Gabi's turn...

Oh my little Gabi. She is just a bundle of love. This girl is growing up so fast...much due to having an older sister as her best friend. Gabi is so excited to start preschool. When we drop Olivia off, she will hear the songs they are seeing and say, "Mom, I know that song...I'm ready for preschool. When can I start?"

Gabi loves to play with Olivia, but she also loves doing her own thing. She will go in her room and play for hours. She has the best imagination. I hear her telling her babies all kinds of stories and she makes us all types of games to entertain herself. I think she likes everything being on her terms...she tries that with Olivia and it doesn't work all the time, but when she plays by herself...she is always the boss!

Let me give you an example of Gab...just tonight at dinner, Gabi started singing, "I'm a bad girl but its okay"...that just about sums it up. I will say, "Gabi, stop doing that" and she will continue to do what I asked her not to do and say, "Mom, I'm not doing anything." Then, when I go to put her in time out she will say, "Okay Mom, I'll go but just for a minute okay?" or "just one time okay Mom" Again, she likes things on her own terms. Lately, she does this thing where she mouths what she is saying to try to get out of things...I will say, "Gabi stop playing with the water" and she will tilt her head and squint her eyes and start mouthing something...just another compromise in the works I'm sure:)

We call Gabi "DIVA" or "DM" because she is either in Diva mode or trying to operate as a manager telling everyone what to do. We tried to get her to play soccer and after about 5 minutes she is asking for her sunglasses and a snack. The girl can dribble like no other...we just have to work on the rest! Funny though, because you have to basically bribe this girl to get on anything other than her jammies and her stilletto flip flops. She likes to be comfy...but she rocks the shoes...I get that!

Every morning she comes into my bed and says, "Mom, can I come snuggle with you for a little bit?" Who can say no to that?! She always has to have her love and kiss goodnight. Gabi is a little ham and adds lots of spice to our life. We just adore her!

Olivia is growing up!

I have been the worst Mom! The girls are growing up so fast and I have to do a better job documenting all the things they say and do...some things you never want to forget!

Olivia: My Liv seriously acts like an adult. She is starting to realize how much of an example she is to Gabi. She really takes on more of a "mother" role unless she just wants a partner in crime! I am so happy she gets to be a "big sister" because from the looks of it, Gabi is gonna need one!

Something has clicked for Olivia in sports. All of a sudden she is dominating in soccer, taking people on, playing defense, passing the ball, getting open and being aggressive. I was a little worried at first because she didn't seem to have that "fire" when she was playing sports because she didn't want to hurt anyone or be mean. Now, she has figured out how to be competitive and sweet! K.C. has been playing baseball with her and its unbelievable the improvement in just a few times. She is catching, throwing and hitting the ball like a rockstar! She is still moving up the ranks in Karate and I honestly cannot say enough good things about incorporating that into her life. It has done wonders for her shyness, confidence and ability to be a leader.

I love the fact that Olivia is so sporty yet she can come home and go straight to diva princess. This girl can DANCE! She has all the words memorized to her favorite songs including the entire Squeakquel soundtrack. She is working on her dance moves copying the Chipettes...it is hilarious. She will put on sunglasses and strut her stuff all over the house.

Her desire to learn and understand things is so exciting to me. The questions never end and she is like a little sponge just memorizing it all. Her preschool teacher is very impressed with her and says she is ready for Kindergarten. It is hard to believe she will be starting full time school in the fall. She is ready for it...its just K.C., Gabi and I that are gonna cry! She loves to tell everybody about Jesus and helps out all the time. She really does try to make the right choices...she is an example to us all.

This girl is growing like a weed...she can eat like an adult...and she does! She is my healthy girl. All her pants are getting too short. Time to roll them up!! We love our Livvy girl...you are my Angel!

Carolina Alumni Weekend 2010

We had our Alumni game for USC last weekend. My sweet husband let me take a long weekend and head to Columbia with all my friends from college. We had so much fun! You know we still found a spot to go dancing...we call it Jungle Jims for people too old for 5 points...US! So sad...I guess this is when 30 starts to feel real old!






We had the game and then a fabulous reception at the hotel. Thanks to Jamie and Shelley for making it all happen...we loved catching up with y'all and everyone!





My great friend and former roomate met up with us after the game...poor thing, we didn't even have time to shower...but it was so great seeing her and her little boy. We played club soccer together in high school then a year of college together...but we lived together all through college...I miss you, Katie!



