Tuesday, September 19, 2017

L&A Years 4&2 Week 10: Tea Parties, Concerts, and Boats - 8/31/2017

Leia was cracking me up this week, per usual.  At school, the biggest insult they like to give each other when they are mad is to uninvite the person to their future birthday party.  They seem to get invited and uninvited from any particular party many times on the same day.  Leia came home one day this week telling me "Levi says he's not going to invite me to his birthday party."  "Oh Leia, don't worry about it.  He's going to forget he ever said that by next year."  "No he's not, because I'm Leia, and I'm going to destroy him!"  Wow, you go Leia, tell those boys who's boss!  We went to Arwyn's friend Julia's birthday party this weekend.  I told Leia about this party a couple months early because I knew she'd be excited to go to a tea party themed birthday party (Tea for 2 at 2...turning 2 years old).  Anyway, Leia asked me a week or two ago when we were going to the "Tea for 2," and the fact that she remembered the exact name of the party indicated how excited she was about it, despite it not actually being her friend.  The day of the party, she got all dressed up in her fanciest tea party dress first thing in the morning even though the party was not until after nap.  And she had a blast at the party, decorating tea cups, pouring tea, eating cupcakes, and jumping in the bounce house.  She totally made Jennifer's day (mom of Julia) when she spontaneously walked up to her during the party and said, "I really like your party, Jennifer."  After that party we went to Squaw for a free Dispatch concert, and the girls also had a blast there.  It was their first real concert of a big name band, and they danced and played the whole time, and even recognized and got to hang out with Piper, who they had met only once before earlier this summer.  It was so cute to watch them all play.  The next day we got to go out on the Matthews boat for a picnic on Lake Tahoe.  Leia had the best time.  She totally freaked out when she jumped in the water because it was so cold, and had to be helped back out.  I convinced her to try again, and she hung on me while I swam over to some rocks, refusing to swim by herself and practically drowning me the whole way.  Then she refused to climb out onto the rocks with me, so she had to actually swim back by herself.  She was doing just fine until she saw a shadow of a rock under the water, and not knowing what it was, she totally freaked out screaming.  It wasn't totally clear what the problem was, so I dove back in and rescued her, and she practically drowned me again while trying to get her back to the boat.  But as soon as we got her back in the boat, she calmed down and was happy as a clam again.  We even got her back in the water again later.    Leia tried to test us a lot this weekend, forcing us into many screaming time outs.  I try to be so loving, calm, and consistent with the rules, but this kid is just relentless; she just never quits being a behavioral scientist.

Arwyn continues to be a climbing wall fiend.  On Daddy Day she was doing endless climbs up to the top of the climbing wall and ringing the bell.  I tried to get her to show me, but I'm not tall enough to spot her, and she absolutely refuses to wear the climbing harness.  It was an all out battle of wills, trying to force her to wear it and her screaming in tears, refusing to climb.  Both of us were the losers because I ruined all the fun and didn't get to see her do it, and she was so upset and traumatized that she could no longer muster up the will to climb even after Daddy came out to spot her free climbing.  Hopefully she gets over it soon and starts climbing again, but I'm still not sure how I can do that with her if she won't wear a harness!  Arwyn also had a blast at Julia's party.  She was funny because everyone else (including Leia, who can't resist a good present even if it's not for her) went inside to watch Julia open presents, but Arwyn had absolutely no interest in that.  Instead she insisted on staying outside to play by herself, and kept trying to get me to come too.  She also was fired up about the birthday cupcakes.  She and Leia had front row seats at the cupcake table, and she just kept reaching in and grabbing "more kek!"  Arwyn had so much fun dancing at the Dispatch concert, and of course the first thing she wanted to do was take her clothes off!  When Piper wanted to totally baby her like a little sister, she ate up and was loving the attention right away, which I was surprised about. Arwyn was so excited to go on the Matthews boat, and kept saying she was going to jump in and throw Mommy in the water.  In the end, she was too scared to even get her feet wet, and insisted on staying safely inside the boat!  The surprise of the day was when she randomly latched on to Ally.  Ally was across the water on a rock island, and she was almost enough of a lure to get Arwyn in the water, but she came back before we could get Arwyn in.  But then Arwyn wanted to sit on her lap the whole way back to the docks.  It was really cute, but so strange because Ally hadn't done anything particularly special to gain Arwyn's trust, it was just some sort of invisible bond.  Arwyn did behave very well the whole time on the boat, except for when she was super pissed about having to put her life jacket back on.  Arwyn's vocabulary has progressed, and she now says "logurt" instead of "la-lo" for yogurt.

