Little Work Helper

Olivia was hanging out in the office with me while I was working. It was going well. She was stamping my red "Copy" and blue "Amended" stamps all over her paper. I looked over just in perfect time to see her holding a stamp in each hand. She was looking at them thoughtfully and then suddenly just stamped both sides on her head.

She wore her blue and red stripes on both sides of her head for a day or two . . . just to make us laugh when we looked at her.

Seriously . . .

This was in a restaurant bathroom and it made me laugh . . .

Does this really make all the difference?

The Half Birthday

I never realized that I had a half-birthday celebrater. I just never thought about it until I was buying cupcakes in January and Olivia was asking us to sing "Happy Birthday" to her over dinner and looking for her cake.

Sorry Babe - 6 more months!

Lots of Love

I wouldn't ever say that Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday by any stretch, but as I'm putting together a blog post on V-day I realize for the second year in a row that we sure do a LOT to celebrate for a sub-holiday!

I guess when you have so much to love. . . .

THE V-DAY CARDS:

We dumped the idea of homemade this year . . .

Olivia wrote her name on ALL of her Valentines. I helped with the V and A . . . "An O, a line, a line with a dot, you help with the V, a line with a dot and you help me with the A."

I wasn't paying too close attention when I let Addison pick out her own V-day cards. For the girls she picked ones with little dogs. Turns out we (I) had to pick them all apart, pop the head out and then attach the dog to the card so that it was a pop up card. And then for the boys a little easier, but still a bookmark you attached through the little slit and folded.

We waited until 45 minutes post bedtime to start this project (Ansen was out of town and that's just what it had come down to by the end of the week). I also had thought some colored markers would be fun. Addie took it too the next level alternating colors per letter.

As we started I realized this would be a trial of patience, but it turned out to be a lot of fun between Addison, Olivia and me.

THE CELEBRATING:

Cookies every year of course. We made huge efforts (and huge strides) to not lick everything! I was the lick police and they made it through the first 1/2 at least.

PINK milk and PINK heart pancakes!

AND THE LOVE:

Ansen sent early roses since he was out of town during the week

(but he knew the real way to my heart . . . he figured out a way to get them for FREE).

They were complete with a red vase and silver beaded vase bracelet.

Pettiskirts for the girls . . .

And boxes, ribbon and wrapping paper for the boy

(which kept him just as happy and content as the skirts did for the girls) . . .

Cute V-day tights from Grandma Hatch

and Zhu Zhu Pets from Banna.

They come with a little warning sticker to keep away from your hair. For sure a sticker is sufficient, right? Olivia lost a huge chuck of hair the first night and a friend almost lost a chuck the next day. But they love their little Scootles and Nugget.

11 Years ago today . . .

. . . Ansen asked and I said yes

( It was the same calendar weekend . . . engaged on Friday and Valentine's on Sunday.)

The Baby is Leaving the Nest . . .

. . . to Barcelona, Spain on July 7.

The Worst of times and the Best of times . . .

When I mention it's shower day, Olivia can't get in fast enough and then can spend 45 minutes in there "swimming", singing, playing with the tub animals, whatever. The enjoyment has been recently magnified since Drew joins her quite often now. It's a huge, splashing, screeching, laughing party.

But oh my goodness, the show she puts on when it's time to wash hair makes me want to scream (right along with her). We've gotten soap in her eye, like literally, once, but shes cries in anticipation of it the whole time, every time. Ansen can't handle it at all and I can barely do it without loosing it. This has been going on for honestly close to 2 years and it is soooo old.

Oh you sweet little spirit, we really couldn't live without you.

Toy for Two

I know it tempting . . . but it's for him,

. . . not you.