It's my party.....

And I can eat a WHOLE cake if I want to!

Just a teeny-weeny sneak peak into Tula's 1st birthday party!

And a little taste of the delicious icing just to see what this stuff is....

Yummmmmm..... I can't stop eating!

And it was oh so good! Just so you know, Mama, my real birthday is Thursday! I hope we can do this all over again!

Too Fast

As this little one is about to turn one.... 5 more days.... I just have to say things are going too fast. Tula's first year has passed in the blink of an eye. It is hard to believe just a year ago I was preparing to welcome a new little bundle of joy and now we are busy getting ready to celebrate her big birthday!

When I see Ivy in the big sister role it makes my heart melt! Most days she relishes in the role- let me help you, can I show Tula how to play with this toy, I hope Tula has a good day- I sure do miss her- but some days it is hard to be big! Today I am reminding her of all the times we have crowded around with family and friends to celebrate her- but today is going to be a celebration for the little sister. I want Ivy to know-even in the midst of special days for Tula- that we love her, are proud of her, and are celebrating Tula the same way we have done (and always will do) for her!

You know you have a big kid when you go to snap a picture and this is the pose you get! Life is going too fast- and before I know it Tula will be standing right beside Ivy- hands on hips, head cocked to the side, and looking too big for her own good.

Even though I can't push pause I can slow down enough to enjoy these sweet girls each and every day! That is my commitment to my little princesses!

Silly Girls

This has alone been Ivy's one reason not to want to go to pre-school.... she has missed her friends at Kristy's house. She has been with some of those kiddos since she was a little over a year and a half and you form a fast bond. Now, Elyse is different! She and Ivy were playmates for a year and Kristy kept telling me all year that they played SO good together. She talked about how their imaginary worlds were connected! And the talk didn't stop there- Ivy talked about Elyse all the time and coming from Elyse's mommy the talk was mutual. So going to pre-school- leaving her friends- especially Elyse, has been hard. Daddy was dropping Tula off first for convenience reasons and after one day of Ivy seeing her friends waving to her from the door she was done- she wanted to go to Kristy's and leave pre-school behind. Little does she know several of her friends will be (if they already haven't) starting pre-school and will not be at Kristy's either! Daddy changed his drop off routine (Go, Daddy!) and we planned a play date with Elyse and pre-school has been smooth sailing ever since!

So it was a giggle fest when we got Ivy and Elyse together and they even had mommy laughing- these girls were silly- and I am going to share some of my favorites :)

We picked Elyse up when we got Tula and here is where the conversations began!

Elyse: Where do you live, Ivy?
Ivy: Well, I live Entucky, Nicholasville 1-1-7 Lefty Loop
Elyse: Reeeeeaaally? I live in Kentucky, Nicholasville too!
Ivy: You do!?!?! Yay!!!

Talking about another little girl at the babysitters... I seriously don't know where they get these things!
Ivy: Let me tell you this. Have you heard that Sydney lives in the woods?
Elyse: No
Ivy: Well, she does. And let me tell you this.....
Elyse: Waiting in anticipation....
Ivy: A real tiger ate her dog!! (Mommy gasps in the front seat!)
Elyse: I'm glad I don't have a dog!

Elyse told some funny stories about Tula getting into everything at Kristy's and the response....
Ivy: (With a very serious look).... Elyse, are you babysitting my sister? Cause I have to go to school.
Elyse: (Equally as serious).... Yes, I sure am!

Girls doing what girls have always done best- going to the bathroom together! (Starts at a young age.)
I hear them cackling together, so I round the corner to tell Ivy to give Elyse some space and I hear...
Ivy: Leesee (know idea how to spell this nick-name)... you are nakee as a jay bird!!
Elyse: CRACKING UP!!! You are so silly, Ivy!

Rapunzel and Ariel White (which they called one another the WHOLE time!) had a great time playing together and prolonged leaving as long as they could. It was a good dose of friendship for Ivy and she was happy to go back to pre-school knowing she had a little friend fix with Elyse. They are already trying to plan their next play time!

My Preschool Girl

Happy 1st Day of School to Ivy and Mommy!

I can't believe that I sent my girl to preschool this week... she is officially a "Preschool Girl." I told her that I couldn't believe I had a preschooler and she responded with, "Yea, I am a preschool girl!" Little misunderstanding- but we will go with it!

So onto my preschool girl- it is hard to believe! But that is the realization, when you are a mother, life passes too quickly. In January of this year I started checking out my preschool options for Ivy. I knew that Kristy's would have lots of littles and didn't want Ivy to play the "big sister" role all day and all night. I knew a routine and school environment would be great for her. Now, as I checked into my options I found that as a working mom and having working grandparents left me with very few options. Half day programs wouldn't work because we would have no way of transporting her to wrap around care, not to mention it would be crazy expensive and we couldn't afford to spend one more penny on child care. Then I was hoping to find something that gave you the option to do 2 or 3 full days a week. I found some programs in Lexington but that meant I wouldn't see my girl until Greg got home from work. No thank you! I need to see my child for more than an hour and half before bed time. So that pointed us to the full day, 5 day a week program right in Nicholasville- conveniently on the same street as Kristy's (Tula's sitter). I called and visited Jessamine Montessori and was pleased with all they had to offer us. The program is for 3 to 5 year olds and is a state certified preschool and kindergarten facility. I loved all the hands on activities, the larger than life playground, and the fact that the more I talked about it I heard about several other families that had good things to say about the school. Ivy will attend Jessamine Montessori for preschool and her first kindergarten year and I am excited for all my little girl will learn. This is the foundation of all the school years ahead of her and I want her to LOVE learning!

