Showing posts with label Laura. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laura. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
Pajama Party!
In the end, Laura agreed to have a waffle bar: waffles (Bisquik for the win!), whipped cream, butter, chocolate chips, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, syrup, honey, sugar... And KFC chicken with gravy!! The waffle bar was delicious and fun and super easy (I precooked the waffles and kept them warm in the oven. Of course I didn't get a picture of the bar all set up!
Laura and I settled on Pin the Carrot on Olaf, since we are so obsessed with Frozen (and I found this great image on Google, credits go to I'm not exactly sure...)! I PhotoShopped Olaf's nose off, and printed it at 150% and taped it together. As it turned out, Laura majorly cheated and none of the boys cared to play. Laura was thrilled, and that's all that matters!
A few searches on my beloved Pinterest really made the planing exceptionally easy. Behold the cake! A shout out to Pillsbury Strawberry Cake mix and classic white frosting. I am so proud of this cake!
And it was delicious, too!!!
No survivors...
Laura talked me and Nate into wearing jammies, too. I only wish we had taken a photo with Gavin, too. (Please also note the 34 week belly...)
We ended the party with a Pandora Disney Channel dance party. So, so much fun!
Favors were mini cereal boxes with thank-you puns taped on, and mini flashlights that were a huge hit with the 4 and under set.
Seriously, such an easy and fun party!! And I can't believe Laura is two days from FOUR!!!! We'll celebrate as a family by going out for Mexican on Wednesday :)
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
My Picasso
As an art history major, daughter of an artist, granddaughter to a prolific oil painter, it brings me so much joy to see Laura's artwork take off. Random scribbles no more, Laura is drawing real, discernible scenes.
A portrait of our family in front of our fireplace:
This is the children in their playhouse:
A portrait of my aunt's two cats.
Lily is a white and orange cat; Laura left her open, since she couldn't draw white. Scupper is brown with black stripes.
The black is the soot. Laura is seated to the left, Gavin is next to her with the fluffy hair. Nate and I are standing to the right; I have the "enormous" tummy.
Gavin has the yellow hair to the right. Riesling is the large, yellow labradoodle to the left (the resemblance is spot on).
Cinderella next to her carriage:
The carriage is the rounded yellow part with the four black wheels at the bottom.
"The sky, a house with steps and even toys"
So maybe they aren't so amazing to every eye. But to me, these drawings are more precious than the Mona Lisa.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Big Little
Laura is so often a self-proclaimed Big Girl. She can do it herself. She deserves privileges that little kids don't get. She talks like a full-fledged adult, using huge words completely appropriately (including the word appropriate). So often she acts and speaks in such a mature manner... I completely forget how young a nearly four year old still is.
She's only not-quite four. She's barely three feet tall. Her recent growth spurt means she finally sized out of her 3T clothes (but her waist is still too tiny for most 4T pants). She is "instersted" in little girl games and books and imaginings. She throws a tantrum like the best of them (ahem, me).
She's only not-quite four. She doesn't understand poverty or crime. She asks soul-searching questions about God and death. She believes in Santa and doesn't understand why some people don't (which is why we haven't read The Polar Express yet, even though I love it). Her imaginary friends are as real to her as her brother, and in fact sit at the dinner table as part of the family.
I often forget how young four truly is. When she won't eat dinner, but still asks for a treat. When she cries over something seemingly meaningless. When she snatches toys from Gavin. I forget that she's still a little girl - and expect so much more from her behavior. I treat her like she's big. I yell and admonish and send her to her room...
All because I forget how little she is.
Maybe it's because she speaks with such a diverse vocabulary and inflection. Maybe it's because she can offer me advice on such a deep, mature level. Maybe it's because I have never really given her a chance to be little.
I have a challenge ahead. Laura is about to become the big sister to a second little brother. It's a big responsibility, being the oldest. Being the bossy big sister she loves to be. But I know I'll forget that she's been thrown into this role of oldest at so very young an age. I'll expect her to listen and behave and help and be the biggest... when really, she's still quite little. My challenge is to remember and respect the Big Little girl I love so much. To let her be BIG when she's ready, and to let her be LITTLE when she needs just one more hug.
