circus

The girls and Mike went with our dear friends the Choes to the Big Apple Circus. They had the absolute time of their lives. Both the girls declared it was amazing. They especially were in awe over the acrobats. Thanks Choes for organizing this. We are so glad that we have friends like you!

randomness

Our little princesses! What you cannot see is that Riles is a "Princess Warrior" and she has sword in her other hand. Our little tomboy!

Em always creates such great plays for the neighborhood kids to act out.

Riles always wants us to feel how strong she is. "Feel how big my muscles are!!", she'll say as she holds out her elbows (muscles).

I am always kissing this little thing. Her poor little face probably looks like this most of the day with someone always trying to kiss those gorgeous big cheeks. We just love her. But she is getting too big too fast.

I love our neighborhood! Here is the group with Lisa (I LOVE those Calderones). I cannot imagine better neighbors in whole wide world. And I loved our first warm day in 6 months! Love Love Boston. But, boy, can our winters be harsh.

I just wanted to document this for when all our girls are teenagers. Many Friday nights are "Movie Nights" at our house. Our house is filled with friends and kids and we usually make pizza (although this past one was "pancake night") and then watch a movie. Mike loves it because by Friday he is usually so tired after putting in a million hours all week at the firm. And our girls love it. It has become a tradition. Our friends know that they can always stop by (in their pjs, of course). So girls, when you are bigger, just remember that you used to love being home with Mommy and Daddy on a weekend night!

Em wanted me to take a picture of her new toothbrush. But afterwards, when I looked at the picture, I noticed how big she is getting. It made me so sad. They are really growing up too fast. She is not my baby. She is becoming a big girl. I wish I could bottle this time. I know I will love each phase of our daughters' lives. And so far, I always think that whatever phase we are currently in is my favorite. But it really is going by fast.

Riles with "Petty". I know the picture looks cute but Petty was coming to take her on an "adventure" so she didn't have to go to bed yet. Petty got a time out.

Quotes of the week

"Mommy, guess what??!!," yelled a very excited Riles.
"What?"
"Supaman (translate: Superman) wears tights - just like a gule (translate: girl)!!!! That's soooooo silly," heartily laughed Riles.

"Mom, who do we have a playdate with today?" asked Em as I picked her up from school.
"I forgot," I said.
"Oh well. It doesn't matter. I know someone is coming over today. Someone ALWAYS comes over everyday for a playdate."
No one wonder I feel like I am constantly cleaning all day.

Happy Easter

The girls and parents had such a nice Easter. We decided to stay at home and keep it small (which is really a big concept for us. We love to host for the Holidays and invite everyone). But this year was so nice and easy. We hosted my mom and the Tanners (we tend to spend most our Holidays together).

The girls are always so excited for Saturday to get their Easter baskets. Cakey actually liked the basket more than the toys inside. She walked around all day with her basket putting anything she could inside it.

This is my attempt at trying to get the girls in their matching Easter dresses.

The third annual Chatwin Easter Egg Hunt.

Hannah and Em were so sweet to help Cakey. Hannah was such a great help that day with the little girls. It is no wonder why my girls think that she is even cooler than Hannah Montana. They really do.Sarah's amazing trifle and my bunny cake. The children are so funny with the bunny cake, each has a part of the bunny they prefer to devour.

I really love this guy. Riles helped me write this blog. Everytime we scroll to this picture she says "Oh! Cute little mommy and daddy. You look so short."

Cakey's Hugs

"Mom, I wish everyone in the world could have a Cakey hug," said by Em, a very devoted sister.

Cakey gives amazing hugs. She wraps her arms around you neck and squeezes so tightly when she rests her head on your cheek. I agree with Em, I think her hugs are heaven.

Homecoming

So I did something that was a bit traumatic ... I went away for a big girls only weekend with friends (really it was just 24 hours). And Mike is the greatest Dad in the whole world. While my friends and I were getting massages and eating lunch at a kid-UNfriendly restaurant, Mike took all the girls to the Science Museum for 5 hours. They then ran errands, and he took them to dinner at a kid-friendly restaurant. Since the girls are not use to me being away from them for any period of time, bed time was a bit tough but he still managed.
When I came home the next day, Mike had flowers for me all around the house (which he kept spotless) and the girls had made signs that said how much they missed me. So Mike and the girls survived and even I survived (although poor Katie and Emily had to hear about the girls all weekend).
It was nice to go away for a "Mommy's playdate" (as the girls put it) but the best part was coming home.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Riles got so excited for St. Patricks' Day. She wore green everything: green shoes, pants, dress, even hair clip. She was so proud of herself. She looked so sad to hear that she has no Irish in her.
But the most exciting news of all was that there were real leprechauns at her school ... and they were so messy. They came the night before school and left little green footprints all around the school. They left their gold everywhere (gold glitter) and one manage to escape the leprechaun

trap the students made. His little hat got caught, however.

just a little update

Mike had to go to NYC for business recently on a weekend. We tagged along. Our good friends, the Welles, are such sports. We called to see if they wanted to go Manhattan with us the next morning. Without even blinking they said yes. So while Mike had his meeting, our girls and the Welles girls had fun at the Manhattan Children's Museum. "Hey do you think this helmet could protect me from Riles?"

