Bigger Than a Breadbox

We were very happy to be invited to Guppy's for dinner tonight, after back to school night (#2! in a row!) at Rose #2's school. After we got home we checked the garden for tomatoes, and boy did we score! Rose #1 found our biggest, reddest tomato yet. Here is Rose #3 with said tomato:

And Rose #2, who wanted to pose multiple times with the BRT (big, red tomato) to make sure I got the exact right shot:

And Rose #1, who is my only child who actually likes to eat tomatoes! I love tomatoes.

One More Fair Picture

This is hard to see, but the Susan G. Komen foundation had a display at the fair, where we were invited to sign a breast cancer banner:

I can't say enough about how much we support the Susan G. Komen foundation, the Race for the Cure, and the 3-Day. I was so glad to see their big display this year right on our walk down Cooper Street.

State Fair 2009

Oh, the State Fair. It is an experience like no other. We got there (after much maneuvering to park...we should just always follow the same routine...park in old neighborhood and walk...) and immediately Rose #3 had to go potty. I'm talking we were not even THROUGH THE GATES when she started the potty dance.

Did we go before we left home?

What a silly question.

Anyway. Major drawback to having all girls - mommy has to do all the potty runs. So, we ran to the potty, made it (PHEW) and found our way back to the rest of the family. Because there was clamouring for minidonuts, we meandered down Cooper Street. And, happened upon, wouldn't you know it, the Lego Experience. As Fair attractions go this was pretty good. The - er - kids - got Lego guy necklaces and got a sticker for each activity they did. Here we are below building "something you would find in the rain." Rose #1 thought up cloud, which the booth attendant said no one had done yet (very creative Rose #1!!) and I did a boring puddle But here we are building with our Legos:

Now, the Kidway is right across from the Legos. We managed to eat our minidonuts and then it was time to descend upon the RIDES! Rose #3 went by herself on the whales while Roses #2 and 1 and I waited in the line for the ferris wheel. Here is Rose #3 in motion:

And here we are post-ferris wheel ride. We had a good time! At first I was a touch nervous when the ride guy had us switch places with another family "to balance." Do you really need to balance a ferris wheel? I was sort of under the impression that it was strong enough to really hold people in any combination. I was also reminded, I must confess, of the movie The Notebook where the romantic lead character climbs up a ferris wheel. Uh, no thank you. I was nervous enough that the car would somehow become separated from the main wheel. We all made it down safely, as you can see:

This is just a cute shot of Roses #2 and 3 riding together in the wagon. Rose #2 was a really good girl at the fair. She did not complain, hardly, and she walked a TON.

After a large quantity of fried food we were making our way over to the dairy building for - what else? - ice cream, and we spied this aptly-named restaurant which I think is in the horticulture building. Next year we are definitely eating at The Peg:

Things were fabulous at the Fair until the very end when all, and I mean all, of the fried food caught up with Rose #1. Last year's upchucker: Rose #3. This year's: Rose #1. Look out Rose #2 - your turn for 2010!

Rose #3 Loves to Swing

Here is something I always say about going to the park: it ought to be about running around and getting tired! A lot of times it ends up being about swinging on the baby swings as long as possible until Mommy simply refuses to push anymore. Here is Rose #3, with whom I set off for the park alone (Roses #1 and #2 were waiting for the neighbor kids). She is gleeful, nay, jubilant, that I agreed to push her on the "beebee sing".
And here, looking contemplative and proceeding with a bit of trepidation as she got herself out of the beebee sing:

And safely ensconced in the other big red swing. I realize I did not focus the camera correctly but I loved the picture anyway.

I wish you could know Rose #3. She loves Gabriella from High School Musical. She worships her big sisters with fierce devotion, but she will also clock them hard on the arm with a lightsaber if given a chance. She loves strawberries and Dora. Our "surprise" baby is quite a character.

Tonight as I was kissing her goodnight Rose #1 told me that she didn't think I could know how big a part of her heart I, her daddy and her sisters are. Oh yeah? Wanna bet?

Putting the Roses to bed

We are the poster parents for bad sleep habits. We have finally kicked Roses #1 and 2 out of our room at night. Rose #3, not so much. She still creeps in with me every night. A part of me, OK, a big part of me, doesn't mind. She is unequivocally my last baby, and as Rose #1 in particular grows up so quickly - lost tooth #5 tonight!! off to second grade in a couple of weeks!! reads Harry Potter all by herself!! - I am holding onto Rose #3's chubby baby arms and baby cheeks as long as I can. (She's not that babyish anymore, at age 3.)

Another confession: I sit in their bedroom while they fall asleep. I've done this on and off (mostly on) since Rose #1 was born. Seven long years of sacrificing 30 minutes each night to be present with my girls while they nod off.

An Aside: I am a bit weary of saying "SHHHHHHHHHHHH!" and "Do you want me to leave this room right now?" as they settle down.

Tonight Rose #1 asked me if I like staying with them when they fall asleep. I said it was a good question, and I mostly like staying with them. This is true. She said: "I think of it as a way for you to spend more time with us, since you have to work so much."

Out of the mouths of babes. That's exactly what it is, and exactly why I co-slept with my girls, and why I could hardly bear to kick the older kids out of our bedroom, and why I sit in here, night after night. I just have to remember that the day will come when they won't even want me to hug them, let alone stay in their room...

Look Who I Saw on Nicollet Mall!

Today at about 12:30 my office phone rang, and it was my brother, who with my sister-in-law is walking 60 miles today and in the next two days on the Twin Cities Breast Cancer 3-Day. I was able to slip downstairs and see them walking by on Nicollet Mall!!

They've done so well, training and preparing. Breast cancer is a cause very close to my heart (no pun intended, really) and I am so grateful to them for walking to end it.

Dinner with Aunt Boo and Baby Kate

The Roses were all aflutter tonight to welcome Aunt Boo and Baby Kate for dinner. Fancy outfits were donned, flowers were made (with pipe cleaner stems...does anyone use pipe cleaners for cleaning pipes?), and pictures were taken. Rose #1 was more cheerful in real life than she appears in the photo:

Rose #2 felt she had to tuck her collar under. For reasons best known to herself.

Rose #3 couldn't stop hamming it up long enough to take a serious cute picture. So here is her silly cute face:
And Baby Kate is officially a TREAT MONSTER. She didn't want much to do with her grilled cheese and late summer vegetable soup, but she sure liked the squirty whipped cream:

Do you let your kids squirt the whipped cream into their open mouths? I never, ever, ever, ever do. Oh, just kidding.