Pedicures

Christina ran her first 5K race a few weeks ago, and the whole family was so supportive.  Clara even accompanied her in running across the finish line!  To celebrate and thank them Christina took Clara and Elena for their first professional pedicures.  (Never mind that she never had one until grad school when Steve's mom introduced her to them - these girls are getting started early!).

We've painted nails at home for a few years, but the idea of having them done like "big girls" was a pretty big deal to them.  Clara was honored to be the first one to get hers done.

It tickles!  Elena watches on, barely able to wait in her seat.

Clara's sparkly golden toes.

And it's Elena's turn!  She chatted up the esthetician the whole time, like a pro.

Elena shared the drying station with a new friend, who also had twin girls and is Japanese-American.  What a great new friend for us to find!

Elena's sparkly blue toes.

The esthetician was really worried the girls were going to mess up their nails, and wanted them to stay and dry their nails for a bit so she could be sure they were perfect.  It didn't take much to convince Clara and Elena to stay - they loved playing through the drying station.

As an added bonus, Christina was able to get her toes done, too!

Unrelated, but worth mentioning, is a new love the girls have for storytelling. Dinnertime is usually filled with stories of our days, but lately the girls want to know about our pasts.  They especially like to ask Steve about when he did "bad behavior!" which they always shout out with their hands waggling beside their heads, jazz-hands style (we do not know why!).  They mostly ask Christina to tell stories about people getting hurt (like when she hit Aunt Melissa with a rock or when Aunt Cyndie fell off the rocking horse).  They can tell these stories themselves now, and it is really hilarious to hear your own history narrated back like that!