Summer Legs and Rolling Over

There are a few things that do not seem to go together in this house. 

Fair skin

Easy bruisers

Clumsy climbers

Warm weather

Going to the park

Behold, what I like to call my children's "Summer Legs". 

Nope, those are NOT bug bites. Those are bruises. 

Poor children inherited my incredible ability to bruise on command.  The mere thought of bumping in to something makes my skin involuntarily bruise. 

Sometimes I think my kids have all the luck!

On a completely unrelated subject {insert witty and clever segue} Addison has started rolling over!

Well, technically she started rolling over last week some time, but she has a 6th sense about the camera, so I have been unable to capture this on film...until today.  I put my super spy skills to good use and snuck up behind her while Claire was entertaining her.  And what do you know, I caught it!

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{Insert clever and witty ending to this post.}

Futile Attempt at Easter Pictures

Do you ever attempt to be a good parent and take pictures of your kids in hopes that one day you will look back on the pictures fondly and remember them as the young, innocent children they are? 

Do you then grumble under your breath as you're attempting to do that because kid 1 won't stop picking their nose, kid 2 won't look at the camera and kid 3 won't open their eyes? 

Do you then take 100 pictures HOPING for at least one where all your kids are looking and smiling only to find that you weren't successful?

Do you then sit down in defeat and drink a Diet Pepsi and eat chocolate and feel frustrated?

No?  It's just me?

Well, enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Claire and Brielle in their beautiful Easter dresses.

Brielle - the standard "hug a tree" pose.

Claire in the same pose.

(Strange how when she isn't distracted by her sisters she can pose for a nice picture.)

Addison  (Daddy thought she should be by the tree as well...she looks very happy about it.)

Best Friends (sometimes)

Happy Faces...well, 2 out of 3 isn't bad.

Another attempt at looking up...not sure what Brielle is looking at or thinking about.

Our 3 girls

Brielle, Addison, Claire

(No, Addison is not sitting up on her own...we have disguised her Bumbo seat under the sheet and her dress.  Aren't we tricky?)

Now, wasn't that FUN?!

Where's that Pepsi??

Happy Birthday Brielle!

Today Brielle turns 5!

My favorite things she said in the first 20 minutes of being awake:

"Wakey, Wakey! I'm 5!!"

"Mom, aren't you forgetting to sing me happy birthday?"


"Mom, aren't you forgetting about my cake?"


"Do you know why the house is decorated like this? It's because today I'm 5! It's my birthday!!"


"Daddy is NOT supposed to work on my birthday!"


"Today's my birthday, so I get to do ANYTHING I want! Can I even choose what I get to drink with breakfast?"

I'm pretty sure she's not at all excited.

I made her cake yesterday and today. It's SUPPOSED to be a princess castle, but it turned out a little topsy turvey. However, Brielle LOVES it and couldn't be more excited. So, that's all that matters, right?

I regretted questioning her request for a "square chocolate cake with white frosting" right away as she quickly changed her mind to a "castle". Seeing as I'm a sucker for making a big deal out of birthday's, and we're away from home where a party would have happened, I just couldn't say no.

Happy Birthday Brielle!

WE LOVE YOU!

(This is a little "interview" I did when she first woke up this morning about being 5 years old. Please excuse 1. My stuffy nose voice, my allergies are terrible. 2. Her crazy hair - she just woke up. 3. The red juice mustache, that is leftover from yesterday even AFTER scrubbing. 4. Claire trying to get in on the shot and sing the ABC's. She's such an attention hog.)

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Disney on Ice

Last night - as an "early birthday present" to both Brielle and Claire I took them to Disney on Ice.

Have you ever tried to explain to a 4 (almost 5) year old that something is an early birthday present? She was VERY confused and kept saying, "But today isn't my birthday. How can this be a present for my birthday if today isn't even my birthday?" "You mean even though today isn't my birthday you're letting me have this as a present?"

I didn't even attempt to explain it to Claire.

The night was magical for Brielle. She clapped, laughed, yelled and screamed the whole way through the show, talking to the characters, warning Mickey of the spooky ghosts behind him, telling Tiana (Princess and the Frog) not to leave because she wanted a hug and just completely being enthralled in every part of it. We got a few giggles and looks from people around us, and normally I would have been embarrassed, but I just couldn't stop my sweet girl from enjoying every single aspect of the show.

Claire on the other hand sat in silence most of the show. She is overwhelmed easily by new situations, big crowds and chaos. Uh..hello, have you been to Disney on Ice? It is all of the above. Her eyes did light up as she saw the characters she recognized and she did get upset when Tiana started to leave. But she didn't start gushing about it and talking about it until we were home and it was over. Then the girl went in to full detail telling Marty all about who she saw.

I am SO glad I decided to splurge on this and take the girls. It was a fun night, and so much fun to be able to spend it with my two big girls.

(A HUGE thanks to Marty who stayed home with the baby and put her to bed!!)

Here are a couple pictures and a little video of the girls right before the show started.

(I particularly like the "Woot, Woot" from Brielle.)

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