She's only not-quite four. She's barely three feet tall. Her recent growth spurt means she finally sized out of her 3T clothes (but her waist is still too tiny for most 4T pants). She is "instersted" in little girl games and books and imaginings. She throws a tantrum like the best of them (ahem, me).
She's only not-quite four. She doesn't understand poverty or crime. She asks soul-searching questions about God and death. She believes in Santa and doesn't understand why some people don't (which is why we haven't read The Polar Express yet, even though I love it). Her imaginary friends are as real to her as her brother, and in fact sit at the dinner table as part of the family.
I often forget how young four truly is. When she won't eat dinner, but still asks for a treat. When she cries over something seemingly meaningless. When she snatches toys from Gavin. I forget that she's still a little girl - and expect so much more from her behavior. I treat her like she's big. I yell and admonish and send her to her room...
All because I forget how little she is.
Maybe it's because she speaks with such a diverse vocabulary and inflection. Maybe it's because she can offer me advice on such a deep, mature level. Maybe it's because I have never really given her a chance to be little.
I have a challenge ahead. Laura is about to become the big sister to a second little brother. It's a big responsibility, being the oldest. Being the bossy big sister she loves to be. But I know I'll forget that she's been thrown into this role of oldest at so very young an age. I'll expect her to listen and behave and help and be the biggest... when really, she's still quite little. My challenge is to remember and respect the Big Little girl I love so much. To let her be BIG when she's ready, and to let her be LITTLE when she needs just one more hug.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Frozen
I'm sitting in my chilly dining room, watching the gray rain drip, drip, drop from the dreary sky. I'd turn the heat up, but that costs money and we're trying to save when and where we can.
So of course, I drove to the store and picked up the soundtrack to Frozen. Because I won't spend money on heat (that's what blankies and sweaters are for, right?) but I'll drop $13 on a CD. I couldn't help it. The songs have been running through my head since Sunday, when Laura and I saw the movie for a second time.
I have now spent $40 in movie tickets, $20 in water and popcorn, and $13 for the soundtrack. That doesn't count the $20 Nate spent on the Princess Anna dress-up dress Laura received Christmas morning, or the $15 in Frozen storybooks I left under the tree. And it doesn't count the $20 I will spend the minute the DVD is released. Because yes, we absolutely must own this movie.
For a family keeping the heat at a mere 62* during the day (lower at night!), that's a lot of money to spend on one movie. But I absolutely can't imagine having not spent the money. The experience of going to the theatre with Laura - twice! - has been worth every penny. It's been so special for me to hang out with my little princess, just the two of us, for a couple hours at a time before the new baby arrives. And what better movie than Frozen?? It's just so cute and fun and sing-along-able! Laura and I just look at each other and say "My name is Olaf, I like warm hugs" and just dissolve into pools of laughter.
So maybe our house is a little chilly, but our hearts are warm and filled with love. For as you know, only love can thaw a frozen heart.
Clearly I have received no compensation for anything in this post... But if anyone wants to comp me anything, go right ahead!
So of course, I drove to the store and picked up the soundtrack to Frozen. Because I won't spend money on heat (that's what blankies and sweaters are for, right?) but I'll drop $13 on a CD. I couldn't help it. The songs have been running through my head since Sunday, when Laura and I saw the movie for a second time.
I have now spent $40 in movie tickets, $20 in water and popcorn, and $13 for the soundtrack. That doesn't count the $20 Nate spent on the Princess Anna dress-up dress Laura received Christmas morning, or the $15 in Frozen storybooks I left under the tree. And it doesn't count the $20 I will spend the minute the DVD is released. Because yes, we absolutely must own this movie.
For a family keeping the heat at a mere 62* during the day (lower at night!), that's a lot of money to spend on one movie. But I absolutely can't imagine having not spent the money. The experience of going to the theatre with Laura - twice! - has been worth every penny. It's been so special for me to hang out with my little princess, just the two of us, for a couple hours at a time before the new baby arrives. And what better movie than Frozen?? It's just so cute and fun and sing-along-able! Laura and I just look at each other and say "My name is Olaf, I like warm hugs" and just dissolve into pools of laughter.
So maybe our house is a little chilly, but our hearts are warm and filled with love. For as you know, only love can thaw a frozen heart.
