Carter's Big Day

Carter had a really big day yesterday.  He went to nursery all by himself for the whoe time.  They said that he cried for about 20 seconds, they comforted him and then he was fine.  I am so proud of him.  He has not let us leave him for such a long time.  It was long over due he is almost 2 1/2 years old.  WOW where did the time go.  He also had a really great day with the potty and he went 4 times in the potty.  However he did pee on Dale.  Dales reaction was put a diaper back on him!  I didn't listen and I just took over the potty training and he did really well.  Dale likes potty training when there are no accidents and he can help them wash their hands.   Carter isn't at that point yet but we are excited about the progress he has made.  I am also thankful for all the help Dale is with the kids. He is such a great dad and I appreciate all the hard work he does for us at home and at work.  I have such great boys in my life and I am thankful for both of them.

Happy 4th Birthday Shayla!

Today was officially the big day for Shayla.  Dale and I had to work so we woke her up early to open presents.  She was very excited to open presents.  The rest of the day she was spoiled by grandma who took her to McDonalds for lunch and also spent the day playing in her doll house.
Shayla has been begging for her ears to be pierced so we told her she could make a choice a new bike or pierced ears for her Birthday.  She chose without hesitation for her ears to be pierced.  I came home from work and took her straight to the mall where she got her ears pierced.  I kept telling her, "are you sure you want yours ears pierced...it will hurt."  She kept saying "yes".  She picked little pink flowers for her first pair of earings.  She then waited on the chair while they pinned her hair back and drew dots on her ears.  Then the big moment came and they pierced both ears at the same time.  She started to cry after it was over for a few seconds and then she asked if she could look at them and then said "oh, their beautiful". 
She hasn't stopped looking at them in the mirror and she told everybody we saw tonight that it was her birthday and she got her ears pierced. 

Sitting in the chair waiting for her ears to be pierced

Right after they pierced her ears

Her newly pierced ears

She chose to go to Noodles and Company and get macoroni and cheese for dinner.  After dinner she picked out pink cookies with sprinkles for her preschool treat to celebrate her birthday.

Shay's Birthday Tea Party

Shayla celebrated her birthday a couple of days early with a cousin and friend Tea Birthday Party.  It was a lot of work and a lot of fun.  She had a vision of how she wanted her party to turn out and she planned a lot of it herself.  She wanted everyone to dress up in a costume, even me and Dale.  We made little cupcakes the night before and got little ice cream cones.  We played a few games such as see how fast you can pour the water in the Tea Cups without spilling, a Piñata and a princess cake walk.  We also had a Tea Party.  We had 15 little kids here including Shay and Carter, there were moments that it seemed a little crazy but Shay was having so much fun.  We served grape punch in a real tea pot and they all drank out of little cups.  The time flew by and before we knew it, it was time for everyone to go home.
When each of her guest arrived she would say "Thank you for coming to my party I like your costume", it was really cute.
After all of her little friends and cousins left, Dales family came over for a little birthday party.  I made a Tea Pot cake which I think turned out pretty good.  We also let her have an early gift from us...A doll house.  She was so excited to open it.  Her Grandpa and Debbie gave her a Tinker Bell planting kit with dirt and seeds.  Grandpa helped her set it up and plant the flowers.

Shay, Braxton and Cambrie hangin out and waiting for everyone to arrive

We dressed up in our finest, no this is not my wedding dress it is my prom dress

Shay getting ready to open her presents

Starting the Tea Party

Cambrie was the second person to pull a string and she found the lucky one, so we decided to to leave it until the end and let all of the kids pull together.  This way everyone would still get to pull a string.  Parker came up next and pulled the rest of the strings out with one swipe.  He was dressed like spiderman so I guess one swipe was all it took.  Dale looked at me like this didn't turn out like we had hoped.  The kids didn't seem to care and they all came over and pulled on the one string and then Dlae shook the candy out. 

 

Garandpa and Shayla planting her flowers

Shayla playing with her doll house.  She played with this all night and first thing this morning.  She loves it!

What a day of fun for my little girl who isn't so little any more.  Thanks to everyone who came and made her day so special!

                                                            

Disney on Ice

Last night we went and saw Disney on Ice.  The whole family went and it was such  a great time.  Dale and I were a bit  worried about how Carter was going to do.  You never know about the 2 year olds.  We were on the upper part and at first Shayla was scared of sitting so high.  Then Carter started crying because everyone was screaming and he didn't know what was going on.  He was also scared.  There we sat with two scared kids and we were looking at each other like maybe this wasn't such a good idea.  Then the show started and things turned around for us.  Shayla was clapping and screaming out for the different charachters.  Carter was also clapping and pointing and talking about the cars.

It turned out to be one of the best nights.  Both of the kids had there eyes peeled on the ice.  We got to see Mickey and Minnie, Cars, Lion King, Little Mermaid, and Tinker Bell.  I think both of our kids liked the Lion King the best.  They had a lot of really neat animals.  Carter started dancing to the music and wanted to be right up to the railing.  Shayla was so excited to sit by her cousin Makenzie.  They talked and laughed the whole show.  It was such a great family night.  Our kids were at perfect ages to go and be entertained.  They both watched the show like it was the most magical thing in the world.  I love Disney and the world they offer us.

Before the show you could go and meet Princess Tiana.  We were a little disappointed because all we got to do is wave at her.  Shayla thought she was so beautiful!

We went with my sisters and there girls.  Makenzie, Megan, Brittany and Shayla.

Shayla held up her dress and walked like a princess the whole time.  She was very into this.

Carter so excited during the Lion King show, he didn't stop smiling the whole night.

Shay and Kenzie waiting for the show to start

Shayla picked a Tinker Bell cup

Carter picked a Cars hat with cotton candy.  He loved the hat and wore it for a long time.

Out family after the show

Bubbles and Boxes

They are actually cuddling in my bed, this was before I went to work one morning.  I love it!

We have been potty training Carter and along with that come his obsession with toilet paper. He thinks it needs to go in all of the rooms so he pulls it from the bathroom to each room.  I love his face in this picture it saying "excuse me I'm busy here do you really need to interupt me to take a picture."

 

Happy to be sliding outside

Shayla is collecting all kinds of different leaves (they all look the same to me)

Carter found the bubbles that mommy had hid behind the cinder block.  I hide them at times because when he finds them thats all he wants to do.

Carter chasing the bubbles and popping them. He is in pure JOY!

Shayla very excited she got so high by pumping be herself

We got girl scout cookies and Carter discovered he could fit in the box.  The problem is he is stuffed in there so tight he can't get out.  We decide to help him out and he want back in.  Carter loves the tiny box, it is kind

of weird he can fit in such a little box.

We have had so much fun the last ouple of days with the warm weather.  Carter loves to be outside and goes to the door everyday with his shoes and jacket in hand.  He was on cloud nine to be outside these last few days.  Shay also loves to be outside  and is very excited because she no longer needs to be pushed on the swing and can get really high without counting to ten.  Last year I got tired of pushing her every few seconds so I taught her how to pump and count to ten and then you will be high.  She is proud of her new accomplishment.  Carter also loves bubbles and wants them all of the time so we blew lots of bubbles and played in the leaves that didn't get raked up in the fall.  I took some pretty cute pictures of them while we were outside.  It's been a fun week and it's not even over, I can't wait for tommorow.