Lorraine's 2nd Birthday

Lorraine turned two on September 9th, we had a few people over for BBQ and cupcakes.  She had a Mickey Mouse themed party.

Trike from Grandpa, she was so excited!

Test Drive

"swimming" with her cute friends

Not a fan of our singing

Getting down to business!

Daddy helping Lorraine ride her new bike

Cupcakes I made, food is hard to photograph!

Lorraine is such a funny little girl, shes almost always giggling.  She loves her baby sister and is always playing with her and trying to make her laugh.  She loves all babies, at our play groups she's always passing out toys to the little ones and kissing their toes.  She loves going on walks in the stroller, or going anywhere really, kitties, coloring and Elmo.  Her favorite foods are macaroni and cheese, watermelon, and her newest obsession, ice cream!  She asks for it first thing just about every morning.  She's such a happy, easy going, well behaved girl, we're so lucky to have her!

How to TP Your Sister

Busy, Busy

The past month has been nonstop chaos with lots of activities and preparing for nursing school.  I had to get scrubs and blood tests and vaccinations and doctor's appointments, Oh My!  School started this week and I think I will enjoy it.  Since I have no medical experience what-so-ever everything is interesting to me even sterile technique and donning PPEs (personal protective equipment for the non-med types.  I'm so legit now.) The instructors seem nice and reasonable so hopefully everything goes well.  We'll be starting clinicals in 8 weeks and I'll be at Elk's Rehab.  I'm excited and scared.

A couple of weeks ago was the Sutherland reunion at Lake Walcott near Rupert.  It was a really nice campground and we had fun with all of Byron's family.

Hanging out with Grandpa and Daddy

Bed head

Her Royal Highness in her chariot

Crashed out in Aunt Pam's motorhome

Getting some Grandma loves

It was pretty hot so Marie got to hang out in her skivvies.

Yesterday we went to the Western Idaho Fair with Grandpa.  Lorraine loved looking at the kids art projects in the Expo building.  There was a cute agricultural tent with kids activities she really liked too.  She wanted to ride the carousel but after our experience in Rexburg we decided to skip it.  We ate some tasty fair food and saw all the animals.  The girls were so worn out they were asleep before we even got out of the parking lot.

The Hambone Racing Pigs.  I want one!

Lorraine making a picture in the Ag tent

Taking a break with Grandpa

Lorraine is growing up so fast.  She'll be two in just a couple weeks and she loves to help out.  She's such a little mommy.  Lorraine takes good care of her sister... when she's not dragging her across the floor by her feet.  But Marie loves any kind of attention from her big sister and is always a good sport.

She always replaces the trash bag for me.

Reading to Marie

I'm so blessed to have these sweet little girls and a wonderful extended family that's always so willing to help us.  Now that I've gotten in to nursing school I don't think there's anything I could possibly ask for!  We've been given so much!

Oh Bear

Christmas 2010, Lorraine was 15 mos.

That thing hanging out of Lorraine's mouth is a Pacimal.  Basically a stuffed animal attached to a binky.  The binky pops off a sewn on base so you can wash the animal.  She originally had three of them, a pig, a cat and the bear.  The other two have been lost over the past year so bear is the lone survivor.  He's been her cure-all for these 23 months of her life and I'm so glad she had him during all of her medical tests/treatments/etc to help her cope.  She hasn't been as dependent on him lately so we decided it was time to get rid of the "paci" part.

Two nights ago at bedtime we couldn't find bear (he's always being stashed somewhere weird by Lorraine, Pantry shelves, closets, under the recliner) so I told Lorraine I didn't know where he was and gave her a stuffed kitty instead. She seemed to take this answer as acceptable and went right to sleep, no problem.  She did have a little trouble in the middle of the night but did ok.  The next day at nap time didn't go so well.  She was demanding her bear (I had found him by now, but was keeping him hidden.) I cut off the binky so I couldn't go back and gave him to her explaining "binky's all gone."  She was NOT happy about this, finally she settled down and I left her to fall asleep.  A few minutes later I heard her crying "Oh, bear!" over and over.  When I peeked in she was holding him, looking him in his bear face and shaking him while she cried "Oh, bear!"  It was hilarious and heartbreaking, like she couldn't believe this betrayal, that her best buddy would be so irresponsible as to lose his binky.  Thankfully she calmed down shortly thereafter, went to sleep and hasn't had a problem since.

