Anna's Special Day

Four years ago at just this moment I was trying to convince a nurse to call my doctor because I was really supposed to have a C-section, and I really didn't want to do any more labor. Just a few minutes later, Anna was born. She is all we could dream of in a little girl, so we wanted to make this day all she has been dreaming of for the last 12 months--really. She has been so excited for her birthday. Here are a few highlights. I think she was pretty happy with the day, which revolved around bouncing and Hello Kitty.
She really wanted a T-R-A-M-P (we spell it so she hopefully won't remember?!?), but I'm just too nervous about one, so we got this bounce house instead, and at the same time furnished the living room! I think it will move outdoors as soon as it dries up, but good to know it can work inside for a rainy or snowy day. Thys is petrified of the thing and cries every time we blow it up or let the air out.
We invited a few of Anna's neighborhood friends to go bouncing and sliding with us. Here are a few highlights of the action.

Our Annie is Four!

Annie turns four tomorrow. Oh, how we love this little girl who changed our lives! She is bright, happy, determined, and independent. She enjoys everything she does, and loves to be around people--especially her cousins (that includes cousins, friends, Becky's kids). She loves being on the go and wants to know where we can go or where we are going everyday. She is a great big sister to Thys. She is so sweet with him, and shares pretty well for a four-year-old. We love being with Anna and sharing her zest for living! We are glad she is ours!

Kitty Cake

Today Anna and I got ready for her birthday tomorrow. She is taking a few friends "bouncing," and this is her cake. We had fun making it, and we think it turned out pretty well. She is also a pretty good photographer (she took the pic of me).

Bye, Bye, Baby

Thys had his real first haircut by the infamous Randy. As you can see, in the beginning he was a little unhappy about the situation, but once Anna started feeding him fruit snacks, he calmed down. He wasn't ever thrilled, but I think he was scared enough to hold still, so Randy gave him a full haircut. He looks like a little boy--no more funny baby hair. I just realized that I don't have a picture of the finished do, so I'll have to do that soon. This kid is a crack up. Whenever he likes something, he says, "again." He says things like, "I wanna get out," "I wanna get up," I wanna go," "All done," "sucker," "candy," "cookie," and my all time favorite is still "Thank you!" He knows exactly when to say it, and it is so cute. I'll give him something, and without any prompting he'll say, "Thank you." He has absolutely no trouble communicating. And, of course, we are suckers for anything he wants because he goes about getting it in such an entertaining and adorable way! Okay, I'll quit gushing. . . .But he is cute.

Tagged

Usually I just ignore being tagged. I might this time too, if I can't think of anything to say. And I won't tag anyone else. Sorry. So, Amanda has tagged me a few times, and now Tara. I don't what the instructions are, so I guess I'll follow Tara's tag. SEVEN UNUSUAL/UNKNOWN THINGS ABOUT STACEY:
1. I am impatient and have a temper! (My students and kids are trying to break these bad traits!)
2. I hate slobber--even my own kids. I try really hard not to bite, suck, eat, etc. where slobber has been. (It doesn't really work.)
3. I realize after having two kids I could have never handled the six I thought I was going to have when I was young and naive. Bless all of you who can do it!
4. I stress about a lot of things to do with my kids--especially day care. I cried all weekend a few weeks ago because I thought the great set-up we have was going to change.
5. I am a control freak.
6. I just butched my hair and let the hairdresser do whatever he wanted to--I didn't know what he was doing until he was done. I just wanted the mop gone!!! With each birth, my hair has gotten curlier and curlier. It used to be entirely straight. Now I have patches of really curly, frizzy hair, which makes it impossible to have a straight hairdo or a curly one. I grew it long to see if the curl would lessen with the weight, but it didn't. So now I have short hair, and I am much happier. (Some day I'll post a pic--when I lose 20 pounds. Hah!)
7. I really am not a TV fan. I have never liked watching TV. However, I watch the news obsessively. Occasionally I watch Ellen, and somehow I get into American Idol--I think this season it's because it is the night Mel has young men, and a while back it was on the night he had class.

There. Now I'm done. I don't think I'll ever do a tag again, so no one tag me! (:

The Kids

These pictures aren't for any special reason or occasion. They are just of my cute kids un-dressed up, un-combed, un-clean. In fact I think the rest of Annie's hair is in a ponytail. Apparently it had been a rough day for the hair (what day isn't, I would like to know)!
I love the look in this little guy's eyes. It shows his fun little personality. I think we were actually taking these pictures to try to get some of his hair before he gets a good haircut. It's thin, but it is getting pretty shaggy. I've been trying to get it to curl, but I just don't think it is going to happen. Augh!

The New Backyard Entertainment

One day early in the spring, Mel came home to dirt all over the patio. The kids had been digging in the flower beds. Not allowed. Next thing I know, we're talking about a sandbox. I didn't want one because I already could see my summer's work--vacuuming up sand. But as Mel said, "Let them be kids!" He won. We saw a picture of a great sandbox in Pottery Barn Kids, but we certainly weren't going to buy it. So, Mel build our version of it. In these pictures the roof isn't on yet (it is now, but I'm far to tired to go take a pic and upload and download and whatever else I have to do), but I've already vacuumed sand! (:
Thys was napping for the first step in the sand, but when he woke up, he wanted nothing to do with it. He has dug from the outside, but he hasn't been in. . .yet.

Our Yard in the Spring

No thanks to us, we have a beautiful yard in the spring. It was all here when we bought the house, but we sure enjoy it all. Mel does do a lot of work in the yard, don't get me wrong, but the tulips and the trees were already here.



I have been watching this tree (above) out the kitchen window above the sink for weeks. About two or three weeks ago the blossoms looked like they were ready to pop. I thought each day was going to be the day they finally blossomed. It took a lot longer than I thought, but here it is in full bloom. Today there were hundreds of bees (really) buzzing around the tree.
This little tree we got last summer while Buba and Mimi were here. I just want them to see that it is doing well. It's also about to blossom, and the leaves are growing quickly. Mel thinks we'll have cherries?!?!