Lulu's New Fashion Accessory

Lulu had a boo boo.  She fell at the park and fractured her ankle.  She was running with some new-found friends and fell down.  She didn't cry or complain.  She came over to me and calmly told me she fell and that her ankle hurt and she wanted to go home.

It didn't swell or bruise immediately, or for several days afterwards.  We iced and elevated it.  We gave her Advil.  She continued to play normally each day.  Actually she only mentioned it again when going up the stairs. But a few days later it started to swell, so we went to the pediatrician and got some x-rays taken, thinking it was a sprain.

The x-rays showed a fracture in one of the growth plates on the outside of her ankle.  Sooooo Little Miss Lulu got to pick out what color cast she wanted... HOT PINK BABY!

Her little piggies are all sticking out now. We went home and painted them hot pink to match the cast. 

She broke the ankle of the foot that doesn't require her prosthesis.  I don't know how we would have managed it if she had broken the other ankle.

Did having a cast on one foot and a prosthesis on the other foot stop her from outrunning me down the slick and shiney hallway at the hospital?  Nope. 

All smiles leaving the hospital.  That's amazing!  She is such an inspiration to me.


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Sports!

As the girls get older, they are really getting competitive!  In fact, the whole family is becoming more competitive!  Lulu loves her soccer (football) and says she going to be "a po-fessional".  Here she is with her little friend from preschool, whom she says is her "bestest fr-wiend who's I gonna marry!"  Whoa there Missy!

And M, with her team, this past summer attending a seminar conducted by former Gymnastics British National Team member, Mark Gibson.  That season begins in November.  I can't wait!

And Mr. Melonstew, with all his running and biking, and running... and running.

(Groovy socks, baby.)

And Bella Cinderella Star's canoeing....

And me, well, I mostly garden, but occasionally hit the gym (with a rock -- HAR HAR)

But sometimes we watch sports, like going to a Dayton Dragons baseball game...

Then M decides to have her best "whatever-you-call-that" look for a photo afterwards.

Good times, good times!

Hiking in the Woods with Little Miss Innocent

We decided  to take the girls to the Englewood Metropark for a little hike to see the waterfalls.  Lulu LOVES hiking.  She loves the trees, the creeks, the mud, the animals we see (who must be deaf because Lulu also likes to sing and holler at the top of her lungs) and all the little sticks, rocks, bugs, leaves, and nuts she finds along the way.

Personally, my favorite part are the old growth trees.  There aren't many of them, but when I find one I just stand and admire the sheer size and age of it.

Somewhere along the way, during this particular hike, M picked up a stick to use as a walking stick.  It was a fine stick.  The perfect height and weight and balance.  She walked along with her newly found perfect walking stick and hummed a sweet song, just like Snow White hummed to the little birdies in that story.  Princess humming, I dare say.

So we walked and hummed and skipped along looking at trees and nuts and etc, etc.  We finally arrived at our destination, the waterfall.  Oh, did I mention that we have had a drought?  Even the pathways were dried up and cracked so my expectations of the waterfall were not high.

(Note the stick, the precious walking stick, that M is using to guide her through the woods.)

The fall wasn't totally dry.  There was a little bit of water flowing over the edge.  M set down her walking stick and climbed the railing to put her hand in the trickling waterfall.

At this point Lulu grabbed the walking stick and promptly threw it into the woods on the other, non-accessible, side of the waterfall.  As.   Far.   As.   She.   Could.

MOMMY!!!!  Lulu threw my stick in the woods!!!  ON PURPOSE!!!!!

UM, LULU?!?!?!

wHAT?

Did you throw M's walking stick across the falls, ON PURPOSE?

uH-hUH.   

(Grins while sending following message telepathically:  Don't look at the rotten -- Look at the cute) 

yAH!   yAH I dID!!!!

Mommy takes a deep cleansing breath of clean metropark air.

Breathe deeply, Mommy, breathe deeply.

Think calming thoughts of lush woodland ferns and peaceful streams .

Thank Heavens Daddy is there to save the day!

Heh Heh Heh...

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The First Days of School

Here's M on the first day of school!

Just pausing for a few photos!

Off to the bus stop with Daddy!

Look out third grade! 

Lulu started Kindergarten three days later.

Big sister was there to help her start her day.

Brand new backpack? Check!

Waiting for the big yellow bus...

There it is!

Off to school on the big yellow bus!  Lulu was in Heaven!

It's Soccer Season!

Lulu's taking on a new sport -- Soccer!  Or, as it is called in my husband's homeland -- Football!

I cannot tell you how proud I am of her.  For those who don't know, she was born with a partial right foot and wears a prosthesis.  It is not exactly easy or comfortable for her to wear.  Working around shin guards and tight fitting soccer shoes isn't easy either!  She makes it work!  She never complains and always gives 100% effort.

She loves it.  I mean really, really loves soccer/football!  The name of her team is the Fricker's Fire, Fricker's being the name of a local restaurant chain.  I've never actually eaten there.  Oops.

Here's part of the team with their coach getting ready to warm up before a match.  Lulu is number 4!

WOOOOOOOO!  Check out this action shot during a match!  Run, Lulu, run!  (She's the white shirt player on the far right.)  YOU GO GIRL!

Lulu's New Old Bed

I've been at it again!  I have finished another furniture rehabilitation!

I found this twin size bed at an estate sale in Oakwood, a nearby town.

This was perfect for Lulu's small bedroom.  I liked the detail and the fact that it is all STURDY solid wood.

It is quite old, with a paper label and some numbers stamped on the inside of the wood railing.

A little stripping... (All antique restoration purists -- avert your eyes or they will burn out of your head!)

Ok, at this point I wasn't so pleased will all the "detail" -- a pain to strip and sand.

But in the end this...

became this:

Now Lulu is happy as can be with her new big girl bed!  Total cost:  Bed $65, Stripper leftover from another project, sanding block, dust cloth, and paint brush $10, and polycrylic sealer also left over.

Voila!