what to tell you tonight, so I told you it would all be okay, you might be nervous, but you'll love 1st grade just like you loved kindergarten. I told you not to worry about 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, and just think about the fun things we'll do this week.

I don't know how to make the worrying go away. I don't know how to make "the challenges" easier. You are a brilliant little girl and I never want you to doubt yourself. You will make mistakes, and you'll even fail sometimes. You have so much potential, and I worry (see?) that something I do will stifle that. You will do great things in your life, but honestly? The challenges are part of it. It's how you'll learn. It's how you'll grow. I wish you didn't have to worry, and I wish I could tell you it won't be hard. I can't.

Six years ago, I had no idea the challenge in store in becoming a parent. It's been hard. I've cried a lot. I'm pretty sure it's only going to get harder. But that challenge has also been the most rewarding aspect of my life.

Kind of a random picture. But it goes along with the theme.
Also, Mabes seems so big here!

Mabes, we are so blessed to have you. You are a sweet girl with a big heart and bigger hugs. While I wish you didn't have to worry, I know it's part of life. If anyone is up for a challenge, it's you. I can't wait to see the things you'll do and the person you'll become. And like I told you tonight, Daddy and I will always love you. Just do your best, and everything always works out. Happy birthday, Mabes.

Love,
Mommy

Hello kitteh...

About two weeks ago, Mabes noticed we don't have any stuffed cats. Frogs, monkeys, elephant, dinosaur, unicorn, dogs, lambs, fish, bears, and more, but no cats. Probably because we don't need more stuffed anything. But Mabes was insistent. We needed a stuffed cat. Cats are, after all, her favorite animal.

Huh?

Oh yes, she told me. Her favorite. They're cute. And cuddly. And she loves them so much. She wants a stuffed cat for her birthday. In fact, she loves cats so much, scrap the dance party idea (no problem) and let's do a CAT party. Because Mabes loves cats.

I was kind of waiting for the cat love to blow over, but her party is tomorrow and she still insists that she loves cats. Other than briefly seeing Jeff and Jess's cat, I don't know that she's ever been around one. Whatever, she wants cats? I'll give her cats. I'm still not sure what to do at a cat party (play Minister's Cat and look at Icanhascheezburger?), but I've sewn some cat ears and Mabes has some game ideas so we'll see.

And Gymboree has very conveniently come out with a kitten line; I couldn't help myself. Mabes may only be turning 6, but she's already turning into crazy cat lady.

We'll call it a draw.

Before we had kids, Dave and I used to talk about how awesome it would be to have supernerd children who love healthy food. After another trip to the grocery store with Mabes begging for broccoli ("please mom please mom please mom I LOVE BROCCOLI!!!" Seriously, kid, just ask once and you'll get it!), we came home, had lunch, and Mabes went off for quiet time.

She seemed a bit more absorbed than usual, so I peeked in and saw this:
She's playing Revolutionary War. Her explanation: Noah is General Washington. He's not president yet, since they haven't won the war. And Washington didn't have a cane and a bird on his shoulder. He's in the castle because they had cool forts back then, and the other people in there are his spies. Also, George Washington probably didn't have golden eggs, but it would be cool if he had, so there are golden eggs in the fort. If we had more Little People men, she would have had a Marquis de Lafayette in there. On the chair is Lord Cornwallis and a Redcoat. (She was irritated that I moved their fort for the picture, as they wouldn't be that close in real life.)

I love my supernerd.

Dave and I also dreamed of having children who listened, obeyed, and never talked back. Oh well--you win some, you lose some.

36 Hours of Booty

Okay, so the event is 24 Hours of Booty, but because Dave was on the organizing committee, it was 36 for him. He got there around 8:30 am Friday morning, helped with set up all day, and was on his bike for the official event kick-off at 7 pm.

Can you find Dave?

