First Birthday Party

Some people around here (think a certain three year old) could barely contain their excitement for the party.  It may have had something to do with the promise of cupcakes.  Yes, folks, it's with great sadness that I must reveal that I've discovered I will never be a famous cake baker.  My cakes tend to have a bit of a lean to them.  Well, that and a giant fault line running down the middle...  Coupled with the fact that I don't have the patience for doing fancy stuff with the icing... So cupcakes it will be.  But, I digress...

Cora was the mastermind behind the flavor combination.  She told me she was certain Carys would want strawberry cupcakes with white frosting.  Or maybe she just picked the pink cake.  Either way, strawberry it was!

Carys didn't really dive into her cake as we were hoping.  In fact, Yiayia had to force Carys' hand into her mouth so she would even take a taste.  Even after that, she wasn't as enthusiastic as you would expect.  Carys had a bit of an air of boredom and indignation at the sticky fingers.  (Truly, I don't know where these kids came from...one doesn't like ice cream and the other doesn't like cake...I didn't even know that was possible!)

Cora, on the other hand, knew exactly what to do with the cupcake!

We opened presents next.  On a whim, I decided to let Cora pick out a present for Sissy.  We found this neat little ball with a monkey that rolls around and makes funny noises.  It was a bit of a mistake for me to let Cora pick it out in early December.  I spent the rest of the month fielding the question, "When does Carysita get to play with her monkey ball?!"  Apparently, Cora has great taste in baby toys, though, because the ball was a big hit.

Yiayia and Dado came up to celebrate with us.  And, they bought Carys her very own cell phone.  (If only this phone would make her lose interest in my phone!)  She also got some cute outfits and shoes.

She got a few other presents of course: a camera, a plastic hammer (she has an affinity for banging and beating things), a little piano, and a stuffed elephant.  All in all, it was a great celebration with our family.  We are so very thankful for Carys.  She is my favorite Christmas gift!

As a little sidenote:  I am curious to know your thoughts about Christmas birthdays.  I definitely enjoyed this celebration.  The first year is a momentous year.  But, I am toying with the idea of celebrating her on her half-birthday.  It was difficult for me to shop for her and to also give relatives ideas for both birthday and Christmas gifts.  I feel like she ends up getting short-changed (by me).  But, I also don't want to take away any of the special-ness (is that a word?!) of her actual birthday. Any Christmas time babies out there care to share thoughts?

Merry Christmas, One and All!

Elegant Scroll Frame Christmas

Design photo Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Since I can't send a Christmas card to each and every one of you, here is your virtual card!  Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Cheer

John and I don't do much to the outside of our house for Christmas.  We both like outdoor lights to look a certain way, and our way is a bit, ummm, cost prohibitive.  So, we settle for lights around our door as well as red and green lights in our outside sconces.  It's not the most festive house in the neighborhood, but it's something.  Our stroller, however, takes it to another level.   The contraption in the light:

 The contraption in the dark:

We've been taking a long walk each night to look at the Christmas lights, and one night, John wondered aloud, "Wouldn't it be cool if we had reindeer on the front of our stroller?"  And, from there the idea took off.  You may remember that I mentioned our expensive taste in lights for the house.  Turns out that we have expensive taste in lights for the stroller, too.  We took that bad boy out for the first time on Wednesday,and even with 9 D cell batteries, the lights lasted only a little over an hour.  But, it was so worth it!  We got a ton of compliments.  We had cars slowing down to look as they drove past us.  We even had a car circle back while the passenger leaned out the window to take a picture for facebook!  (Okay, so that part was a little creepy!)  Tonight we head out in Santa hats!  Spreading Christmas cheer to a neighborhood near you!

One Year

I blinked, and a year passed me by!  Sweet Carysita, you're one, and I really don't know how that can be possible.

Well, sweet baby girl, you have taken your first steps.  You're not completely confident in this new skill, so you won't do it without much encouragement.  But, when you hold our hand to walk, we can tell that you really aren't using us for support.  

You will, however, dance with abandon.  You need no encouragement to shake your moneymaker.  You really love Mannheim Steamroller.  When you hear their most famous Christmas song, your whole body quakes with the rhythm.  

Sadly, you have discovered M & M's. Your father and I have no one to blame, but ourselves.  We are, after all, the ones who brought the Christmas candy into the house.  Now when you hear the sound of the candy dish, you crawl furiously to me in order to get some.  You have also discovered goldfish crackers.  I suppose those are slightly more harmless than the M & M's!

