Two Parties

 We had Elizabeth Magee a little family party in Oxford on Saturday afternoon.  It was so fun to see our families and have special day for Elizabeth Magee.    Elizabeth Magee was so excited to see her cousins.  It amazes how me how these girls love to play -- I wish we saw them more -- but they picked up like they saw each other yesterday!

I had to save this sweet picture.  Poor Poppy has a terrible diaper rash and was not in a party mood on Saturday.  Mary Thorne on the other hand loves a party…..and life in general.  She has turned into the happiest, smiling, giggling baby I've ever seen.  She was trying to convince Poppy to come down and play!

Yesterday Mary Thorne walked across the bathroom and then across the rug in the kitchen --- that's the most I've seen her walk so far!

Before the party, I took the twins to see Emerson -- Jill's littlest girl -- I hope Emerson and one of the twins can share Martin 412 in about 17 years!  Emerson and Poppy weren't so sure about what was going on but Mary Thorne had the best time chasing their cat!

THREE!

Elizabeth Magee is three!  Oh my goodness -- how did this happen so fast?  I am so amazed by her every single day.  The changes between 2 and 3 are slow - so slow that you almost don't even realize what is happening until all of a sudden she has grown up -- at 2 she said a few word sentences -- at 3 we have full conversations all day long.  As I was tucking her in the night before her birthday, she said, "When I wake up I'll be three."  Then, "I can have cake for breakfast?"  This last year Elizabeth Magee's personality has come out -- as her teacher, Ms. Becky, says, "She makes all the boys clean up."  At two, Elizabeth Magee got a little teary when you dropped her off in the church nursery.  At three, Elizabeth Magee walks out for children's church all by herself.  She prays for her friends every night, "Annie, Ticer, Jennings, and Lambie."  We are still very attached to Lambie but will leave him at home unless we are going to a nursery or school.  Elizabeth Magee can play all day long…your current favorite thing is to put everything in bags - grocery bags - and carry them around.  There are 3 in your bed tonight.  Holding three different stuffed animals (which EM calls "her children" or "her people").

Favorite foods: CANDY….you have such a sweet tooth, chocolate, pancakes, blueberries and blueberry muffins, bananas, sweet potatoes….the toddler particularness is coming through the last few months -- one day EM announced she didn't like the crust anymore (I think she learned this at MMO)!

Favorite TV: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  It's really the only show that will hold her attention at all.

We had a fun day of celebrating Elizabeth Magee all day long.  Siggi and Aunt Sis came in to town Wednesday night and we started celebrating with breakfast!

Elizabeth Magee's sweet class sang to her with cupcakes -- sadly I took no pictures!  After school, we took a quick nap and then changed into our birthday dress and admired our cake!

Elizabeth Magee's friends came to play and then weather held out perfectly -- I held my breath all day long but it was perfect!  It was warm enough for spring clothes and the rain held off until after the party!  God heard my prayers :)

After they played for a little while, they came upstairs to decorate cupcakes, take out boxes, and have cake and ice cream!

Elizabeth Magee and Annie --- they were the last to leave the cupcake decorating…..I think they each had cake, ice cream, and at least two cupcakes!

Poppy and Mary Thorne had some practice with cake and ice cream -- one more month till they are one!

Mary Thorne is getting closer and closer to walking.  She'll hold on to her hola hoop and take some steps (isn't that a great idea -- a mini hola hoop --- my neighbor told me that's what they use at Children's Hospital to teach children to walk!).

Our Heart Day

I've never been a huge valentines day person.  Oliver doesn't believe it should be celebrated at all.  But it is so fun to have anything to celebrate with an almost 3 year old and then the twins get excited because she's excited!  Needless to say, yesterday was a sugar filled day of lots of fun!  

This child loves candy.  She has such a sweet tooth.  She ate every bit of her breakfast, lunch, and dinner yesterday because she wanted something sweet after every meal!  Many thanks to all our family who sent us cards and little gifts to open -- you made our day so special!

