Maggie Came to Play

Our Girls love, love, LOVE to have buddies come over & play! I think they sometimes get sick of each other & need a fresh face in the mix.

They all wanted me to help them draw fruit with the chalk. I drew a pretty good pineapple, I must say....

Sweet Maggie asked, "Can you draw my name?" 

Oh, I could have her sweetness over everyday.

Izzy got on board with the name thing, too.

Sophie didn't want to take a picture.....Imagine that...

Then they remembered that they hadn't dressed up in the last five minutes a while so we went in to change into their alter-ego Princess costumes.

Sophie came to me & said, "Mom, Maggie wants a popsicle. I think I better get me, uh I mean her, one." ha ha!! Nice try!! Momma's got your number, Girly!!

Happy Birthday, Babe

Birthdays are always special in our house.

We really love celebrating each other & really making that person

feel special 

and loved 

and important

on their very own day.

Today has been a special day because it is Chris' Birthday.

We love you, Babe!

You make my heart go pitter-patter.

.

.

You make Izzy & Sophie giggle.

.

.

You make Bubb a Jedi knight

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.

You make our world go 'round.

The best part of our day is when you come home.

We love you, Babe!

Happy Birthday!

A Boy & His Dad

It all starts with a bit of instruction.

How to's,

This & That's

What nots...

 Let the Wind-Up begin.....

 A Little Gratifying, huh Bubb?

 All because a Dad took the time with his Boy.

One Year Ago Today

Cousins Go To The Zoo...Take Six

Okay Guys, gather 'round....

let's get this picture taken so we can get in the gate & see the animals....

ALEXANDER!!

SOPHIA!!

Everyone is looking but you two!!

Great!!

Landry, can you look away so that NO ONE is looking at me?!?

Good Caleb, I know that the sun is in your eyes,

But thank you for at least looking my way:-)

Seriously, D?

I know the sun is bright, but come onnnnn, man....

Landry, thanks for reining in Sophie...

Okay, maybe 6 outta 7 ain't too bad...

let's go in...

Stelly photo opp...

Kleinpeter photo opp...

oh, Andrew, NOW you're gonna look at the camera  :-)

Mary, it gets funner as you get older, I promise baby girl!!!

I let Caleb have my little camera today.

We didn't bring the double stroller so that meant that

I had to keep an even more watchful eye on the

Two Miss Independents.

Less pictures, more following.

He did pretty good.

We can work on cropping in photoshop.

Composition wasn't too bad for a 1st timer.

Once I explained the focusing thing, he was good to go.

Good Job, Padjo!!

Once we got to the petting zoo, I took back over to shoot the kids playing with the

nastiest,

smelliest,

most broke-down,

poor animals ever

placed in a petting zoo area.

I feel sorry for these poor nags every time we come to the zoo.

However, they are the

kindest,

sweetest,

slow moving,

stinky animals you want your

rambunctious 3 year olds to pet.

Good Day, Kleinpeters.

It was a Good Day!!!

The Sisters Turn Three

...Sigh...

I thought it would have taken longer.

I thought we'd have more time.

I thought they'd let us do the thinking for them.

Just a few more years.....

...Sigh...

Not...so...much...

This year, The Sisters decided to go out on their own.

Separate Birthday Themes.

That may not be huge to some.

But it's gigantic to me.

It's a sign of independence.

It's a sign of individuality.

It's a sign of growth.

It's a sign of time passing ever too quickly.

And they're only Three...Years...Old.

Since they were born I've always acknowledged that

I would let them think separately

when they were ready.

Little did I know

they would be ready before

I would be ready.

So, in true independent Three Year Old Fashion,

They were ready for opposite ends of the spectrum:

Sophie chose Princes & The Frog....Izzy chose Scooby~Doo.

Seriously, they could not be more different yet the same.....

In true "MeMe Fashion" my Mother-In-Law created master pieces worthy of a bakery.

The Girls were so excited.

They each had "Mines own Cake!!"

It's the simple things to a Three Year Old:
Blowing out your own candles on your own cake

{{{Thanks to Samantha for taking pictures for me since Nanny Liz had to work}}}

It Was the Worst of Times.....

February has been a bad month.

Bad Month....

Sicknesses all around.

.
.

Alexander started with an ear infection

that progressed into a sinus infection

that progressed into the flu.

.

.

Izzy had an ear infection

that progressed into the flu

that progressed into bronchial pneumonia.

.

.

Seriously?

.

.

.

Sophie started with fever & by then I thought I was going to loose my mind.

.

.

.

Luckily, I have the best In-Laws known to Mankind.

They came over to sit with the kids while Chris got me out of the house.

We walked around Barnes & Noble after eating a quiet puke-free dinner at la Madeline.

.

.

Yesterday was the first day I let the girls out of the house the girls wanted to get out of the house in 10 days.

.

.

.

We sat on the driveway & blew bubbles.

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.

Watch out, Folks...The Stellys know how to get excited!!!

I Heart Valentine's Parties

Alexander's class had a Valentine's Party & I was one of the Moms on the list to help out.

I Love Kindergarteners!! Love them!!

They're so cute

and smiley

and huggey

and smiley

and did I say smiley???

Bubb was so glad I was able to to come without the Sisters and be a part of his class!

I was, too!

  

Big Girl Beds

MeMe & Poppie called this morning & asked if we were ready for the big girl beds. We quickly took down the cribs & made room for Poppy to bring the two white iron beds that Chris' sisters grew up on.

To say that Sophia & Isabella were ecstatic would be an understatement.

Major understatement.

We didn't tell them what we were doing & when Alexander came in, he took a look at the room & thought we were moving.

Then Poppie got here & got to work.

 Sophie got to help with his tools. Big responsibility.

 Bubb even came in to help

Sophie's Bed                                              Izzy's Bed

No problem getting them down at bedtime. I think they're so excited to have big beds like Bubb:-)

It Took a Month, but We're Jumpin'

Santa brought us a trampoline.

Mother Nature brought us cold rainy weather.

We haven't jumped yet.

Until today.

The girls' hair made me hysterical.

I could barely hold my camera still I was laughing so hard!

Izzy came up with all kinds of "jumin' rules" out of no where.

Sophie just wanted to jump.

"Nah, I don't wanna you's rules, Izzy"

~

~

 Naturally, an argument and wrestling ensued. 

Naturally, someone ended up crying.

Actually, they both ended up crying.

Then I made them look at each other's hair.

And we all started laughing.