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Birthdays, Dogs, Routines and Girls Night

Well, the Spring birthday marathon is now over. (I am kind of glad.  I couldn't eat anymore cake and so the last two gatherings have had alternative desserts!)  Audrey turned 3 this week and is already talking about when she will be four!  She has had fun extending her birthday out as many days as possible and prolonging her reign as queen.  When we were planning Jonah's birthday party (a combined party with a girl from church with their Sunday school class) Audrey informed us that she wanted her "friends" to come over.  She listed her friends as six 18-20 year olds that help her at church. She kept talking about it so I sent them an email, and they all humored her and came over for pizza and a trip to the park on Friday.  It was so sweet of them to come from Ames spend time with us.  Both Jonah and Audrey loved it.

Jonah asked me more than once this week when he gets to go back to my sister's house because he found a new best friend in her dog, Gia.  So far Jordan and I remain united :No dog!  We tried getting him some aquatic frogs for his birthday but they have not filled the void in his heart.  We are debating borrowing a friend's dog for a week this summer to see if that would be enough poo duty that pet owning looses its novelty.

Reuben is in the awkward transition between one and two naps.  We have such a great routine now, and I  like it.  Time to find a new one.  I keep waiting for his face to clear up from different bumps and bruises so that I can get his one year pictures taken.  I am two months behind on that again.  I may just have to bite the bullet and get them take even if he looks like a prize fighter.

Jordan was a prince and two weekends in a row I got to have a girls night.  I have a group of four that I get together with three times a year.  It is wonderfully refreshing.  Then this I went back to Ames last night to celebrate a birthday with former neighbor.  They acted like it was a big deal that I came back to Ames, but to be honest I love Ames.  Jordan thinks it is just nostalgia for me, and that I love remembering the time of life that Ames represents.  He is probably right.  I love Urbandale, but it is fun that we didn't have to leave all of our friends when we moved.

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