So her first day she was ready! I had butterflies but she was excited about the newness of it all. New friends, new shoes, new lunchbox, new teachers, new classroom, new "toys!" There were no tears, just a little shyness. Daddy held her hand tight, she gave him a big hug and she was off to start school. She reported all the fun things she did and was excited that she knew two friends already! She "just stared" at some new friends and was brave enough to talk with them the next day with a little pushing from Mama. She was sleepy and was in bed early every night this week but she has already told us that she is going to school every day unless it is closed! What is she most excited about this year? She is already counting down the days until her 100 Party on the 100th day of school! :)

I am thankful for restful weekends to catch up with my husband, love on my baby girls, and spend some time with extended family! But in just a few short hours, we will be early to bed and getting ready to start our school week all over again!

Look at that "Preschool Girl" so big standing by her backpack!!

Letters from a Mama

Dear Ivy and Tula,
I am so lucky to have a job like teaching. I get to spend such long breaks with you at the most perfect times. Summer is by far the best time of year. There are memories made, lazy days spent together, and adventures that we could never take in the months between August and May. Some of my favorite days are the days we did nothing- pajamas until lunch, movies, crafts, and play, play, play! We had a great summer... but as the days start to dwindle I start praying for God to prepare my heart for the school year ahead. I pray for the students who will be counting on me and I pray that my mommy heart starts to find a way to be okay with leaving you girls for too many hours to count each day. God has a funny way to getting me ready but He always gets the job done!


Sweet Tula,
You are moving and moving non-stop! I am having to hover over top of you at all times to see what you might be getting into. You love your big sisters toys as you have had a good 11 months to eye them from a distance. We are keeping all her little trinkets just out of your reach. We are trying to keep you safe but since the moving began you have had a couple bumps, but you are still all smiles. With all of your new territory, we have found you pay extra attention to detail. You are drawn to the teensy fuzz balls, stray strings, and bits of grass that are in those hard to reach places. I am thankful that take time to study it before you try to pop it in your mouth.... I interject before the latest find becomes your afternoon snack :) In your moving adventure, you also have decided sleep needs to take a back seat. You want to walk around your crib for a while until you just conk out. The first night, you even fell asleep sitting up! Poor girl, you are wearing everyone (even yourself!!) out! We love you so much and are so excited to see you grow and change. But the time has come, Mommy is going back to work- it is time to chase down the big kids when they don't do their homework and let scanning the baseboards for baby hazards be left to the evenings and weekends!

Ivy Girl,
You are so big! As in 40.5 inches tall (65%- WOW) and 32 lbs (26%) kind of big!! 4 is so big :) You have grown up so much in just a matter of days. Being helpful at home, carrying on phone conversations like a middle schooler, and not even crying on your visit to the ENT- now that is big stuff. You are ready for Mommy to go back to work so your latest adventure can begin.... pre-school! I have butterflies this evening as I imagine you walking into your classroom tomorrow. I am so glad Daddy will be there to hold your hand. You are going to have such a great time and I hope that you are in full, every last detail kind of full, reporting mode tomorrow evening! I am sure you will have stories to tell. I can't imagine all the learning that will be going on inside your little head over the next several months. I am excited for you to share it with me. I have been praying for you and this big step- I know you will live up to your latest word and be a "Total Rockstar!" Where you heard that... I will never know?

Our summer is wrapping up, but let's not be sad! We had so many fun days and when we blink our eyes a few times- fall break will be here and you know we have big plans for you girls. Think magic, princesses, castles, and glitter.... and we will get there by jet plane! :)

Everything I do from August to May is for you and you! I love you both to the moon and back... twice!
~Mama

Summertime Days

June and July ......

must be the best months!

I am responsible for a family of 4....

Not a class of 26.

Field trips taken,

Memories made.

Days without plans....

Playing our worries away!

More time....

For family and friends.

Sunshiney days at the pool....

But now it is time for back to

SCHOOL!

Cheers for all of the happy summertime days!

A "Family" Party

Ivy had a super birthday celebration on Saturday.... with FAMILY.... now I emphasize family because for Ivy that was a sore subject! Now, go ahead, pick your jaw up of the ground, bite your tongue before calling her ungrateful, and remember that she is 4. And she had BIG plans for her birthday. Early in the summer she starting planning and she had a detailed description of what she wanted for her special day- it involved a big elaborate cake, lots of presents, renting party space, games, and LOTS of friends. So you can imagine her disappointment when I said, "Oh, Ivy, that does sound like fun- but this is your year for a family party. Maybe we can do some of those things when you turn 5 and it is your turn to have a friend party. Okay?"

Well okay it wasn't! She crossed her arms, stuck out her lip, and with a hmmmph said, "I don't want a family party!" And many times between June and her special day she made it quite clear that she felt shorted on these birthday plans. But I stuck to the plan- that Greg and I decided after Ivy's first birthday- every other year things would be a bit simpler.... and family party it was!

But with a family like hers, she was treated like royalty and had a fabulous FAMILY party day!
Everybody eating lunch at Ivy's request... Sir Pizza! She is quite loved :)

Opening one of many gifts.... she was so excited!

About to sing happy birthday and dive into Ivy's requested.... Mickey/Minnie strawberry cake.... I am certain it was even tastier than the big, elaborate (pricey) cake I was describing in her party plans!

Testing out her PINK balance bike

Interruption from Tula, "Excuse me.... hey, guys.... when is my birthday???"

Snow White baby doll from Unc and Esie :)

Riding her balance bike.... after changing into dress up clothes of course!

So excited about the playhouse to come.... just a sneak peek with the front door!

She was up and ready with the sun to play in the finished product the next morning!

Family party or not.... Ivy had a super 4th birthday bash!