Sunday, March 25, 2012

A Half Birthday Party?

Well, I have definitely just found a silver lining in the fact that all three of our girls have birthdays within 30 days of each other.  You see, if you have not had the 1/2 birthday syndrome enter your home....be thankful.  It is in full force here on Van Dorn since, well, kindergarten began.  These kids are o.b.s.e.s.s.e.d with who is older.  And if you have a half behind your number age that is like already being the next number, apparently.  So, since we have been waiting for like, ever 6 months, I thought it only appropriate to celebrate such a momentous occasion.  

Because my Saturdays start at 6 a.m. in Walmart, which is a whole 'nother post, I was not here for breakfast on this half birthday morning.  This was a little something I had Man do without them knowing there was anything special going on in the "wings".


Are you not impressed?  a.) That he made those cute heart shaped pancakes. b.) That he put them on cute plates. AND c.) That he remembered to take a picture!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Man...

So, we went about our day and we overdid it a little because Addison was ready for bed at like 6 p.m.  We gave each other that look...you know...this is supposed to be fun and now it is going to be miserable.  'Cause we all know that a 3 year can make or break anything.  

So, we stuck them in the shower and said, "Have fun!"  And they did.  Then we got them out and told them to pick out their favorite princess dress and put it on.  Ok, they were excited and inquisitive, of course.  Then we dolled up their wet hair and made them stand in the bathroom and wait for the magic word.  And they did.  And this is what they saw when they ran out and we yelled, "Happy Half Birthday!"


Ok, my night was made.  Their faces were priceless and they totally "got it."  

Then I put out the spread.  From scratch (Grandma North would be so proud) Italian meatballs skinny style 


with the fixings...


and then there was dessert.  There had to be dessert, right?  Or should I say birthday cake piled high with everything that is right in life...


There was nothing skinny about that, except my piece.

And then there were wishes...



And what's a half birthday party without a gift?  Oh yes, I.am.crazy!



And no, we didn't forget Allye...


We actually think she wins the biggest prize for surviving this craziness for 6 months!


And when your six year old asks when your half birthday is, you know you might have just started something...

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Oh Happy Day

When your three year old starts their day off with "I'm so happy, check!", it is kind of contagious.

So, when you pick her up from pre-school and you can't take her on a lunch date you tell her she can have homemade pizza.


Then she asks if she can make it herself.  And you say yes, 'cause you are so happy too!


Then you realize she meant do.it.all.


Then she tells you, "I'm just going to eat two of these, I think."


And she does.  

Then because it is Spring and you are both so happy you get out the smallest cookie (cheese) cutter you can find and let her cut out a happy flower.


Even though it doesn't make you happy to clean it.

Then she decorates her pizza with the flower.


And waits for it to bake.  

But while she is waiting she informs you she can't eat just pizza.  She needs to make more.  And you let her.  Well, because she is happy, check!


Go and be happy!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Addison, Addison, Addison...

Here are just three of the numerous conversations I have had with Addison in the past two days.

Conversation 1

Me:  "Addison, you need to go potty and get your jammies off so we can get ready for school."
Addison:  "Okaaaaaay, Mommy." 
Me: "Addison, please go potty so we can get you dressed."
Addison:  "Ok, Mom."
After I go take her potty and am sitting in her floor pulling her nightgown off...
Addison:  "I.went.potty, check!"
Me:  (A little giggle.)
Addison:  "I'm.so.happy, check!"
Me:  (A big fat grin with a little more giggle as I slide on her jeans.)
Addison:  "Got.my.jeans.on, check!"
Me:  (I.lost.it.)



Conversation 2

Riding in the car on the way home from pre-school.  

Me: "Wow Addison!  The clouds are really low today."
Addison:  "No they are not Mommy.  I can't touch them."
Me:  "You are right Addison you cannot."
Addison:  "So they are not low, they are high."
Me:  "Yes, Addison, they are high."
Addison:  "No Mommy, they are really high-low."
The End.



Conversation 3

To really appreciate this you must know that since Addison was about 2 and a half, right at 3, she likes to tell people she speaks Spanish.  Then she counts for them....in Spanish.  It is really quite funny to hear her and the moments she decides to announce this.

She was "helping" me clean today and we had Allye in her swing so we could clean the floors.  I often tell the girls that entertaining Allye is the help I need.  So, Addison took it upon herself to entertain Allye for a few minutes and here is what I heard/saw...I was cleaning afterall.

Allye:  All smiles.
Addison:  "Allye, girl."
Allye:  Big grin.
Addison: "Allye, Allye girl."  (Some baby talk.)  "Oh yes.  E, I, O, Y"
Allye:  Still grinning.
Addison:  "Allye.  Y, E, O, U."  (Kind of really singing it to her.)
I turn to see this and they are grinning at each other.  I turn my back to clean and hear this...
Addison:  "That is French Allye.  For real."



Yep, just another couple of days in the life of Addison.



Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Brains

So the newest fad in our house, apparently, is to talk about brains.  I did not get the memo on this or I could have checked out a book on brains at the library, since I now have experience shopping searching online with their website.

