Wednesday, January 27, 2016

WHEN DADDY IS AWAY

So have I mentioned that Kenny has been gone to market! For 8 sleeps! That is a long time when you are the only parent.  Like I mentioned yesterday I called for back up in Mrs. Ann for the weekend days and that was arranged way before I knew that the kids were going to be sick the entire week! Oh my goodness! Kenny left on Monday morning. Walker doesn't go to PDO on that morning but Elle was also out of school because of MLK.  So we were able to see him off.  On Tuesday morning Elle was complaining of an ear ache and Walker was running a fever.  So I kept Elle home from school and we loaded up and went to the doctors office.  Elle did have an ear infection and doctor just told me that Walker had the crud.   I was even feeling under the weather. We literally get sick every time Kenny goes to market.  Last year we had the flu.  I call it the market curse!
The sickies!  Look at poor Walker! Chapped cheeks, chapped nose! 
Elle may of gone to the doctor in her night gown and cowboy boots.  No shame! When we stopped at our pharmacy she asked for dipping dots.  It was only 10 am but we had been up since six so that is practically lunch right? Plus anything goes when they are sick!
Walker trying to sleep it off!
Making the best of our day.

Elle made a quick recovery and returned to school for the rest of the week.  Walker, however just could not kick it.  His fever returned day after day and the crankiness was through the roof.  He did not want to put down but he didn't want to be held.  He wasn't eating.  It was really rough.  The days were long! Sunday morning I decided to take him back to the doctor (a different one) and they actually ran some tests and he had strep! I wish we would of know this at the beginning of the week. Whenever Kenny is at market I send him lots of pictures of the kids so he can see them and get an idea of how our days are looking.  I thought I would share some of those pictures!
I sent this picture to Kenny because Walker constantly asks to be picked up by putting his hands up like this.  I knew it would make Kenny miss him!
Elle thinks if Daddy is gone then our bed is her bed.  I tuck her in upstairs 
and she comes down half a hour later. 
Getting sick baby cuddles.
Elle was wearing this little sweater tunic and with her new haircut she looked 10! 
Gramma and Elle posing for a pic.
This was Walker all week.  Hated the world.  Cranky cranky cranky!
Mommy and Elle playing games while Walker naps.
Walker getting a morning bottle from Gramma.
Before school snuggles on Monday morning.

Thankfully I am writing this on Tuesday and Walker is finally much much better.  We even left the house this morning! 
Walker was actually entertaining himself for the first time in a week by tearing apart my bedside drawer.  So I just let him because he wasn't crying.  

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

ELLE'S OFFICIAL 5TH BIRTHDAY

On Friday we celebrated Elle's actual birthday.  The legitimate day that she turned 5 whole years old! Kenny was out of town at market which is why we had her birthday party a week early. So I asked Mrs. Ann to come in town to help out and to be a good distraction.  That in itself turned out to be a big blessing because Elle and Walker ( especially Walker) have been sick all week and I needed some  extra hands.  More on that in the next post! I wanted to make sure Ellle felt special on her birthday so I planned a couple of small low key surprises for her!

Lucky for me the weather had a surprise of its own!  It snowed all morning! And although it did not stick it was still exciting! For breakfast I surprised Elle with donuts for breakfast, some pretty pink roses and a My Little Pony balloon!  She was excited!
Waiting on the birthday girl!
Early morning pick with Mommy before school.  Please notice it is still dark outside.
Since the snow was not sticking it was hard to get a picture of how big the flakes were and how hard it was coming down. This was my best attempt.

Elle was looking forward to taking cupcakes for her class a whole lot. Almost as much as her actual birthday party.  Then when they started closing schools around us I got a little worried she would not get to and I knew how sad she would be.  Thankfully the academy kept their heads on straight and didn't close school and she got to share cupcakes with her class and the class next door that they spend a lot of time with.
Elle's teacher sent me this picture of Elle and some of her classmates enjoying the treats!

While Elle was at school we had a special delivery from a local florist.  Balloons and 5 gorgeous pink roses for 5 wonderful years.
Pretty flowers.
Walker was obsessed with the balloons and kept pointing to them and saying "ooooon." 

Coincidentally we had a big time hair cut scheduled for Friday afternoon.  Elle had finally agreed to cut a few inches off her hair.  I was so excited.  Elle was bald for so long as a baby that we have just let her hair grow and grow.  She has had some trims along the way but no real length cut.  Her 5th birthday was the day! She ended up getting 5-6 inches cut at least.  We actually could of cut a little more but maybe next time.  Christi does my hair and Kenny's hair and now Walker's too.  She was so nice to curl it for Elle after she finished cutting it making it extra special for her!
This was the night before.  I brush her hair before bed every night.  And I was
 admiring how long and pretty it was.
Making some big cuts.  Please notice Elle's hand up in this picture.  She did not 
want me taking pictures so I was having to sneak them.

All the cutting is done and now it is time for some curls.
The finished product.  She looked so cute!
She looked so much older to me.

When we got home we let Elle open her presents. She got a little school set for her bitty baby twins from American Girl.


For dinner I made tacos, a favorite of Elle's and then since we had had a lot of cake in the past week we made ice cream sundaes for dessert.  It was a great end to a wonderful day celebrating our sweet girl.
Making sundaes together.


