Dora's Third Birthday Party

We had Dora's birthday party a little early (3 weeks!) because we were leaving on our cruise the week before her birthday (we came home 4 days before her birthday) but our friends the Oldroyds went out of town the week we came back so if we'd done it the week of her birthday they would have missed it!  Haha. So, here are some shots.  It was actually really well attended.  

Lerdleluh was there... and Papa too.  

 Here's Emmy--she was predominantly happy.  

Linsey and Baby Sydney.  

Photo evidence Papa was there.   

Alisha and Max and Jackie with her three... 

Here's Brigham and Rosie... 

Whit's great friend (and mine) Anthony and his two youngest kids came down to visit for the day and made it for the party.   

Here's Alisha's daughter Alexa.  Eli informed me that they've talked about it and they are getting married one day.  Ha!  

My two favorite older guys (not to skip over Eli). 

We had the bouncy house setup in the man cave. 

The entertainment room was party central.  I made this cake myself--in that I ordered it, and paid for it, AND picked it up!! :-) 

Happy Birthday Girl 

She was so excited for presents this year.   

And she had some help! Ha--she's still young enough she likes the help. 

We bought the ribbon pinata where the kids all pull the ribbon, but what did the kids want to do?  Whack on it!  

Eventually they all pulled the ribbons and got some treats.  

Her favorite present at her party was from Lerdleluh--the american girl doll PUPPY.  That's right.  She has ZERO interest in dolls but loves their animals.  Haha. 

Dora loves her grandma!  

We sure love that Dora.  So glad she's in our family.  I'm only a little sad she's turned three!!! 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

This may seem a bit early to be posting a Happy Valentine's Day post.  You're right, it is!!  BUT Whitney and I are going on a cruise shortly and so I had to get our Valentines out in the mail a bit early or they would have been late.  I figured better early than late.  :-) Also, I was going to skip the photo entirely this year and Whit reminded me I could just snap one really quick and go get some prints at walgreens instead of using Shutterfly. 

Also, these photos you see of Dora in the rainbow dress with the butterfly yoke is Dora wearing a dress my grandma made for me when I was little.  Of course, I was five when I wore it (not almost 3.)  Dora is a bit on the tall side in case you haven't noticed.  She found this dress in the closet and insisted on wearing it to church.  

Eli wanted to get into the photos too.  Cutey.  

I have resolved to do a better job snapping photos of Emmy.  Poor thing.  Between the move, the remodel (number 1), Whit's new job, the holidays and Remodel (round 2), I have gotten very few photos of her.  I love this little chubbster so much.  She's such a sweet, good baby.

And I LOVE those big blue peepers.

Here are the other Valentine's shots I had to choose from.  I know, I have no skills as a photographer, but look, we still have painting going on.  It was all I could handle today to throw the kids in matching Valentine's clothes and snap a shot or two before Emmy's first nap.

I really liked this one.  If Emmy had been smiling, it might have won.  (below)

LOVE LOVE LOVE these kids.  LOVE that Emmy Bemmers (what Dora calls her).  

A few updates.

Eli writes all day long most days. His list of words keeps growing. It currently includes all our names (and has for about a year) but has expanded to include things like dog, cat, I love you, to, and from. He's sure a cutie.


We are redoing our guest bath. They are making good progress but you wouldn't know to look at it. Haha. New shower entirely, new floors, etc. hooray!


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Sisters

Can you tell these two are sisters?

I need to dress Emmy up in one of Dora's outfits and try and get a similarly situated shot.  They really look a lot alike to me!!

Emmy baby

Emmy is growing so so fast!! She sits up now and she says mama! It's so stinkin' cute!!!

We love this sweet baby girl! My first baby to learn mama as her first word.



She is also eating great now. Baby food and some big girl food too.

Incidentally, this is Eli at the same age.  They look pretty similar, eh?

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Poor Poor Emmy.  She got pink eye.  Then during that ordeal a fleck of something got stuck in her eye (we never figured out what) and it stayed in for a few days.  Finally we took her to an ophthalmologist who was able to numb her eye, have me hold her down and put this thing in to hold her eye open.  Then he took this little poker and pulled the thing out.  WHEW! Now we are on our last day of antibiotic drops and finally this mess will be over!  We love you Emmy.  So sorry your eye was in such bad shape.  

This photo was after the pink eye was gone but you can see the fleck on the left eye (right side of this photo) and it's just to the left of the pupil on the cornea.  It's rectangular.  Poor little girl!  We were so glad to get you fixed up and back to normal. 

Christmas!!

We had a very Merry Christmas Eve.  The kids were old enough that we did a nativity program.  Daddy read the story and Eli and Dora placed the people and animals in the creche.  

As you can see, we were very reverent at all times.  

We had our immediate family, Emma, my parents, the Morganeggs, and Clinsey and Co. 

 Hey, I'm in one!

 I love how the kids paid rapt attention for the first five minutes.  Then the lost a bit of steam but overall they did great! 

 There was lots of love for the grandparents...

 Emmy was there too...

 Sis Morganegg took a few shots of all of us. 

 We opened a few presents.  Hooray, tiny animals! 

 Eli opened his "big" present from me and Whit.  It is a tiny animal camper so he can play with Dora.  That was a BIG hit. 

 The kids swarmed Papa to help him open his.  Isn't it funny how as you get older, it gets harder to do anything by yourself? 

 Here's Christmas morning.  (The night before)

 Poor Whit worked all night.  His boss even came in late--so he basically worked all night (after working two nights before it) and then came home and we started Christmas morning.  He almost missed seeing Eli come down.  He came in seconds before Eli came down the stairs.  So if he looks a bit tired, he is.  Cut him some slack.  He was a really good sport about it-especially since he had to go back into work that night. Poor Whit!!! 

 Eli was giddy about his four wheeler.   Sadly it was both a Sunday and raining outside.  SO he had to wait a bit to use it. 

 Whit got an electric train from my parents.  He and the kids have had a fun time with that. 

 I surprised Whit and got him the Remington 1911 he wanted.  It was an ordeal-three kids two days before Christmas at Academy.  I'm not sure how long it usually takes to get a gun, being a gun virgin myself (this was my first) but it took FOREVER.  We got there at 11 and didn't leave until after 2 pm.  Try keeping three cranky, tired, hungry kids happy in a store shopping cart that long.  It was NOT fun.  But Dad was happy so it was worth it.  

 So is this a TEXAS Christmas or what?

 Dora got lots of tiny animals.  And lots more.  And more after that.  That kid is spoiled.

 Eli got a few too.  (Two families.) 

 Lest you think we completely ignored her, Emmy got some stuff too.  She had no idea how to open it or what it was, but she got stuff. 

 Eli also got some superhero shows.  Holy moly, so fun. 

 Oh and the kids loved their ladybugs from grandma Lila and Papa Hugh! 

Merry Christmas!!