But, I don't think any book could have prepared me for what happened to me yesterday morning.  Olivia and I were standing at her mirror with Allye poised in her Bumbo seat staring at herself in the mirror.  She really just pretends to be doing that and then she swipes the curling iron cord and puts it in her mouth.  Then Olivia screams.  Then I calmly tell her, "No, no little one." Then she promptly does it again.  Clearly we have been doing this for several days now as I know the story so, well, clearly.  

I guess Olivia had had enough.  Allye pulls her trick and we do our parts and then Olivia says to me,  "Mom, if babies have brains, why don't they know anything?"  I laughed.  I really laughed.  I laughed so hard Olivia thought she must have lost her own brain.  Cause she says, "What did I say?"  "Do they not have brains?"  I laughed.  I laughed really hard, and then again 5 minutes later, and 5 minutes after that and am still laughing.  


Monday, March 19, 2012

Lucky, lucky, lucky!

So we definitely had a wonderful week last week for Spring Break.  The end of our week was topped off with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day! We are still reading the book about him and learning about the holiday and we didn't skip out on any of the fun Saturday either!  We celebrated ALLLLLL day!

The preparations began the night before...


The luck began the next morning when our kids actually slept in...until like 7:30.  That is "in" here on Van Dorn.

I got our usual Saturday morning fare going...


And when the girls came to eat they were greeted like this...


Yes...place-mats!  Those were one of the pre-projects we did the Sunday before...I took them and laminated them.  I.AM.IN.LOVE with the laminating machine.  I even came home telling Man all about it and asking what else could we possible laminate it was so much fun!  Anyway, the girls were super excited too.

And ready to eat this...


And then I had to take a picture so you could laugh with me about how they thought they should eat them...this was after much deliberation between the two of them.



Yep!  Those are skittles on her pancake.  We only go around once and we have decided to have fun!


Bubbles inside??!!  Did Daddy really allow this?  Yes.  Why you may ask?  Because "Meme let's us do it."  Of course.

Even Allye got a bucket with treats...


Then we slid on our green outfits (please forgive me for not taking Allye's picture...she was asleep at this point and in no mood for posing)...


And went to the last place on our eating request list for the week.  McDonalds...and it had to have a play place.  So we went...for that and Shamrock shakes.  They were out.  How does that happen?  You are McDonalds and you had 364 days notice...make that 365...leap year...

But, Thank YOU!  Mama couldn't treat herself to a milkshake but she can have this....

 
Frozen Yogurt!  Love these places!  If you don't have one or have never been to one...YOU.MUST.GO!

This made Olivia very happy!


The cute little high school girl that works there was like, "Ya'll sure are festive."  She might as well have said, "Ya'll sure do have on a lot of green!"  We are going through once and we are having FUN!

Once again I slaved over the stove crock pot all day long so that my family could have traditional Irish fare...and some "ale".


Yes, my kids ate that.  Corned beef, cabbage, skinny garlic mashed potatoes, carrots, and "ale".

Then they got a special surprise!  Rainbow sprinkled marshmallows that were dipped in caramel then white chocolate bark.  This was love people because I wanted to quit when the caramel melted the marshmallow.  These took longer then my whole dinner.  ;)


We drug ourselves to bed for our final installment of Dr. Seuss week with, what else??...


One thing we know for sure...we are lucky to be blessed!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Helllllloooooo


from Egypt!

This was an Olivia pick and I didn't know what to do.  Thankfully I found the book, Nefertari, at the library and Anna led the way!  Ah yes, Anna is the cute little girl on the front and she explores Egypt with her family and loves her camera.  How much better does this get for Addison.  It's Dora and Diego all in one!

Once we were fully informed, by Anna, we decorated our own sarcophagus and the Egyptian flag! 


Insert lots of questions about dying and being wrapped like a mummy.  Then the questions about other Gods and oh my, I should have had the Children's Pastor on speed dial for this.  I managed, I think.  

Then there was a jewelry project.  All because Anna showed us the beautiful adornments on the Egyptian ladies.

The girls each got to pick out a button and we sized the rings down to fit their fingers.


The we used our trustee E6000 and glued them together.  Then we waited, so then that gave me time to forget the final picture because we were off to something much more exciting!



Henna Tattoos!

Yes, Mom, believe it!  The girls love putting tattoos on and they always come off in just mere minutes it seems like.  So what better time to do this?  All in the name of education, of course.  I was like mom.of.the.year for this!



They were gorgeous!  After about an hour the dark paste flakes off and the result is really beautiful.  The hardest part was not giving my "If you ever come home with a real one I am calling your Meme!" speech.

Then we rushed home for the grand finale...





 MOMMY'S MUMMIES!

Daddy thought he was safe...I thought Daddy was supervising...this is what was really going on...


Please note my baby....Yes, scooted herself right into the Barbie bed?  No one seems to mind?  Not even Allye.

 
 After doing my research I learned that falafels are sold from street vendors in Cairo.  From more extensive research that involved watching Bethenny Ever After (just because I didn't want to get it wrong ;) ) I knew this was fairly safe to attempt and they must be good.  And, I must say, they were delicious!


Time for bed.  

And because Anna, our Egyptian tour guide for the day, told us that cats are sacred in Egypt...what else??!!






Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...