Riles gets the best morning hair. Here is just another fine example.

Em keeps telling us that she doesn't want Hillary to be elected president because she wants to be the first "girl" president. Here she is with a picture that she drew of Mt. Rushmore. She likes to insert herself into the monument as the first "girl" president. Riles by the way says she is voting for Hillary! She says that Dante is and he knows because he is already 4. Oh' Riles!!
Sometimes these two really are best friends. Sometimes.

I am in love with the way Cakey walks. She walks belly first. She sticks out her baby Budda belly and charges full steam ahead. It is SO funny. She doesn't know how to stop yet. So she walks until she bangs into something or she falls. I am also including a picture of her cheeks. I love love love those cheeks.

Every snow storm Mike goes out to shovel the entire driveway in these pj bottoms. As soon as our girls and the neighbors see Mike out shoveling in those funny pants the children build their arsenal of snowballs and attack. Mike is totally outnumbered but has never lost! What a guy!! For the record, I actually like New England winters. I am use to them. I love them even. But even I am ready for this winter to be over. I don't think it is ever going to end. Riles has been sick lately (OK and maybe a bit grumpy). She fell asleep like this on the couch. I had to take a picture because she looked so peaceful and calm.

"Wow! Two grandmas!!, " an excited Riles yelled while seeing my mother and Jan at our home one day after school. This cheerful shout is often exclaimed when the girls come home from school. My mother and Grandma Jan (the best honorary grandma in the world) are often over. They love to visit with the girls and play games. The girls love the attention and love the love they give them. As much as we love Boston, these are the top two reasons why.

birthday tea party ...

For Em's birthday party this year she decided that she wanted a big girl tea party. We had so fun much even planning the party. The whole family got involved. I made pretty "grown up" invitations" on scalloped notecards (she picked out the notecards herself).
The party was so nice and definitely worth all the work. Riles decided she wants the same party idea for her birthday. When I explained to her that that may be hard since her best friend is a boy she said "he can have a Spiderman tea cup".
We had a craft table for the girls to decorate their gift bags. I am so sad that I forgot to get a picture of it, but for favors I made each girl two sets of bows for their hair and a personalized set of notecards. The logo that I used for the stationary for each girl, I also used for the lollipop bouquet.
Favorite foods: butterfly and heart shaped PB& J sandwiches, french toast, and fruit
Least favorite foods: chicken salad sandwiches on croissants"Tea" was apple cider and strawberry lemonade.
I had organized so many tea party games, like pin the tea cup on the saucer and

musical chairs but the all the girls preferred playing with Mike. It was so funny!! They thought that everything he did was so hilarious. They literally copied everything he did and chased him around. He was such a sport.

We had a Cupcake Cake. Each girl decorated their own cupcake. We also made so many other traditional tea party desserts (thankfully my friend Becky came over the night before and end up helping bake) that most girls were too full too eat cupcakes so we sent them home with their cupcakes.

What a fun party. Her friends are so sweet. They were so excited to be at a real tea party. Most importantly, she and her little sister really loved it. And that is worth cooking until 1:30 a.m..

IT'S VALENTINES DAY

AND

I LOVE DINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I decided to break my long-standing no blogging policy in honor of Dina, the best wife and mother I could ever imagine. If you've spent any time at all on our blog, its pretty easy to tell that she is amazing. I can't even begin to describe how lucky I am. Unfortunately, I am also at work, as usual, so I really can't begin to describe how lucky I am. Let's just say that Dina is smart, beautiful, patient, fun and beautiful, and that I love her more than anything.

Happy Birthday Em!

Em just had her birthday. We just love that sweet girl. I remember praying and praying that Mike and I would have a baby. When I kiss her goodnight I still whisper to her that she was worth the wait.
I feel like I have already learned more from her than I could ever teach her. I really am a much better person because of her.
She is so kind. I have never met anyone more kind than she is. She has always had this amazing ability to find other children in her classroom that need special attention and be their friend. In all reviews at school, the teachers always say that she has a unique talent of making other feel accepted.
She is also so obedient and intelligent. She never ever wants to let Mike and me down. It is so sweet. She is very determined and dedicated in everything she tries. This girl loves LOVES to learn. She has this great wonderment for all things science.

But mostly I love the way she loves. She loves completely and is loyal. She lets the people she loves know that they are loved and important to her. Yesterday during tennis lessons, every time she had a great hit she would run over to me and kiss me and say “that was for you, Mom.”
We love you, Em!
I really really like these girls of ours.
Now, if only I can get them to share and stop being so competitive with each other!! But, other than that …

mash potatoes bad guys and pensive love

" Daddy, I'm not gonna eat my mash potatoes. They look like bad guys."
~ from Riles (who normally loves mash potatoes, as long as they are shaped like fish or other non-combative shapes)

"Mommy, I just don't know why I love you so much. I weally don't." ~ a very contemplative and somewhat confused Riles.