My little fashionistas both dressed themselves so nicely for school today.

Cute outfits, cute sisters, cute smiles.

Then they started getting hammy and silly for the camera...it's always a show!

Password = Leia

Leia and Arwyn were just dancing around, showing off, and being goofs.  But they sure are cute doing it!



Another late summer veggie box feast out on the deck.  Fresh fig caprese salad and beat cakes.

Arwyn was fast asleep wearing her beloved "San-nal shoes"!

Happy day for Dad, they are getting really excited about making fast hot wheels tracks!

Password = Leia

The music box started playing it's sweet little song, and Leia was totally inspired.  Her graceful ballet moves brought tears to our eyes.  And she was just making it up as she went along!

It's 2 pm on August 26th, which means it's finally time for "Tea for 2 at 2".  Leia just loves to play the part: pretty dresses, personalized tea cups, boas, and all!

When it comes to a good tea party, Arwyn is no slacker herself!

And here's the birthday 2 year old herself, Miss Julia and Mommy Jennifer.

It was a great little set up, and all her best friends were there.

So cool, I haven't seen one of these bouncy balls with the handle since I was in elementary school!

Leia was front and center for present time.  Arwyn quickly realized it was pretty boring and headed back outside.

Cake?  Now that's a different story.  These girls were both ready to provide any necessary help with decorating that cake!



Leia, Julia, and Arwyn in the Bounce House!

Yep, Transue girls are front and center, trying to organize the cupcake table!!

Yummy cup cakes.  Leia kept right on helping herself.



That's a mouth full of cupcake!

So pissed that I wouldn't let her have a 4th cupcake!

Better now that she helped herself to someone else's serving of "kek"!



Little cutie pie Everly trying to show off her first tooth!

What's better than jumping and sliding with your best bud?


They were having so much fun playing together!


Birthday hugs from Leia.

Group hug!

Walking in to her first concert with some serious sass!

Not a bad spot for a show.

Dancing with Audra.

Apparently wrestling is also part of dancing at a good show.



Me and my girls in our matching hippy sweatshirts.  Thanks MumMum!!  (I guess we'll have to try again for the shot when Arwyn feels like smiling.)

It always starts out so innocent..."no shoes!"

And then you know they are having fun when the rest of the clothes start coming off as well.



Arwyn loves dancing and playing with her Uncle Jesse.

It's an Arwyn Hug Train!

I hadn't listened to any Dispatch in many years, but they did not disappoint.  When you actually want to get up and dance to songs you've never heard before, you know it's good music!

Can't get enough of this little cutie tonight.

A little Leia yoga.

How is it that a little 4 year old knows that doing random scenic yoga pictures is such an "in thing"!?

I love her all the time, but especially when she's so happy and fun to be around!



Daddy love!

Are these two the cutest or what?


I think happiness was in the air (or maybe it was just 4 cupcakes worth of sugar?)

Heading out on our first Tahoe boat ride of the summer.

Daddy snuggles.

Cool cats.

Enjoying some East Shore beauty.

Jody never stops being the ultimate hostess with the mostess.



Arwyn made sure to dress in her best yachting attire.

Leia doesn't generally chose to clothe herself in your typical yachting attire, but we thought that her cute dress without any of her typical flamboyant accessories was a very classy and appropriate choice.



Finally got to hang out and enjoy the company of Jonathan and Ally.

Gorgeous blue water...pretty awesome place to swim, even if it is a little chilly.



Jonathan, Arwyn, and her new BFF Ally relaxing on the cruise back home.  

Leia couldn't stop laughing about all the bumps and wind on the way back...you'd have thought we were on a roller coaster ride or something!

The gang.


Arwyn was so calm and quiet, just relaxing in Ally's arms.


A nice day to be a bow princess.

After spending a fun-filled day at Camp Matthews, they were so excited to have their new matching camp shirts!

The Daddy Day forts get better and more elaborate all the time.

This one definitely looks like the most solid and substantial one I've seen.  And it even has a Steelers logo portal!

Arwyn was so excited that her hair was finally long enough for a single large "Leia Pony" (as opposed to the half ponies that I usually put in her hair).

Yummy summer tomato, lemon, and basil pizza!

And with the Wrath Saignée and eggplant salad, it was a date night dinner to die for.






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