Emily's 3rd Birthday!

Birthday, Easter & Buckets

What a crazy few weeks we have had here. I am not even sure when it started but I do know that my beautiful baby girls 3rd Birthday fell right smack dab in the middle of it!

For her Birthday she picked Minnie Mouse! She loves Minnie Mouse! I couldn't find a Minnie Mouse Cake pan this year so I created my own Minnie Mouse cake & used the colors from her other decorations! I think it turned out cute. I am definitely not ready to compete for a prize but the kids sure did like it! I made 3 different types of cake on the 3 different levels. The bottom was a yellow cake, the middle was chocolate & the top was strawberry. The boys thought the purple frosting tasted differently so Matt told them it was purple nurple flavored (it's from a cartoon). Anyways, they totally believed him & told everyone at the party! It was so cute! I tried to tie Easter in to her party by doing a Easter egg hunt as the main game. We had so much rain the days leading up to the party that I was afraid we wouldn't be able to do it (at least outside). Thank goodness the sun was out that morning & by the time we wanted to hide the eggs it was mostly dry! I had 3 people outside hiding eggs & all of the kids were trying to cheat & look through the shades! My Mom took some great pictures of our little cheaters. Emily got to be the first one out the door...since it was her Birthday, then the little kiddos & then the big ones. It turned out to be a fantastic game for all the ages. After the egg hunt we played outside for awhile. Then we opened presents. Emily got lots of fun things. Her big present was the Signing Time Videos Mommy & Daddy got her!! She went crazy! All the sudden she started signing "signing time" over & over & over again. I am so glad that she was so excited about them especially since they are educational & mostly for therapy & communication!! Next we did cake! Which Emily couldn't wait for...I had caught her earlier in the party sticking her finger in it (over the back of the counter). We have been working really hard for the last couple weeks on blowing which is not one of her strong suits. She did great! She didn't need any help blowing out the candles this year!! After cake we decided to go back outside & play a few games. So the Dads were in charge of the games & they played Duck, Duck, Goose which Matt still insists its Duck, Duck, Grey Duck...even though no one else knows what he's talking about! I think they also swung on the swings, played kickball & tag. It was fun. We had so much fun! I really love having parties at our house. Our friends can stay as long as they want to & we aren't in anyones way!! I think that sums up Emily's Birthday.

Easter this year was definitely a challenge! Poor Cameron kind of lost out on that first Easter. We got up & did baskets (the Easter bunny was lazy this year & didn't hide them). Anyhow, then we started getting ready for Church.  About 20 minutes before we were going to leave Alex gets sick. Not just once but 3 times. So we decide that my Mom will stay home with him so we can take the other kids to Church still. Church was wonderful! Packed but it was a good sermon & Emily, Hunter & Cameron were well behaved! We pile in the car & head home. When we are pulling into the drive way Hunter says "Sorry, Mommy & Daddy I was sick". We are thinking he just feels sick but no he got sick at some point all over the back seat! Poor Baby! So I get all the kids in side, Hunter cleaned up & Alex is still getting sick (now every 10-15 minutes). My Mom says "I started getting sick 20 minutes after you left for Church"! Fantastic!! At this point I think everyone has the plague. So all the kids are in PJ's now everyone has a bucket & we are watching a movie (don't ask what because I have no idea...I spent to much time following kids to the bathroom). Matt was great & cleaned out the car while I was getting the kids in PJ's. Just in case anyone doesn't know this about me...I can handle most anything in & out of the human body BUT the sound of someone getting sick makes me ill! Matt knows this & sends me upstairs to nurse Cameron & take a nap or do what ever. Well, a friend calls while I am nursing Cameron...her daughter Gabbie (who was at the Birthday Party) was getting sick. Awhile later Matt starts getting sick! Then Gabbie's Dad starts getting sick too. Next was my turn & well we get the idea. I think after all was said 10 people from Emily's Party were extremely sick starting sometime on Sunday & lasting thru Tuesday. After talking with everyone we figured out that 10 of the 12 people who ate the sandwiches got sick. It was the only thing that all of us who got sick ate in common & the ones who didn't get sick...dint have sandwiches (go figure)! Matt talk to the grocery store & got a refund from them. They took the extras to have it tested. So unfortunately our Easter Sunday & the last 2 days of my Mom's trip were spent super sick. At least we are all feeling better now! I am very glad that Emily & Cameron didn't get sick (that would have been even harder). 