Clearly I have received no compensation for anything in this post... But if anyone wants to comp me anything, go right ahead!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Ornithophobia
I am afraid of birds. (and mice, those jumping spider things in the basement, and bones...) But birds is a big one. One I have to deal with very frequently. I mean - pigeons are everywhere. All the time. Flying, shitting, pecking... UGH. I hate pigeons.
Sometimes I can see some fancy looking bird and think "Ok, at least that one has some pretty coloring." And then it up and spreads its wings to fly. Or stretches a weird, feathery, taloned foot out. Or pecks at something. Then I remember how horrible and terrible and terrifying birds are.
But I really didn't want my fear to affect my children's attitudes towards birds. So I have been really conscious of my fear and hatred of birds in front of the kids. Or so I thought until we went to the Santa Barbara Zoo last week.
Laura flipped. out. over some ducks and flamingos. The ducks (which Gavin loved) were innocent enough... until they started bathing and splashing water all over us. Laura lost it. I thought maybe it was the cold water drops on her legs? But then we got to the flamingos (which Gavin loved) and she started shrieking. I mean, they didn't smell very good. And they are huge offenders of the weird, feathery, taloned feet problem... and they have those feathers... and beaks... and wings... OK. There's a LOT wrong with flamingos, and I wasn't thrilled to be watching them either. I did not flip out, I swallowed my panic and said "oh look how pink they are!"
Hours later, nary a bird in sight, Laura asked my mother:
Grammy, are flamingos birds?
Yes, they are
Well, I'm not fond of flamingos... Grammy, I'm not fond of birds.
But in my head, pushing aside my own bird issues, all I could think was "crumb buns!" Have I inadvertently passed along my fear to my daughter? I so wanted to shelter Laura from my own anxieties, to raise her strong and fearless. But I guess maybe I flinch at pigeons a little too often. Maybe I balk at touching shed feathers found on the ground. Maybe I'm not as good as I thought about hiding my own fears. Let's just cross our fingers that Nate doesn't have to start cutting the meat off the ribs and wings for the children as well as for me!
Sometimes I can see some fancy looking bird and think "Ok, at least that one has some pretty coloring." And then it up and spreads its wings to fly. Or stretches a weird, feathery, taloned foot out. Or pecks at something. Then I remember how horrible and terrible and terrifying birds are.
But I really didn't want my fear to affect my children's attitudes towards birds. So I have been really conscious of my fear and hatred of birds in front of the kids. Or so I thought until we went to the Santa Barbara Zoo last week.
Laura flipped. out. over some ducks and flamingos. The ducks (which Gavin loved) were innocent enough... until they started bathing and splashing water all over us. Laura lost it. I thought maybe it was the cold water drops on her legs? But then we got to the flamingos (which Gavin loved) and she started shrieking. I mean, they didn't smell very good. And they are huge offenders of the weird, feathery, taloned feet problem... and they have those feathers... and beaks... and wings... OK. There's a LOT wrong with flamingos, and I wasn't thrilled to be watching them either. I did not flip out, I swallowed my panic and said "oh look how pink they are!"Hours later, nary a bird in sight, Laura asked my mother:
Grammy, are flamingos birds?
Yes, they are
Well, I'm not fond of flamingos... Grammy, I'm not fond of birds.
But in my head, pushing aside my own bird issues, all I could think was "crumb buns!" Have I inadvertently passed along my fear to my daughter? I so wanted to shelter Laura from my own anxieties, to raise her strong and fearless. But I guess maybe I flinch at pigeons a little too often. Maybe I balk at touching shed feathers found on the ground. Maybe I'm not as good as I thought about hiding my own fears. Let's just cross our fingers that Nate doesn't have to start cutting the meat off the ribs and wings for the children as well as for me!
Monday, June 24, 2013
In the midst of it all
Work is indescribably busy right now. And will be for the remainder of the summer. Frantic, frenetic, stressful... hurry up, wait, rush rush rush... We're all grating on each others nerves, and we're only just getting started.
And then, in the middle of it all, I was able to bring Laura to work for a day. A day that I really should have been in the hard hat area, helping out. But instead was sitting at my desk with the sweetest helper imaginable. She drew pictures while I updated the database. We left at 3:00 on a day when I probably could have stayed hours late helping. But some things are more important than work.
