Let's Celebrate!!!

We've had cause to celebrate in the last 2 months...3 VERY good reasons to celebrate!!  On March 6th, Jessie turned 1...March 18th, Rachel turned 2...and April 15th, Elianna will turn 1.  And celebrate we have!  Soon after our arrival back east Jamie and I headed up north to his family's place to celebrate Jessie and Rachel's birthdays and this past Sunday we all got together to celebrate Elianna's birthday.

And I can't forget one other special person who also celebrated a birthday...my sister-in-law, Maegan.  I had great intentions to post a special birthday blog for everyone this year, but here's the reality, there are 8 family members who celebrate a birthday between January 27th and April 15th...that is a bit much when your trying to move around the country, find a place to call home and find a job.  So, I apologize, dear ladies, maybe next year I will be more blog organized.

 

I absolutely love this sweet girl and her infectious smile!  That smile could make the sun shine in the middle of a hurricane.  She was quite pleased with the gifts she received and as an extra bonus she is now attempting to walk...it's good diapers come with plenty of padding.

Rachel, too, was quite pleased with her gifts.  This is an expression we see much of from Rachel lately.  Her eyes grow to the size of large dinner plates and her mouth forms a perfect "O"...it's even more hilarious when she takes her little hand, grabs hold of your face and pulls it her way to "show you" her look of surprise.  Rachel also has news to share with everyone...she's almost potty trained!!  (Let's just say, almost, as I have been the recipient of a diaper-less girl who forgot to tell me she needed to pee...didn't realize I would also need to bring a change of clothes when babysitting.)

This picture was too good not to share.  The girls do love their Pappy and Mimi!

For Rachel's birthday Mom and I took her up to Chocolate World to experience early on the marvel of chocolate.  She marched on up the ramp that leads to the ride and I thought this may go better than I thought...I thought too soon.  We reached the platform to walk down the stairs for the ride and she immediately began pulling on Grandma's arm and the crocodile tears started flowing.  Thankfully after a few convincing words from that the ride "wouldn't bite", she agreed it was safe.  I think in the end she was glad she did cause she enjoyed it...that and the free candy you get at the end of the ride.  We had a wonderful time together! 

(I have become known as Aunt Cookie...it's a story that would take too long to share right now...so in true cookie form, Aunt Cookie and Rachel just couldn't pass up the lovely cookie display in the Chocolate World store.  I love the little hands pressed up against the glass.)

"Take my hand, Grandma, I am too young to walk alone

Today I need a helping hand 

But just until I've grown.

Some day I'll be so big and tall and won't that be so grand

But take my hand then anyway,

I may need help to stand."

Elianna celebrated in true style...her party theme was Hello Kitty.  We celebrated in sunshine and warm air and had a grand time doing so.  Elianna is so easy to photograph...when she holds still...and I love these pictures of her.  She has the bluest eyes with lashes that go on for miles.  (I'm sure one day her daddy will be waiting by the door with a shotgun in hand to ward off all the boys that won't be able to resist those beautiful lashes!)

I couldn't leave Isaac out of the blog.  He was mommy's "helper" with the gifts except that he typically had the tissue paper yanked out before the gift bag ever made it to mommy.  I think he was wondering what he was going to do with a fluffy pink bubble suit...who knows Isaac, I'd have rather gotten a truck too!  (He kept bringing present after present and as he carried each one over to open it, he keep saying, "Truck, truck".)  Poor guy.