Week Forty-six

This is our evacuation 2013 photo.As most of you know by now, we got a call last week during the flooding that we had to evacuate. We didn't answer the call initially, but when the phone rang again ten minutes later Clifton listened to the voicemail which notified us of a mandatory evacuation due to "imminent flooding" of Lake McIntosh which is about a quarter mile from our house (in photo above). Steve met us at our house and helped Clifton get some stuff up and out of the basement, brakers off, etc, while I tried to pack a couple days of clothing for each of us and various baby necessities for Sarah. By the way, do not let your kids help you pack in such a situation. They are terrible at knowing what is important. We headed to the Parsons while the adrenaline wore off and were relieved to be able to go back home relatively soon due to some kind of upstream mitigation. 

Poor Sarah. Her sisters think she looks cute with a tutu around her neck.

And then her Mama makes her cram into this too-small chicken costume for a picture. I had hoped she would fit this at Halloween but the snaps won't stay closed. Speaking of big bellies, tonight Annika was snuggling on me and suddenly looked up at me excitedly and asked, "Mama, do you have another baby in your tummy?" "Um, no." "Then why is it so big?" Good thing I love her.

With the flood, school was cancelled for two days last week and three days this week. So we did lots of crafts. Here the girls painted rocks that we were going to glue into a caterpillar. Instead, when the rocks dried I put them back in the landscaping. How long 'til they notice?

And this week Sarah decided that she'd much rather feed herself than be fed by us.Which means we're going to have to bathe this kid a lot more often.

At least they seemed to enjoy their extra days together. Mostly.

Jess brought over these fun little props.

And started a photo shoot with them.

Which the girls obviously got into.

Maybe a little too into.

Okay, trying to pull it back in control.

Nope. Officially gone.

Only going downhill from here.

I love Annika's adoring look at Naomi here. She won't say it out loud, but she thinks her big sister is the coolest.

So cool that she trusts her when Naomi tells her to take a nap in this suitcase. Until Naomi zipped it shut.

Check out these fun new birthday pajamas with the "Moose Caboose" drop panel.

Alright--birthday morning. Look who's three!

I promsied her I'd make her a birthday t-shirt, and she was so excited to open it.

And this was her true reaction when she saw it. "I'm not a monster, Mama!"

I explained to her that she isn't a monster and that not all monsters are bad monsters. And then Naomi came down and asked if I'd make one like that for her birthday. And somewhere in that Annika decided that she liked the shirt.

On her birthday (because school was STILL closed), Jess and her parents took the girls to the zoo.

Where some favorites were the big cats.

Naomi climbing on some bears.

Sarah hanging out.

The birthday girl with this big thing. I think it's a komodo dragon. Or something.

The girls and an elephant's butt.

Sarah taking the easy way around.

And stretching her legs.

A birthday cupcake cone to celebrate.

And then we made houses for their "pet" dog and guinea pig. Out of shoe boxes. Reminded me of my old diorama projects. Man, I loved those. Can't wait til the girls have to make those.

Annika was less patient with it and started dancing to the Michael Jackson I had playing. Hard to blame her.

Here's Naomi's final product. Her dog is in the bed. Note the windows and doors. The round thing by the bed is a carpet that I drew a guinea pig on at her request. And the thing next to the carpet. A mouse. Labelled in her backwards writing "MAWS". Looks like this little dog house has a mouse problem.

On Thursday Annika wore her shirt again to preschool where she got her birthday crown.

Pretending to put make-up on each other. I'm amazed at how naturally this comes to them. Look at that technique.

And here they are working on their horse parade.

The procession is led by Whitish. You know, because she's whitish.

...and following Whitish is Horny. Because she has a horn, people.