Laura's first day of ballet, June 20, 2013:
I got to spend the whole day with my little ballerina. From breakfast on the train (a powdered donut for Laura!) to lunch with my coworkers to ballet class to dinner out, just the two of us. I didn't get nearly enough done at work... and it doesn't matter a lick.
*If I don't post too often, it's because I'm trapped in a hard hat construction zone for the remainder of the summer. Work really cuts into blogging sometimes!
And then, in the middle of it all, I was able to bring Laura to work for a day. A day that I really should have been in the hard hat area, helping out. But instead was sitting at my desk with the sweetest helper imaginable. She drew pictures while I updated the database. We left at 3:00 on a day when I probably could have stayed hours late helping. But some things are more important than work.
Laura's first day of ballet, June 20, 2013:
I got to spend the whole day with my little ballerina. From breakfast on the train (a powdered donut for Laura!) to lunch with my coworkers to ballet class to dinner out, just the two of us. I didn't get nearly enough done at work... and it doesn't matter a lick.
*If I don't post too often, it's because I'm trapped in a hard hat construction zone for the remainder of the summer. Work really cuts into blogging sometimes!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Be Mine?
Laura, will you be my Valentine?
Um, okay. But can I be a princess first?
I hope you have a wonderful, love-filled day!
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Motherhood Jungle
Is it like bushwhacking through the forest? This motherhood thing? Moving wildly, ever foward into the unknown. Slicing through one obstacle, only to be smacked in the face by another. Leaving a clear path behind for others to follow.
Am I the machete, frantically clawing forward? Trying so desperatetly to succeed on this motherhood path? Is my first born child every stinging tree branch, each one whipping after another?
Everytime I move forward with Laura, I'm met with some new obstacle. Bed wetting, picky eating, tantrums, tears. Is mothering Laura harder because I've just never done it before? Will the same wet beds and uneaten dinners be easier for me to face with Gavin, simply because I've already faced it with Laura?
I keep thinking how much easier it is for me to mother Gavin. Everything with him is so simple. He has his hard days, but they never phase me. Is he just as hard as Laura was, but with an easier path? Have I already cut down the barriers that keep me from being a good mother to him? Is it because I've done this whole "baby" thing before, so I know how to handle the creeping vines that tickle my ankles?
What's it like to be an oldest child, always keeping one step ahead of your inexperienced parents?
Is the second child always so nicely set up to just follow along the already beaten trail? Or am I just waiting for some nasty, snarling second-child vine to twist around my ankle and pull me back from behind?
I'm a second child and a middle. I know how much heartache I felt in my role. Never feeling as empowered as my trailblazing older brother, taking my parents ever onward to the next hurdle. Always feeling a little bit slighted by my younger brother and sister, who seemed to get all the attention.
"You caused me the least heartache," my mother told me recently. I know I wasn't always easy. I know I caused my parents worry and concern. But was it just being the second child? Was it just that I was positioned to follow in the clearest part of the path my parents cut with my brother?
Will I always struggle to parent Laura? Will we ever come to a clearing in this jungle of motherhood? Will Gavin become mired in some quicksand of parenting? Will he make it to the clearing that Laura and I discover? It's a jungle out there. I hope my blade is sharp enough to cut through the brush, because all around me there is beauty. I hope I am always able to look up and see it.
Pouring my heart out. About something. I'm not sure what. But my heart? It's pouring.
Am I the machete, frantically clawing forward? Trying so desperatetly to succeed on this motherhood path? Is my first born child every stinging tree branch, each one whipping after another?
Everytime I move forward with Laura, I'm met with some new obstacle. Bed wetting, picky eating, tantrums, tears. Is mothering Laura harder because I've just never done it before? Will the same wet beds and uneaten dinners be easier for me to face with Gavin, simply because I've already faced it with Laura?
I keep thinking how much easier it is for me to mother Gavin. Everything with him is so simple. He has his hard days, but they never phase me. Is he just as hard as Laura was, but with an easier path? Have I already cut down the barriers that keep me from being a good mother to him? Is it because I've done this whole "baby" thing before, so I know how to handle the creeping vines that tickle my ankles?
