Belated Birthday Pics

 We came back from our summer vacation a day before Isadora's 3rd birthday.  This meant that if we were going to have a party at all it would have to be almost totally pre-arranged.  I must admit I am pretty proud of myself for getting it all put together over a month ahead of time.. although we did break with our birthday-parties-at-home tradition.  We asked Izzy where she wanted to have her birthday and she told us at the jump place... so the jump place it was. 

We put together a little party of mostly family (and Evie's friends... poor second child with a summer birthday to boot) and got to celebrate on her birthday proper with a special smurf cake I had also ordered before we left. 

I think Izzy had a lot of fun, although she was definitely overwhelmed by all of the presents for just her, and the next day she slept in until almost 9 am and then took a 4 hour nap....

Pool Time

Although as a person who works in water management our pool is my dirty (not so little, not so) secret, it is definitely the highlight of Genevieve, Isadora and Patrick's summer.  At least the girls, and usually Patrick too, are in it every single evening.  Sometimes, like yesterday, they are in the pool morning, noon and night.  Even though I am not so keen on the water use, I must admit it is pretty fun to watch them play and to see just how good both girls are getting at swimming.  Isadora in particular started the summer scared to even get in (probably due to a run in with a bad swimming teacher this past February) and is now jumping in on her own and swimming to the side.  She has not quite become graceful in the water but she is making it her own way and is definitely enjoying herself.  Genevieve on the other hand has progressed towards graceful in the water.  Her favorite pool activity is getting thrown into the air by Patrick.  I will still advocate for turning the pool into a giant rainwater harvesting cistern when the girls grow out of it but for the time being I will admit I am pretty happy our house has a nice wet outdoor playground.

Age of Not Agreeing

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Although it began in little bits and pieces about six months ago, a tipping point has been reached in the Lacroix household these past few weeks.  Genevieve and Isadora have begun to honest to goodness disagree and fight.  And while (mercifully) it is not all the time, it is definitely a noticeable change in the house....one that perhaps deserves a (remade) song....

When you push and shove in hopeless tirades

Insisting to ev’ryone the conflict is true

You’re at the age of not agreeing

When all the harmonious play is through

When you set aside your habit of sharing

And your sisterly love is lost up on a shelf

Your at the age of not agreeing

And you begin to argue amongst yourself

You’re an argument a day and no one solves

The petty discord you believe to be true

Where did all the happy endings go?

How can you work this out and play anew?

You must face the age of not agreeing

Doubting that sister you thought you knew

Until at last you start agreeing

And realize there’s something wonderful…

Truly wonderful with you two

3rd Birthday Interview

On the occasion of her 3rd birthday and interview with Isadora...

Favorites:
Color - Pink
Book - The "appletoot" (aka octopus) book
Movie - Frozen
Activity - Dance
Animal - Giraffe (so she told me this morning, I would also add kitties to that)
Food - Beans (no idea where that came from... not sure I have ever seen her eat beans, from my personal observations I would say her favorite foods are spaghetti-os and oatmeal)
What she wants to be when she grows up - a Happy Birthday girl
Best Friend - Jasmina (who she hasn't seen since December, but still talks about all the time)

Notable things - Went from wearing diapers to using the potty.  Starting talking so well she tells jokes and increasingly elaborate stories.  Started to learn to really swim (after a period of time where she was so scared by the pool she wouldn't even put a toe in, now she jumps in and swims to the side alone and even went snorkeling with us in Belize!).  Now plays with Evie (and other kids) instead of just next to them.  Established herself as the Lacroix night owl... if allowed she'll stay up past 9 pm and sleep in until 8 am. 

Belize (with a little Guatamala) Adventure!

On Wednesday we arrived home late from an amazing vacation to mostly Belize with a little two day stint in Guatemala.  The girls once again proved themselves to be amazing travelers!  Much like our trip to Costa Rica two years ago we traveled around quite a bit, and as Patrick put it made the trip "adventure forward"where we did the more adventurous portion of the vacation at the beginning. (Although we ended up ending the vacation with one last fabulous adventure).  On the trip we started in the Cayo District of Belize, traveled to Guatamala, and then out to the Turneffe Atoll in Belize.

Canoeing.  Patrick and Izzy were in one canoe and Evie and I in the other... it was supposed to be a two hour canoe trip but we made it last all day with frequent stops.

Floating dock for swimming in the river.  Evie is hanging onto the rope swing, which we all had fun using!  The water was amazingly warm.

At the summit after a steep hike.

Hanging out in the hammock on our porch

Evie and Patrick at the start of their tubing adventure.

Izzy and Evie at a lookout tower during a break from the canoes...

We started our trip in the Cayo district of Belize at a jungle lodge called Black Rock.  There we ate amazing food (well Patrick and I did... luckily for the girls the folks there were super nice and made a trip into a nearby town to get them the makings of mac and cheese for dinner...) slept in a cabin overlooking a river and the jungle, canoed the river, tubed the river, swam in the river, hiked up to a summit (to see what we could see), and visited an amazing botanical garden.

Dawn atop Temple IV...

View through the mists from Temple IV at dawn

Later in the day at the Grand Plaza

Temple I

Coolest turkey ever!

Its rough when the steps are as big as your leg....

Temple V

We then made the trek (not long in terms of miles but long for the drive time and border crossing) from Belize into Guatemala to visit Tikal.  We stayed in a hotel in the park for two nights.  The animals were amazing, as were, of course, the Mayan ruins.  We even woke up at 3:30 in the morning to trek into the jungle and the ruins to see the dawn break atop the highest monument in the park.  It was misty and other worldly and down right amazing!  After a morning nap we set out into the park again to see the monuments in full daylight, and they did not disappoint!  The girls trekked up monument after monument, and Tikal is so big that even in the middle of the day we found ourselves wandering around and coming across ruins with no one else around.  

Playing on the beach

Getting ready to snorkel off of Half Moon Caye

Nesting red footed boobies

Baby boobie...

After two nights in Guatemala we made the trek back over to Belize City to catch a boat to the Turneffe Atoll and Blackbird Caye.  The boat ride was 1.5 hours to get out to the remote island resort where we stayed, but it was well worth it!  We spent the next few days mostly relaxing and playing on the beach and in the ocean.  On our last full day of the trip we decided to go out to the Blue Hole, which is a 900 ft across and 400 ft deep submarine sinkhole about 43 miles off the coast of Belize, and the Half Moon Caye.  Both of the girls proved themselves to be amazing snorkelers on the trip.  Evie used a real snorkel and on the Blue Hole trip day went out for 3 separate snorkels with us.  Izzy went with a floatie and goggles and just floated along putting her head under the water to look at the fish.  At one point, while snorkeling the Blue Hole she said to Patrick "Daddy, I am going to swim to you in the deep end!"  Awesome.  We are both so proud of the way the girls just rolled with it on this adventure!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Isadora!

Happy Birthday to Little Bit... our Isadora.  I cannot believe three years have gone by since that stormy July 10th when she was born.  This past year in particular she has shown herself to be a funny, brave and amazing little person.  She has gone from diapers to potty not to mention starting to swim, articulate clearly what she wants (and doesn't want) in this world and crack a mean joke.  I'll "interview" her tomorrow... and hopefully update the poor blog :)