Man, I like this one...

 Insanely sweet all of the time - really, I'm not just saying that.  This is one happy baby.  So, lately Lily Kate has been helping me feed Hadley (I need all the help I can get) and this evening I was in the living room and noticed Kate in the computer room.  I asked her if she was done already and she said casually, "no, I taught Hadley how to feed herself.  She's really good at it" (hopping up and walking quickly to the kitchen)  Hmm, not half bad.  Probably need to stick to feeding her myself though.  Maybe I can teach Kate to fold laundry... I'm serious.

Birthday ParTEA

Lily Kate and Charlotte both have January birthdays, 3 weeks apart. Traditionally we have taken the girls out to dinner on their individual birthdays and we do a combined party.  This year we chose a girly tea party. The girls woke Parks and me at 7:00 (not too bad) all dressed in their party attire, raring to go!  There was dancing and singing and what looked like an explosion of clothes.  Clearly, they were excited!

 Parks and I used our redirecting skills to get them excited about breakfast at Chick Fil A with Dad so I could put together the last minute stuff...and snap some pictures of the precious tea party details.  

Tissue paper flowers

 Fancy satin gloves

 Detail person that I am, I took lots of close ups and forgot to get a picture of the whole room with crepe paper hung from the chandelier to the corners of the room.  I put tissue paper flowers on the chandelier too.  I had way too much fun decorating the tea room.  

Parks and the girls came home and the girls got re-dressed.  

This is where I need to pause and say a huge THANKS to Grace and Stephanie.  They left their families of men and spent the whole morning with me, setting up, doing crafts with the girls, taking pictures, serving tea, even cleaning up.  I didn't even get a picture of Grace, she was probably getting stuff together.  

 Outside to welcome friends

 here come some...

 Once everyone arrived we split the girls into two groups and one half made fancy tea party hats.  

 Does it get any cuter than this, June ready for a garden party

 The second group made fans, adorned with jewels of course.

 Then the groups switched.  Once all the little ladies had hats and fans they were ready for tea time.  Grace and Stephanie and I waitressed.  The tea was punch, which the girls kept calling spicy.  I forget that 5 year olds don't drink a lot of ginger ale.  

They ate butterfly shaped PB&Js (with a flower shaped PB& nutella for Miss Kate who isn't a fan of jelly), clementines, pink dipped pretzels, and strawberry cupcakes.  Not the best picture of me but I had to document my tea party get up.  

 Time to sing to the birthday girls

 (the third candle is hiding, Charlotte turned 3 this month)

 ...and time to eat the cupcakes

A favor for the little ladies

It was so much fun.  All in time to put Charlotte & Hadley down for a nap and do come much-needed laying around!  I have a feeling this is only the first of many pink ruffly parties for this family.  

Not cheap... Frugal

In the car on the way to a birthday party....

LK: Mom, you know those purple leggings I used to have?  I love them.
Me: Yep, they're Charlotte's now because you got too big for them.
LK: Will you buy me some new purple leggings?
Me: Sure, in fact, I want to buy you a couple new pairs of leggings.  I just need to wait until I find some on sale and then I'll get you some.
         ......quiet for a few minutes......
LK: Mom, do some people buy things when they're not on sale?
Me: Umm, sure some people do.
LK:  Why would they do that?
Me:  I don't know babe, I don't know.

"I'm Free!"

Happy Birthday, Miss Charlotte!  What a fun day, we have celebrated all day long.  We planned to bring the girls breakfast in bed, but when they woke before us at 6:45 we settled for breakfast in the bedroom.  All day long I would look at Charlotte and say, "wait a minute, something looks different about you.....is it..... hold on....you look bigger...are you older?" and she would say, with wide eyes, "I am older, I'm free!" 

 Then presents galore!  Here she is showing off her VTech computer from Nona.  I heard her tell Sissy that she got a "princess IPAD" and I really hope she tells her teacher that tomorrow at preschool!    

 Loving her Strawberry Shortcake dress from Nona

 Hadley loved the jewelry box I got Charlotte.  It really is a perfect baby toy, a mirror, music, and a tiny twirling girl.  This kept her busy for a long time.

 After church and a nap we ate pink birthday cake.  

 They were distracted by the Polly Pockets' storyline.  The one you got her is in there, Becca!

 We ended up at Mexican restaurant for dinner when the place we had planned on was closed.  It turned out to be perfect.  We have begun a mini tradition of going around and all telling the birthday girl some things we love about her, ways that God has made her very special.  It was sweet to hear Lily Kate tell Charlotte that she loves her because she "always plays silly with her". Dinner ended with the entire waitstaff coming over to sing to Charlotte.  If you know my children well you know that Lily Kate would have been singing along with them but this kind of stuff makes Charlotte freeze.  She wore the sombrero but she was pretty stone faced the whole time.  

 Quick mood switch when the ice cream was served

 We love you, Charlotte!  You are a wonderful little girl, vibrant and full of life.  You are a mix of goofy and cuddly sweet that still keeps us guessing.  Happy birthday to our newest three year old!

Blue Eyes

Just a side note, I think Hadley's eyes are officially blue.  Charlotte and I have green eyes and Parks and LK have blue so Hadley was the tie breaker.  A while back Charlotte coined us "the green team" and the girls have a running have had a running joke about which team Hadley would be on since before she was born.  Looks like the blues have it in our family.  

Starting Cereal

 We just started Hadley on rice cereal this week.  I can't believe she is already 5 months old!  Lily Kate really wanted to help (surprising, I know) and it was actually very helpful to me.  My plan with Hadley was to start foods later and very slowly because my hands are full, but if Lily Kate is going to be doing the feeding this may be easier than I thought :)  

Adventures in Texas

The day after Christmas my family went to Galveston for 3 nights.  It was a great trip, less than an hour away, beautiful weather, and lots of fun activities that Mom and Dad planned for us.  

Charlotte walking on the beach

 Aunt Carrie & Lily Kate basking in the sun :)

 Kate showing off her shell collection.  (Thanks for the shell bags, Leslie, they were a hit!)

 We went to the aquarium.  I took lots of pictures but almost all of them were blue from the lighting in there.  I got this one and one clear shot of all the penguins.  I think Hadley's cuter than the penguins.  

 We went on an evening walk through the lights at Moody Gardens.  

Kate, Scott, & Charlotte in Santa's sleigh

 Kate & Daddy

 Surprisingly, one of the most fun things we did was to ride the ferry off and back on the island.  The view from the top deck was beautiful and the dolphins were jumping there and back.  

Pop Pop & Charlotte

 Jack & Lily Kate

 Sweet Charlotte

 No trip to TX is complete without a trip to my Dad's favorite restaurant (where he and my mom eat every Friday night), Goode Co. Taqueria.

 We always have to throw coins in the fountain.  

 The last day we visited with my grandparents and had lunch at their hotel.  I can't believe I didn't get a picture with them in it.  

Here's Nona and Lily Kate

 Nona & Hadley

 All the cousins, Kate, Charlotte, Hadley, Jack, & Scott.  (He bought those goggles in Galveston and wore them the rest of the trip!)

Ahh, it was a good time.  Merry Christmas!