What's it like to be an oldest child, always keeping one step ahead of your inexperienced parents?
Is the second child always so nicely set up to just follow along the already beaten trail? Or am I just waiting for some nasty, snarling second-child vine to twist around my ankle and pull me back from behind?
I'm a second child and a middle. I know how much heartache I felt in my role. Never feeling as empowered as my trailblazing older brother, taking my parents ever onward to the next hurdle. Always feeling a little bit slighted by my younger brother and sister, who seemed to get all the attention.
"You caused me the least heartache," my mother told me recently. I know I wasn't always easy. I know I caused my parents worry and concern. But was it just being the second child? Was it just that I was positioned to follow in the clearest part of the path my parents cut with my brother?
Will I always struggle to parent Laura? Will we ever come to a clearing in this jungle of motherhood? Will Gavin become mired in some quicksand of parenting? Will he make it to the clearing that Laura and I discover? It's a jungle out there. I hope my blade is sharp enough to cut through the brush, because all around me there is beauty. I hope I am always able to look up and see it.
Pouring my heart out. About something. I'm not sure what. But my heart? It's pouring.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Book Worm
It's a great problem to have, but not one I was expecting at quite such a young age. Laura is a bookworm. A stay up late, reading under the covers bookworm.
Every night, I read 2-3 stories to Laura before tucking her in at 8:30. Every night, she begs to keep one of those stories with her in bed. Every night, I sigh and allow her to take it.
She reads in bed by the soft glow of her mini, hot pink Christmas tree that has been her nightlight since December. I hear her little voice tell the stories she interprets from the pictures till late into the night. I peek into her room, to remind her that it's late and she must be up early in the morning. I give her five more minutes to read, before I go in again to take the book and tuck her back in.
The mornings are hard, waking my tired little bookworm. It's not a problem I was expecting at age 3. But I wouldn't trade her love of books for anything.
Every night, I read 2-3 stories to Laura before tucking her in at 8:30. Every night, she begs to keep one of those stories with her in bed. Every night, I sigh and allow her to take it.
She reads in bed by the soft glow of her mini, hot pink Christmas tree that has been her nightlight since December. I hear her little voice tell the stories she interprets from the pictures till late into the night. I peek into her room, to remind her that it's late and she must be up early in the morning. I give her five more minutes to read, before I go in again to take the book and tuck her back in.
The mornings are hard, waking my tired little bookworm. It's not a problem I was expecting at age 3. But I wouldn't trade her love of books for anything.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Three
Laura is THREE today. Three years old! The big 0-3! I can hardly believe it. I look at the pictures from her past birthdays, and each one seems like it was just yesterday. Just yesterday that I saw her serious furrowed brow for the first time. Just yesterday that she flounced in her first tutu. Just yesterday that she blew out two candles all by herself.
Laura's birthday party was a lot of fun, but not at all what we had planned. Alas, when the birthday girl throws up the morning of her party, there's not much you can do. She was only sick the one time, and seemed to be ok. We called our guests to let them know, and half bailed. Laura wound up hosting four friends for a ballerina princess balloon dance party. Laura and her friends had a great time, and that's all that mattered.
At three, Laura didn't have much concept of how I had envisioned her birthday party. So she didn't really care that only four friends were able to come. Alas, our poor birthday girl had no interest in eating her cupcake. I felt so sad for her! She blew out the candles, chose her cupcake, and then just stared at it till her friends were done eating.
Our house wasn't nearly as tidy or organized as I had hoped it would be. But since I was relying on tiny elves to clean it in the night for me, I suppose I shouldn't have expected much!
As I had planned, my coworker did the balloons for the party. They were so adorable! Tiaras for the girls, crowns the boys. A sweet little Belle to watch over the cupcakes, and a taller-than-Laura ballerina to welcome our guests!
Laura loved the balloons, and is still playing with them days later! We have had to rescue a few balloons from Gavin and his teething! Gavin, by the way, devoured his first cupcake and loved every bite. The cupcakes were Betty Crocker's finest: rainbow chip cake with Supreme White frosting (dyed pink by me!). I know my limits, people! I decorated the cupcakes with some cupcakes toppers by Meri Meri. My mom found them at Home Goods, and they could not have been a simpler way to decorate the cupcakes!
