I have taken so many pictures and videos lately and I haven't posted in a while...so here is an overload! Some of these (videos especially) are among my favorites of all time because they capture great clips of the kids' personalities. They just keep getting cuter and sweeter and I love watching them learn and grow.
Mother's Day 2013
Andrew was on the road for Mother's day weekend, but he surprised me and came home for a few hours Sunday morning to make me breakfast and help the kids cut me flowers from the backyard and make me cards. It was so sweet and I felt so happy and lucky.
Amelia got this dress as a hand-me-down and dubbed it her "Mother's Day dress."
This was her idea of posing for the camera.
Love. These. Kids.
I love this little video! William is at SUCH a fun age right now. He talks really well and I love the new little phrases he picks up on every day. Also, he copies everything Amelia says (and does) and it's so cute (most of the time...). I also love how at the end he says, "truck!" and runs off. It reminds me of the movie Up when the dog says, "Squirrel!"
Ballet
Amelia had her first ballet recital this weekend and it was darling. She really loves ballet and I cry every time I watch her! She is so sweet up there and does such a good job trying to do all the steps just right. She loves the costume, the bun, the tights and the ballet shoes.
Grandpa and Grandma Visit
Oh, Grandpa and Grandma, we love, love, love when you visit!!
I love this video of the kids in the ocean with Gma and Gpa. I love how William runs out of the water to come and tell me he is in the ocean :) and then the 2 falls...:)
The kids helped me make this beautiful and delicious watermelon cake when Grandma and Grandpa came. I asked Amelia what we should have for dinner when they came and she yelled, "Flit pea soup!" (Split pea). That is her favorite meal to request and I love that she thinks that is the most delicious and special meal to make for guests :)
William loved helping grandpa in the garden. And we loved having Grandpa help our garden! He worked so hard and made our yard look better in 3 days than we could have (or would have) in 3 years.
And Amelia loved using the fallen rose petals to master her mud-pie baking skills
SB Fair
I took the kids to the county fair a couple of weeks ago and when we sat down to listen to some music, Amelia leans over to me and says, "I want to dance on that stage." So up she went and danced her heart out in front of everyone. Of course William followed because he does EVERYTHING Amelia does. This girl loves to dance.
William loved the rides at the fair ($10 for 30 seconds of fun...). He was so cute and he kept saying, "Wee dis is fun! I yike it!" I love him at this age. He is SO cute.
Extrovert Princess Party
I don't know how two introverts created such an extreme extrovert, but Amelia is an e-x-t-r-o-v-e-r-t. When I send her to quiet time she cries and says, in a voice of complete despair, "But I get so yonyey" (lonely)! It's like I sentenced her to a year in solitary confinement, not 30 minutes in her room with her music and toys. She always wants friends and family to be around and she has a very small personal space bubble (as in, she wants to be touching, hugging, snuggling, or cuddling at all times). When it is time for a play date to end, she has to plan when the next one will happen so that she has something to look forward to.
So, one day she told me she really wanted to have a party and when I told her that her birthday was not until September, she fell to pieces and began to frantically plan a party for the next day. I decided to go along with her extroverted ways and see what she came up with. She planned and executed (with only minimal help from me) a Princess Party complete with invitations, decorations, crafts and lunch. She invited her two best friends and the party was on.
She decorated our kitchen table with balloons, streamers and lots of tape.
They made princes crowns and wore dress-up.
These 3 girls love each other so much! I am so happy that we live so close to them and that they get to play together often. It doesn't hurt at all that I really like their moms :)
These 3 girls love each other so much! I am so happy that we live so close to them and that they get to play together often. It doesn't hurt at all that I really like their moms :)
She even let her little brother come, although he had to be a "ting" (king) and not a princess.
Here he is with marker on his face from decorating his crown.
Here he is with marker on his face from decorating his crown.
We had tomato soup and cheese sandwiches for lunch.
A perfect princess party.
And she still cried when everyone left.
I think I'm in trouble when she is a teenager.
I'm already in trouble.
Easter
And here are a couple of pictures from Easter this year. William was scared of the bunny, but Amelia was so excited to sit on his lap.
A little switch from last year when William was into the bunny and Amelia was scared to death
