Annica went to her first dance. It was a valentines dance for school. They had learned line dances and how to do the waltz and a few other dances. The boys asked the girls to dance on the slow songs. Every parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin was there with a camera, taking pictures. I managed to squeeze a few in of Annica dancing with a boy for the first time:
Hmm...not a bad date, Annica. Just wait a few more years, please?
Benjamin came with me to watch the dance and he really was a good sport about waiting
through the whole thing. It wasn't his favorite pasttime however as is obvious by the expression on his face:
It was birthday month again. This time it was Annica...twelve years old! Now she gets to come to YW's with me. She's so grown up!
In fact, she's sooooo grown up that we finally gave in to her pleas for an iPod. She records videos of Sam (the kitty) on it almost more than she uses it to listen to music.
Continuing the tradition that I started with Annica, I took Grace to NY for a mommy/daughter trip. Some of you might know, the picture below isn't NY though. That's because on the very same day we were suppossed to fly into NY, a massive storm hit the East Coast, cancelling all flights for the whole day. So, we got to see a little of Chicago (that's Grace in front of the famous old Wrigley building) AND a little of NY.
After two cancelled flights, one that turned around mid-flight and landed back in Chicago, 5 different airports, and 36hours later, we made it to NY...without bags - the airlines lost them.
Still, we had fun and fit as much as we could into the time we had. Here's Grace at the American Girl Doll store after taking Mia to the hair salon, having her ears pierced and buying her new clothes and a violin.
Stardust Diner - a really cool place to eat with Broadway performers singing to you at your table.
Lots of snow at the Statue of Liberty:
Rockefeller Square in winter...looked fun:
Just a few days after getting home from New York, the storm caught up with us here in Utah.
On a more serious note, the girls have discovered a new hobby:
Doesn't he look thrilled? Sam actually holds perfectly still while being dressed and photographed.
We think he could be a seriously good feline model.
One more really exciting event to tell. My brother Steven and his wife Kat had their
first boy last Friday (the 12th) and he is soooooo cute! We love him already! We visited him
at the hospital on Saturday and Grace and Annica oooed and ahhhhed over him and didn't want to
let him go. I think we're pretty lucky to have him in our family.
And last, but not least, it's never a good sign when your 2 yr. old boy comes upstairs
whilte you're in the bathroom getting ready, and he's wearing:
THIS FACE!!!