For food, I made PB&J and Fluffernutters for the kids. Not that any of the not-hungry three year olds ate them! I had black bean, butternut squash and swiss chard chili for the grown-ups. It was delicious and devoured!
So we wound up with a very small party, rather than the large one I was planning. I didn't put any tulle on anything. We didn't need the Angelina Ballerina board game I bought in a panic. No one noticed that I wasn't able to make all the food pink. And the party was lovely regardless.
Laura's birthday party was a lot of fun, but not at all what we had planned. Alas, when the birthday girl throws up the morning of her party, there's not much you can do. She was only sick the one time, and seemed to be ok. We called our guests to let them know, and half bailed. Laura wound up hosting four friends for a ballerina princess balloon dance party. Laura and her friends had a great time, and that's all that mattered.
At three, Laura didn't have much concept of how I had envisioned her birthday party. So she didn't really care that only four friends were able to come. Alas, our poor birthday girl had no interest in eating her cupcake. I felt so sad for her! She blew out the candles, chose her cupcake, and then just stared at it till her friends were done eating.
Our house wasn't nearly as tidy or organized as I had hoped it would be. But since I was relying on tiny elves to clean it in the night for me, I suppose I shouldn't have expected much!
As I had planned, my coworker did the balloons for the party. They were so adorable! Tiaras for the girls, crowns the boys. A sweet little Belle to watch over the cupcakes, and a taller-than-Laura ballerina to welcome our guests!
Laura loved the balloons, and is still playing with them days later! We have had to rescue a few balloons from Gavin and his teething! Gavin, by the way, devoured his first cupcake and loved every bite. The cupcakes were Betty Crocker's finest: rainbow chip cake with Supreme White frosting (dyed pink by me!). I know my limits, people! I decorated the cupcakes with some cupcakes toppers by Meri Meri. My mom found them at Home Goods, and they could not have been a simpler way to decorate the cupcakes!
For food, I made PB&J and Fluffernutters for the kids. Not that any of the not-hungry three year olds ate them! I had black bean, butternut squash and swiss chard chili for the grown-ups. It was delicious and devoured!
So we wound up with a very small party, rather than the large one I was planning. I didn't put any tulle on anything. We didn't need the Angelina Ballerina board game I bought in a panic. No one noticed that I wasn't able to make all the food pink. And the party was lovely regardless.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Ballerina Princess Balloon Bash: The Planning
Laura is going to be THREE YEARS OLD in a nanosecond. And while we have celebrated her birthday with family, we still need to celebrate with her friends. Three-year-olds care about their birthdays, for real. So obviously I need to plan some enormous party.
Oops.
I promised (myself) I wouldn't go crazy for her first birthday. (I sorta did)
I promised (myself) I wouldn't go crazy for her second birthday. (I really did)
So this year, I was determined not to go crazy for her third birthday. But... I'm well on my way to planning the craziest party yet. I'm not sure how this keeps happening to me. Except, perhaps in my determination to have Mom Friends, I am a little too inclusive when planning birthday parties?
All ten children I invited to Laura's party are planning to attend. Which includes some 12-15 grown-ups. As well as Laura, Gavin, Nate and me. It all adds up to 30-something people at my house. At 11:00 am. On Saturday. Oops.
But it's going to be a fabulous Ballerina Princess Balloon Birthday Bash! Here are some of my inspiration pins from Pinterest!
Balloons. Because kids love them... and my friend does some really fabulous balloon sculpture work!
She's making something along these lines to decorate our front porch!
Crowns and sceptors, because all Princess Ballerinas (and their little boy friends) need dress-up clothes made of balloons!
These are the invitations I sent out to her friends.
I would absolutely love to make something like this for her cupcakes... but... I'm facing some time restrictions.
Remember how I was sick all weekend? That stupid flu kept me in bed and unable to shop. My wallet (and husband) are thankful, but I have yet to buy stupid things like plates and napkins. So I doubt I'll have time to find a cupcake stand to decorate with tulle by Saturday! I plan to start baking cupcakes tonight, which I can always serve on a large platter.
