December Fun!

This month has been super busy and super fun.  I wanted to post the random pics that I have taken in an "all over the map December post."

The kids and I helped decorate one of the Christmas trees for the front of the church.  Lila loved getting to be so much help:)

 

Some of the kids in our Sunday School class helped make ornaments.

That night when we got home, Lila and I got the stomach bug.  Seriously, the worst bug I have ever had.  Sadly, I didn't get to go on a trip to Chicago with some girls that we had planned.  So weird, but three of the four girls that were supposed to go all got the bug.  One lives out of state!  So weird?  The day I got the last load of laundry done from that, and was ready to go back out in the world, Caroline got sick.  Hand, foot and mouth?  Yuck!  She had a really high fever that lasted forever and blisters in her throat.  She was pretty pitiful for over a week.

We had to be creative in keeping Lila busy without leaving the house!

The beautiful gingerbread house.

 Lots of movie time (which is why they won't look at the camera).

Cookie decorating

 

Caroline and Daddy had to miss Ally's birthday party, but you better believe Miss Lila was so excited to be there!!!  Cutest doughnut pajama party ever!

 Finally the day we were well, we got out to go meet Santa.  I was shocked that they both look pretty happy?!

 

...and Caroline got to play with here best buddies:)

 

This next week is full of more Christmas fun...Hope we all stay well!

Caroline's First Birthday!!!

I am about 10 days behind, but Caroline Caprice is ONE!!!!  We were hit with the stomach bug and then hand, foot, mouth?  I feel like someone has been needing to be held or comforted (more than usual) for way too long...so sorry blogging world, but here is the sweet little big girl's b-day post:)

We had her birthday party the Saturday before, so on her actual birthday we just enjoyed a low key family day.  When she woke up, we had some presents for her to open.  She was very excited!

 Then we got to have a very special breakfast!  White donuts!  I love how she is looking at me like, "Are you really sure I can have this?"

 Ready to go to MDO in her big 1 shirt.  She is sitting in her new chair my family gave her.  She was done smiling for pictures.

 

We had a very special dinner of pears, peas and crackers.  Topped off with a red velvet cupcake.  Such a fun and sentimental day.

My precious nephews, Coyt and Crew with Caroline are often referred to as the triplet cousins because they are together so much.  Caryn and I thought it would be really fun to have a joint birthday party for our three C's.

Look how cute these 3 are :)

 A look at all of our C food.

 

 The family pic.

 Happy Birthday to you precious Cs!

 Two birthday parties in one weekend make for one tired Mommy, but oh my goodness, I feel so blessed!

I can't believe this was only a year ago!

 I feel like she has been a part of our family forever.

God knew exactly what we needed when he gave us Caroline!  She makes every day so much brighter.  

She is babbling all day long and getting some actual words mixed in now.  Dada, Mama, Lila, Cooper, puppy, ball, tree, uh huh, no, baby, book, tree, bye bye and Hi.

She is crawling and pulling up on everything.

She is in the 75% in height and 50th in weight.

She is sleeping 11-12 hrs every night and most days only wants one nap:(

She loves boxes, books, dogs, baby dolls and music.

We love HER!  Happy Birthday sweet Caroline!

Lila's Art Party

  The day after Lila's birthday, we celebrated and had a party for her! Painting, coloring, drawing, etc. is her favorite thing to do right now, so we decided to have an Art party :)  She was so excited.  Because we were having Caroline, Coyt and Crew's party the next day at my house, we had her's up at our church in the gym and party room.

The first thing Lila did when she got there was paint her canvas :)  So cute!

The artist snacks.

 Lila's art studio supplies:)

 

 Once our sweet friends arrived...

 

They enjoyed expressing themselves in the Performing Arts Studio,

 

 and created masterpieces in the art studio.  We had a sculpting station with play dough and a coloring mural for crayons.  Somehow, I missed those in my pictures?

  

The cake I found on Pinterest.  So fun!

 

A pic of the deconstructed layers.

My happy helper the morning of the party.  (She licked all the icing off of each knife as I finished:)

Loving some present opening!

 

We had a great time!

  

 Couldn't have done it without a little familial help.  Thanks GP for entertaining Miss C!

  

...and of course Honey:)

 Thanks to my sisters too for watching the girls and helping me get everything put together.  It made for one happy birthday girl!!

Lila Elizabeth is 3!!!

Lila turned 3 on Thursday!  I can't believe it.  She is getting too big!!  I was giving her a bath and started tearing up.  She asked why Mommy was crying, and I said,  "it just makes me feel a little sad that my baby girl was getting so big."   She said, "Don't cry Mommy.  That's what I'm supposed to do."  Well said sweet Lila.  Pull it together Mommy!

Sweet Lila on her birthday three years ago.

 

 ...and here she is now :)

  

She was just a little bit excited about her birthday!

We snuck in and decorated her room the night before and came in singing and taking pictures when she woke up.  She's a little like me in the slow to wake up category ;)

 

Once she was up and fully awake.. she was SO excited.  White donuts (of course) her favorite and presents ready to  open.

My Little Ponies from Caroline.

Hilarious, but the thing she wanted most for her birthday was a measuring tape! Done!  The gift from Cooper :)

Josh and I got her a look alike American Girl doll (details in another post).   She LOVES her "Ally" doll.

After MDO, we played outside while we waited for Daddy to come home and take us to dinner.  I couldn't resist snapping a pic of this new big girl pose:)

Surprisingly, Lila choose to go to the restaurant where they cook her rice in front of her.  I interpreted that to FUGI Japanese steakhouse?  I wasn't going to complain since she usually only chooses Chick Fil A or Rosa's.  She was SO excited to be there!

...until the banging and fire started!  Oh my gosh!  She was terrified! She kept saying, "make it stop.  I need to be gone."  Look at her face!  I am the worst mother in the world.  I took a picture before I took her out.

We ate about 1/2 of our food and got the rest to go.  Getting home and playing with the new ponies made everything better.  We had an art party last night.  I'll post some pics as soon as I can.

Lila, I can't even begin to tell you how you bless our lives.  You made me a mom!  You made us a whole family.  You are so sweet to your little sister and make sure she always has a snack:) You love your cousins so much you literally turn inside out when you see them. You love your friends too!  You already are smarter than me and challenge me every day to stop and appreciate the simple things and what really matters. You talk more than there are hours in the day and 99% of what you say is hilarious and joyful.  You love singing made up songs about what you're doing, just like Daddy.  You love to dance to the beat.  You melt my heart when you smile and make me so happy just being you.  I love you so much and hope that your third year is wonderful.  You are beautiful on the inside and the outside.  I am so proud to be your mom :)  Happy Birthday Lila!