In Search of the Perfect Musical

A few weekends ago was Addie's school musical - two shows on Sunday and the final show on Monday. Kinders and first graders don't audition but can participate if they want in a group song. Addie was one of a dozen first graders that sang Do Re Me. Super cute of course. She begged me to let her wear mascara too, a first even for this stage performer.  Next year, she is excited to try out for the musical. I'm thrilled she remains confident and at ease. Go Addie!

After the show with flowers from Cap and I.

Stung

Turns out Eliza is allergic to bee stings.

We were playing in our backyard when Eliza stepped on a bee. We have all been stung in our yard under the exact same conditions and it isn't fun.  We pulled out the stinger, gave her ice and she was fine.

Or so we thought. About an hour or so later Cap noticed her entire torso was covered in a red rash and her face was getting splotchy. We gave her some Benadryl and I went to wash out the bee sting area on her foot. That's when I realized her foot was hot, swollen and hard as a rock. Poor girl! It was the rock foot and the fact the hives we no where near the area of the bee sting (and knowing Xavier has severe allergies to other things) we ended up taking her to ER just in case it got worse. They gave her steroids which she will be on for 2 more days. Her foot is still a rock even this morning and she has to hobble to get around.

While the ER doctor was talking to me, he suddenly stopped and asked if I had Bell's Palsy. What??! Apparently, one of my eyelids doesn't blink as rapidly as my other eyelid. Thankfully, I don't have paralysis of half my face (as he tested by having me smile) but now I'm going to be super self-conscious of my lazy, droopy eyelid. It does explain why I often have one eye closed in photos!

But back to Eliza . . .

The nurse also told me with each bee sting her reaction could worsen and we don't want her to develop a reaction that would be anaphylactic. So, he said, "don't get stung!"  Our yard is a blanket of bees too so the new MO is to always have closed toe shoes on. I'm guessing Xavier is allergic too. He was stung for the first time but it isn't until the second or third sting that someone can tell if they are allergic. Eliza might be our second kid with her own epi-pen. Eliza was a very brave girl in the hospital, and I'm sure she is looking forward to being able to run around again.

Reid Park Zoo

I haven't finished with sharing our Tucson Adventures yet!

This is a little zoo but that's part of what makes it so great. It isn't overwhelming and you can get really close to the animals. Check out the tiger who was so close we could hear him pant and growl.  Plus the kids all got to feed carrot sticks to the purple-tongued giraffes and see baby elephants.

Two-headed tortoise




Petting Sydney the bearded dragon from Australia. Her sister, Adelaide, was in the tank.



Giraffe feeding.

Sleep-away Camp

This is a huge deal! Addie is spending 2 nights this weekend at an all-girls sleep away camp tucked into the hills in Griffith Park. She was super excited all week and bravely gave me a big hug before I said good-bye and off she went to play Simon Says with her fellow campers. She is with her friend Danika and then a classmate of Danika's happened to also be at camp. Addie was super exited to learn that this little girl was also a Harry Potter fan.

We are planning on sending her to a week of overnight camp at the same place over the summer but wanted to give it a trial run at their Spring Weekend Getaway. I'm sure she is going to love it but of course I worry and miss her. I snuck a note into her toiletry bag telling her we can't wait to hear all about the fun she had a reminding her to brush her teeth. When I pick her up on Sunday and she says she didn't see the note, I'll know she also never brushed her hair or teeth!

There has only been a handful of times since she was born that we have been apart overnight. Most of the time it's because Cap or I have been traveling for work and this time last year I got to go away for a girls weekend with Reid (reminds me I need to plan something for our 40th next year!). With the exception of a sleep-over at her friend Danika's house, all of those times I was the one leaving, looking forward to some precious time on my own. I can tell you it is much harder to be the one left behind. I miss my Addie! Eliza and Xavier however are reveling in the extra attention, Eliza especially who picked the Friday Night Movie herself.

I can't wait to hear tales of campfire songs, skits, arts and crafts, games and archery tomorrow.

Xavier at Mission San Xavier

Cap and I hadn't been to the Mission San Xavier del Bac in ages but since it must have somehow been in my subconscious when naming Xavier, I wanted to add it to our Tucson Adventures To Do List (yes, I have one). I also wanted to pick up some Xavier-named loot but the gift shop was closed. Guess I shouldn't be surprised since it was Good Friday.

The mission was built in the late 18th Century when it was part of New Spain later becoming part of Mexico and then finally the U.S. The interior is magnificently painted with frescoes. The girls helped me light a prayer candle in the sanctuary in honor of Uncle Brother.

Happy Easter!

Jellybeans, chocolate bunnies and an easter egg hunt. Check!

Happy Easter!

Coronado National Forest

On Wednesday we ended up doing checking out Coronado National Forest at two different locations, and elevations. In the morning we visited Sabino Canyon which is at an altitude of 2,700 feet. After lunch and Xavier's nap we drove up to Mount Lemmon at 9,000 feet leaving the saguaros behind for ponderosa pines.

