Pop

A couple friends and I have set up a babysitting co-op which I have to admit is genius really.  (Using that words maker me feel like Troublemaker as she has been using it to refer to herself recent.)  One person (and her spouse) is the babysitter that month and babysits the other couples kids.  Every other couple gets a date.  The next month is a new couple babysitting and so on.  We have only done a one month cycle so far but it is working great and I am excited for the pissibilities it will provide. 

This post, however, is not about the co-op but rather about what happened on while Daddy and I were on our date.  We took Mimi with because she had a cold and I didn't know how she would behave with her babysitter.  On the way home she was having a little bit of trouble accepting her prisoner status and was popping her lips.  I popped my lips back and the games continued on and off the rest of the way home.  It was cute to see her reaction when I was able to make the same noise she was making. 

Birthday weekend

We had a busy weekend recently with three birthday parties all in the same weekend.  Plus, one of the birthday girls was grandma so at the request of the girls she came to her birthday with them.  Really though, we were so busy running around and getting everything done we barely got to "celebrate" her birthday, but I don't think she cares as long as she gets to spend time with the kids.

The first birthday party was for "A" and "L".  They are brother and sister.  Since their birthday is so close they decided to have their party together.  It was a pajama party and they had fun with some cereal crafts. 

And here is "L" getting his first glance a the "Melmo" cake I made for him. 

Next we were on to the second birthday party for "M".  She had her party at Pizza Hut.  It has a play place.... genius really.  The kids eat as quick as they could then ran out all their energy.  Once they were tired they came back and helped with presents.  Really, "M" didn't need help opening presents but everyone kept creeping closer and closer to see what was happening until they were on top of the presents. 

They also took a time out for pizza cupcakes. 

I didn't get any pictures of grandma's "party" we had because we really only gave her a present and sang her Happy Birthday (both done on different days) but she did work on a craft with the girls.  It is Audrey's 100th day of school and we had a family project of making whatever we wanted as long as we used 100 of something.  So we make some V-Day garland similar to the typical Christmas garland.  Instead of normal circles though we bent them backwards and turned them into hearts.  Grandma helped the girls for a while. 

At the request of grandma we did go to Boss Hawg's for her birthday.  The girls had made Fancy Nancy crowns and they insisted on wearing them to the restaurant.  Grandma made this vest for Mimi and had to show it off. 

And finally, before they left nobody could resist at least one picture with Mimi.  : ) 

Cakes

Ok, so most of this blog will be about the kids but here is one thing about me because I can.  : )  I have been taking some cake decorating classes and I am loving it.  My grandma bought me one for Christmas and told me if I liked it she would pay for another one.  It has been lots of fun but I am running out of reasons to practice my new skills.  I think I need to make some new friends or make some cakes for unusual holidays.  Here is the one I made from my first class.  I used it as a birthday cake for a friends daughter.  I'm not so great at writing yet but my instructor showed me some tricks so I need to practice them. 

The following week I had two birthdays I could make cakes for.  The first one was another friends kid and I made him an Elmo cake practicing a transfer process that I learned in class. 

Finally, was my mom's birthday cake which I made out of fondant.  It was easier than I thought it would be but I can't use my new writing trick on fondant so I still need more writing practice. : )

Summer in January

It has been unseasonably nice this year so we have been taking advantage of it as much as possible.  It is crazy when you only have to wear jackets, sometimes not even that, outside in January!  So it was the perfect year for the girls to get scotters for Christmas.  Normally they would have to wait months to use them but the scotters have already gotten used quite a bit.  We have also been hitting up the parks when we can.  A great time to go to the park for us is after we pick Bumpkin up from school.  We have one park that we love going to because it has the normal playgroup area, then it also has a rocker that they can all sit on at the same time, a large slide that serves as a tower, and swings. 

I love watching the kids play.  I know every kid has an imagination but I love watching their imaginations at work.  Sometimes at home our imagination can get distracted with all the "it's mine" and "she isn't sharing" arguments but at the park that doesn't seem to happen.  So I can just sit back and watch them play.  First they play princess locked in the tower,

then they escape to the boat and the chase is on.

It has also been crazy that there hasn't been any snow yet so we can still play in the leaves.  They call it a "leaf party" when they jump in the leaves and throw them at each other. 

It took some good negotiation skills but I was able to get Bumpkin and Troublemaker to slow down long enough to get these cute pics.

We hope you all are having a wonderfully nice January too! 

Eating time

My dear Mimi,

You aren't sleeping the way you used to and it is getting to me.  You slept through the night the first night I brought you home from the hospital.  Really you would have slept the first night at the hospital if the crazy nurse wouldn't have insisted your 9 lb self was "hungry" when you were soundly sleeping.  But I digress on that matter.  The point is you have started waking more and more during the night and I think it is about time mommy stops being selfish and starts in with the "food".  I really wanted to hold off until you were 6 months but I have no reason other than I wanted some more time with just you and me.  Both your sisters started rice at 4 months, and that was fine, but I could be selfish with you because you really don't like that bottle.  So, after a couple nights of getting up multiple times with you I decided it was time.  You got your first taste of rice this morning. 

Your first couple of bites you attacked the spoon and nothing came back out of your mouth but then Miss Troublemaker got involved. : )  She decided to plant herself right in front of you to "watch" which lead to many distractions with kisses, barbies, and tickles.  I love how much she loves you (especially when I thought she would have jealousy issues) but I think I will try to feed you next time without her "help".  By the fifth or sixth bite you were now completely interested in your sister and had lost all interest in the food.  We will try again later. 

