Oh, My Anna...

I went for my 15 month check up today (never mind that I'll be 16 months in about a week - way to stay on top of things, Mommy!)
The Dr. was really impressed with my repertoire.  Quack.  I showed her where my ear was, too.  She asked where my tongue was, and I showed her my belly.  She says that I can "hear" and that I do "respond" so we're not worried (yet) about my developmental delay with respect to language.  Quack.
Tomorrow I am going to the hospital for another ultrasound on my kidneys to make sure all four of them are functioning properly.  People ask some of the silliest questions about my "duplicated collecting system."  (have fun reading that article.  Me no speaka-Chinese so it's just gibberish to me).
"Can she donate her extra kidneys?"  Ummm, no.  Technically they are not "extras" so we need to keep them.
"How does she have room for them?"  Well, you have room in your head for that genius brain of yours, right?  I don't know how a human head can hold a brain so smart!
"Is it going to affect her development?"  Quack!
We'll keep you posted on how it goes.
Love,
Anna

Happy Anniversary Mommy and Daddy!

This post is all about my Mommy and Daddy, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOMMY AND DADDY!!!  Daddy took Mommy to Key Biscayne/Miami, Florida last weekend as a COMPLETE AND TOTAL SURPRISE!!  Mommy thought they were going to NYC for an evening show and dinner and then coming home the next day!  NOPE!  Mommy and Daddy stayed at THE RITZ in Key Biscayne, ate AMAZING FOOD (Mommy had seafood for every single meal) and drank yummy cocktails, and kissed and canoodled and other gross stuff Mommy's and Daddy's do (tee hee).  I am hoping though that there is no post-anniversary surprise in the form of another sister or brother at this time.  I'm happy Mommy and Daddy made it through FIVE years!  It's been a wonderful five years, no?  First, there was me, and then, Anna!  And not to mention two cities (four cities and four states if you count their dating period), medical school and residency, two jobs for Mommy, lots and lots of other life changes and Mommy and Daddy are even happier now than they were on July 23, 2005 as if that were even possible! 
THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH, GRANDMA (and Uncle Matt and Miss Nikki, too) for taking care of us and Garpy this weekend.  We had so much fun with you we are still talking about it every day since we got home!  Mommy and Daddy really appreciated the "time off" to go have a little alone time at the beach and in the city and to reminisce all about the wedding (which was wonderful) and the planning (which sucked and sucked but at least they are finally at the point they can laugh about it and at everyone who contributed to it - ha ha).  And most importantly that Mommy and Daddy could reflect on everything wonderful about the last 5 years they have spent together.  Mommy and Daddy are so blessed, there's just no other word for it, and Mommy wants to tell Daddy that after almost EIGHT years together she loves you more than ever before and thank you for everything.
I hope you have 55 more years together, Mommy and Daddy!  Or more, who knows?!?
Love,
Lilly and Anna

Rest In Peace, Mulligan 1997-2010

Dear Mulligan,

We will miss you so much.  It is so hard to say good-bye to such a good buddy, and you were the BEST doggie and the BESTEST buddy to both of us from the time we were even reaaallly little.  We will always think about you when we are at Babi and Duda's house and walk around with food and you're not there to eat it out of our hands.  You were such a good boy, Mulligan and we love you very much.  We are so sorry you are gone and we are sorry, Babi and Duda that your house will be a little bit emptier from now on (but a little bit cleaner, too - Mulligan's parting gift).  We love you, Babi and Duda.  We'll miss you Mully old boy.

Love,

Lilly and Anna

Ah - Summer Camp!

We went to our first Summer camp last weekend to visit Daddy while he volunteered!  The name of the Camp was Camp for Courageous Kids and it is an AMAZING camp for AMAZING kiddos!  We were so lucky we got to enjoy some of the perks of being campers without officially being campers!  If Daddy keeps volunteering there his boss, Miss Tracey at the camp, told us we could be campers too when we get a little older!  Campers for a whole week!  We would love that sooo much!  Mommy has enough material from just 48 hours of camp to write a whole book, but instead of a whole book, here are some highlights!

As you can see above, I built my OWN woodshop car!  I painted it green, added sparkles, painted pink wheels, and later added sequins and feathers.  This was all with the help of a cute little college cupcake counselor named Ali, who flirted with Daddy (and vice versa) the whole week he was there.  That was really good for Daddy's ego, to flirt and be flirted to by a college chick, so Mommy let it slide.  I loved Ali so much, that I named my car after her - the Ali Car!

Here is the final product!  I am on my way with my Ali Car to the BG 500 Camp Race!  I get to race my very own car, and Anna, the singular member of my pit crew is faithfully trailing behind me, as you can see.

We put the Ali Car on the track and raced it all the way to the end!  I got to race with all the big girls from the Yellow Cabin!  Everyone cheered for me and I LOVED the spotlight (of course).

My Ali Car won!!

And here I am posing with my winning car and my first-ever medal.  Yep, seriously, I am seriously POSING!!!  This came so natural to me Daddy's eyes about fell out of his head, and Mommy about fell over on the ground laughing.  I mean, seriously?!  Could I be any cuter?  I am only 2 and I copped a hip move!

Ta daaaa!  Some goozies for you...

