and I'm sure you know with what. These hills of music have created an obsession in our house. It started innocently. The Sound of Music was my favorite childhood movie, so I found a few of the movie songs on YouTube and showed them to Reiley. I filled in the plotline since the movie is WAY too long to hold Reiley's attention (a Dora episode is about the most she can do). We continued to watch the YouTube clips once a day (because though Mommy loves the Sound of Music, once a day is about as much as she can handle). Then Reiley got the soundtrack for Christmas, and our days began to involve more of the VonTrapp family. Day by day, the invasion grew larger. At this point, Reiley has a full-on prebuscent crush on Kurt VonTrapp (yes, a fictional character who is actually now a 50 year old man). We pretend-play weddings to Kurt in which she is pretending to be Maria marrying Kurt (it's a little incestual - but we're not going into that). When she's not marrying Kurt, she (as Maria), and the stuffed animals (as the children) have elaborate schemes of taking naps and playing in the park. She, Ainsley, and I pretend daily that we are running to the Abbey so that we can hide from the "mean soldiers" (which I realize is an understatement for Nazi soldiers, but genocide is another one of those "hard-for-a-three-old" topics). I know Rogers and Hammerstein couldn't have intended to infiltrate my home with rhyme and music. The music I can handle, but Reiley's suggestion that we should have seven kids so that we can be like Maria - well, that's just taking it too far.
Here's Kevin (directed by Reiley) playing the role of Captain Van Trapp singing "Edelweiss" with Leisel (played by Reiley).
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
First Annual Kid's Day
Reiley was reminiscing about what we did last Father's Day, which got us talking about the purpose of Father's and Mother's Day. I said that I was glad there was a day that we could celebrate what a great Daddy we have. To which Reiley replied, "and I'm glad that on Mother's Day we can celebrate what a great Mommy you are!" Of course, in that one moment, all memories of sleepless nights, toddler screaming tantrums, and hits on a baby sister vanished as a I basked in the glow of my 3 year-old angel daughter. Then the conversation shifted. Reiley says "I wish that there was a Kid Day, so that we could celebrate what I great kid I am."
Kid Day was born.
After I informed Reiley that we would also be celebrating Ainsley's "kid greatness" (which prompted a brief look of doubt), we got to event planning. First order of business: plan a delicious breakfast chosen by the honored individual. Reiley's choice? A chocolate long john that was far too big for a 3 year old, which resulted in a slight tummy ache ("It's kind of interesting, Mom, because my doughnut feels like it's coming back up my throat." Yes, Reiley, that's why we talk about 'listening to our bodies'). Second task: planning the family outing. Reiley's choice was Faust Park: home of the Butterfly House, World's Fair Carousel, and awesome playground. Here we are in the Butterfly House (very pretty, but feels like a sauna, which means Reiley wants to stay in there for about 3 minutes max). A butterfly landed on Ainsley and she promptly tried to squish him (too quickly to get a picture).
It's a Heffern Family Sandwich on the carousel.
Beating the winter blahs on the playground.
The last must of Kid Day was again food-centered: LUNCH. We chose noodles and company because nary a Heffern can resist noodles and meat with yummy sauce. Here's Ainsley palling around with Dora ("Dora-dora-dora" as she would say).
I think an annual event has been established, and I for one had a really fun day celebrating the "greatness" of my children.
Kid Day was born.
After I informed Reiley that we would also be celebrating Ainsley's "kid greatness" (which prompted a brief look of doubt), we got to event planning. First order of business: plan a delicious breakfast chosen by the honored individual. Reiley's choice? A chocolate long john that was far too big for a 3 year old, which resulted in a slight tummy ache ("It's kind of interesting, Mom, because my doughnut feels like it's coming back up my throat." Yes, Reiley, that's why we talk about 'listening to our bodies'). Second task: planning the family outing. Reiley's choice was Faust Park: home of the Butterfly House, World's Fair Carousel, and awesome playground. Here we are in the Butterfly House (very pretty, but feels like a sauna, which means Reiley wants to stay in there for about 3 minutes max). A butterfly landed on Ainsley and she promptly tried to squish him (too quickly to get a picture).
It's a Heffern Family Sandwich on the carousel.
Beating the winter blahs on the playground.
The last must of Kid Day was again food-centered: LUNCH. We chose noodles and company because nary a Heffern can resist noodles and meat with yummy sauce. Here's Ainsley palling around with Dora ("Dora-dora-dora" as she would say).
