John Mayer was FREAKING AWESOME.  It was the best concert I’ve ever been to and we had absolutely fantastic seats thanks to Keith’s friends Amy & John.  The rest of the trip was equally as fantastic….the best birthday/christmas/birthday/christmas present ever I think!

Claire really surprised me today when she announced that she wanted to play up in her room with her new dolly that Grammy bought her at Target today.  She’s never wanted to play in her room by herself, but I told her it was ok.  In the 10 minutes she was upstairs, she came down no less than 10 times to tell me/ask me something.  And shouted a few things from the top of the stairs.  One of the things she announced is that she “cleaned her room” (I haven’t checked it out yet for validity) and that she had to go potty, to which I told her just to go.  After I heard the toilet flush, she announced she wanted to come downstairs and watch Diego with Madeline (a good thing, since I need to cook dinner).  She stood at the gate, ready to be let into the living room looking like this:

I asked for an explanation as to why she was wearing my glasses and she said “Silly Mommy, my baby needed me to see so I could feed her”

Go figure.  I guess Claire was full of surprises today.

Instead of writing an incredibly boring narrative trying to explain where the heck we’ve been in the last 2 weeks, I thought I’d share it via photos.

Madeline has a BIG drink. (don’t worry friends, it’s water)

Amanda rocked the house as Gabriella Montez in High School Musical

“Mommy, I’m doing my ‘nastics’ in here.  Is this too dangerous for Madeline?”

(well at least she asked)

Cookie visits!  We have a great time, with the exception of the worst concert ever (at least the people sitting in front of us were nice).  He taught Claire how to ride a bike and we only had a teensy bit of medical drama (everyone is fine!)

I also finished 2 knitting project which I can’t post here until a reader receives them.

We’re back with a vengeance now!

Well its back to work for me after a wonderful week off, and an awesome visit by Keith! We all had a really wonderful week - many many fun nights in front of the fireplace, just hanging out and having a wonderful time. The girls miss their Cookie already, and our house seemed empty this morning without our good friend. I had to remind Claire this morning that Cookie took the airplane home — even though she was there at the airport when we dropped him off.

Madeline continues to make an amazing recovery from her eye “surgery” last week. (she had a plugged tear duct from birth that constantly caused her eye to be goopy and her to be totally grouchy). She seems to be doing wonderfully — no more eye goop! and her demeanor has improved so much. Just look at this cutie — these pictures were taken the afternoon after her surgery when I was at the grocery store and Keith was playing Nanny. No swelling at all and look how clear her eye is!! Of course it hasn’t helped her sleep at all….she’s still nocturnally challenged I think that has more to do with the large molar coming in, instead of her eye bugging her. The only *side effect* we’ve seen from the surgery is that she is being very fussy about taking any medicine, which is just annoying. I’m tired of being covered in Orange flavored Motrin, thank you very much.

Off to the gym! (workout 1 of the week). And yes Kelly, I will update our Biggest Loser Million Pound Challenge page as soon as I can!! (hopefully tonight!!)

A friend’s photo reminds me how much I miss open water…and of this poem:

Sea-Fever

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea’s face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way, where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

John Masefield