So far I'm three for three for planning "small - I promise!" parties that turn into huge affairs. Three for three for scrambling at the last minute to get everything done. And hopefully I'm three for three in throwing fabulously fun parties for my sweet, three-year-old ballerina princess!
Oops.
I promised (myself) I wouldn't go crazy for her first birthday. (I sorta did)
I promised (myself) I wouldn't go crazy for her second birthday. (I really did)
So this year, I was determined not to go crazy for her third birthday. But... I'm well on my way to planning the craziest party yet. I'm not sure how this keeps happening to me. Except, perhaps in my determination to have Mom Friends, I am a little too inclusive when planning birthday parties?
All ten children I invited to Laura's party are planning to attend. Which includes some 12-15 grown-ups. As well as Laura, Gavin, Nate and me. It all adds up to 30-something people at my house. At 11:00 am. On Saturday. Oops.
But it's going to be a fabulous Ballerina Princess Balloon Birthday Bash! Here are some of my inspiration pins from Pinterest!
Balloons. Because kids love them... and my friend does some really fabulous balloon sculpture work!
Source: birthdaymagz.com via Lisa @ Charlie The Cavalier on Pinterest
She's making something along these lines to decorate our front porch!
Source: balloonaticscolorado.com via Teri on Pinterest
Crowns and sceptors, because all Princess Ballerinas (and their little boy friends) need dress-up clothes made of balloons!
These are the invitations I sent out to her friends.
I would absolutely love to make something like this for her cupcakes... but... I'm facing some time restrictions.
Remember how I was sick all weekend? That stupid flu kept me in bed and unable to shop. My wallet (and husband) are thankful, but I have yet to buy stupid things like plates and napkins. So I doubt I'll have time to find a cupcake stand to decorate with tulle by Saturday! I plan to start baking cupcakes tonight, which I can always serve on a large platter.
So far I'm three for three for planning "small - I promise!" parties that turn into huge affairs. Three for three for scrambling at the last minute to get everything done. And hopefully I'm three for three in throwing fabulously fun parties for my sweet, three-year-old ballerina princess!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Party like a rockstar
My parents live really far from Maryland. I don't get to see them nearly as often as I would like. So their visit, in itself, is a party.
And if I'm going to have a party (and therefore a clean house), I'd like to make the most of it! They were coming to town for Gavin's baptism, scheduled as it was in the one-week window that my sister, the Godmother, was home from her semester in Paris before leaving to head back to upstate New York for the spring semester. (Life as a college kid is hard, yo). And since it was only three weeks before Laura's third birthday?
Two parties.
We had Nate's family join mine Saturday night for chili, pulled pork, beer, football and birthday cake. Laura got some fabulous birthday presents, and loved the attention. Also? She picked a really, really tasty birthday cake from the case at Giant. Nice!
[caption id="attachment_2009" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
The almost-three-year-old[/caption]
We had all our guests back to the house after for a luncheon, catered by Wegman's. We ordered two sandwich platters, were accidentally sent home with three, and needed every sandwich we had! God works in mysterious ways, right? Thanks to the Big Man Upstairs for keeping our family fed yesterday!
In all, it was a crazy weekend. But I'm still glad we did two separate parties in one weekend. Laura had a chance to kick off her Month of Three with the grandparents she loves best (all of them), and Gavin had his own special celebration too. Happy birthday Laura, and God bless baby Gavin!
And if I'm going to have a party (and therefore a clean house), I'd like to make the most of it! They were coming to town for Gavin's baptism, scheduled as it was in the one-week window that my sister, the Godmother, was home from her semester in Paris before leaving to head back to upstate New York for the spring semester. (Life as a college kid is hard, yo). And since it was only three weeks before Laura's third birthday?
Two parties.
We had Nate's family join mine Saturday night for chili, pulled pork, beer, football and birthday cake. Laura got some fabulous birthday presents, and loved the attention. Also? She picked a really, really tasty birthday cake from the case at Giant. Nice!
