Just rambling, but enjoying the trip . . .

At nearly the last minute last night, I was finally able to find a babysitter who was available. She's watched our kids once before and is comfortable with all three, and I was comfortable leaving them with her. She's expensive, but worth it.

I got to surprise DH by having a babysitter there when he got home from work, so we could go out for an anniversary dinner.

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DH had been doing some restaurant research and had found out that one of our favorite places to eat, a little authentic place run by a family from Jerusalem, could accommodate my dietary needs. I had lamb schwarma with mediterranean salad (cucumber, tomato and onion with lemon juice, I think), and homemade hummus on pita bread. They cooked everything in a separate pan for me with olive oil instead of vegetable oil (a.k.a. soybean oil) and made sure there was no soy in anything. It was really delicious.

DH and I had a fabulous time. It's been so long since we've been out anywhere by ourselves, that we almost felt like it was a first date or like we were getting away with something. We were enjoying talking and looking across the table at each other so much that the waiter teased us by making cutting motions between us with his hand and saying, "Hey! No staring contests, now!" He gave us complimentary baklava for our anniversary and felt badly that I couldn't eat it because it had shortening or margarine or something like that in it, that probably was soy-based. DH ate mine, though and we found a dessert I could have later.

After dinner we went for a walk in the mild evening. We talked, reminisced about each of our anniversaries, shared about our favorite dates we've been on together in the last 7 years, and basically just enjoyed each other's company.

The girls had a good time with the babysitter, and even Baby E didn't seem to miss me too much. The babysitter was impressed with all three girls, and thought it was especially cute the way Baby E holds a baby doll in her arms, rocking and kissing it and saying "dawh."

Baby E is getting so big. It's hard to believe she'll be a year old a week from Thursday. She's using more words and phrases (added "nana" for Grandma and "weh Daddy go?" tonight) and is so steady on her feet now. She can bend down and pick something up without losing her balance while standing unassisted and is starting to take a few tentative steps.

The older girls are enjoying their summer a lot so far, especially the times they get to play in the water. All three have been playing together so well, and enjoying each other's company a lot. AJ especially is developing quite a great sense of humor, and M&M is really blossoming in helpfulness. This morning Baby E threw all her cereal and her sippy cup on the floor, and M&M happily cleaned it up to earn a penny. She did a great job of it, too.

Baby E has been really grumpy in the mornings, but not quite tired enough to take a nap both mornings. I don't know if it's because her schedule is still off, or if she's transitioning from two naps to one. Today, though, she took two great naps. We'll see if she continues with that. She's still waking up one to three times in the night, but isn't staying awake for long periods and is usually asleep by 9, so that's quite manageable. My big goal at the moment is to get myself going to bed earlier consistently.

I called today to get an appointment with the allergist, and to my amazement was able to get an appointment with a pediatric allergist on Thursday morning. I was expecting to have to wait several weeks or a month to see the specialist. So I'm excited about that.

Here are some pictures of the girls looking at their chore charts and doing their evening routines tonight.

AJ and M&M often seem to end up arguing because M&M wants to look at AJ's chart instead of her own. Finally, tonight, I was able to get her to explain what it was she liked better about AJ's chart than her own. She's grown since I put the charts up, and her own chart was uncomfortably below eye level. So I moved both charts up, and then they were happy to each stand at their own chart again. I don't have a picture of the new level, but the lower charts are at eye level for each of them now, while the sticker charts are just high enough that they can still reach them. The girls like the side benefit that the charts are not so easily within Baby E's reach now, too.

Baby E loves the stepstool next to M&M's bed. Thankfully she hasn't made it very far up it yet. It's only a matter of time, though.

AJ and M&M are getting such long hair and bangs. I think I'm going to cut them this week. I'm trying to decide whether to get my hair cut also, or just continue braiding it or pulling it back as I've been doing.