So, they split the teams us as follows: Old Alumni, Young Alumni, Coaches and the current team....WE WERE THE OLD ALUMNI....HUH?? When did I become old...yet another reminder that when you go back to college....30 is old!








I even got to see my cousins and Brooke's sweet little boy, Frankie. He was the cutest little thing! We have got to hang out when I come back to SC in July.

It was nice to hang with all my girls, but I was READY to be with my girls and my sweet husband. A little time away goes a long way...there is NO better place than HOME with your family!

Karate Demo

Liv was asked to do a demo for her Karate studio at a local community event. It was cute seeing her get so excited to be a part of it. Her best buddy, Marcus, was there. This has been the best thing we have done for her! We are so excited to have Gabi start in September when she turns 3. We may make it a family thing if I can talk K.C. into getting his black belt with me:) I've still got some time to work on that one:)

Granny is BACK!

My sweet Mom came to CA for a visit...LOVE IT! We had the best time...OF COURSE! When we get together...A LOT gets accomplished! I was so excited to show her the flooring I had picked out for my house and we played, ate, exercised, ate some more, and shopped till we dropped!




I took my mother who is in her 60s on a 7 mile bike ride:) I mean, whis woman doesn't even work out that much yet she managed to bike 7 miles with us! I was on rollerblades pushing the girls with Charlotte and my Mom biked. We managed to fit in shopping and eating lunch while we were out...hey...eat it then burn it off! We had a blast except Char and I got burnt up...it was a beautiful day:) I'll take it!






Well...when Granny is in town...we just have FUN! The girls had about 20 easter egg hunts...as Olivia puts it..."We are just making sure we get lots of practice for Easter." Its amazing how such small things provide such entertainment!





Thanks, Sonny for the cute bunnies! The girls love them!







I need to do a blog with the title, "Beckyisms.." because my Mom has the most hilarious little sayings...KC gives her such a hard time...it keeps us laughing. The girls managed to pick up lots of these including: "oopsy-daisy","Oh, Mercy!", "Mash it Gabi!",

Among other "Beckyisms"...according to KC, everything has to be compared to something..."Sick as a dog", "Dirty as a pig", "strong as a mule"...HILARIOUS! K.C. mad sure to get her a "round" hamburger because he knows better than to pull thru Wendy's and get a square hamburger...in her book...that is just WRONG!

There were times she was telling the girls to do something and they had no idea what to do..."Gabi, mash it...mash it harder..." Gabi was looking at her like she was totally confused. There are so many but I can't remember them right now.

We had so much fun with you MAMA! Please come again soon! We miss you already!

Liv the Karate Master!

Olivia had her testing a few weeks ago and she was selected to do the form alone in front of the entire testing group. She did it amazingly all by memory which is a huge deal especially for a 4 year old. So, they brought her to the front to "observe" the others doing their form. I think she enjoyed it!




Rocking the board breaks and sparring with the BIG Kids!!




Daddy gets Liv ready to show her moves!





My little YELLOW BELT! Karate has been one of the best things we have done! Discipline, Confidence, Exercise, Manners...LOVE IT!

Liv will say to me..."Mom, I need to exercise...I haven't worked out today!" Oh boy...they definitely pay attention to what we do! I have a little workout buddy already...she corrects my kickboxing moves...she is a YELLOW BELT! HELLO!

Gabi update

This girl is so funny. She is extremely animated in her conversations and her facial expressions are spot on and very dramatic!! So, today she had her cell phone and was pretending to talk to Granny and Grandma and telling them to hurry up and she said, "Vamanos!" I guess all that Dora the Explorer is really paying off!

All Gabi wants to do is play Mommy and Baby. That is pretty much what she and Olivia do all day! They told K.C. and I we can be the Grandma and Grandfather...I told her I wasn't ready for that yet, so could I be the Aunt? She said, "No, you are de Grandma and I'm the baby. I'm hungry can I get a snack Grandma?" WOW! Fine!

Today, Gabi was copying Olivia...Liv said, "STOP!" and Gab said, "STOP...breakdance" and started dancing all around. Where in the heck did that come from? It was hilarious!

Gabi refuses to say prayers. Olivia tries to help her and she folds her arms, looks up to the sky with pouty lips and says, "No! I not gonna do it I told you." Wow, how many stubborn people can live in one household??

At Church, she loves to find her nursery teachers...when she sees them, she keeps saying, "there is my teacher!" in the middle of sacrament and finally goes and sits with them. Thank you so much to our sweet ladies in nursery! No more goldfish, though:)