I think an annual event has been established, and I for one had a really fun day celebrating the "greatness" of my children. Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Super Tuesday - Stuffed Animal Edition
With election fever in the air, I thought it might be timely to explain to Reiley the concepts of voting and democracy (in 3 year old terms). President = "Boss of our country", Vote = "Paper that shows everyone who you want to be the boss of our country". Consituents was a little complicated, so I tried to relate it to the population of stuffed animals that reside in our house. That launched the idea of the race for the presidency of stuffed animals. She decorated a ballot box with valentine and Dora stickers.
She then chose a variety of candidates that represented different ideas of the stuffed animal constituency. She wanted them to lay down until they gave their speeches, which is when is when they could stand up.
Campaign platforms varied from health care to recycling. The best campaign platform? Susie (the stuffed dog second from the left), if elected president, would "make sure all the bathrooms are clean." Amen, sister.
Ainsley was first denied the right to vote based on age discrimination ("Babies can't vote, Mom"), but Reiley relented, and even let her decorate the top of the ballot box.
Anxiously counting votes (which she brazenly tried to stack in Cheer Bear Bunny's favor). Guess I need to tell her about fair campaign politics.
Reiley embracing the not-so-fairly elected president, Cheer Bear Bunny. She baked him a cake in congratulations.
She then chose a variety of candidates that represented different ideas of the stuffed animal constituency. She wanted them to lay down until they gave their speeches, which is when is when they could stand up.
Campaign platforms varied from health care to recycling. The best campaign platform? Susie (the stuffed dog second from the left), if elected president, would "make sure all the bathrooms are clean." Amen, sister.
Ainsley was first denied the right to vote based on age discrimination ("Babies can't vote, Mom"), but Reiley relented, and even let her decorate the top of the ballot box.
Anxiously counting votes (which she brazenly tried to stack in Cheer Bear Bunny's favor). Guess I need to tell her about fair campaign politics.
Reiley embracing the not-so-fairly elected president, Cheer Bear Bunny. She baked him a cake in congratulations.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Coffee, Doughnuts, and DEMO!
Now that you can tell we're excited, I'll get to the story (and, by the way, this post has been taken over by Kevin). On Wednesday, January 2, Highway 40 (I-64) closed from Ballas to I-170. I spent about ten months with several of my cohorts from H&S designing the replacement for the "Segment 1" portion of the landmark-life altering-St. Louis will never be the same New I-64 project. Now the highway will be closed for the next year while all our hard work and, ultimately, our genius is constructed for all of St. Louis to glorify.
On the night of Friday, January 4, demolition began of the I-64 over Lindbergh Blvd. bridge. This bridge (fondly known to project insiders as "Bridge 02") is one of the bridges I (along with my teammate Ryan Kane) designed for the project. Saturday morning, January 5 meant the perfect opportunity to take all three girls to get breakfast at the Schnucks grocery store immediately adjacent to the bridge. After breakfast, we all went out behind the store and watched the work. Most of the bridge superstructure had been removed the night before, but we still got to see several excavators loading dump trucks full of debris. In the photos below, you can see a front end loader (immediately behind the utility pole in the center of the shot). It was dumping load after load of gravel into a trench carrying a new sewer beneath Lindbergh.
Reiley thought it was fun. Ainsley was more interested in the dog the family next to us brought along. Jen... well Jen just couldn't stop talking about how amazing it was. All the way home. Later that day. Sunday. Monday. Seriously, she was so excited to be so close to all that work going on. Maybe that's how any adult feels and the kids just can't appreciate it the same way.
Now you can enjoy it, too. It wasn't a "boom boom boom" kind of demolition with explosives like Reiley likes to see on YouTube. In your brain, think of the sounds accompanying the photos as more like, "crunch, rumble-rumble-rumble."
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Have a breastfeeding question?
Ask Reiley! For those of you who might not know, Jen is a leader for La Leche League International, a support organization for breastfeeding mothers. Part of Jen's job is to answer phone calls from moms (and dads, grandmas, friends) who have questions about breastfeeding their babies. Reiley has watched these phone calls for the past year, and now has suggestions for common breastfeeding issues. Sore nipples? Use "that cream that comes in the purple tube" on your nipples, and "nurse your baby when he is hungry." Latch not quite right? "Can you see you baby swallowing?" This picture is of Jen and Reiley having simultaneous conversations with Moms.
Watch this video to see the young breastfeeding counselor in action. Unlike Jen, she ends her calls with "Do you have anything else to tell me? I love you! Bye!"
Watch this video to see the young breastfeeding counselor in action. Unlike Jen, she ends her calls with "Do you have anything else to tell me? I love you! Bye!"