Your eyes are as blue as ever.  Sometimes in the light, they have a bit of a green tinge.  They are so very pretty!  

You still only have the four teeth.  As much as you chew on your fingers (and Perdita), you would think that those little molars will have broken through.  But, not quite yet.

You understand so much of what we are saying.  You will look around if we ask you, "Where's (Perdita, Cora, banana, Penny, Daddy, etc.)?"  You also definitely know the word "no."  Most of the time, you are quite an obedient little girl.  Every once in a while, though, you like to test the limits!

You have said your first word, too.  Your first word was 'pup-pup.'  You whispered it when you saw Penny run into the room.  (You may have said Mama and Dada before as well, but we are positive that you said 'pup-pup' in relation to Penny.)

We are so proud of you sweet, baby girl!  Happy 1st Birthday!

The Fort

The girls and I went to Houston a few weeks ago when John had to be away for work.  Cora's cousin Hannah was really desperate for us to come stay with them.  The last time they were here, she told Cora, "I can't wait for you to come to my house and sleep on my floor!"  They definitely did have a blast sleeping in the princess tent on the floor.  I'm impressed that they actually did sleep.  I guess it is not until you are older that you try to stay up all night!

While we were there, my sweet sister-in-law gave my girls a little molded plastic toddler playscape (for lack of a better word).  For some reason, I have taken to calling it 'the fort.' That may have to do with the fact that the little buggar is relatively easy to take apart, but pretty difficult to put back together...when you don't have instructions, and well, you are me!  But, what I lack in spatial awareness and plain common sense, I make up for in stubborn-ness determination.  Yessiree, I put that puppy together all by myself - in the dark, I might add! It's a little small for Cora, but that has not squashed her enthusiasm one bit.  Today was one of the first days that we've been able to play on it.  Both girls were pretty enthusiastic to say the least!

Thank you, Aunt Celeste, for our fun, new toy!

Wordless Wednesday

On the Naughty List

Some people in our family may have made the naughty list this past week...

And...

That's Carys' diaper bag around her neck.  A certain little someone was very naughty while we were away! I wonder what Santa will say?

Holiday Decorating 3 Year Old Style

Last Christmas season Cora was just awestruck at all the Christmas decorations around town.  It was the first year that she really began to feel some of the magic of the season.  So, John and I decided that this year, in addition to our family Christmas tree, the girls would get their own tree for their room.  Cora and I ventured to the store shortly after Thanksgiving to pick out her very own tree.  Boy was she disappointed when they were out of the sparkly pink tree!  (And, boy was John relieved!)  Fortunately, the sparkly white tree was almost as alluring as the pink one she originally wanted.  We got it set up that very day with some shiny garland (a necklace, according to a certain 3 year old), some shatterproof sparkly ornaments, a couple of glittery C's and some random unbreakable ornaments that didn't make it onto the family tree.  (Clearly, she has the same taste as her mother at age 3!)

 This was very fun, but not quite festive enough.  So, (not so) little missy got to pick out some colored lights to string up in her room as well.  It is a sparkly, glittery winter wonderland in there!  Cora is just in love with it.  Every morning her first task is to turn on her Christmas lights.  She just loves that she is big enough to turn them on and off herself.

And, with her new found enthusiasm, I can't wait to see her face when one of her presents appears under her tree on Christmas morning.  Hee, hee!  I may be a little giddy myself!

(Someone wanted some attention during the photo shoot.)

We also have a little tradition around these here parts about our Christmas ornaments.  Every year, we get new ornaments that commemorate the places we go and the things we do.  I only ended up purchasing one ornament this go around, but I do love the memories that go with it.

It's a T Rex from the Smithsonian.  I made it a bit merrier with the ribbon and jingle bells.  He's the jauntiest little T Rex I've ever seen...don't tell his buddies!

It's also our tradition that our kids get an ornament every year.  Here are the winning selections:

Buddy T Rex

Perdita

I'll wager you can figure out who picked which ornament!  So, we are festive and merry all over our house.  Now, if I can just get those Christmas cards finished!

And, Speaking of Those Nightmares.....

.....Let me tell you about Halloween.