Despite triple digit heat, the girls and I headed to Myer's Park Friday evening. Dave had talked it up last year, so I at least wanted to see a little bit. We finally found parking, and booked it for the start line. Annabelle had insisted on walking, but after a block, she decided riding in the sling would be better. (Sidenote: It is easier to keep track of an 18-month-old in a sling, but holy Ned, having a 23 pound heater strapped to you with basically a blanket in 100 degree heat isn't fun.) It's a beautiful area, and it reminds me of Palo Alto. I even found a great house for us, but it's a little out of our range.

The side of the road not used for cycling. Beautiful area.

We made it in time, took some pictures, and found Dave lined up with his team. When Dave had mentioned riding this year, I was more than happy to support him in that. I have good associations with this event (aside from the good cause, though that should be enough!). As he was helping at the start line last year, he saw corporate teams getting ready and thought, "I'd love to be able to do that next year!" Right before the race started, he got the call offering him his job. It had been a long job search, and he landed a job with his goal company. He rode with them this year.

Those raising hands are in remission.

The first lap around the "booty loop" (about 3 miles, the area for which the event was named) was a parade lap. They invited all participating cancer survivors and those currently battling to come to the front to ride. Along with the race numbers, they had tags that said, "In memory of...", "In honor of...", and "I'm a survivor!" It was incredibly moving to see so many of those tags. It seemed like almost everyone had a personal connection, and was a stark reminder of how many lives are affected by cancer. They encouraged everyone to take it easy; it wasn't really a race, but a chance to raise awareness and money. Talk, listen to stories, be inspired. As cyclists passed, you'd hear "My daughter was just diagnosed...", "My father is in remission...", "I lost my mother..." as they talked to each other.

A peloton approaches

All along the three mile course, people were cheering the cyclists on; I even saw a woman setting up what appeared to be a really nice dinner party on her front lawn. People were tailgating, blasting music, cheering. Dave said that some of them stayed all night.

Never-ending line of cyclists

Dave's waving back to Annabelle and Mabes

The girls and I didn't last long though. We went home for the night, and returned in the morning when it was a cool 90 degrees. (Dave said that at one point around 1:30 am, he made the comment that it had cooled down a lot--the guy he was talking to checked his phone and it said 87 degrees. Boo.) We brought cookies and got to meet some of Dave's teammates, including the captain and Sandy, the overall highest fundraiser ($50K!). As a team, they raised over $144,000.

Miserably hot despite misting fans...

...but the bounce house makes it better!

You want to squeeze her, don't you?

While the majority of riders looked like somewhat serious cyclists on road bikes, the range was impressive. There were tandems, hybrids, kids on bikes (and some on what Mabes calls "stuck together bikes--attached to a parent's bike), unicycles, even an old-fashioned high bike (more pictures). Mabes even pointed out a little kid in a bike trailer with an "I'm a survivor!" tag on it.

Wall of Hope

One of the many, many bike racks

Dave rode 67 miles, slept for about 3 hours in a chair, and spent the rest of the time running around helping with the event. When they handed out team awards, he got "best volunteer EVER." He was a little tired when he got home, but he had a great time. Thank you to everyone who donated; you'll be getting your art-by-Mabes soon.

Dave in "Bootyville," the where people slept/rested before heading out for more laps.

Dave's medal, handmade by Mona, the team captain

Dave's team

Booooooooooootyyyyyyyyyy!

It's fun to yell "booootyyyy!" Especially when you're pillaging your boss's snack cabinet with your sister. Good times.

But this isn't about that. This is about 24 Hours of Booty. As Dave mentioned earlier, he's riding this year after helping out last year. It's a great cause that supports not only Livestrong, but local cancer organizations. Both of our families have been impacted by cancer. Some family members have survived, and some haven't. He'll be riding for them.

