Ella's 3rd birthday party

We had a weekend full of celebrating Ella! Her birthday fell on a Friday this year. My Mom and Aunt Maureen came in Thursday evening and Neal's parents came in Friday morning. We started the day Friday with donuts per Ella's request and then headed to the toy store that we go to for every birthday, Dilly Dally's. We had lunch at Chick-fil-a per Ella's request. Friday evening we had a few family and friends over for a birthday dinner complete with an Anna cake made by Reese and Ella.

I have been so excited to have Ella's party this year at Farmland Adventures. It was a bit of a madhouse but we had a lot of fun. By the end of the weekend Ella and Reese were really worn out but I think a lot of fun was had by all. Ella is such a big girl now and not so much a baby anymore which makes me so sad. She has such a tender heart and is so sweet. We love her more than she will ever know!

Ella's 3 year old questionnaire

What is your favorite color? Yellow
Who is your best friend? Katie, Caroline & Emmy
What is your favorite snack? Cheese it's & pretzels
What is your favorite thing to do with Reese? Color & dancing
What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni
What is your favorite drink? Juice
What do you like to do outside? Having fun
What is your favorite sport? Volleyball & skate (?)
What do you want to be when you grow up? Big
What is your favorite animal? Giraffe
What is your favorite book? Doc's book of boo-boos
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Volleyball
What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy? Soccer
What is your favorite song? Do you want to build a snowman
What is your favorite birthday dinner? Spaghetti
What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Big kitty
What is your favorite holiday? Halloween
What makes you happy? Having fun at birthday parties
What makes you sad? When my Minnie airplane is broken

What do you think about before you go to sleep? My light is off
What do you like to do as a family? Baths (not sure when she's taken a family bath)

a binkyless house

The binky fair visited last night and collected all of the binkys to deliver to the babies that need them...we have no more binkys in our house!!!

Ella didn't take a binky until she was 1. She was a pretty content baby and I chose not to offer her a binky. However, when she turned 1 she realized that her classmates and her sister had one and she insisted she would have one too. She would cry and cry at night until you gave her one and then she would go right to sleep. So after a week or two of fighting it Neal and I finally just gave in and decided there are worse things.

Similar to what we did with Reese we have been preparing her that when she turns 3 the binky fairy visits and picks up all of the binkys and delivers them to the babies that need them. After all she is a big girl now. She was pretty sad putting the binkys out for the fairy and she kept telling me she really, really wanted a binky last night but she went to sleep without a problem. She is such and easy going girl when it comes to these sort of transitions. I cannot believe how big she is and am sad that this was one of the last baby like things that she still does. I love this precious girl!

The girls 1st camping trip

Neal and I aren't huge campers but we do enjoy it. We haven't braved a camping trip with the girls in tow until a few weeks ago. We decided to go with 4 other families that all have young children. It was only just under 24 hours but it was a success. I think a good time was had by all.

We all arrived around noonish. We set up camp and even assembled a tent just for the kiddos to play in. Of course they wanted to run in and out of the other tents that were not intended for playing and getting dirty. Later in the afternoon we went on a mini hike on a nearby trail. The kids really seemed to think this part was fun. I think Neal and I may take the girls to one of the trails just for the day sometime soon before it gets too cold. The men made chili and cornbread and it was delicious. We then had smores and I think most were in there tents attempting sleep by around 10. I didn't sleep much but the girls did a great job and slept pretty well.

Sunday morning we made breakfast burritos, played some game and were on the road heading back home by around 10. I think we will try it again for 2 nights.

Finally, an update

I have done such a terrible job of updating the way that I like to since I have stopped working. I am going to try to be better!

This week is the 9th week of me working only 8 hours per week. The time that I have gotten with my girls has been priceless. We have been participating in all of the fun activities that I have longed to do with them since I have had children. We have made flubber, hand-made bird feeders, hand-made cards for grandparent birthdays, baked cakes, routinely gone to library reading hour, taken them to a bouncy house place, participate in a weekly bible study, snuggled in bed, visited a pumpkin patch, hiked trails, had a picnic joined MOPS and gone on a few walks. Don't get me wrong there are many days that I feel like I am going to pull my hair out but I knew that would be part of it and I wouldn't trade this time I am getting for the world.

The one thing that I never really thought about that has been silver lining is the stronger bond that the girls seem to have gained. They were always apart at school and now they spend so much more time together and play together so sweet. They fight often too but they have a lot of fun together.

Below is a flood of photos during my time at home with them.