Showing posts with label lake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lake. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

sisters


I get the feeling that Emily would like for the ol' bun in the oven to be female. I'm not sure how I got the clue. Perhaps it's because she calls Leo her little sister, or it could be that pesky daily dressup where she prefers him in heels and pearls. Some of you may know my husband--definitely the girly type who embraces the whole princess theme. There's no way he would suggest trucks, balls, or wrestling to his son in lieu of tea parties or doll house. No way jose.

I'm not positive, but I think Eli would enjoy having a house full of daughters. He's told me how much he looks forward to meeting nervous prom dates. In 13 years I fully expect to see him sittin' on the front lawn polishin' his trusty shotgun in anticipation of the "what are your intentions with my daughter" confrontation.

I wouldn't mind another girl. Perhaps that's because I grew up with 4 sisters. Life was always...what's the word...dramatic? no...insane? no...*lovely*. We shared everything: makeup, clothes, crushes, pillow talks, and the same bathroom. And somehow, we survived. And hey! We actually like each other sometimes!

A couple weeks ago, my baby sister turned 13. Ah, sweet memories back in 1998. Kids running everywhere aged 16, 13, 11, 9, 6, and newborn. Those were the good ol days when 5 of us would spend hour after hour crammed in a refrigerator box sliding down the stairs. Or when we would ride our bikes to the corner store to buy and eat and 6 candy bars. Yum. Or when we would eavesdrop on my older brother's cute friends during sleepovers and hope to hear them talking about us. They didn't talk about us. They only talked about two things: sports and food.

That year when I turned 13, my birthday was *awe-some*. My favorite present was a Whitney Houston cassette tape with her hit single "I will always love you." I listened to that song on repeat about...hmm, a kabillion times. My dad gave me 13 gorgeous pink roses and my mom gave me a stick of mascara saying that I could wear it to mass. Score.

When Teresa turned 13, she was gifted something even cooler. I know, I know, what can be cooler than Whitney?? A girls day-boat trip that’s what! My three sisters who live 277 miles away came down for Easter. We spent the morning getting a mani/pedi, went to our favorite Chinese restaurant, and then spent the rest of the afternoon sunbathing in the middle of a lake. Boo-yah.

We had a blast swimming, dancing, singing, and sister-ing. There were some hilarious moments. One time we all jumped in, and I flipped out thanks to my tricky pregnancy hormones screaming YOU CANT SWIM!!! (um, hello life guard, captain of your high school swim team, yes, it's called kick your legs a bit and you'll stay afloat). Then the panic turned to HOW THE HECK ARE YOU PLANNING TO CLIMB BACK THE BOAT WITH THAT GIGANTIC BELLY?!?! (it’s called a ladder…clearly I just don’t know who to yell at when my kids and husband aren’t around. Kidding!) My heart was about to beat out of my chest.

So after we almost got stuck in some tree stumps and Teresa almost drowned, life was good. We were just riding around, picking out which lakeside mansion would be ours in the future, when all of a sudden we hit a colossal tidal wave, gushing a foot of water on board soaking every. single. thing. on. the. boat. Um, did I mention this was a pontoon boat? Like the safest, slowest boat that should stay…dry? Well it was perfect timing to return the boat and hit the road. Fun times my friends. Can’t wait to do it again next year.

When it’s all said and done, I'm sure that we'll end up just like my dad's family--seven boys and one girl. And that’ll be wonderful too:)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Bye Bye June!

June was packed with lots of family events and celebrations. The first weekend was spent in Houston at my cousin Adam's wedding. It was a very interesting ceremony (part Jewish and part Chinese) followed by a beautiful reception at a safari ranch.
The next weekend was spent in Austin with the Danzes for some of Eli's cousins' graduation party. Somehow those pictures I took have gone missing--along with the camera--but we had a really fun time visiting with the extended family.
On the third weekend Eli took me to spend the night in the same hotel on the riverwalk which we stayed in the night of our wedding. We combined celebrations for father's day, my 25th birthday, our 3rd wedding anniversary, and the coming of the new baby. Emily stayed with my parents, so we had a nice relaxing time eating out at restaurants on the riverwalk, taking a long nap during the day, and ordering breakfast in bed. I don't think we'd had that much time to talk uninterrupted in years!
On Father's Day my parents rented a boat on Canyon Lake--all 4 of my sisters were able to come. Emily cracked me up by pretending to sleep in the lake...it was just too bright to open her eyes! Last weekend we invited over some young family friends who we've recently met to swim and BBQ. We had a great time despite the 103 degree weather!
As far as new baby news, on Monday morning I was 80% effaced and 2 cm dialated. The rest of the day I was having lots of contractions, probably caused by the earlier exam. Tuesday and Wednesday brought several contractions as well, these more painful but still very irregular. We took a tour of the hospital and have my bag packed, and i've been working incredibly hard at keeping laundry done, cooking and shopping done, and things clean. It's not easy having everything ready to go to leave your toddler for two days and expect to have clean clothes and food for a few days after a birth that can come whenever!
Since we didn't have the typical newborn experience last time, Eli has decided to stay with me and the baby in the hospital the entire time. It'll be such a change from Emily's birth! I'm so excited to be able to hold the baby right away, rather than a full week later in the NICU.
So say some prayers for us. On Friday we are throwing a bridal luncheon for Lauren's best friend Seana at the house and Saturday is the wedding. The next Thursday my parents are hosting a summer-associate party here for my Dad's company, and Friday is rehearsal dinner and Saturday is my aunt's wedding...so those blackout dates are a little worrysome as far as childcare is concerned. Because of my heath issues, I'll be induced before July 10th if necessary. The best time to have this baby is today, tomorrow, or Sunday-Wednesday. I hope God gets the memo! :) What baby wouldn't want to see fireworks! Keep posted for baby updates and keep us in your prayers for a safe delivery and a healthy baby!!!

Enjoy the new pictures!
Happy groom, mother of groom, and best man
Always great to see my brother Paul!

The Harkins girls plus our adopted sister MaggieEmily sneaking into the sink to make bubbles Teresa heading to camp for a week

Our weekend getaway!
Ready to go to the Lake!
Me, thinking skinny thoughts between my sissies Annie and MaryLoving the wind blowing through the hair!
Daddy of the year:)

What do you mean I can't just eat dip?
Relaxing and pretending to sleep
Love my Nana!


Our newest SA friends Isabel and Mark, and cute baby Jacque