3 Years Old!

Emily will be turning 3 this year on Easter Sunday! It never occurred to me that any of my kids Birthdays would ever fall on a Holiday. Well here we are...Easter! Totally not a fan!! I am in the process of planning a Birthday Party for Emily (this Saturday), Easter for all the kids & a small Birthday Celebration on Sunday!!! We have always had a Party for the kids & then done something special on their Birthdays (usually cupcakes & a present or two). I wont slack just because its Easter but it definitely isn't convenient!! Okay thats enough of that...

Emily decided on her own that she wanted a Minnie Mouse Birthday!! I love it! I was almost willing to bet she was going to choose Princess but no Minnie! We got her these cute little Minnie ears. Oh, how cute she is. I think we are going to incorporate Easter a little into the party & have a Egg Hunt! I think that would be fun. Oooo...I should go to Target & get Dark Pink & White Jelly Belly's. Huh. Now I think I am going crazy (do you really think a bunch of 6 & under kiddos are going to notice that the jelly beans match?)! Anyways it will be fun. On the Disney website there are some great ideas for games & printable things for the kids to do. Most of you that know me well know that I always make my kids their Birthday cakes. Well apperently Minnie Mouse isn't too popular anymore. I cant find a cake pan to save my life. Or well I can if I want to spend $45-80 which seriously that cake better make its self for that price. Now, I would totally buy it if it frosted itself that would be a cool trick! So after a very frusterating search I have decided to make Emily a teir cake. 3 small teirs. The bottom will be bright pink with white polka-dots (which is Minnie dress color), the middle layer will have strips or swirls (something similar) & the top will have little Minnie heads (with just a bow). I ahouldnt be too dificult (I hope). I have to use foundant which I have used before but not in a long time & certainly not here in HOT land! I am sure it will be fine...if not there is a Fry's right down the street!

She has truely grown a ton in the last year. I look back at her pictures from last year & wonder where has the time gone! Where did my baby go. Before I know it she will be off on her own. Wow.

Emily Birthday 2009 (and Easter)

Emily Birthday 2008 

The Wheels on the Bus...

First time on a school bus!

Home from school!

Today was Emily's first bus ride. She was very excited unlike Mommy who was very nervous! She wanted to wait outside for the bus. It was scheduled for 11 am but I was told it would probably be later. So we got out the sidewalk chalk & drew pictures of Emily, Mommy & different shapes while we waited. As most of you know it is already getting very hot here. Well Mommy is a wimp & wanted to go inside but just then the bus showed up! Emily grabbed her backpack & off she went right up to the bus. It was all fine until the brakes let out air... Emily jumped so high! She grabbed my leg & wouldn't let go. The bus driver said that I could bring her on the bus & strap her in. I pick her up & took her to her seat (which was the 3rd row). I buckled her in to the car seat. I said I love & will see you after school. She gave me this look like excuse me your, not staying! She didn't cry though! My tough little girl. I got one really fast picture & got off the bus. Wow, I never realized how hard it was going to be to put her on the bus (emotionally). I mean I knew that it would be tough but it was very difficult letting go of that control. I placed so much trust in someone I didn't know. Well I made it through the day & so did Emily. She fell asleep on the bus ride home (not a surprise). The bus driver (who is different in the afternoon) asked if she had ever rode the bus before & told me that Emily did wonderfully! I am so proud of my baby girl! I was able to get a quick picture of Emily in front of the bus before it left. 

Emily brought home some crafts that she worked on at school. They have been working on the letter H this week & the sounds it makes. They are also talking about Spring Time. Emily made a very cute chicken & the letter H. She was very proud of her creations. 

We have a communication log with Emily's teacher so we know what she is doing on everyday. Partially because she rides the bus & we never see the teacher. Mostly because Emily is unable to tell us what she has done. I know today Emily made a bunny. I can't wait to see it!

Emily's cute little chicken!

    

The letter H (like you can't see that!)  :)

Very proud of her work!!