Happy 2nd birthday Anna

Happy Birthday Anna! You are 2 going on 4. You try so hard to keep up with Sallie and it is so cute. You are such a big girl and are talking up a storm. You say full sentences now and you repeat everything. You are so cute and I am enjoying your age so much. Sallie, Daddy and I laugh at you all the time because you say the funniest things. You still love your sleep and will sometimes sleep until 8:30 or 9 if I let you. You are in the crib and will probably stay there until you are three. It will be really sad for me to pack that crib up. You love your babies and you love your new kitchen that you got for your birthday. You also love love love television and if I would let you watch it, you would do it all day. You love watching Dora at night. You had a really special day today on your birthday and thought it was great singing happy birthday to Anna. You blew out your two candles like a champ and then ate your doughnut. You loved your party and all your gifts. You got a special monkey for your birthday from Daddy. You saw this monkey in the store while shopping with us and did not want to put it back down. It is a good thing that Daddy was with us because I would have just put it back and left and just said that you would forget about it. Daddy had me take you outside and then he bought it and wrapped it up for your birthday. You loved opening it this morning. You have Daddy wrapped around your finger. You love to sing "Jesus loves me" and "Twinkle Twinkle little star" and you can say your blessing with Sallie and you try to say your prayers now. Some of your sayings that are not my favorite are "Sallie in timeout", "Bad girl" as you hit Sallie, and "mine first". Of course you learned all these from your sister and you learn Sallie in timeout from me as this is a phrase that has been said a lot lately. You are starting to test the boundaries a little but you are so cute that I have to catch myself and not laugh sometimes. Anna, you are so special and we love you so much. Happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet Anna !! I love watching you change and grow everyday. I wish that I could freeze you right where you are and keep you two forever. You are growing up way to quick..... I love you, Mama

Happy 4th Sallie

Happy 4th Birthday Sallie!! I know that I say this every year but really, 4? How can you be 4?? About 3 hours ago on this day you arrived and wow what a wonderful day that was 4 years ago and it gets better every year. Now with saying that I must add that it gets more challenging as well but what a joy you are in our lives. God has blessed me and your Daddy with you and continues to bless us daily. You really do light up our life. I hope that one day reading this blog you will truly know how funny and sweet you are through my entries and stories about you.

You loved your special day today and took full advantage of it being "your" day and I let you. You started with a cupcake for breakfast, cupcakes at school, your own bag of jelly beans from the fresh market, presents galore, and dinner at the Japanese restaurant with a sprite. That is big stuff. You are now in bed but still awake playing with your bubble gum machine. Thank the lord we got the one that you have to have a penny to get a piece of gum. By now you have probably figured out how to get the top off so I will go check soon. You asked me if it would be your birthday again tomorrow and I told you no. It is only one day sweet girl :) It has been a fun one.....I tried to think of some things in 4's that you do or have done. So I will start with this......

The top 4 things that I love most about you:

1) Your smile really does light up a room and melt my heart !!! It is also contagious...
2) You love to be close to me and snuggle or hug all the time. If you are sitting on the floor and I walk in the room to sit on the couch, you want to be next to me snuggling.

3) You are so smart and sneaky at the same time.

4) You are adventurous and outgoing and love meeting new people.

There are lots of other things but we will keep it limited to 4 for this entry.

The 4 funniest things that you have said in the last year that I will never forget because they totally embarrassed me:

1) You pointed at a man in publix and asked why there was a pirate in publix. He obviously had a eye surgery and had a patch over his eye.

2) There was a lady in publix again (i can never go in that store again) with long black/gray hair, and you said "look Mommy, there is a witch"

3) You pointed to a lady in Wal-mart and said that she had lost her front teeth like Sam (my nephew who is 6)

4) You told your teacher at school that I used "Sassy sauce" when you were sassy. disclaimer... I have only used one time and obviously it worked because you have not quit talking about it since.

There is one other one that is the best of all but i can not post on blog. You can ask me when you are older because I will never forget that one :)

Now let me tell you since then, we have had some serious conversations about what we whisper before we yell out in the store or in front of others. I am sure that some of those things could have been hurtful to others. The man that you called a pirate just looked at me and said "its ok". I am sure that my face was the color of a red apple about that time. You continue to make me laugh daily and you also continue to teach me all about a love that is the best ever. Sallie, I love you more everyday and you make my heart so full and happy. You are the cutest 4 year old that I know and we will get through these 4 's together. I am not sure if we have been getting through the end of the threes or the beginning of the 4's lately but they have been challenging and emotional days for you but we will conquer them and grow wiser together (this I pray). Happy Birthday Sweet girl!!!! I am so lucky that God blessed me with you. I love you............................... Mama

bath time and the zoo

We went to the zoo last week with Mary Grace and had a fun time. It was really hot but the icee helped cool the girls off. The new kangaroo exhibit was really neat and we fed the giraffes as well. By lunch time I was ready to go!!

Got a few cute pictures of the girls playing together at bath time tonight. After getting a few shots of them, they splashed and got the entire floor wet. Atleast they were playing nicely :) Anna looks so grown up in these pictures.

Ward and I got the opportunity to go to Reynolds Plantation for the weekend and my mom and Dad took the kids to the beach. We had so much fun and it was a much needed vacation. No pictures from our weekend. It is funny how I never have a camera unless I am somewhere with the kids. Anyway, the kids had a blast at the beach and I think they enjoyed a vacation without us as well. It was great to get home on Sunday and see them. The Ritz was nice and everything was at our fingertips but there is no place like home.