Elle- On your fifth birthday I hope you know that we love you so incredibly much. You make us laugh and smile and watching you learn and grow has been our lives greatest work and joy.  You are an amazing girl with a sensitive heart and an imagination that will take you so many places. While I wish time would slow down I can't wait to see all the ways you will change in this coming year.  I love you Elle! To the moon and back!

Thursday, January 21, 2016

DAY AFTER PARTY AND MATILDA!

Saturday morning I made a big breakfast and then everyone head home.  We wanted to have a low key day at home because we were taking Elle to Memphis the next day and needed her to be well rested. It turned out to be the perfect idea because Elle was excited to play with all her new presents so it was such a relaxing day spent together.  Elle spent majority going between her dollhouse, her new vet clinic and then getting different arts and craft kits out from her friends presents.  She was also thrilled that her butterfly face paint had help up through the night and was excited to sport it all day!
Moving furniture around in her dollhouse.

Family effort putting together Doc's Vet Clinic.

Painting with one of her crafts she received as a gift.

On Sunday we arrange for a babysitter to keep Walker at home and we left early for Memphis with Elle.  We had tickets to go see Matilda at the Orpheum. I saw Matilda a couple years ago in New York after it won the Tony and was dying for Elle to see it!  We were so excited! The week before I showed her clips of some of the songs from the musical and we also bought the movie.  She was a little worried Mrs. Trunchbull was going to be scary because in the movie there are some suspenseful scenes.  But Mrs. Trunchbull is more funny than scary in the play!

Before the play we hit up our favorite pre-theatre lunch spot, Aldos!  Last time we came here before Newsies Kenny and I had the stomach bug and didn't eat very much.  This time we were able to actually order some of the delicious food.  And Elle was excited to play with the pizza dough like she always is!
Selfie with my theater buddy!
These two! Twins!
Silly faces!
Kisses from Daddy.  He was making sure to get some serious loving 
because he was leaving for market the next morning!
Our tradition of thing a picture in front of the poster continues!
Waiting on it to start!

Elle really enjoyed the play.  She was a little antsy for the Newsies so that is why we wanted her to be well rested for Matilda.  She was very into the whole thing.  Sat very still and paid lots of attention.  I love when she gets into them. I just love sharing this with her because I love them so much!  I can only hope she grows up and continues to want to go with us to see the plays! 

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

ELLE 5TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

We had Elle's 5th birthday party a week early because Kenny will be at market for her actual birthday.  The party was at Holli's Sweet Tooth, a candy shop that recently opened in Starkville.   It is a super cute little shop with a big bright room perfect for entertaining 25 little girls!

I came up with two different crafts for the guests and then had one of those really fun face painters come and each girl was invited to have her face painted however she wanted!  Elle had her heart set on a rainbow butterfly all week.  She was thrilled with her face paint!
Family picture together before guests arrived and faces were painted.
One of the tables where the girls could make bead bracelets.

They could decorate these foam flowers with all the glittery stickers
Goody bags with three different candies Elle chose.
My sweet birthday girl waiting to get her face painted.
She has her serious face on during the process. All smiles afterward though!

Miriam and Elle with their butterfly paints.  Butterflies were popular.
Cate and Elle in their Elsa paint- another popular choice.
Ruby, Miriam, Elle and Audrey
Walker did amazing despite the party being right around his bedtime.  He hung out with family members and even got a couple paw prints painted on his leg.  He was not having his face painted.  
Violet and Elle showing off their crafts that they made for each other!
Nannee and Elle
Time for ice cream and cupcakes along with the go to kids party food suggest and cheetos.  Elle asked for the second year in row not to be sung to.  So we did not sing Happy Birthday to her.  What the birthday girl wants the birthday girl gets!
Me and Margaret handing out birthday cupcakes.
Elle wanted me to get my face painted.  So I got a heart with her name in it!
Elle and me with our face paint after we got home from the party!

The party was so much fun and a total success.  Elle was thrilled with how it turned out and her friends seemed to enjoy themselves so that made me a happy girl! We came home after the party and Kenny picked up to go food from City Bagel for supper.  I got Walker to bed and then we let Elle open her presents!  She received lots of sweet things from her friends. She is a lucky girl!
Pop Pop helping Elle open their gift to her. They gave her the Doc Mcstuffins Vet Clinic because she is Doc McStuffins obsessed.  Walker and her have both had the best time play with it.

A little before Christmas my mom found this beautiful doll house at an antique store in Memphis and wanted me to get it.  We passed initially but ended up going back and getting it for her birthday. My mom and sister and me and Kenny all went in together and also bought a lot of the sweet furniture to go in it.  It is totally dreamy and I had the best time picking out the furniture and other little things for it. I was worried that Elle would not care anything about it but she has played with it non stop! We plan to have a special spot for it when we re do her room but for now have put a big low table in her room for it to have a spot.  But right now it it still on our dining room table with a stool pulled up to it so she can have constant access to the house!
The front. You can't see the sweet little mailbox I put right next to t
he front door because of the porch post.  It is adorable!

The inside all furnished and with the doll family!