Bear's sad state now.

I have mixed feelings about giving up the binky.  No binky, starting potty training soon, its so sad that she's not a tiny baby anymore.  I hate that they have to grow up.  But I'm glad to be rid of bear, I hated that guy always hanging off her face, searching for him 100 times a day when Lorraine would look at me with a concerned look and say "Uh, go?" and locating him somewhere in our bed several times during the night.  (Yes, she still sleeps with us, hoping to get her in her own bed soon too.)  In the end bear is definitely a keepsake, that filthy little thing has been such a help to us in his two short years.

 If only Marie wasn't so in love with the binky too, we'll have to do this all over again some day!  Speaking of Marie, here's a picture just because.  This outfit cracks me up.

3 Months!

I can't believe Marie is 3 months already!  The time has absolutely flown by.  She's such a good baby, I can't complain about a single thing.  She eats good and sleeps even better, she's been sleeping through the night for a while now.  She goes down for the night at about 10 and sleeps until 6:30 or 7.  She's so patient with Lorraine constantly mauling her.  She loves her sister and smiles every time she sees her.  Lorraine and Marie are so cute together, they were laying on Lorraine's bed together today just giggling at nothing.  I'm so happy we had them so close in age, they'll have a best buddy to grow up with!

Marie loves going places and especially being outdoors.  She loves to "talk" to Mama and Daddy.  She likes having her hair washed, watching Lorraine run around and being in her Ergo carrier.  We couldn't ask for a sweeter baby girl!

It’s been so long since I last blogged I've decided to scrap everything and start fresh. Its been too long to even do a recap because where would I start? Lorraine's birth? I'm pretty sure no one is interested in 100 random pictures from the last two years. (HOW is Lorraine almost two?!) So anyway, here we go!

Last weekend we went to Rexburg for the 4th of July. It’s always so fun and relaxing to visit and I eat way too much good food. We were sad to leave and put off our departure until 7pm Tuesday. This was a grave error. Lorraine refused to go to sleep and cried for most of the last 2 hours of our trip. Marie got annoyed with Lorraine’s crying and started in herself. Then to top it all off they seemed to be competing for who could holler the loudest.

On the 4th of July we went to Porter Park to watch the Parade. Lorraine loved it and would wave enthusiastically at everyone going by.

Her favorites were the kids dancing on the semi flat bed trailers and any type of band/music.  She had to dance along of course.  With her tongue hanging out.

 Here's our best attempt at a family photo that day.  Isn't it lovely?  From my dislocated knees to Lorraine's bear hanging out of her face and Marie crying it's pretty awesome.

After the parade Carma and I took Lorraine on the carousel.  She liked sitting on the horse for a minute, but then wasn't so sure.  When the music started blaring she decided it wasn't fun at all and cried for the rest of the ride.  I think this is the look of impending doom.

We went back to Harry and Carma's for a cook out with Byron's brothers and their kids.  The rodeo still hadn't ended by 11pm so Byron and I gave up on waiting for the fireworks.  We're such party poopers.

Now back in Boise we had a fun week.  My dad and I took the girls to the zoo, Lorraine and I made brownies, and Lorraine got to try out painting.  Remember those paint with water books?  I found one at a yard sale and the lady gave it to us for free woot!  Lorraine thought it was great and had to taste the water of course.

Checking out the Servals

The Meercats.  I love these guys they're so funny.

Sampling the frosting.

Mmm, tastes like paint-y water

And to wrap up our week, today we went to the Lavender Festival out here in Nampa.

And in case you think I neglect Marie because there are no pictures of her, don't worry.  There's just not much to take pictures of when we go out.

Here she is enjoying the parade.

Here she is enjoying the zoo.

And here she is enjoying the Lavender Festival.

Well that sums up our week, busy, busy!  I'm really enjoying my summer off before the craziness of nursing school starts in the fall.