Sisters

Lola Del Seely Sher joined our family on Dec 6 at 9:39am.
She is amazing and SO loved

Kids' Day

Molly made up a holiday...Kids' Day. When I asked 'isn't every day kids' day?' she said 'no, it's the day before Valentines. Kids get to do anything they want, even tell the parents what to do. Just like parents get to when it's Mothers' Day or Fathers' Day.'

Stationery card

Little Snowflake Girl Birth Announcement

Personalized cards for babies, graduation, and Mother's Day.

View the entire collection of cards.

Molly's musings

"I can only snap with my right hand but I can only wink with my left eye. Guess I am right handed but left eyed."-Molly

Christmas

"My sister will be the biggest Christmas present ever...well, unless we get a big motorcycle."

Labor Day

Jon using a kitchen spoon to fill mortar into holes and Molly is filling dirt into her bucket and finding worms to add to her "worm exhibit.". Ahhh a day in the life!

Molly musings

Molly: "I don't care what kind of animal shape it is as long as it's a gummy."

Molly's Mussings

Molly: "Daddy did my hair this morning. It's not very good but I let him do it because if he doesn't practice he won't get any better."

Molly's Musings

"My baby sister is putting together her body in heaven.-Molly
Me: "really? Feels like she is doing it in my uterus."
Molly: "nope. It's in heaven."

Molly's Musings

Want to hear something gross? Molly asks. How's a mama to respond? Oh yes, Molls please tell me something gross. "Flies eat poop."

The goddess with the long, long arms

"Wouldn't it be great if there was a great big goddess with long, long arms to reach down and push me on the swing when you are pushing my baby sister?"-Molly

GrammiE's newest Molly project

summer road trip 2011

Click here to view this photo book larger

Video highlights of our road trip

The Balloon that Became a Fish--a story about being positive

Molly got a balloon at Nugget. She held onto it so tight (the clip AND the string) so it wouldn't fly away before we got to the car. As I was putting groceries into the car, Molly went to play/stand by a tree so she was out of the parking lot. The balloon popped. :( She was shocked then... huge, sincere croc tears. She was so distraught. I wanted to go back in and get another but we had popscicles and it was hot. I tried to console her, she cried and cried. Then part way home she stopped and said, "Well it is good that I still have the clip and the string to play with." OMG. A few minutes later she pretended it was a fishing pole and the busted balloon at the end was a fish, she 'caught' it over and over until we got home. She amazes me. She can do at four what many adults cannot.

Molly is 4 today

Four years ago today I had the more intense, scary, life-threatening but thrilling and life changing day of my life. Molly entered this world in a flury, making her mark on all of our lives from the very beginning. I was struck by how quickly that mama-bear instinct kicked in...the "find-my-baby" story is still brings a rush of emotion. I'm amazed that the fierceness in which I became a mom has continued and maybe even grown over these 4 years. She remains the single most amazing thing I've ever done.

And now she's four. She finished her first year of preschool, she is so independent, so smart, so engaged. She dresses herself, brushes her own teeth and hair (and not even with the same brush!), she can get things out of drawers, out of the cabinets, the frig...she can do so much for herself. She can cut, write her own name, spell and read at least a dozen words. She has her own ideas about the world (and the afterlife), she is bright and interesting, she talks non-stop...she seems so grown.

And four is no more kidding around. No more baby. No more toddler. She is four...but she is only four.

Today, sadly, Molly had a well-child check up complete with a shot...not the best way to kick off your birthday.

But we got it over with (and she was very brave) and went to pick out gummies (huge treat) and then decided to celebrate the day and put the doctor visit behind us with Build-a-Bear. We've never done it but it was pretty fun. Molly picked out her bear skin

got her filled

dressed her, named her Marcie, and made her a birth certificate. Then Marcie went everywhere with us today.

In true Seely family tradition, I asked Molly what she wanted for her birthday dinner. I told her that she could have anything she wanted. She said that she wanted to go to Thai Food! Such a kid! And so we went to Thai food...Molly, Marcie, daddy, and I.

After dinner Molly leaned over and said to me "there's a party in my tummy with all the food." Love her. Love her so much!

Happy 4th of July!

Golfing with GrammiE and PopPop












Pool at Tahoe Donner










Playing at Lake Tahoe















ah...what a life!

What we do for our kids

Molly wanted to take ballet. She begged to take ballet. So in January, for her half birthday celebration, I enrolled her in a once a week class at the local community center. And so we have gone to ballet. Pretty much every week. I hate it. She loves it. There are only girls in her class and each week my heart breaks a little more for the twin brother of one of the girls who quietly dances on the side, seemingly longing to join the class. And each week I listen to a barage of Disney princess music and wonder how this is shaping my daughter. But then there are high moments...when asked which is her favorite princess, and after listening to 15 other girls call out "Jasmine" "Cinderella" "Ariel"...my daughter shouts out "Fiona" (from Shrek) and makes the whole room take a pause.

She dances her heart out...well, when she isn't looking at herself in the mirror. She my not-quite 4 year old can not pass up the opportunity to see herself in a reflection, any reflection (even the side of the car). Vanity, thy name is Molly.

Then came recital. Oh, you should have seen her light up at the suggestion of a recital. Afterall, following the first class, when I asked her what she thought, her response was "good, but where was the stage?" The recital seemed like a bad idea to me. Two weeks of additional practice, at night, starting at 6pm and going until a minimum of 8pm. She's three. Too much. But she so wanted to do it. I took her to the parent meeting, had her listen to all the details...how long the practices are, that she can't come see me or her dad, she has to follow directions, there is a lot of waiting, she'll only be in two short numbers...consistently she promised she wanted to do it. And so we signed her up.