A few years ago, I was listening to the radio and a doctor was talking about cancer. He pointed out that while we didn't yet have a cure for cancer, getting a cancer diagnosis wasn't the death sentence it was 20 years ago. I realized that about 20 years earlier was around the time my Aunt Alyce was diagnosed. She fought it twice, but didn't survive. She is still missed. The mortality rate has dropped significantly, thanks to research and scientific advancements. Cancer is still terrifying, and unfortunately affects too many families.

So if you have some extra money you just don't know what to do with, donate to a great cause (click here to get to Dave's page). They support research and local cancer treatment facilities. And if that isn't enough incentive, if you donate, Mabes will send you a thank you. Which may or may not say "thank you," it may just be original art. For example:
I liked this one better before she added the green. It was just pencil with a hint of yellow. Note the dog's happiness, and the horror on Dave's, Annabelle's, and Mabes' faces. I was at a baby shower. Also, it will be a while before we dogsit again.

18 months!

Annabelle turned 18 months a couple of weeks ago. She is a full-fledged toddler, and I absolutely love this age when I'm not banging my head against the wall due to the screaming. It's quite the change from the sweet, calm, easy going baby that she was. Screeching aside (seriously, I don't remember birthing a banshee), this is a really fun age and I'm loving it. A few things I want to remember about this age:
She adores Mabes, and now that she's a bit older, Mabes usually loves playing with her. I love watching the two of them together.
She's really starting to pick up new words. I don't think she's saying as much as Mabes was at this age, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. She says Daddy, doggie, Mabes (Mmmmmae!), Mama, Rudy (Ru-ee, the dog we watched for a week), Annabelle (Baba), all done, more, milk, eat, ball, car, yummy, amen, me, baby, thank you, night night, and stinky (ginky, accompanied by patting her bum). If you ask her a question that starts with "Who" and say it with enough enthusiasm, she'll get really excited and yell, "MEEEEE!" (Yes, grammarphiles, I realize that's incorrect. I don't care. It's cute.) "Who wants breakfast?!?!" "MEEE!" "Who needs a nap?!?!" "MMEEE!" "Who loves Mommy?!?!" "MMMEEEEEE!" It's very validating.

I pulled out the camera and she totally turned around and posed.

She loves to dance and wiggle and run and jump. Well, at this point, she tries to jump. If she does manage to heave her body off the ground, she usually falls down, but she's quite proud of herself. She tries to sing the songs Mabes sings, including, "Baby, baby baby ooooooooohhhh..." (more banging head against wall). She loves loud noises and almost any kind of music.

If the dishwasher is open, she'll close it. If a drawer is closed, she'll open and empty it. She likes having her hair in pigtails when we got out, but as soon as we get home she makes me take them out and fluff her hair. She sleeps better than Mabes did at this age (and honestly, if one of them is going to get me up in the night, 9 times out of 10 it will be Mabes). She's not allowed to have her pacifiers during the day, but she loves cuddling up with about 4 of them and Murray, her stuffed lamb, at night. This is where I run--it makes 78 degrees and 92% humidity

before 7 am more bearable.

She's a cuddler. If I ask, "Who wants tickles?" she'll yell "Meee!" and then drop down on the floor and wait. She shrugs her shoulders and makes funny little adult expressions. She gives great sparkler hugs. She giggles in her sleep.

Is it just me or is this a Grandma Thurston face?

She had her 18 month check up almost 2 weeks ago, and is weighing in at 23 lbs 6 oz (45th percentile) and is 31.5 inches tall (50th percentile). She's been to the doctor twice this last week due to a nasty fever, and has to go back again tomorrow for another blood draw. For Becca and other medical nerds, her white blood cell count is really low, particularly the granulocytes. Following doctor's orders, she stayed home from church today since the wbc count indicates that her immune system isn't functioning as well as it should, but hopefully she'll be back to normal tomorrow. She's been really brave through all the blood draws, and though there were tears, the screaming was minimal. (But turn off the water before she's done playing in it, and look out!) She even waves to all the doctors and nurses on the way out. She's a sweet girl and we love her.