Six flags...More flags, more flags!

Yesterday we spent a very fun and exhausting day at Six Flags Great America. I love that Lia calls it "Six flags. More flags, more flags." Because we live so close to Great America, we drive past it to go many places (the library, the mall, Target, Dairy Queen, etc.) And every time we see any glimpse of Six Flags, Lia gets excited.
As much as Lia likes Six Flags, I think that she really just puts up with all the rides. She LOVES Wiggle World. (During the Wiggle show, I told Tim that in ten years or so I see myself driving Lia to work at Six Flags as a performer. At 4, she is dancing and singing in the aisles.) Lia is not an adventure kind of girl. She is a safe, cautious girl. Roller coasters make her nervous.
Ellie, on the other hand, had a blast on the rides yesterday. This was her first time on any kind of amusement park ride. On the Wiggle airplane ride, if I had not been holding her very tight, I honestly think she would have tried to jump out. And the higher we were, the happier Ellie was. Ellie loves adventure, being high, climbing, etc.
A few other moments...
*Lia chose to sit with Corinne on the Little Dipper roller coaster. I feel like this is was the first of many choosing friends over mom moments. Sigh.
*Every hour, on the hour Six Flags plays that "I like to move it" song. Ellie danced every hour...for the whole song.
I have to say that going to Great America brings back a lifetime of memories for me. I remember going as a kid, as a teenager with my youth group, when Tim and I were just married. Just the sound and smells alone take me back. Nothing is better than a hot summer day at Six Flags!

Oh, the differences between my girls

I know that everyone says that each child you have will be unique. I just never expected it to be quite this dramatic. Lately I have been shocked at how different Lia and Ellie are. Here are my most recent observations about this:
*I never, not even once had to buckle Lia into her highchair. In fact, I could have gone for a run around the block and left her tray off and no buckle, and she would have been patiently waiting for me when I got back. Ellie wriggled around her belt, pulled her legs up, jumped over her tray, and leapt out of her high chair when she was seven months old. (As an aside, she landed like a cat...on all fours, and simply crawled away.)
*Although this will be hard for some of you to believe, Lia plays shy when she doesn't know someone well. She will bury her head in my leg, and cling to my arm. Today in church, Ellie escaped from the nursery (gotta really watch her...she's quick) and was pushing past complete strangers. As she was pushing her way through, she was saying "Hi!" and waving. Lia actually tattles on her when we are in stores. "Mom, Ellie is saying hi to that woman."
*Getting professional pictures this month was interesting. Lia spends time at home perfecting her poses and readying herself for the photo shoot. Ellie sees the portrait studio from the car window and starts screaming.
*Last night at the fireworks as I was taking in the awesome moment, (nothing is better than sitting with your family on the 4th of July with your entire town!) I looked at Lia. She was huddled into Tim's lap. Her hands were on her ears, her penguins were covering her ears, and Tim's hands were on her ears. I could barely see her eyes and kept asking if she was even watching the fireworks. Meanwhile, Ellie sat happily on my lap, ahhing and pointing at the fireworks. (and don't forget clapping. Yay!)
Before Ellie was born, I was honestly concerned how I could love another little girl as much as I love Lia. And it is amazing how God works it so that it is SO easy to love them both equally. Each of their unique little personalities (Lia in her high heels singing broadway show tunes and Ellie playing with blocks and signing "dog") make me such a happy mom. God is good.

About time I started this...

So, I guess it is about time that I started a blog. I mostly want to have a record of the crazy life that we lead, but especially all the little moments with the girls that I'm afraid I'll forget. Probably not going to post too many "we went here..." or "we did this..." I will mostly be writing the amazing everyday things that our girls say and do. Here are some to get me started:

*I found two empty/used juice boxes back in the cabinet yesterday. Apparently, Ellie thinks that when you are done drinking them you should put them back in the cabinet to refill them.

*Lia asks to hear my "thump-thump" at least once a day. She will then put her ear to my heart and listen patiently. She is actually listening to Tim's "thump-thump" right now.

*Nothing scares Lia more right now than Captain Hook. She has never seen Peter Pan, and I have no idea where she has even heard of Captain Hook. But, she is scared to death of him. And I mean screaming, horror filled eyes, clinging to my neck scared.

*I love how Ellie calls any step, slide, downward motion "whee."