Sabino Canyon. So beautiful. Wildflowers and giant saguaros all on a mountain of banded gneiss.


Addie, Eliza and Cap crossing back across the creek at Sabino Canyon, an oasis in the desert


Xavier, finally feeling brave enough to sit without being held after getting up enough courage to get his feet wet. I am not kidding when I say he has a fear of water.


Addie in the cold, mountain water wishing she had a bathing suit.



Eliza, my adventurer. Our drive up to Mount Lemmon mainly involved the kids watching movies in the car, a stop for gummy bears and a few scenic overlooks. Eliza always got out though to check it out. Here we are at 8,000 feet scrambling over rocks while Cap stayed with Addie and Xavier in the car.



Elevation 9,000 feet looking out over Tucson through blackened Ponderosa Pines from the 2003 Aspen Fire

Tucson Botanical Garden

Butterfly tracking, a highlight of the garden is the butterfly pavilion


Feeding the fish


Butterfly kindly sitting still so I can take a photo with my phone because somehow I totally spaced packing my camera with us to Tucson.




Xavier and his turtle. Turtle beat out Mommy in his vocabulary but this week he is finally saying Mommy. That and rock are new additions.




Digging for worms in compost

Desert Museum

No trip to Tucson would be complete without a trip to the Desert Museum. The hummingbirds are a favorite and I always like to clamber through the cave. Xavier enjoyed getting up close to the snakes and toads (safely in an exhibit) and the girls liked being paleontologists.


Ocotillo in bloom on one of the trails at the Desert Museum. The flowers were the inspiration for the color of my bridesmaids dresses almost 9 years ago.


I wonder how many times over the last 18 years I've taken a photo of this mutant Saguaro at the entrance to the Desert Museum.


Addie petting a javelina pelt. I learned (maybe I just keep forgetting and then relearning) that they aren't pigs but peccaries, their closest cousin being the hippo.

Saguaro National Park East

On our first fill day in Tucson, we visited Saguaro National Park East. We forgot Xavier's shoes and he  wasn't at all interested in being carried in the baby carrier so I took the girls for a quick walk. We saw a roadrunner, a cottontail and a cactus wren, Eliza's (middle) namesake. I also realized that we would not be needing all the long pants and long sleeved shirts I packed. It's been in the low to mid 80s all week.

Tucson Spring Break

Saturday we loaded up the car with bags, kids and snacks and hit the road, the 9 hour road, to Tucson for Spring Break. The party is on!

We've been checking out our favorite Tucson spots but the kids love being at GranJanne's house the most chasing each other around, helping give Hailey the dog her breakfast, feeding the doves and just playing around together. They've decorated GranJanne's back patio with their games and artwork.  This video is snapshot of how A, E and X have been enjoying their afternoons after spending the mornings exploring Tucson and the desert.




Eliza enjoying a movie with Hailey, her new best friend


Morning time with 3 siblings and 2 devices

Play Date

Eliza also had her first playdate last month. She has a best friend at school - Sophie - and they are inseparable. This makes me so happy.

We have friends that have kids both Addie and Eliza's age and of course we all play together. Kai is still at Montessori with Eliza but in a different class and Kieran was in Eliza's class but switched schools in the New Year. I was worried she would miss him but we see them a lot (Kieran and Kai's moms are also my GNOME gals - Girls Night Out Boys Excluded). Our date with Sophie was the first "official" one. We didn't know her parents yet, only that Eliza talked about Sophie all the time. I slipped a note into her cubby for her parents and we set up a time. The girls jumped around in the bouncy, played dress up and were generally silly for 3 hours. And bonus - her mom is lovely and we had a great time chatting too.

Gym Class

Feb 3 was my last post? Poor neglected blog.

We are taking a break from swim lessons. Eliza dreaded them. Instead we re-enrolled her in her gym class. She is so so so happy and love it. So while she isn't pool-safe yet I think it was the right decision for now. We will return to swim lessons later. Now that she's 3 1/2 she's a Mighty Might and this means it's a drop-off class. Yay!

18 Months

Xavier is a year and a half. Yowzer.

He is now in the toddler room at school, sitting in a chair at the table, using a fork and spoon and napping on a mat instead of crib. Xavier loves to kick a ball. I was so glad to have had a ball with me at the airport on my way back from Tucson when our flight was delayed 2 hours. He gleefully kicked the ball around the almost empty terminal entertaining himself and the bored passengers. He loves to read and can sit by myself quietly thumbing through books. He loves animals like his sisters and yells "dooo" everytime he sees a dog.  Xavier is big enough now that he can play with his sisters and they want to play with him in return. Both girls absolutely adore him, "he's the cutest!"

He continues to be generally mellow, but he's definitely in that phase where he wants to be able to more than he can. Frustrations leading to tantrums but total joyful exuberance too - that's 18 months.

Happy 1.5 years, little buddy!