[caption id="attachment_2009" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
The almost-three-year-old[/caption]Everyone came back on Sunday for Gavin's baptism. It was a really sweet ceremony in our church's chapel. There was only one other baby baptized yesterday, so everything was still very intimate. Gavin didn't fit in the antique christening gown that my whole family (and Laura too!) had been baptized in, so we had to buy an outfit on the fly: tiny little khakis and a white oxford shirt - he looked so preppy and adorable!
We had all our guests back to the house after for a luncheon, catered by Wegman's. We ordered two sandwich platters, were accidentally sent home with three, and needed every sandwich we had! God works in mysterious ways, right? Thanks to the Big Man Upstairs for keeping our family fed yesterday!
In all, it was a crazy weekend. But I'm still glad we did two separate parties in one weekend. Laura had a chance to kick off her Month of Three with the grandparents she loves best (all of them), and Gavin had his own special celebration too. Happy birthday Laura, and God bless baby Gavin!
Monday, January 7, 2013
All her tutu'ed glory
I took my words last week to heart, and took tons of photos of both kids (which I then kid-picture-vomited all over my personal Facebook profile). I'm not clever enough to have kid-picture vomited all over the Mrs. MidAtlantic Facebook page, so either you're welcome or I'm sorry.
At any rate, I have been pretty lazy about taking pictures of the kids lately, and that's sad. They have such big personalities, and I want to remember every bit. So here is my favorite series from one photo shoot of one dress-up session (there were many this weekend).
And one of the poor little brother, who will one day be able to say "NO!"
At any rate, I have been pretty lazy about taking pictures of the kids lately, and that's sad. They have such big personalities, and I want to remember every bit. So here is my favorite series from one photo shoot of one dress-up session (there were many this weekend).
And one of the poor little brother, who will one day be able to say "NO!"
Friday, December 14, 2012
I'm a Little Pine Tree
Laura made her stage debut on Wednesday as a Pine Tree at her school's annual Christmas Program. She had one of the "bigger roles," as she was on stage (with her best friend, of course!) for the entire two verses of "I'm a Little Pine Tree." While every child was on stage at some point during the program, most were only up to deliver a brief line between songs. So pictures, of course:
Laura, the cutest pine tree ever! (Laura's on the left, and the tree on the right is pretty darn cute, as well!)
So proud of herself (as she should be), after the show!
I gotta be honest, I was not expecting much from this show. Forty kids aged 2 through 5, singing fifteen songs? It sounded sorta... awful. I was completely surprised by the great job the kids (and teachers) did in creating a wonderfully, hilariously adorable Christmas program. A show where every child was proud of her role. A show where, ok yeah, the singing was off-key at best, but the kids had SO MUCH FUN! A show with absolutely priceless costumes... So much proud laughter from the friends and family in the (enormous) audience. I am so excited for next year!
Laura, the cutest pine tree ever! (Laura's on the left, and the tree on the right is pretty darn cute, as well!)
So proud of herself (as she should be), after the show!
I gotta be honest, I was not expecting much from this show. Forty kids aged 2 through 5, singing fifteen songs? It sounded sorta... awful. I was completely surprised by the great job the kids (and teachers) did in creating a wonderfully, hilariously adorable Christmas program. A show where every child was proud of her role. A show where, ok yeah, the singing was off-key at best, but the kids had SO MUCH FUN! A show with absolutely priceless costumes... So much proud laughter from the friends and family in the (enormous) audience. I am so excited for next year!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The Gingerman House
She darted past her teacher to chase me down the hall yesterday morning. Pointer finger extended, telling me to wait: she had something important to tell me.
Mom! Houses!
Hmm?
Gingerman houses!
Umm...
Let's make gingerman houses tonight!
So when we got home last night, I found some ice cream cones, a can of frosting, the Halloween candy we can't seem to get rid of, some pretzel sticks, and a few Pepperidge Farm gingerbread men for good measure.
We made a mess, ate tons of sugar, and had the most wonderful time.
We made a Gingerman House.
Mom! Houses!
Hmm?
Gingerman houses!
Umm...
Let's make gingerman houses tonight!
So when we got home last night, I found some ice cream cones, a can of frosting, the Halloween candy we can't seem to get rid of, some pretzel sticks, and a few Pepperidge Farm gingerbread men for good measure.
We made a mess, ate tons of sugar, and had the most wonderful time.
We made a Gingerman House.
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