It's Springtime in Phoenix!

We survived the cold, dark winter that hits Phoenix.  Ha!  I apologize for the sarcasm if you are reading this from a place that actually does get hit by cold dark winters.  But we deserve some amazing weather at least part of the year since we endure some crazy miserably hot summers.  March is my favorite time of year in Phoenix.  The mornings are crisp, the afternoons are in the 80s, and the citrus blossoms are ripe and heavenly-scented wherever you go.  

We have been enjoying the weather by having a few picnics and taking lots of trips to the park.  

This next photo just cracks me up.....It's important to go to the park with your pink purse and your puppy. :)

Look Daddy! A dandelion!!!!!

In other news, Kathryn was very sick recently.  She had RSV, but after a very scary weekend of hearing her struggle to breathe, we managed to stay out of the hospital and battle through with only the home breathing treatments.  She still has a nasty cough, but in comparison, she's a million times better.  It was the most scared I've ever been as a mom. I slept on the floor of her room next to her crib because I was just terrified I wouldn't hear her if she got really bad overnight and couldn't breathe.  She had this glassy-eyed, pink, dazed look to her all day long, and just clung to me or laid her head pitifully on my chest.  So sad.  But now she is back to herself, and her spunky little personality is here again! 

Yesterday was Rich's birthday.  We celebrated with a nice low-key dinner at home.  I made Rich's favorite--Stir-fry Spicy Cashew Chicken for dinner and Alex helped me sing Happy Birthday.  We had family over for a visit this past weekend.  

Alex had her first swim lesson today.  We talked it up for the past few days, and she was SO excited to go today.  She kept telling me, "I'm gonna go SWIMMING!!!!!"  But then we got there, and she realized I wasn't going in the water with her, and she completely freaked out. (They have the parents wait in an observation room because the students tend to learn better when they are alone with the instructors.) She screamed bloody murder and cried the ENTIRE 30 minutes of the class.  But I couldn't believe that she complied with the little activities and lessons (jumping in the water, kicking her legs, swinging her arms) all while crying and sobbing "I WANT MY MOMMMMMMMMMMY!"  She climbed over the edge of the pool a couple times and took off running, and the instructor had to run and catch her.  Once, she came up to the glass observation window and plastered her red face to it, crying "MOMMMMMY, come and get me, I don't want to swim!!" It was heart breaking!! But when the class was over, I came around the corner, and she beamed up at me with her tear-stained, blotchy face, but with the biggest smile, and said "That was SO fun!" I couldn't believe it.  She was so proud of herself for jumping into the water, and she couldn't stop talking about it all night.  After dinner, we asked her if she was looking forward to another swim lesson, and she looked at us with a very serious face, and said, "No, that's ok.  Just one day is good.  I'll be fine." Ha!

Sister Loving

I always wanted a sister when I was growing up.  I'm sure I imagined it to be much more starry-eyed and best-friend-like than it is in many cases, but still.

But one great thing about having kids is you get to re-do your own life through them. HA! (Harvard, here we come?!) I kid, I kid. But seriously, I am truly enjoying the view as I look down on my two little girls who are so loving with each other (yes, I KNOW that won't last longer than another month or two, but don't rain on my parade!).

For now, I see the big sister that Alex has become, and my heart just swells with pride.  She is attentive, caring, and loves that baby sister with all her heart.  It is a beautiful thing for this only child (me) to witness. And Kathryn--well, Kat's favorite person in the world is Alex.  From the day we brought her home from the hospital, she has been following her big sister's every action with her eyes, and her face  brightens even at the sound of Alex's voice coming from another room.  She sits, playing with toys, (before recently becoming mobile) hoping that Alex will join her for a moment.  And when Alex obliges, Kathryn starts giggling and bopping her head, just soaking up the undivided attention.

I feel like this is such a short-lived, beautiful moment in time.  I know the day is right around the corner when Kathryn is going to become more intrusive into Alex's toys and playtime, which will cause bickering and conflict.  I know Alex is going to be growing more independent and less interested in rolling the ball to her baby sister every night after dinner.  I wish I could freeze these moments.  The camera will have to do.

Kathryn on the Move!

Kathryn started crawling a couple weeks ago, just days before she turned 10 months old.  And wouldn't you know what made her crawl? Her loving dad? Nope. Mom? Not a chance.  OH yes, it was the remote control.  Because that (and the cell phone) are pretty much the coolest things in the house, worth struggling over, worth learning how to coordinate the chubby knees and hands into a not-so-graceful shuffle.  One day she couldn't crawl, stuck in one spot in the middle of the living room, surrounded by toys, and the next day, she was ALL. OVER. the place! And yes, even though our life has suddenly entered a whole new level of complication, (baby proofing all over again) I'm so excited for her newfound freedom and sense of exploration.  So is Alex.  She keeps following her around, and sometimes she points and says "Look Mommy! Kathryn is under the table!!!"

She is more than a little proud of herself.