First Dance Recital

Last Monday was a big day in the Hamilton house...
it was Lexi's very first dance recital.

Her sweet little class of 3 and 4 year olds
debuted short tap and ballet dances as well as some favorite tumbling skills.
Mommy and Nanny couldn't help but call out to Lexi to keep her on track -
all those years spent practicing at Kempson's keep our standards very high.
It was so wonderful to see our girl shine in this type of setting.
While she might not have been the most graceful,
she was certainly our very favorite dancer!
We are all so proud of you, Alexis!
You truly are a beautiful ballerina sweetheart.
(little video of tumbling and tap at the bottom)

All the girls (plus Annie's little sister, Tess)

Always ready to give out hugs - whether her friends want them or not!

 Strike a pose

 That's a wrap

 Lexi with her good buddy Olivia

 Lexi and Annie's favorite resting spot

The girls and their medals

On the go

Vic and I were away for the weekend,
and we came home to a girl on the go!
Ryleigh is rolling all over the place these days.
From this video, you can see she's quite pleased with herself.
She's also frustrated, though.
She gets onto her stomach
and then seems to forget how to flip back over.
Good thing she has mommy around to swoop in and save her.

For Sale

After nearly four years:
The windows, screens and windowsills are now perfectly clean.
Every bed in the home was made bright and early this morning.
The gardens were lovingly watered by Lexi.
The garage has not a drop of dirt in it.
There are freshly picked flowers in a vase on the kitchen table.
The vacuum saw some serious action yesterday.
After a very crazy encounter with our babysitter's mom's car,
a lovely new mailbox greets visitors.
A very ominous for sale sign stands out front.
The news was shared several weeks ago with immediate family and our closest friends.
And then it was shared early this week with extended family and friends.
It was even posted on Facebook,
so I guess it is officially official....our house is for sale

In March of 2008, I saw a photo similar to this one.

I knew instantly it was going to be not just our house, but our "home"

...just from that one little picture. 

I opened my email, saw the photo and told Vic, "that's our home!"

And, it has been all that and more from the moment we moved in. 

It is devastating to think of leaving this house, this town, our beloved friends and family.

And until our house sells, I don't really and truly have to deal with the flood of emotions. 

For now, I will focus on savoring every last minute we have here.

Fairfield is at its best over the summer. 

And we will live it up like it's nobody's business. 

And, of course, there is something to be said for a new family adventure in Dallas.

There is something to be said for the amazing opportunity with Cantor waiting for Vic down there. 

Luckily, there are some friends ready to give us a big Texan welcome. 

There are a lot of positives to focus on.

Now, if I could just tell myself that 

EVERY SINGLE TIME I pull down the driveway and see that ominous sign. 

5 Months

Ryleigh Ann-

At 5 Months,

-you weigh 14.5 pounds (39%) and are 25.5 inches tall (67%)
-you love to munch on your hands
-you are becoming interested in your feet...you just can't quite grab them yet
-you have begun rolling from your back to your belly

-you are sleeping through the night! you sleep about 12 hours each night!
-this started the night I got home from Florida,
so daddy has started calling himself the sleep whisperer
(maybe I need to go away more often)
-you have started laughing...real, true, hearty belly laughing
-you do this when we blow raspberries on your belly, tickle you under your chin,
and when your big sister makes funny faces at you

-you love your lambie and like to nap with him right up against your cheek
(this time around, we were smart and ensured you have two)

-you love to stand and want to do so all day long
-this is perfect, because you are now big enough for your exersaucer and really enjoy being in it
-you love your animal mobile and watch happily as they whiz around over your head
-you have started to eat rice cereal
-oatmeal is up next, followed by veggies

-you are still such a smiler, you make everyone around you smile too
-your happiness really is contagious
-you revel in attention
-when you are really excited, you straighten your chubby little arms and shake your fists
-you like it when people look you in the eye and talk to you
-you now love to bump foreheads with people when they do so - it's like a little love tap
-you are such a calm, content, happy little girl
-you are such a joy to us

Thankful...

that this kind, warm, wonderful woman is my mom

I love and appreciate her more every year (as do my own girls)

for these beautiful little ladies who made me a mom

for their daddy who (with the help of Grandpa Tom) acted as both the dad AND the mom last weekend,
so that I could join these mommies (some of my closest friends from UVA) down in Palm Beach

for a little of this

While we're at it, I'm also thankful for this beautiful mom who loves my children
like her own and has always been there for me

Happy Mother's Day 

Batman

See this guy here

and here

Well...not only is he a really great uncle,
he's also a hero
and quite possibly even a real live Batman!
He single handedly saved his next door neighbor's babysitter from a fox.
Heard her screaming, ran outside, punched the fox, got scratched in the process
And here's where it gets really nutty...
threw the fox against a car and knocked it out!
He is currently quite a local celebrity.
He was featured on all the local news stations,
has been written up in the newspaper,
and, most recently,
he was asked by their town mayor to attend the next town hall meeting.
I guess all those years of putting his little brother in a choke-hold paid off.
And, now he finally has an argument for getting his own wall of fame in his parent's basement.
Seriously though, when it counted, he didn't hesitate for even a second
to run to the aid of another,
even if it meant getting hurt in the process.
We could not be more proud of you, Uncle John!

Sisters

Snuck up on a sweet sister moment

Seeing Stripes

I didn't realize that Ryleigh and I were twins
until we arrived at dance class and friends asked if I had planned it.

That would be a big "no",
but hey, at least we're both on trend with our stripes.
It seemed picture worthy.
The first attempt was a bit problematic
(check out Ryleigh's contribution)

but the rest of the shots of me and my twin are sweet.
P.S. I swear this little girl must have heard me pleading with her big sister to
"smile for the camera, look at the camera" while in utero,
because she smiles without hesitation every.single.time!