We had a sweet play date with friends and these kids had a great time.  Poppy used the picture as an opportunity to take Mary Thorne's graham cracker!

Lunch doesn't last very long when there are sugar cookies to decorate.  EM mainly just ate the toppings.

After all that sugar, we needed to get some energy out.  Elizabeth Magee loves a power wheel!  Unfortunately our yard and street are NOT built for having one of our own (the downside to living on a mountain) so playing with someone else's is extra fun!

 I can't help but think how much better this Valentines day is than last year.  I was so uncomfortable with the twins!  But my two newest little Valentines were worth every bit of it!  They are busting with personality!

Winter Wonderland

We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning.  After two days of cancelled school and early closings, I was convinced we wouldn't see a single snow flake.  But then around seven last night it started snowing.  It was just beautiful.  It was that perfect fluffy snow that is absolutely right to play in and build snowmen.  The road weren't bad - Oliver was even able to get down our hill and to work on time.  The girls and I headed out in the red wagon like we do almost every morning to walk to our "flat spot."  We didn't get very far because the wagon wheels got all caught up in the snow.  So…back to the house for the BOB….it worked great!  

The twins honestly didn't like the snow any better this time around.  Poppy hated it and ended up getting carried most of the time.  Mary Thorne hung in there until the last few minutes!

 Elizabeth Magee liked it 100x better (and thus so did Baby Reese)!

Once Poppy melted down, Baby Resse got her spot in the BOB :)

After the girls went down for their nap, EM and I played outside for a bit…..initially there was a lot of this:

But then we started to build snowmen and it was all better.  We need some real gloves that fit that don't get wet so fast….

To leave you, the best picture of the morning:

Walking!

 I know this is a horrible picture and you can see our messy carport but it was to big of an occasion to not document!  Olivia's little girl Amelia came over Saturday morning for our first walk together!  In college, Olivia and I had this plan that we would both move to Mountain Brook, live side by side, and walk everyday.  Well she moved here and we moved to Memphis.  Then she moved away and we moved here.  Maybe one day we will both live in the same city, at the same time, and get to walk everyday!

Speaking of walking, Poppy is now practically running.  She hardly crawls.  It's amazing how just by walking she and Elizabeth Magee have started to play more!

These girls are obsessed with daddy.  It's super sweet.  Last night when he came home I was getting Mary Thorne out of the bath and wouldn't set her down to crawl to him as he was walking in the door (because she was soaking wet)…..she got so mad at me and threw a huge fit….as soon as she reached him….she was all smiles.

Ms. E at church said that Mary Thorne took two steps in the nursery!  I haven't seen it but know she'll be walking soon!  We've been stuck inside a lot this week.  School closed yesterday and today because of the threat of snow.  We've had to pull out all the stuff out of the cabinets….many times a day!

Two More Cute Moments

At the super bowl party last weekend, all these kiddos were jumping up and down and screaming, "Five Little Monkeys Jumping in the Bed" --- Evie captured this picture of Elizabeth Magee and I thought it was a great picture!

This is Mary Thorne's current favorite hide out (after the dog food has been taken away).  She pulls everything out of this cabinet and then crawls into it.  She also likes to shut the door and play peek-a-boo!

Post Snow

God knew we really needed some sunshine and warm weather after the snow.  Last Saturday was so nice!  We had a "tea" party and then lunch on the deck.  I'm very much looking forward to the highchairs camping out here for three meals a day this spring and summer!

Is she really almost 3?  Melts my heart a 100 times a day.  I missed her so bad while she was a Mother's Morning Out today that I almost went and picked her up at 10:30!  She is a mess and so so funny.  Walking out of the JCC yesterday she said, "Mama, is that monkey grass?"  Me: "It is."  EM: "But I don't see any monkeys!"

Poppy - You live up to your name and name sake.  You are walking EVERYWHERE.  You are talking talking talking….even though we don't know what you are saying.  This is your current favorite position when sitting…..whether it's being held or in your highchair.  You make it impossible to bathe before dinner!