Market Fair

I don't think I have ever mentioned how much I LOVE Julia's preschool. I cannot say enough about the school, the teachers, etc, etc. We lucked out in so many ways with getting into this school. Julia is a little sad when it is a non-school day. When it is a school day she comes home telling me all about the topic of the month (solar system, dinosaurs, human body and so on). Today they had a Market Fair that the teachers put on (with some volunteers). Julia just had the best time going around to all the different booths and learning something new at each one. Just too cute and something all the kids enjoyed.

Egg dying (put a leaf on the egg, wrapped with pantyhose, set in hot water and out comes an imprint of the leaf on the egg)

Basket weaving

Pony rides

Pony kisses

candle making

petting zoo, baby chick

firefighter coat

firefighter hat

Music class

paper airplanes, decorating and then flying practice

bracelet making

face painting

Meal Time

Reese is "eating" with utensils now (mainly playing, but something gets in before she eventually shovels it in with her hands). Makes for one messy mealtime, but so fun for Reese!

Hmmmmm, yogurt

Show-off

Messy as can be

Could she get more greasy?!

Food coma

Birthday Time

To celebrate the 4th birthday's in my mom's group we all decided to go to a play with our oldest. While Julia is still a ways from her 4th b-day most of the kids have their b-day in March. We went to Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Redmond Town Center and to Pinkalicious for cupcakes afterwards. What a wonderful, wonderful day! Julia and I have not had much mommy/daughter alone time in the past year so for me it was really, really special to spend this time with her. It was a hit, Julia loved the play, the cupcake and hanging with her very special friends.

The whole gang, Julia really needs a pair of spanx to wear with dresses ;-)

The carpool crew, Conner, Julia and Kayla

Meeting the crew afterwards, Mama Bear

Goldilocks older sister, Mary Elizabeth

Papa Bear, trying to give knuckles

The gang (minus Meg) and Baby Bear

Holding hands on the way to cupcakes, just too cute!

Cupcake time!

Ball Pit

Thanks Cardwell's (sister Jenny and her family) for Reese's ball pit. Who would have thought my girls would play well in it...........and play forever in it. A hit!

Let's Party

Julia's, oops I mean Reese's, party was a hit! One would have thought it was Julia's since she was SO excited for it, talked about it everyday, most of her friends were there and she got to open all the presents! Reese did great at Kidz Bounce, loved her first cake ever and overall was just as cute as could be at her party! Below are some pic's of the party, I did a horrible job of taking pictures of everyone, I missed half the people at the party! I guess I was a little busy! Thank you everyone who was able to make it and make this a very special day for us.

Julia helping make the butterfly cake, caught red handed in the candy bowl!

Reese loved bouncing and crawling!

Jenny, Opa and Shannon

Kristina, Jason and Dawn

Pederson Family (Mark, Melissa and Lauren)

Ellie and Shannon

Stuenkel Family (Ashley, Louisa, Will and baby William)

Proud Daddy and his girls

Allison

Best story: Wyatt snuck into the party next door and helped himself to their cake before mama caught him!

Singing Happy Birthday..........

Loves cake! Kept signing "more"
And that's a wrap!

1 year ago..................

Crazy to think that 1 year ago today I did not even "know" Reese, let alone know if the baby in my belly was a boy or a girl! My oh my how our lives were about to change. Words cannot even begin to describe what Reese has brought to our lives this past year. Of coarse we feel the same way about Julia, but since this is Reese's b-day weekend, I thought I would just focus on Reese here for once ;-).

I get so emotional around my kid's birthdays, especially the big "1". Sunday is Reese's first birthday. I just cannot believe how fast the past year has gone. It makes me so sad because I hope that I soaked all in that I could. There are so many firsts......first smile, first tooth, sitting up, crawling, first word, etc, etc....everything is new to them all the time. I love watching the world through their eyes. Just the other day I went on a walk with Reese while Julia was at preschool and so this time I could actually talk with Reese and point everything out, and it was so neat to see it all again. She was fascinated by the birds, trucks, children at the playground......just reminds me to slow down at take it all in, just as they do. See, get very emotional around birthdays! I think that I am hands down the luckiest mama in the world (I know we all think that, as we should)!

Happy Birthday Reesie, we love you way, way more than you know..........