Princess Ellie Turns 5

It all started yesterday when they celebrated her birthday at preschool.

We made frog prince (since she is the only girl in her class) cupcakes she took to school. She insisted that each frog have 5 speckles because she is now 5.

Lila taking a couple of swipes at the frosting during construction when Mommy wasn't watching.

Final product.

Close-up of Steve's frog sculpture made out of fondant.

The treasures awaiting Ellie when she woke up.

Requested breakfast of Aebleskivers--patiently waiting to open presents.  She is already wearing the charm bracelet with a Rapunzel charm we left on top of the packages.  I explained what a charm bracelet was and that you add charms for memories like special places, trips etc.  She then asked if Peter Piper Pizza would have a charm.  :)

Opening her Leapster Explorer from the family.

Already addicted to the game--good thing it is educational right?  Look at Lila she hovered all day, but was pretty patient considering most of the attention was on Ellie and she would even say, "Ellie Birthday."

The girls dressing up and being silly after Ellie received a special birthday phone call from Sleeping Beauty, Princess Aurora.

Ellie really liked going to Peter Piper Pizza a few months back so we decided to take the girls there for lunch.  We played games for 45 minutes or so and then got their pizzas to go.

Lila dropped a coin in this machine and then the tickets just kept coming out--I wish I would have gotten a picture of her face while pulling this huge strand of tickets out of the machine.

Eating their takeout pizza while wearing the foam crowns I bought as a craft for the day.

Decorating their crowns with jewels and sequins.

Blowing out the birthday candles.

Our friends, the Robinsons, came over for cake and ice cream and brought Ellie a surprise present.




Ellie, we love you!   You are bright and thoughtful little girl!  We are so grateful that you came into our lives five years ago and gently broke us into parenthood.  We look forward to the many adventures we will have with our now 5 year-old daughter.  Happy Birthday Princess Ellie!

A 2-year-olds Idea of Getting Ready

Splish, Splash on a Hot Saturday

It has been getting rather warm here so we took the girls swimming for the first time of the season.  When we told them we were going swimming all I heard from Lila was, "swim, swim, swim" while she moved her arms in a swimming motion.  Ellie was really brave and is getting more comfortable in the water.  She even wore her new goggles to dive for a penny--she was so cute with her goggles on I wish I would have gotten a picture and she had to try several times, but her only concern after surviving her under water experience was, "can I keep the coin?"  Steve and I let them splash around in the shallow end for a while why we relaxed, so nice.  It was a fun ending to a crazy Saturday.

Because I am a Mother

• I get less sleep than I would like. 
• I change poopy diapers (which can be more like an explosion when a stomach bug is involved--I changed a record of 5 in one day last week).
• I hear "MOM! I had it first."
• I cook, clean, do laundry, setup play-dates, do experiments--walk-in on experiments gone wrong by my children. :)

Sometimes I wonder what I have gotten myself into and then:

• Lila will say from her carseat in the van, "Mom, I wuv you."  
• I see the excitement in Ellie's face when we play a game of Go Fish or War before bed.  
• I hear their laughs as Steve hangs them upside down and allows me to tickle them or blow on their little tummies.
• I see Ellie make good choices to share or help out a class/team mate.
• Lila willingly shares.

They melt my heart with their smiles and innocence and I pray that I may be a better more patient Mom each and every day.  I am so grateful for the opportunity that they give me to hold the sacred title of "Mother".

Making flower planters from the Home Depot for me.

Need I say anything?