Happy First Birthday Ayla!

Little Miss A turned one last week.  We had just a small gathering of friends and family to celebrate.  And good thing because our poor little girl was not feeling well.  In fact after five days of antibiotics we found out today that she is not getting any better.  So now she is on a stronger medication and an inhaler.      Not the way to start your second year.  But we celebrated her first year and even though she wasn't feeling well I think she enjoyed her day.

Here she is with her sister and their cousin Wild Jack.  Jack needs his own post to explain the wild and I may even need to include a video for the first time on my blog simply because a still picture cannot show the wild side of Jack.

Then we had cake.  And I so badly wanted a cake topper from The Lollipop Workshop but it was closed for the whole month of Jan. :(  So I had to try and make one myself.  I don't think I did that bad, not quite as cute but it would have to do.  I also made a cute little birthday hat for Ayla which she of course refused to  wear.  Oh and I made a checkerboard cake!  I loved it and was so happy that it turned out because you really don't know until you cut the cake!  My sister got me the kit oh about nine years ago and think this is only the second time I used it.  I may have to pull it out more often!

Ayla didn't really know what to do with the cake.  I so badly wanted her to dig in and get it all over the place.  I think it is so cute when the kids do that but alas she barely ate it.  Most of the frosting on her face and fingers got there because David and I kept sticking her fingers in the cake trying to get her to taste it.  Come on kid it is sugar you should be going nuts!  But at least Regan and Avery had no problem walking right up and showing her just how to dig in.

After cake she was DONE.  I think she took the longest nap of her life.  So then Michele (Grandma) and I thought maybe now she will eat the cake.  And sure enough a little sleep is all the girl needed.

I must share!

So last night I was up until 2 am.  Lost in the blogging world unable to sleep jumping from site to site based on photos alone.  And if I opened a blog and it was to busy or not pretty I left.  I was really to exhausted to read I just wanted to look at pretty pictures.  You would think I would be sleeping after two days of being with a sick three year old who has been so cranky I have to remind myself not to get angry she is sick and also done with being in the house and watching movies.  Anyway back on the subject I came across inchmark and it may now be my favorite site to visit.  I already have plans to make two of the projects she has posted so don't be surprised if you see some of this coming your way.  I really think my blog travels have taken me to this site before I remember the layout.  But this time even though I was not in the mood to read I did this site is probably why I couldn't sleep.  I loved everything.  Here is the picture that took me there.  I think I love it even more because it looks like drawings Regan is currently doing of people.  I love kid art! I can't say enough I wish I was her!

No more excuses!

So it is pouring rain and windy as can be, Ayla is napping, and Regan is watching a movie so I have no excuses not to update my blog finally!  Although I probably could be cleaning something, doing laundry, making a grocery list but isn't that always the case?

It has been so long what to talk about there is so much so don't be surprised if in the next few days you see a few post dated items that make it look like I haven't skipped a beat! :)  Last week we were in San Diego and the weather was so nice.  NOT at all rainy or windy and it was so nice to enjoy some sunshine.  We also enjoyed just visiting we had no big plans just to hang out with Marisa, Keith, Sam and Elise and how nice it was.  We enjoyed some time at the park, sometime at the beach, and time at the house!

Here are just a few pics from our park time.  The girls rode their bikes, and now the question is do I tell the story of my poor supervising.  It just about killed me and my sister.  Well here it is, Sam was going back and forth about whether or not he was going to the park how he was getting to the park, bike or scooter or walk.  Anyway I was walking ahead with the girls and Elise was quite a bit faster then Regan so I was between the girls or back with Regan or ahead with Elise trying to keep them happy.  Well then the sidewalk started to go downhill and I was back with Regan and we were coming to a corner when Elise started to roll faster and faster she was losing control I was in panic!  I started running but I was too far.  Oh it killed me to watch her roll toward the street.  Luckily there were no cars coming but I could hear her calling for help and I coudn't get there. :(  Thank god she was able to make the turn and not go in the street but she had her first good bike crash.  Poor little thing she hit the grass so no injuries other then I am sure she was scared to death!

But that brave little girl got right back on her bike.  It took awhile to settle down but then she got on that bike went to the park and had fun.  I know she will never remember the day but she just might remember the feeling.  I hope she will continue to be brave and not let the falls in life ever bring her little go getter spirit down.  Sooooo sorry my little Elise!

Santa Claus

I love this time of year!

I love the cold weather

I love Christmas lights

I love peppermint hot chocolate

I love Christmas music

I love winter meals

I love Christmas cookies

I love giving presents

(I don't mind getting presents)

I love snowmen

I love seeing the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus all over again thru the eyes of my girls!

Last weekend we were up in Nevada City and decided to take the girls to the Empire Mine, and I am so glad we did!  There is a beautiful old cottage there that is rarely open and it was open along with cookies and apple cider.  Santa Clause was in another building, and he was an excellent Santa.  They had all of the equipment buildings open and working.  There were blacksmiths at work one even made me a salt spoon!  I loved the mine it was a much better place to see Santa then the mall.  I think it will become a new tradition in our family!

I tried to include pictures of the blacksmiths and the mine but it seems blogger does not like my photos!  I will try again later...

A Way of Life...

Tonight at dinner Regan told David and I "Play for the rest of your life."  I personally think my daughter is wise beyond her years! :)  And I hope that in 20 years she is living by her own words and still playing.  I just LOVE that little girl!

Bath Time!

Bath time is a big even now that Ayla is old enough to sit in the bath with Regan and it also may now be my favorite time of day. First it means bedtime is nearing!  Second they our so stinking cute together.  Ayla could splish and splash all night long if we let her and Regan carefully picks out toys for Ayla to play with before ripping them away and trading it for another.  Luckily Ayla seems to find this routine funny.  They crack me up I love to watch them play together.

This bath moment actually happened in the middle of the day you can't see it so well in the black and white photo but look closely at the one in color.  Regan and I were working on an art project using glitter when Regan got close to the cup of glitter and decided to blow as hard as she could.  So no I didn't put eyeliner on my child nor was this halloween.  It was simply a three year old figuring out just what happens when you blow on glitter! :)

Might as well show the cute pic of Ayla too, I just can't get enough of that little side grin!

A Phone Call to Princess Belle

So yesterday Regan and Daddy got into a conversation about whether or not princesses use the potty.  Our head strong little three old occasionally goes thru stages where she figures out we control her all day long and well potty time we can't control!  It is not pretty and although everyone says don't get angry it is so hard not to!  Especially when she has been using the potty and then just decides to stop one day.

So as David was debating with Regan if princesses use the potty or not he blurted out, "Do you want to call a princess and ask?"

Regan quickly said, "Yes let's call princess Belle."  (Beauty and the Beast princess)

I made a quick call to my sister Megan, and told her when we call in the next few moments it will be Regan calling for princess Belle to ask about the potty.   And so Megan did just that and the conversation went something like this...

Megan: "Princess Castle"
Regan (after a little prompting): Is princess Belle there?
M: One moment let me check for princesse Belle.
M: Hello this is princess Belle.
R:  This is Regan (she was a bit nervous to be talking to a princess and was talking very softly)
M:  How are you doing Regan.
R:  Good.  Do princesses use the potty?
M: Oh yes we do use the potty.  I was not able to wear my pretty princess dresses until I learned to use the potty.

They talked a little longer about potty usage and then got off the phone and within about five minutes Regan turned to David and excitedly said, "Daddy I NEED to use the potty!!!"

Thanks Megan for playing along and lets hope this head strong three year old does not go back to her controlling ways tomorrow! :)