New Beginnings Part 1 and Easter

 Google updated its blogger.... we are chrome users now... and changed the way I download pics, so we'll see how this goes.  So far so good, I was able to download all the pics instead of 5 at a time.  The goal is for shorter, more frequent blogs, but we're still playing catch-up.  

It's been an eventful spring, and unfortunately we've faced a few bumps in the road during the getting settled process.  We moved into a townhouse, had some problems with it, and moved again into a home in Falls Church.  We are very happy so far and trying to finally get settled now that we have our HHE (household effects).  We hired a live-in nanny but she didn't work out and now are searching for a nanny again.  We are also awaiting our furniture that is on back-order so we can finally feel moved-in.

The pics tell the story the best of our last two months:

Nicholas's first day at day care, which he didn't end up liking.  We decided to keep him home for now, and he will enroll in a French immersion preschool this fall.

3 months!  And sitting in her bumbo chair

Christy's friend Kristin had a great 30th birthday party, and Christy enjoyed catching up with her Denison friends.

 Claire on St. Patty's Day in the 9 month sleeper we bought for Nicholas's first St. Patty's Day.

new booster seat

The Centennial Cherry Blossom Festival in DC

  4 months already!  time is flying.  And Claire is rolling over both ways.

 visit from Grandma and PapPap

 Claire getting ready to go to her friend's first birthday party--she doesn't seem very happy about it.  

trying to get 3 babies and 2 moms to all look at the camera at the same time wasn't really happening

  Nicholas loves his little sister

 Visit from family

Nicholas at an awesome park near FSI, at his friend's birthday party

Claire's new crib sheets (and room theme).  and, she's grown so much she just wears the swaddler up to her armpits when she sleeps now.

  Easter egg dying time.  We decided shirt-off was the best way to go for Nicholas

 the Easter Bunny found our new house!

 Nicholas showing Claire his dancing Easter chick

 Nicholas finding his Easter basket

 more Easter fun

 in our Sunday best

 I couldn't resist a quick photo shoot of Claire (on our new couch!)

 Easter egg hunt in the backyard

G

Happy Easter everyone!

Ohio Home Leave 2012

One of the nice things about the Foreign Service is our Congressionally-mandated "home leave" in between postings, where we can reconnect with America and spend some family time. We enjoyed most of February in Ohio at David's parents' house.

We've been really busy lately (more on that in the next post) but here are some favorite pics from our time in Ohio:

Claire loved her Valentine's Day dress, judging from her beautiful smile.

my little Valentines

Having fun at Quaker Stake and Lube

tummy time!

Sledding in Grandma and Grandpa's front yard

making fried chicken--Nicholas loves to help cook!

Visiting a friend from Denison and her daughter

Claire all swaddled up, back when it still fit!

Nicholas loves his tricycle!

my cutie!

Nicholas had his first trip to the barber (and to the dentist, but we didn't get a picture of that)

up next, adventures in DC

Fun times in Colorado

Our first stop on home leave was to Colorado to visit Christy's sister Katie, her husband Jeff, and their dog Frisco. Christy's parents also flew in from California so it was a mini-family reunion. Denver is a great city for kids--Nicholas loved the Aquarium and the Children's Museum, which even had an exhibit for Claire! We are excited to learn that DC will be getting a Children's Museum in 2013. Christy also got to go skiing for the first time in 3 years (2 babies and a 30th birthday later!).

We are spending the rest of our home leave with David's parents in Ohio, and are happy to be reunited with the Moe cat. We signed a lease on a townhouse in Alexandria, VA (near Franconia-Springfield) and are now busy trying to figure out pre-school for Nicholas for next fall. It's like college--$50 per application, and they are due in January/February for the following September. Crazy!

Other projects are job-searching for David and finding a nanny, so we are still pretty busy and have a lot to accomplish before Christy starts French at the end of the month. Oh, and we will be celebrating our 5th Anniversary! It's been a pretty amazing 5 years.

Here are the pics from Colorado:

The ski resort, Copper Mountain, had a Critterland. Nicholas had a great time in the snow, and his Uncle Jeff taught him how to make snowballs!

snowbunny Claire

pretty soon Nicholas will be on skis!

but in the meantime, tubing is pretty awesome

riding the shuttle (aka "big bus!") from the parking lot to the lodge, with Aunt Katie

lunch break at the lodge, where David, Claire, and Nicholas stayed toasty warm while the rest of us skiied

snow pants and hunter's plaid. too cute! (in mommy's opinion, anyway :-) )

Christy couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day on the slopes. It was sunny, not too cold, and the snow was great!

It's been 8 years since the four of us got to ski together; last time was Christy's senior year spring break, also in Colorado

at the Children's Museum--Nicholas playing in the train exhibit

Claire got to float on her pod at The Pond, an exhibit designed especially for infants

GG and Claire

Mommy and Claire

Daddy and Nicholas fishing in "The Grove"

the best part--the fire engine exhibit! Nicholas got to dress up like a firefighter. Sooo cool!

Nicholas with Aunt Katie and Uncle Jeff at the Aquarium

Nicholas loved to see the scuba divers go "kick, kick, kick" .... I think it's time for swim lessons!

this pretty much sums up Claire's trip to the Aquarium

Nicholas-heaven: an exhibit full of buttons and switches! We almost didn't get past this to the rest of the Aquarium

Shark attack! We got to watch them feeding, which was pretty cool.

We are pretty tired from all the moving and travelling, and are enjoying some relaxation in Ohio and looking forward to getting settled in our new home!