Mommy/Daughter Date - Bailey's Choice

A few weeks ago I told Bailey it was time for a mom/daughter date.  She could choose whatever she wanted to do...after much thought and deliberation, she picked going to get a "man-cure" (or manicure).  What?  Is this my kid?  I'm not much into man-cures myself, but it was her choice, so off we went.  This date was right up Bailey's alley...she got to pick her nail color (pink, of course), and the manicurist even painted little white flowers on two fingers on each hand.  Bayz was seriously in heaven.  I love this kid!

A year in the making...

I promised Riley a pedicure with her friend when she turned 8.  Somehow last summer got away from us, and the pedicure never happened.  Finally, nearly a year late, Ry got her pedicure a couple of weeks ago.  Better late than never, right??

Bluth Family Reunion

A few weeks ago we loaded up the van and headed to New Mexico for the every-other-year Bluth family reunion.  The kids had been looking forward to this weekend for months...and once again, it was the "best weekend ever."  It was heaven on earth for the kiddos...they would get up in the morning, leave the cabin, and I wouldn't really see them again until it was time to eat or time for bed.  As usual, there was a lot of basketball played (with only one injury that I know of), lots of story telling, the traditional pinata for the kids, riding plasma cars down a hill over and over again, and even a few games of dodge-ball.  It was fun visiting with everyone...can't wait to do it again in two years!

A few of the cousins playing.

 Riley, Sadie, and Quinlan - they had so much fun together.

 Riding double down the hill on the plasma car...they got going REALLY fast.

 Bailey, Cora, Zia, and Alyvia

 The kids playing dodge ball.

 Watching dodge ball...

 Bailey tapping the pinata...for some reason she didn't want to hit it hard.

 Ry's turn...

 Those plasma cars got quite the work-out...

 Riley and Sadie

 Bailey on the swing

Zane loved being outside all day long.

 Cory in the traditional basketball game.

 His 3-on-3 team taking a break...which means they lost!

 4 generations: Grandpa Bluth, Cory, Great-Grandpa Bluth and Zane

We broke up the trip home into two days, which we hardly ever do...because we didn't have so far to drive on the second day, we stopped near Moab at Wilson' Arch. The kids were happy to stop and stretch their legs, and we all hiked about 1/4 of the way up the arch...maybe we'll get all of the way up when the kiddos are a little bit bigger.  

Swimming Lessons

I signed the girls up two different sessions of swimming lessons this summer.  They had their first session about a month ago, and started their second session this week.  Ry already knows how to swim, and is just working on her technique.  Bailey needs to learn to swim.  Both girls have made a lot of progress, and they love it.  I don't love it (because of the time it takes to go and having to sit through two 45-minute lessons while trying to keep Monkey Man happy)...but I am glad they are taking lessons.

Bayz during her lesson:

 I do whatever I can to keep Z in his stroller for as long as I can...from a sucker and a book...

 to playing with my sunglasses...

 to playing with Ry's goggles...

 to having a second sucker...

 and finally, with no tricks left, I let him out of the stroller.  

Ry during her lesson:

Spring Soccer

Both of the girls played spring soccer this past year.  Ry was on the same team she was on in the fall.  She did great and had a lot of fun.

Bailey's team was the Silver Sharks.  She played with Bosten (her cousin) and two of her best friends, Annika and Peyton.  Her team was not what you would call good, but she had fun and even scored a goal in the last game of the season.  She was thrilled!

Catching up...slowly.

It has been awhile since I have posted anything on here...we have been so busy lately.  I'm going to try to catch up, though won't get it all in one post.

I'll start with an update on Zane's teeth...after bashing his teeth on a big plastic cup, I'm happy to report his teeth are still there, and the two that moved the most have come back down a little (and look a little less hillbilly-ish).  The bad news is all four of his top teeth are dying.  I took him to the dentist and there really isn't anything they can do.  I just hope they don't get infected...I can handle gray teeth (at least that is what I tell myself)...I don't think I'd be okay with my one-year old missing his four front teeth until his permanent ones come in!

All three kids have had issues over the last few months.  Zane had one ear infection after another since late February.  I finally took him to the ENT and two weeks ago he got tubes put in his ears.  Can I just say he is such a different kid since he got tubes?  He is SO MUCH HAPPIER!  I am SO glad we decided to go ahead with the procedure!  It wasn't much fun for the little guy, but it was worth it.

Waking up was not fun!

 Poor Buddy!  Look at that face!

Bailey has also been to the doctor several times over the last couple of months.  She started having stomach aches that would last a few days at a time.  She would be flat on the couch for days, and not eat or want to do anything...not like her AT ALL.  The last time I took her in she had an x-ray of her stomach.  She did not want to cooperate (granted, she wasn't feeling good).  Just look at her poor face!  This picture was taken before the tech came to get her for the x-ray.

Poor Bayzie...I think we have things figured out now, so hopefully we won't see any of this anymore:

Then there is Ry...we went to Mesa, AZ for Aunt Debbie's 60th bday party at the beginning of June.  Cory ended up staying home with Zane (who had an ear infection), so it was just the girls and I (and the rest of my family) on the trip.  It was fun...lots of swimming in the hotel pool and staying up late.  Debbie's party was really fun...here are the few pictures I took at her birthday luau:

 It was a really quick trip...we left Friday and came home Sunday.  On the way home while we were at a gas station going to the bathroom, Ry had a seizure.  I was completely bummed...she hadn't had one in over a year and we were hoping to start weaning her off one of her meds, but that isn't going to happen now.  She doesn't remember anything about it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I did snap a picture of her with my phone after her seizure to send Cory.  She looks kind of out of it...poor Ry.

The last few weeks we have been healthy and happy...keep your fingers crossed the kids stay that way!!!