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Happy Birthday Ainsley
Our little lady is one! It's hard to believe - this time last year, our world was in upheaval from this little tiny bundle. Over the year we've all found our new place in the family, and it's hard to remember what our family was like without her! Here's the birthday lady with Grammi (Kevin's mom)
Reiley and our friend Carter helped Ainsley blow out the candles (and tear into her cake, of course).
Ainsley was pleasantly surprised that the ladybug's attenae was a pretzel (one of her favorites).
Opening her present from Reiley (she's a big fan of tissue paper).
More presents with Mommy and Reiley (it's hard to keep a 3-year-old away from presents!)
She's doing a lot of talking now, and she has little signs she makes to let us know what songs she wants us to sing (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Five Little Monkeys). This video shows some of her talking and tricks.
Reiley and our friend Carter helped Ainsley blow out the candles (and tear into her cake, of course).
Ainsley was pleasantly surprised that the ladybug's attenae was a pretzel (one of her favorites).
Opening her present from Reiley (she's a big fan of tissue paper).
More presents with Mommy and Reiley (it's hard to keep a 3-year-old away from presents!)
She's doing a lot of talking now, and she has little signs she makes to let us know what songs she wants us to sing (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Five Little Monkeys). This video shows some of her talking and tricks.
Hunt for the Perfect Tree
At the beginning of this month (yeah, I'm a little behind), I was itching to go get our Christmas tree. The year Kevin and I got married, we started the tradition of going to a tree farm about 40 minutes from St. Louis, riding out on the wagon to the fields and find the perfect tree. I look forward to it every year, and I was SO excited that it would be Ainsley's first year to come with us! I like to get the tree as quickly after Thanksgiving as possible, so I decided this was probably the only weekend that we could do it. Saturday's weather forecast was rain all day. Feeling some anxiety, I hoped and wished that Sunday would clear up. Late Saturday night, I checked the forecast - clear for Sunday! We excitedly put on our clothes Sunday morning and get packed up for the car when Kevin checks the weather again - rain starting in the morning. I decide we'll take our chances, and we set off in the car. Forty-five minutes later, we get to the farm, where the sky looks ominously dark. We stop in the tree farm gift shop for a potty break and to say hello to Santa. Reiley was lured over to Santa by his candy canes, but declined a seat on his lap. (Notice Ainsley's "Don't think about touching me" face)
As we leave Santa to head out the door, we see and hear torrential rain falling. Drenched families sprint into the gift shop. We and other farm-goers try to wait out the storm. After 25 minutes, it's still raining and we're getting hungry. I try to swallow my disappointment as we drive to the nearest McDonald's to eat and wait out the storm. Some burgers and chicken nuggets later, it's still raining. We make the decision to head home and get a tree at a Christmas tree lot near our house (so so so sad). Feeling disappointment at this less-than-ideal turn of events, I try to explain the new plan to Reiley, who readily accepts it, while I sit in the front seat wiping away tears. (Yes, I realize this is slightly pathetic as I am 26 :-). ) Kevin, being ever so patient with me, tries to comfort me through my ridiculousness on the ride home. We arrive at the tree lot where it is now FREEZING. 
Do we look like we're having fun?
Ainsley's face being pummeled with wind.
Staying dry in the car while awesome Daddy ties the tree to the top of the car. Everyone toughed it out so that Mommy could get her tree. It makes me realize that at Christmas (and every day) I am grateful to have a family that accepts and loves all of me (even the obsessively crazy parts!) I hope you are all having a loving holiday season!
As we leave Santa to head out the door, we see and hear torrential rain falling. Drenched families sprint into the gift shop. We and other farm-goers try to wait out the storm. After 25 minutes, it's still raining and we're getting hungry. I try to swallow my disappointment as we drive to the nearest McDonald's to eat and wait out the storm. Some burgers and chicken nuggets later, it's still raining. We make the decision to head home and get a tree at a Christmas tree lot near our house (so so so sad). Feeling disappointment at this less-than-ideal turn of events, I try to explain the new plan to Reiley, who readily accepts it, while I sit in the front seat wiping away tears. (Yes, I realize this is slightly pathetic as I am 26 :-). ) Kevin, being ever so patient with me, tries to comfort me through my ridiculousness on the ride home. We arrive at the tree lot where it is now FREEZING. 
Do we look like we're having fun?
Ainsley's face being pummeled with wind.
Staying dry in the car while awesome Daddy ties the tree to the top of the car. Everyone toughed it out so that Mommy could get her tree. It makes me realize that at Christmas (and every day) I am grateful to have a family that accepts and loves all of me (even the obsessively crazy parts!) I hope you are all having a loving holiday season!
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