An"udder" Year Older

(More cheesy puns.)


It has now been 4 years that I've had the joy of being Ellia's mom.  With her, it is truly as if I live on the set of "Kids Say the Darndest Things."  In her birthday post from last year I mentioned that she is a milk-aholic, which is why "milk" was the perfect theme for her latest birthday party.

(The invite was slipped into the chevron striped sleeve.)

Which milk was most popular?
Strawberry.

You would think that with three girls I would be completely sick of the color pink, but I just can't seem to give it up.  You would also think that I should have known better than to expect smooth sailing at a party full of 4-year-olds.  Chaos at its finest.

They started off with a plain ball of cookie dough and got to add their own mix-ins. 

 

Some added so much that their dough wouldn't stick together, while others ate the mix-ins by spoonfuls directly from the bowls.  Sanitary, I know.

But once we baked them up, their giant cookies, which they took home in these goody bags, looked delicious. 

The rest of the party was spent pinning udders on a cow, and loading up on sugar and calcium.

It was so breezy that the candles refused to stay lit.
So Ellia did her best impression of  blowing them out.

This last game ("Milk the Cow") got the axe due to the fact that rounding up and trying to organize the wild bunch seemed like a hopeless task.  But if you ever need a cow rear made, my sister is an expert.  We both agreed that when you are a parent, you find yourself saying things you never thought you would.  Things like, "I'm just cutting out this udder."  Or "I can make a couple of cow butts for you."  Being a parent is awesome.

4 Years Old!

I LOVE waking up to this face informing me that "It's morning time."
She brightens my day with her sweet (loud!) giggle, her extreme imagination,
and her happy-go-lucky charm.
So glad she's mine forever!!

Oh "Hoppy" Day

(I couldn't resist the cheesy post title.  Sorry.)


The Easter bunny may have procrastinated a bit this year.  I was at Walmart first thing Saturday morning (looking oh so lovely) getting goodies for Easter baskets.  We didn't dye Easter eggs until that evening.  And I was up until 1:00 in the morning trying to finish sewing the lining for Fiona's Easter basket, which I promised myself I would actually get done this year.  I didn't.  

Long after the girls had deemed their eggs complete, my mom and I continued to work, tediously gluing tiny little jewels onto eggs.  Are you seeing where I get it from?!  The apple did not fall far from the tree.

Nonetheless, Easter came and the day felt completely Easter-y.  Candy wrappers scattered all over the house.  Little faces covered in chocolate.  30 sticky little fingers.  Me yelling, "That's enough!"  Oh, and purple bubble bath on the carpet.  (Do you know how hard it is to get bubble bath out of carpet?  Never-ending bubbles!)

Easter morning.  "One of these baskets is not like the others..."
Way to achieve your goals, Hayley.

Our girls are always spoiled with two Easter egg hunts.  After Grandma Lupe's house (where Ellia scored an egg containing a $100 bill) we went to Great-Grandma Payne's for more egg finding fun.  We came home with more than enough candy...which I later separated into two categories: chocolate, and non-chocolate.  (OCD Tendency #117.  Thanks, Mom!)  

And no one threw up from candy overdose.  Success!

Seattle

I feel like a total slacker.  Let me quickly sum of the month of March:


· Ava learned how to whistle and the sound of baby birds followed me everywhere.
· Ava broke her collarbone, "NOT jumping on the bed."
· I got a job as a substitute preschool and kindergarten teacher.
· Carlos grew a mustache.  (You're welcome for not taking any pictures.)
· I complained about Carlos' mustache.  Several times a day.  For three weeks.
· Carlos shaved his mustache.
· I jumped for joy.


And there you have it.


As usual, Carlos' birthday fell during Spring Break.  This year he decided we should go up to Seattle and take the kids to the Pacific Science Center.  Our friends Cam and Rory were gracious hosts as always, letting us double the occupancy of their already full house.  (Thanks again, guys!)


Before I post pictures, I should explain that I can't so much as point a camera in Fiona's general direction without her pulling her extreme cheese face.  Don't be surprised if it becomes a trend in all future posts.

Looking for butterflies in the garden

(Like I said)

A wee bit cranky

Waiting for the IMAX movie

On our last night in Seattle we had dinner at the top of the Space Needle.  The girls were fascinated by the fact that the room was slowly spinning around.  Especially Ellia, who was so preoccupied that she barely touched her $10 grilled cheese sandwich.  Luckily grilled cheese sandwiches are my favorite, so it didn't go to waste. (Eating two meals happens to be okay when you're on vacation.)


Cue the bad quality cell phone pictures...

Waiter to Ellia:  Would you like fries or fruit?
Ellia:  Is this room moving?  I feel like we're moving.

 Next time we take on the zoo.







 

Birthdays & Boogers

So far the month of February has been filled with an assortment of bodily fluids, from snot to vomit and everything in between.  Lovely, I know.  We have also had a plethora of visits to the walk-in clinic for ear infections and mysterious head-to-toe rashes.  As I stood waiting at the pharmacy at the end of a very long day with three hungry children in need of dinner and sleep, I desperately tried to convince myself that I am tough in order to avoid bursting into tears in the middle of Walmart.  (I was successful, mind you.)  


But in between the antibiotics and boxes of kleenex, February has brought us some fun times.  For starters, my baby turned 6!  She is a planner like me, and has basically known since the day after her 5th birthday, that her 6th would have a Victorious theme.  (Her obsession is mentioned somewhere in the middle of this post.)  Despite my resistance to character themes, I went with it and here's how it turned out.

My sister-in-law helped me with these microphone cake pops.  Actually it was more like I helped her.  And by helped I mean I poured the sprinkles.

A lot of dancing and karaoke going on

The candy bar game

Ava giving in to peer pressure

Making rock star necklaces  (I vacuumed up beads for days afterwards.)

I love how intrigued kids get watching their friends open gifts.

Ava is one amazing kid!  She is freakishly smart, extremely responsible and caring, and the best little helper a mother could ask for.  Heavenly Father did me a huge favor when He sent Ava as my first born.

The other fun thing this month was the annual getaway Carlos and I take to Cave B Inn & Spa in Quincy.  We were pampered with a couples' massage, and then stuffed silly with a 7-course meal (6-course for me... sorry slimy little oyster) at their restaurant.  It was a much needed time-out, and I'm convinced that we don't get to spend enough time together.  (We also don't take enough pictures together, so enjoy these from the Inn's website instead.)  :)