Spring is here! (hopefully)

Sleeveless dresses and shorts all around today :)

Updates

I took Layla to the dr. this morning and after an hour of tests, the diagnosis: nada! as of now it seems to just be a bad virus that is going to have to run it's course! the fever has subsided but she's still pretty pitiful. so hopefully we'll see improvements in the next couple of days!

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Danny has registered to take his LAST test on Wednesday at 3:30! He has said many times how excited he is just to have it out of the way, but I think the real excitement will come when he gets his final "pass" in the mail :) He's hoping he's timed it so we'll get it before we are back in alabama.

We've have gotten such an outpouring of support and job search help from all of you and I want you to know how very appreciative we are!!

layla

this has been layla since friday night. no eating but drinking so that's good! she's had a fever lingering around 104 and pretty much just lays there. i've got her all set up in our bed so atleast she is comfortable but she looks pitiful. her fever finally broke this morning but now she's very fussy and agitated so most likely we'll be in the dr's office tomorrow. it's always hard when they can't say what's bothering them but something is up with her! no runny nose or cough or congestion so i'm thinking ear infection but who knows!?!?!

a new day

most of you know already, but for those I haven't been able to talk to you yet, danny was laid off yesterday. even though we were "prepared" it was still a shock and i think the fog is lifting and we are figuring out our next steps. of course, our biggest hurdle it the baby - due in 9 weeks. (don't get me wrong - i don't view our baby as a hurdle, and we are still thrilled about her arrival, but it's a little more challenging now with no insurance!) after going through MANY scenarios we have decided to stay here through june, which is when our lease is up, and then move back to birmingham with my parents until something comes about for danny. as much as i have wanted to move back home, this is definitely not the scenario i was thinking of! danny has been working on his resume - literally ALL day today - and has been contacting everyone he knows :) ideally, we would love for him to find another job out here that would sustain us until we are in a better position to move, but i'm not holding my breath! i've got another dr's appt next week and initially my OB wanted to induce anyways - the week before my due date - and i declined, but now i'm going to talk to her about scheudling that and then hopefully we'll have about 2 weeks before we head out to alabama! danny and i both know, something good will come out of all this craziness right now and i think we are doing our best to remain calm! i'm sure one day - years down the road - we will laugh at our upcoming cross country trip with a 3 1/2 year old, a 2 year old, and a 2 week old :) you can never say that life in the brindisi home is boring :) i'd just ask that you would keep us in your prayers for peace and patience and strength right now - and a job :)

i'm very appreciative of all the uplifting e-mails and calls i've gotten today! i keep telling myself, we are blessed where it truly matters :) and i know danny is thankful for all the help people are sending his way in hopes of finding him leads!

we love you all!! and we'll possibly be seeing you very soon :)

layla counts 1-10

i hope her little voice is audible :)


her vocabulary is improving all the time - thanks to Ella! having an older sibling has definitely come in in handy for some things! i'm sure it's still in the phase where anyone else would need a translator to understand her, but we love it :)

pickin wild flowers

one of ella's new obsessions at the park . . can you see her other favorite thing? that shirt! she wears it ALL the time now :) i must say, she blended quite nicely with all the other flowers today!



layla and her ball - she loves that ball!

Mariners game

It was a good day for an afternoon at Safeco! It was "salute to kids" day and the girls got free jerseys - a big hit with both of them . . as well as daddy :)

showing off her free goods!

the baby bump's first baseball game! she stayed pretty dormant through everything :)


layla took about an hour nap during the 5th inning! both girls did great! once the game started they sat in the seats the entire time!

meeting the Mariner Moose :)

another one down

I had another dr.'s appt today - things are going well and Norah and I are right where we should be! beginning saturday we are in the single digit countdown - only 9 weeks left - crazy!! Norah is gaining momentum daily and has begun having disco parties in utero nightly :) but I honestly don't mind - it always puts a smile on my face and we've gotten to the point where you can actually see her in the belly when she is moving, which I think is amazing! miraculous things happening all the time :)

my little tangerine, getting ready to take mommy to the dr.


sharing her snack with me in the waiting room


Since my dr. is downtown, the girls and I swung by Gas Works Park (by far one of my fav places in the seattle) on the way home for a little stroll!

ella was actually saying "hello there seattle!"

how does this happen???

I'm cleaning the bathroom today and I hear Ella shouting, "mommy come get me!" and I know it's coming from upstairs so I turn the corner to head up the stairs and I get mooned by my 3 year old! I don't even know how she did this, but since she was laughing and I knew she couldn't go anywhere I took a quick pic . . :)



I didn't think it proper to post the actual pic I got of the "moon over mommy" shot but trust me when I say it was quite funny! She was pretty proud of herself as well! Who says we need to have boys :)

Dr. Atkins worst nightmare!

Layla started it and Ella followed - eating buns for snacks has become all the rage?!
(yes, neither are wearing pants - also the rage in our house at the moment!)

all dressed up . . for the park?

yes, ella put on her best get-up for the park .. i guess you never know who you'll meet on the swings :)

a few more pics . .

Here were the girls Easter morning. The Easter bunny brought coloring books and play-doh (which Ela actually enjoys now thanks to MOPS!), edible jewlery, some new big girl cups, not too much chocolate this year, but my fav was a walking bunny that poops out jelly beans :) nothing says Easter like that, right?!?



PINK M&M's!!!!! Big hit!


putting on her necklace, that she refuses to eat!



7am and diggin in!


finding some eggs


Layla's fav thing to do all morning! Find the eggs, open, and dump the jelly beans all over the floor . .

and then laugh :)


Danny and Ella at Outback - Danny looks stoned or tired - not sure which one :)


After stuffing myself at lunch!

Happy Easter!

Here are a few pics I tried to get of the girls in their dresses. We had a wonderful Easter morning! The Easter Bunny visited and then we headed to church and afterwards did our traditional Easter lunch at Outback :)




I've got more I'll post later when it's a bit quieter! The girls are definitly on a sugar high and have had no naps so I expect the crash to come early tonight :)

On a side note: Danny has signed up to take his 6th test! He'll be taking it this coming Saturday morning at 8:00am! It is by far one of the lengthier tests - 5 1/2 hours!! Please say a little prayer! He's going to be spending most nights at the library this week!

Hunting Eggs

Our church had an Easter party today. There was singing and a play about Easter and then of course, the hunt! Both girls seemed to enjoy it - even though it was raining :) but we've come to expect that! It was done in the parking lot for the toddler ages so there was a better chance of finding the eggs. Our PT for Layla goes to our church and we ran into her while hunting and she let me know how great Layla looked and how well she seemed to be doing - not that I didn't know this already, but it's always nice to hear :)

Getting ready to go!


She was hesistant about putting her eggs in the basket. She seemed to think I wouldn't give them back to her :)


Layla on the prowl!






I was impressed that Ella was willing to get into the bushes all for the sake of an egg!







ripping into the candy once we got home. i guess chocolate eggs for lunch is OK once a year?!?! :)




Even with all the chocolate she still managed to pass out on the floor!