We weren't really sure how Cora was going to handle Halloween this year.  Last year, she flat out refused to put on her costume for trick-or-treating.  She was completely unfazed by the fact that other children were dressed up and coming to our door to get candy.  Remember, this is the alien child of mine who doesn't really care about candy.  So, when we realized that we would be in Virginia over Halloween, I didn't really put that much effort into her costume.  I figured she would be just as apathetic as last year.

Wrong!

Thank goodness I packed her Rapunzel dress!  I guess the excitement her cousins were feeling about trick-or-treating was infectious.  The kiddos were pretty pumped about the evening.

 Carys, naturally, was unimpressed.  (But, she was about the cutest little chicken I have ever seen!)

The kids had been ever so (im)patiently waiting to go door to door.  And, as it would happen, right as we were heading out the door, the next door neighbor's kitchen caught on fire.  And, within a few short minutes, the cul-de-sac was loaded with  3 fire engines, a fire marshal's vehicle, an ambulance, and just about everyone from the entire neighborhood.  Cora, of course, was freaking out.  As soon as she saw the fire trucks, she practically jumped into my arms where she remained clamped by her legs to my waist.  And, still, the bebecita was unimpressed.  Actually, the bebecita was singing her funny little trilling song the entire time.

Things got much better when we were able to actually start trick-or-treating.  Bolstered by the confidence of her cousins, Cora happily went door to door.  Josh and Amy's neighborhood really goes all out with the Halloween decorations.  Some of the decor was a little intense for my little scaredy cat, but she was doing really well until the very last house.  That's when the giant pink gorilla showed up.  She flippedy-flipped her wig, and she wasn't even wearing one!  Folks, I really do think that seeing him may have emotionally scarred her a little bit.  That night, she prayed

Dear God,
Thank you for keeping me away from the pink gorilla 'cuz he was so scary.
In Jesus name,
Amen


It is now a month later, and she still tells almost everyone about the pink gorilla.  We're really hoping this is something she'll grow out of....otherwise, Disney World is going to be pure torture for her!!

Every Single One of Her Nightmares

Cora is a funny, funny little girl.  She is not to be swayed by your opinion or by what you want her to do.  It can be maddening and endearing all at the same time.  Have I mentioned that stubborn runs in our family?  It appears that both Sister and Sissy received a double dose!  Cora also has some peculiar and quirky fears.  She loves books, movies, songs, tv shows, etc about animals, but she does not love being around live animals.  She fears fire trucks, garbage trucks, and tractors unless she is in the car.  She loves to do forward rolls at gymnastics, but is fearful of backward rolls.  And, she is absolutely, unconditionally terrified of people dressed as animals/characters (think the Chick Fil-A cow or characters at Disney World.)

So with all that in mind, let me tell you about our outing at Cox Farms last month when we went to Virginia.  It all started out well enough.  Hay playgrounds, pizza, pirate ship playgrounds.

The big slides were a little scary at first.  But, soon, Cora was a pro at going down the hay slides (even if there were goats and sheep grazing nearby!)

Then, we saw the dino slide!  You've seen them.  Sometimes they're called super slides.  They are basically three semi-steep slides all connected into one.  This one happened to have dinosaur statues all over it.  Sweet!  Cora was all over (the idea of) the dinosaur slide.  She and I headed up the stairs.  She chatted happily about all the dinos.  She chatted about the farm animals.  She chatted about the sunshine and clouds.  And, then, we came to a place where we could see what was about to happen.  And, that is where the chatting stopped.  And, it is also where I had the lovely opportunity to look like the parent of the year.  Yes, folks, I was the mom who forced her screaming and thrashing kid to go down the slide.  

Clearly, she loved it!

After she got off the slide, she told me, "This is NOT a good vacation!"  

It's a terrible coincidence that a man dressed as a chimpanzee started wandering over to us around that time.

We're saving up for her therapy bills.

The bebecita was unimpressed by all the hubbub.

After some kettle corn, we were ready to take on the next nightmare aka the hayride.  You know, with a tractor...

I'm really not sure how she managed to stay folded in half like that for the duration of the ride.  It's actually quite impressive - especially since she was sitting in itchy twitchy hay.

The bebecita remained unimpressed by all the hubbub.

But, throw in a wooden scarecrow with a giant pumpkin and the bebecita cracks a huge grin!

I wonder what we'll be putting her in therapy for?!