My favorite part of camp was unequivocally my new boyfriend Edmond, from Edmondson.  Edmond is one half of a set of identical 12-year old twins.  So if things don't work out with him...ahem...  Anywhoo...I copped more than just my first hip move, I copped my first new boyfriend, too.  Figures I would go for a man 10 years my senior, right out of the gate (sorry Hawthorne, you are way too young for me!)  At first it started like this, Edmond danced with me after dinner and I liked that.  Then, he would pick me up and twirl me, and I liked that, too.  Then, he spent every minute he could with me, and Mommy had a minor freak out.  Even Daddy had a minor freak out.  I mean, is it normal, this kind of March-December relationship between children?  Is something wrong with Mommy that she would even worry about it?  That her mind would even go there?  To reinforce to Mommy my romantic feelings towards Edmond, I started referring to him as "my boyfriend."  I even asked Mommy to put pig-tails in my hair, "for my boyfriend."  Knowing that this relationship, like all good things, would come to an end Mommy indulged me, and put the pig-tails in my hair.  She says she draws the line at Facebook and Twitter accounts, and no cell phone texting until I'm at least 8 years old.  That puts Edmond at 18 and comfortably legally unattainable.  Mommy is not ready for this world. 

Oh look!  I'm holding Edmond's hand!  GREAT!

Oh Edmond, our time together was short, but I will love you always...you will always be in my heart.  I will think of you every time I eat a yummy drumstick.

Our last morning at camp stresses the need for: a. a good camera (we used the crappy Canon we've had since before the beginning of time...my time, at least) and b. a good country song to get over my recent loss.  Look at how forlorn I look!  *Sigh*  SOMEone is not forlorn and that is Anna.  As you may observe, on the last morning of camp for breakfast they serve - BANANA SPLITS!!!  Mommy thinks this is ingenious!  Serve the kids ice cream 2 hours before their parents come to get them!  Good thinkin' camp!

I could hardly eat, even with the extra whipped cream...

Anna, on the other hand, no issues whatsoever.  She tore into that ice cream like nobody's business! 
We love camp!  We can't wait to go back again next year!
Love,
Lilly and Anna

We are Little Stinkers

In Slavic, we say Stinker like this: pood-nuts.  But you have to roll the "o's" so it doesn't translate very well into English writing.
It is Mommy, Lilly, Anna week at our house this week as Daddy is off to camp!  I don't understand what "camp" is but it involves playing games, sitting by bonfires, eating camp food, riding horses (real ones!  not painted white and purple ones), swimming in lakes, and so forth.  Must be nice to be Daddy, eh?!  So it's just us girls, and when it's just us girls, it's fun shopping/playing/friend/zoo time.  Mostly shopping time.  In fact, in the car (van!  in the new van!) on the way home from Mary Lou's last night I said, "Mommy, let's go to the store."  "Sounds like a fine idea to me, child."  That's what Mommy said.  Later last night, when we got home after our friend's house (which was late, 8:30!  whew!)  Mommy said, "Ok, girls, let's get ready for bed."  I said, "Yes, child, sounds fine."  Mommy about died.  What a stinker!
Meanwhile, Anna sat on the floor, smiled all sweet, and said, "Quack!"
Love,
Lilly and Anna

4th of July With Our Favorite Boys!

Happy late 4th of July!  We got to spend some time with our besties in C-bus while we were out there!  I finally got to meet Thatcher!  We dined together...crawled over each other...you know, at this age, that's about all we can do!

And I GOT TO SEE MY LITTLE BOYFRIEND AGAIN!  We REALLY had fun this time!

I got to show Hawthorne some Doctor skills I picked up from Daddy...

Hawthorne was a lovely patient.  Very eager, I might add, to lift up his shirt and show off his belly!  That's a nice belly Hawthorne!  Though I have no clue where you get it from...considering both of your folks are skinny-skinny!

Hey Hawthorne!  Put your arm around Lilly!
Hawthorne says, "Nah, I'll put my hand RIGHT THERE."
Best part?  Lilly just stood there.  Sippin on her cup while Hawthorne felt her up.  Hawthorne's Daddy: "Way to go, Buddy!"

Aren't we such a cute couple?!?  I can't wait to see you again, Hawthorne!  Maybe Mommy and Daddy will let us play Doctor in private?
(NOPE!)
Love,
Lilly and Anna

Tu je spajanje obitelji!

Time for the annual janjetina roast with the Pavich family!  Our annual family reunion was in Columbus, Ohio this year over the 4th of July weekend!  This year was fun, there were lots of us there (still lots of us missing, we missed you!!)  Next year it's going to be on Uncle Mike's farm!  We can't wait for that!  Mama hasn't been to the farm since she was a little girl, but she tells us it's a real farm where the roosters will wake you up and the chickens will chase you if you tease them.  We are really excited for that!
We have to say the cousins did a stand up job with the lamb this year - it was EXCELLENT!!!  Of course, we didn't try it yet (as picky as I am and as little as Anna is, we just weren't that interested) but as you might notice in the picture above, it was all the rest of the kids crowding the lamb for the best parts while Cousin Nick and Cousin Mark were carving it!  Mama thought it not appropriate to elbow an 8 year old out of the way but she was getting all the good stuff!  Mama wondered what it might be like to an outsider to hear an 8 year old and a 10 year old fight over who gets to "eat the skin".  Since she grew up doing lamb roasts it was funny to her, weird to Daddy.  Mommy hopes that when we grow up that we will come to love the tradition as much as she does, and Mommy really hopes we can keep it going.  Unfortunately, no matter what, Daddy just doesn't like lamb.  But Mommy does, Mommy loves it, and Mommy loves the roasts, and the family getting together and listening to polka music (and accordian when Uncle Steve is there), and singing, and dancing, and drinking, and talking about cars and motorcycles and life and everything else.  Thanks Nick and Amy for hosting the roast again, and thank you to Uncle Mike for putting it all together and hvala vam Pavich family.
Volim te,
Lilly and Anna