Snow White Party

This year Kendall chose to have a Snow White birthday party. We had princess decorations, an amazing Snow White cake complete with dwarfs, forest animals, and mining cars, and of course she wore her Snow White dress for the party. We had a big crowd of family here and she really enjoyed all the special attention. We had some of her favorites for dinner- pizza, fruit, and fruit dip with a yummy salad for the grown-ups too. After dinner she opened presents. She got a singing care bear, a care bear for the bathtub, a princess matching game, a Rapunzel dress, sand toys, a leotard, a care bear bubble maker, a playdough cake maker, a crayola sound studio, and some money. After presents we had cake and ice cream. She absolutely LOVED it when everyone sang happy birthday to her. Her expressions were priceless. She had a really great time and loves all her presents. The Snow White party was definitely a success!

Avery and Kendall before the party

the Snow White cake

My girls and I before the party

a family pic

enjoying her pizza and fruit

having fun with all her cousins

care bear bubble maker

she was really impressed with the money fan

I put in some effort to find this singing care bear on ebay and I'm so glad that she loves it!

this was the face she made when I read the card from Avery, Scott and I

her bathtub care bear

soaking up all the special attention

listening to her Happy Birthday song

getting ready to blow out her candles

Happy 3rd Birthday Kendall!!!

Kendall turns 3!

After celebrating her birthday at school with a cookie cake

Sweet Kendall,
It is hard to believe that you are 3 years old now-- a big preschool age girl! You came into this world such a tiny little thing, and although you are still little and petite, you have grown so much and learned to do so many things. In the past year, you performed in your 1st YCW Spring Show, went fishing for the 1st time on our Colorado vacation, took dance lessons and performed in the Christmas recital, began doing chores, started Bible class upstairs, and went to your 1st birthday party for a friend. You began eating veggies again (yay, yay, and more yay!), became potty trained, moved to a big girl bed, and only hold your lovie and suck your thumb when you are going to sleep now. You can ride a tricycle, buckle the top buckle of your car seat, get in and out of the car by yourself, color somewhat within the lines, recognize a few letters and your name, draw a circle, and cut in a straight line with scissors. We are so proud of all that you have learned and accomplished! We are even more proud however, of your sweet spirit and tender heart. Although you still have very intense emotional reactions to things, you really are a good little girl and your teachers at school and church always brag on your good behavior. You may challenge Mommy and Daddy at home sometimes, but you always mind and set a good example for other children when you are away from us. Here are some of your favorites at 3 yrs old:
Foods: pizza, grilled cheese, cheese enchilada, strawberries and blackberries, chocolate ice cream
Things to do: read books, play outside, dance, sing, play with Avery, organize things
Movies/shows and characters: Care Bears, Snow White, Wonder Pets
Toys: Share Bear, toy guitar, dry erase board, Belle bathtub doll, blocks, books, mini trampoline
We love you so much Kendall and look forward to seeing how you grow and change during your 4th year of life!

On Kendall's actual birthday, I took the girls to use some free passes we had to Pump It Up. They had the place to themselves and had so much fun! They climbed, slid, jumped, and played for an hour and a half without hardly taking a breather. Then we went and had lunch at one of Kendall's new favorite places-- Schlotzsky's. What a fun way to spend a birthday!

both my girls absolutely love this huge slide

all smiles after sliding

jumping together in the basketball bouncer

taking the Cozy Coupe for a spin

peek-a-boo!
sweet sisters

24 weeks

This post is a 2 for 1-- not only do you get the privilege of seeing my belly at 24 weeks (oh yay!), you also get to find out what we are naming our little boy! First for the pics:

24 wks

And next for the name: Judson Scott. We've gone back and forth several times between Judson and one other name since we found out it was a boy, but the more time passed, the more I thought of him as Judson and it just seemed right. I secretly think he's been sending me some kind of messages letting me know that Judson was the name he preferred. I'm sure we will call him Jud some just because it's so easy, but I really rather he didn't go by that until he's a teenager or something. We'll see how that works out though. The pregnancy is going by pretty quickly these days since we have been so busy with Kendall's birthday, Valentine's Day tomorrow and then I'm volunteering and consigning in the Divine Consign sale next weekend. One part of me wants it to zoom by, and the other part wants to savor these precious days of my last pregnancy. One example: this morning Avery climbed in bed with me to snuggle a little and I let her put her hands on my belly to see if she could feel Judson move. Usually she is too impatient and gives up after about 5 second, but he was moving around like crazy and she was enjoying our snuggle time, so she was able to feel lots of kicks. She looked so surprised and delighted every time she felt something. It was really sweet. Well, tomorrow I'm off to the doctor to check on my baby Judson and see him on the screen- so fun!

Snow Sliding and Sledding (on snow day #4)

Thursday morning (day #4 @ home) we were finally lucky enough to have some real snow that we could go out and play in. I think we ended up getting about 3-4 inches. So mid-morning we bundled up in snowsuits and ski gear and went out back to play. The snow wasn't that great for making a snowman, but Avery and Kendall really enjoyed scooping up snow "ice cream" with their sand toys and going down the slide in their slick snowsuits. They kept asking Scott and I to put snow on the slide so they would go down faster. And once Scott packed up snow at the bottom of the slide to extend the slope, they really flew down! After playing in the yard for a while we decided to try sledding down the driveway. It worked OK, but then we decided to hop in the car and go in search of a real hill for sledding. The baby and I sat out from the sledding action, but I had fun watching Scott and the girls. They were all smiles and were laughing and squealing the whole way down every time. We were so glad that after 3 days of being cooped up in the house, we finally got to go out and enjoy the winter weather!