The first practice went until after 8. The Friday night practice she didn't get home until a quarter to 11. Similar pattern the following week. She loved it. Never wanted to quit (trust me I asked). Never complained. Never said she didn't want to do it. And then recital.

GrammiE and PopPop came up. Tia Lou was there. We sat in the balcony to see the full show. There was no air conditioning. But we were there...my child's performance. She was in spot #2 and then after intermission, spot #40. There were 65 performances. Which took 4 hours and 45 minutes to complete. I'm not kidding. It was unreal. But when we finally got back stage to pick her up...Molly was all smiles. Thrilled and excited. Especially thrilled with the flowers that Auntie Didi had prepared and sent with GrammiE and PopPop. She looked exhausted, and a little sweaty. But so happy. She said her favorite part was taking a bow. In her mind she is pure star. And why should she see herself any other way.

I still question the sanity of allowing my 3 year old daughter go through such long practices and even longer performance. I still don't particularly love the idea of ballet classes. But there is no denying how happy she is while doing ballet. She is feeling her body move, she is strong in herself, and happy. What more could ya want?

Molly Musings

June 7
Molly: mom, what is pope?
Me: what?
Molly: pope
Me: well, that's a religious leader who lives in Italy
Molly: no, it's the white stuff inside an orange and sometimes in the juice
Me: LMAO

June 6
‎3:30 am and Molly wants to know why some people are allergic to aardvarks

June 2
‎"Me, Me, Me...I'm telling you that is how my life is going to go."~Molly

May 30
‎"can I open my umbrella indoors? I don't believe it is bad luck so it's not bad luck for me."-Molly

May 29
‎"Mom, can you catch a cloud so I can taste it?"-Molly, 1st thing this morning

Sleep

Many have sent me this link. For those of you who know of our struggles with Molly and bedtime, you'll understand why!

Yosemite 2011

Took our annual trip to Yosemite. But not our typical trip! Due to weather about half the usual folks cancelled, the rest of us set out for a wet weekend. Started off well, easy drive in. Stopped at Bridalveil Falls, then went and set up camp along with pop-ups and tarp structures to give us shelter in the rain. Then we headed to Yosemite falls. A little misty and cold but a nice walk in the valley. The weather seemed to be working with us. On Saturday morning we got up with the intention of hiking Vernal Falls and the mist trail but Molly was acting funky and at 13 weeks pregnant I was a bit low energy. So we walked to Mirror Lake and took the shuttle to the Ansel Adams museum...where Molly promptly threw up all over Jon after getting off the shuttle. Poor thing...and we were just saying how she had never vomitted yet in her life. Maybe I jinxed her :(

And then the rain really started. At this point, I was feeling pretty done with it all. After spending the rest of the afternoon in a tent with a sick kid we decided to call it a trip and head home. Molly slept all the way home that afternoon, and through the night, until 11:30am the next day...about 16 hours!

Oh well, there is always next year.

fun with iphone

Click here to view these pictures larger

Molly Musings

2/19/11
Molly is on the phone. She is calling the doctor because Bobo (the monkey) was jumping on the bed. She is describing the whole situation to the 'doctor.'

3/8/11
We were at Costco and I said to Molly "I think we are forgetting something." Molly said "Ya, I think we need champagne"

3/11/11
Molly asked "What is Wonder Woman wondering about?"

Molly asked which is longer...see ya later alligator or in a while crocodile?

3/18/11
Told Molly she lost privileges for not listening. She said "so, I don't get to buy a pony?"

3/19/11
Molly wants to know..."why do we call it a cold if your body gets warm and you have a fever?"

3/20/11
Molly: "I'm making sushi."
Jon: "What is in your sushi?"
Molly: "Cheese, cauliflower, and cookies."

Twinkle Little STAR....

If she can look away from the mirror long enough maybe we have a star...or not?!

Ah...Saturday Mornings

Finished off a great couple days, albeit rainy days!, with GrammiE.

Aquarium Trip-January

All she needs now is a subway

Molly just got out her guitar, opened the case on the ground, and said "if you like my music put your money in there!" (seriously, I just can't make this stuff up!)

Tap Practice Aromas January 2011

Celebrating Molly's Half Birthday

We have had quite a day! Started this morning with a 'binky hunt' because last night was the LAST night for binkies. Three and a half year olds are far too old for such foolishness! And as Molly says they just don't taste good anymore.

Later in the day we went to Freeport Bakery--our neighborhood bakery--and celebrated with a chocolate cupcake with rainbow sprinkles (Molly ate the sprinkles and frosting and left the cake behind...sounds like a certain GrammiE!)

And we finished our day with Molly's first ballet/tap dance class...a complete hit! She LOVED it! LOVED.IT! All day she talked about being on a stage. I tried explaining that this was a class, to learn but she knew that there would be a stage because she had been practicing her 'moves' at home. She loved the class but at the end, as we walked to the car, she asked "but mommy, why wasn't there a stage?"

And the class ended with a little free dance (and freeze). I don' t know if you can see this well but Molly's 'freeze' was in her exact (and dramatic) pose each time. So funny and Too Fun! A fantabulous day!

What a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas in Truckee is soooo much fun!

We played in the snow....

Made sugar cookies....

Built a Gingerbread House...

Opened LOTS of presents....

And had lots of family time!

Because I know our Kiwi Family reads the blog...here are some photos of my handsome Uncle Paul....