Maya's 1st Birthday!

What a great day! We had so much fun. 

Aunt Rachel came from NY for her God daughter's big day, and we had a few friends over as well.  Maya's main gift was a shiny red wagon, that you see them in. Also, she has started to take a few (5 or so) steps and daddy got a quick shot of that.

We had pizza, cake, ice cream, swimming, sand, swings and the best part FIREWORKS!!!!

Oh the kids LOVED it.

We got Maya her own Tinkerbell cake that she just kind of picked at. She could take it or leave it.

Ella's first dentist appointment!

Ella Grace had her first checkup today and was a pro! I was so proud of her. It was as if she had done it before, no fears at all. She decided to powder and diaper Katie while I was at the Y and daddy was doing dishes. He thought she was being a little quiet. UH UHHH!!!! :)

Ella likes to tend the tomatoes with daddy, she waters them very carefully, and loves watching them grow.

Had a little fingerpainting fun. With all of the rainstorms mommy is running out of indoor ideas! ? Yeah for the kiddie pool!

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Father's Day! It has been wet, wet, wet lately. Ella and I got the chance to play in the rain again today. She loves it. (so do I)

We got daddy a chocolate cake that looks like a hamburger, and we made him a canvas of our hands and painted and decorated some picture frames too.

Ella made daddy a totem pole while playing and then when mommy wasn't looking she decided to feed Maya. Mommy just decided to roll with it. Most of the food went on the floor, chairs, Ella and Maya but I think a few spoonfuls made it in her mouth.

For those of you who loved the Mother's day song, I tried to find a funny one for dad's but didn't have much luck, so I went with a Paul Simon diddy that is kind of nice. 

Enjoy!

Counting lifes blessings

What a time in our lives. I have two wonderful little girls who are going through some major milestones at the same time. I have one who is learning how to use the potty and one who is learning how to walk. Two things that surely won't leave them for many many years. LOL :)

 I am so grateful that I have the space in my life to be able to just sit back and watch it all unfold at the pace that God intended it to, lending a helpful hand when needed.

I think that I do a pretty good job of being present in the moment and trying to squeeze out everything that life has to offer, counting my blessings all along the way. Ella and I just played in the rain and got soaked doing it. She said "Hey man! It's wet out here!"

 

Counting those blessings, they are everywhere.

~~A

Baby got BRAIDS!!!!!!

Ella Grace got her hair braided for the 1st time ever today. 

She did great! Her baby sister Maya hung out with her at Miss Tera's house while Miss Tera's mommy, Miss Joanne did her hair. Daddy and Mommy left the premises so all would go smoothly and it did.  Tera's niece Kimari (hope I spelled it correctly) came over to meet her new friends. We plan to have Kimari over to play sometime really soon, maybe today.

We brought Ella & M.E's beloved Barney DVD and a few Cheerios and the rest is history.

We will see how the sleeping bonnet goes, Ella knows that she wants to keep her braids pretty so she can't take it off until she wakes up. (cross our fingers)

More later :)

For your listening pleasure...

Well, its official. Ella is a big girl. She poops and pees in the potty and in the photo above you will see that see washes her hands with soap and water and wants no help. No more baby, she's growing up.

In the other photo she is all dolled up for a day at the zoo. 

Last but not least I can't leave out Meems. That's her just being her. Cute.

If you are wondering what that is all over the carpet that Maya puts in her mouth, it's our afternoon snack, colored goldfish. They never stay in the bowl for long, they end up dumped on the carpet, which gets eaten off of and vacumed daily. This is the reason for my no shoes in the playroom rule.