Love,

Mommy

P.S. Thank you for the bowl of milky cereal in my lap!  It was just what I needed on the one pair of jeans that fit.  : ) 

Memory Lane

With this new endeavor it is my intention to not only write about things that are currently happening but to also take a few trips down memory lane before I forget the things that have already happened.  I don't have a road map for those things that I would like to get written down, I just hope they come to me at times and I can get them on here.  So, when Troublemaker brought her bedtime story selection to me tonight I was happy to see that it could be my first inspiration for my memory lane section.  The book is Lull-a-bye, Little One written by Dianne Ochiltree. 

We used to read this book at least once every night.  Troublemaker loved it and I must admit I have never minded reading it.  We got this book around the time that Troublemaker was 18 months and it got us through our first (of many) moves.  We haven't read it for while but tonight when I read it I was pleasantly surprised to see how excited and enthralled she still was with the book.  When I first started reading it she was sitting on the other side of the bed.  When I finished she was knelling next to me leaning over my shoulder.  I never want to forget that feeling.

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's

A couple days after Christmas we loaded up the van and headed to grandma's to celebrate with mommy's side of the family.  We barely got in town before we went to our first party at our cousin's house.  It has been a long time since we saw them and the girls had a great time playing with their cousins. They were all so silly while eating dinner. 

After dinner we passed out presents.  Mimi surprised me when she managed to get one of her presents. 

One mninute she looked like this.....



and the next minute she looked like this. 

After presents from the greatgrandparents and great aunts and uncles were open the kids got to doing what they do best.... playing!  I was amazed at how well they played together considering the last time they played together it didn't go this well.  (lots of yelling and tattling)

The next day we had Christmas at grandma and grandpa's house.  Grandma loves to buy presents, I think everyone know that.  And although I don't object to it when the presents are coming my way, the girls don't need a million toys, our basement is already overflowing!  So we have set a meaningful limit of three presents each.  Three because that is how many presents Jesus got on his birthday.  I love the fact that the girls connected the number without even being told.  Our big family presents was an xbox and kinect, then we all got games that we would enjoy.  The major hit for Bumpkin and Troublemaker was their new scotters which they used in the house for the remander of the visit.  Here are some picture of opening presents there. 

I finally got a video of Mimi opening one of her presents.  She sat in Nana's arms and just kept ripping at it until it was finally open. The final picture is documentation of her reward.  : ) 

The following night we had our first gelato vs. homemade icecream contest.  One would think that it would be harder to make homemade ice cream with a hand cranked maker but I think Heather and I struggled with the gelato maker more.  Come to find out a rasberry got stick in the bottom of the turner thingy (very technical term I know) which wasn't letting the lid shut right.  Somehow we don't have a picture of Heather and I covered in rasberry gelato fighting with the machine.  : ) 

Our final night at Grandma and Grandpa's was New Years Eve.  They hosted a murder mystery and it was also a friend's birthday so Heather and I decided to try my mom's new never opened but two years old cake cricut.  The fondant and gum paste was all new to us so we made some mistakes (like not putting frosting under the fondant or using any color) but we also made the cake and learned how the cake cricut works.  It would have been cooler (like with bigger with some type of color) if one first set of guest hadn't shown up an hour and a half early for the party.  But we will got to play.  My Mom's machine is pretty cool! 

Ohh, and finally, here is a picture of all three girls and great grandpa!  A rare treat and such a good one! 

Rolling now

Mimi,

You rolled over the first time today.  You have rolled from your tummy to back before but you were able to go both ways today and made your way across the floor. 


Mommy

Family Christmas

Daddy worked this year on Christmas Eve but the girls and I had a good time anyway.  We started off the day by making cookies.  We had some oatmeal that needed to be used and thought it would be fun.  Then once we had 100 plus cookies on the counters we decided to play christmas cookie elves and deliver some to good friends.  Even though nobody was home when we actually delivered them the girls had a wonderful time and I think we will do this again next year. 

After delivering our cookies we took dinner to daddy's work and enjoyed Christmas eve with him.  It was fun but the girls couldn't wait to leave because they wanted to be in bed before Santa came.  So we hurried home and set up cookies for Santa and headed to bed. 

I had reassure them that we would have time to read a couple books and Santa wouldn't skip over the house.  So we brought out the classic Night Before Christmas.  We also read Where, Oh Where, Is Santa Clause, and What Star is This?  I loved that even thought it was Christmas Eve and the girls were overly excited about Santa, they still remembered the real reason for the season. 

Daddy got home on Christmas morning and we were all still asleep.  He woke us up and the girls rushed downstairs to see what Santa brought.  They were excited to get Happy Nappers and their own umbrellas.  Bumpkin got a unicorn, Troublemaker got a ladybug, and Mimi got a puppy.  Santa even snuck in a new bike for me! 

After our presents from Santa we had some breakfast and then opened our presents from each other.  Actually Mimi chewed her present open....

The girls make craft presents for each other this year.  Bumpkin made a bow holder for Troublemaker and Mimi and Troublemaker made a headband holder.  They went straight to use.  The also made a D-A-D picture frame for daddy. 

After the excitement of the presents was over we completed the rest of the day with church, eating, decorating our princess mirrors, and making a leftover gingerbread house. 

We hope you had a good Christmas too!