The first thing Kendall wanted to do was make a snow angel

Avery made lots of snow balls

holding a scoop of snow ice cream

Kendall getting ready to slide

Whee!

Ready for a big push down the hill

All smiles and laughter

Snow Day!

Just about the entire Metroplex was shut down today due to ice and snow, so we enjoyed a snow day at home! We played games, playdough, dress-up, did puzzles, watched "Annie" and some home movies, did crafts, and made peanut butter balls. Scott went to work, but ended up not seeing any patients, so he came home at lunch. The girls are always so excited when he gets to come home early or doesn't have to work. After Kendall took her nap, Scott and the girls bundled up and headed outside to play in the snow for a minute. I chose to stay in and start making my Mexican chicken corn chowder for dinner. It was the perfect meal on a day like today! I think we are going to be at home tomorrow too, so hopefully we'll find more fun things to do to keep us from going stir crazy! By the way, the pics were taken with Scott's new iPhone4 (I'm jealous!) He was glad to have some time today to set it up and play with it.

Halfway there!

Here are my belly pics to commemorate the halfway point in this 3rd pregnancy. I am almost 21 wks along, but look like I did at about 24 wks with Kendall. I am at that point now that lasts only 2 or 3 months at most where I feel "comfortably pregnant." Not sick, not exhausted, not too big, and enjoying every precious kick, punch, and flip. It occurred to me when I first started feeling my son move how incredible blessed I am to be the only one in the world to feel my kids' move from the inside. That makes me feel so special!

Teddy and Me

Last weekend Avery got to bring the class teddy bear home from school to spend the weekend with us. She was so excited that it was finally her turn with Teddy! Her assignment was to have us take pictures of the things that she and Teddy did together and then put the pictures in Teddy's journal along with a description of our weekend. Avery helped me pick out scrapbook paper, stickers, etc to make the journal pages look cute, but here are the pics we used and what Teddy wrote to the class about spending the weekend with us.

playing dress up as soon as we got home from school

Avery and Teddy showing off their band aids from their flu shots

Teddy got to come with us to a birthday party at Pump It Up

Avery, Kendall and Teddy enjoying some birthday cake

playing with cousins at Memaw and Dedaw's house

Hi! It’s me, Teddy, and I want to tell you all about my busy, fun weekend with Avery. The first thing we did when we got to Avery’s house was play dress up. I didn’t even mind wearing a sparkly purple shirt because I was so excited that Avery was playing one of her favorite things with me. Next I got sniffed and licked by her dog Josie. Yuck! But then I was sad and worried for Avery the next morning because Josie ran away. I came in the car to help look for her, and boy was I glad when we found her!

Next we went to the doctor’s office so that Avery and her little sister Kendall could get their flu shots. I helped Avery not be so scared by letting her and the nurse give me a flu shot too. It hurt a little, but then Avery gave me a Spiderman band aid that made me feel a lot better. And afterwards I got to go to Target with Avery and Kendall and help them pick out a birthday present for a friend and snacks for school on Monday. On Saturday I went with Avery and Kendall to their church friend’s birthday party. It was at this awesome place called Pump It Up. I got to jump, slide, and eat pizza and cake with Avery. It was so much fun!

After the birthday party I went with Avery to her grandparents’ house for a family get-together. I got to meet her Memaw and Dedaw, her aunts, uncles, cousins, and even her second cousins. We had so much fun eating and playing together. Then on Sunday I went with Avery and her family to church, and later we all took a nice nap while it was snowing outside. Thanks for letting me spend the weekend with you Avery! I had a great time!

Christmas 2010

This year Christmas morning was a little backward at our house. Scott and I were the ones that woke up extra early while Avery and Kendall actually slept in a little past their normal wake up time. Of course the minute they got up they spied the presents and began unwrapping them. Kendall was so funny this year just tearing into her presents one after another. Even Avery noticed how good she was at it and asked Kendall to help her with one of hers that she had trouble with! They received a joint gift from Santa, which was a mini trampoline, and then several gifts of their own. Avery's big thing was a cupcake maker, and then she also got a music box, several movies, a princess dry erase board and a stocking full of other things. Kendall's big item was a unicorn pillow pet, and then she also got a Snow White puzzle, a princess dry erase board,some books, movies, and a full stocking of presents.

Checking out all the loot!

ballerina music box

Snow White puzzle

"Uni", Kendall's pillow pet

cupcake maker

trying out the new trampoline

Josie got a big bone from Santa

We headed back over to my parents' house for lunch and to spend the rest of the day with family. Avery and Kendall's big gift from Mimi and Poppi was My Twin dolls. The first time I saw them, especially Kendall's, I was a little freaked out because of how much it really looked like her! They also received some extra clothes and hairbrushes for their dolls, some movies, books, gift cards, games, and more. My sister and her husband got Kendall the Alphie learning robot and Avery the Crayola glow board. We had a great time watching them play with their new toys and spending some quality time as a family.

Avery and Kendall posing with their Twin dolls. Kendall kept holding hers by the hair.

Avery's doll even had light little freckles on her cheeks just like she does

We kept mistaking Kendall's doll for the real thing because they were both wearing pink

Avery loves art and got to work on her Crayola glow board right away
Avery talking to her aunt Amy on the phone

Kendall playing with her Alphie learning robot

Avery and Aunt Milly coloring

Avery applied some under-eye cream to my Dad that he had gotten from my sister

And what day would be complete without some rough play with Daddy?