Ruby's Parties

Ruby turned 2 on the 9th, but with travel and juggling schedules, we just had a bday party with friends on the Friday morning before her bday. It was so fun and easy-and she loved it! She was so cute about it all-she knew it was for her and was her special day. Big girl!

Special outfit for her special day

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These 2 are adorable together!

So did our friend John Thomas!

Kitty cat cake, goldfish, and juice boxes were a hit!

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Our neighbors Logan and Evelyn came!

Our ever-faithful party-going friends the Zorios joined us!

That evening the Bushes came in for a weekend visit and combo party for Camden and Ruby-both July 9!! On Saturday, the rest of the family came in to help celebrate.

Pool rats

She was thrilled with her little gifts-the baby doll above is much loved at our house! And she got her very own giant bag of gummies!! :) She also got a puzzle, hand puppets, a stuffed animal, and some duplo blocks. Perfect 2 year old gifts!

We played a game-pass the yarn ball-to open presents

Birthday twins!!! Yummy strawberry cake to share!

The whole group! What a great family-see why family is a big enough crowd by itself!? They are such good supporters to come celebrate our girl!

We went to church Sunday and afterward to Mexican. I have to include the below bc it was so hilarious. I told them it was Ruby's bday, so they brought out a hat, sang, and put a dollop of whipped cream on her nose. As soon as they did, she looked so violated and looked around like she couldn't believe it. She just broke down. She cried her eyes out while we all died laughing! They tried to put a hat on her and she refused, then was only calmed when Daddy help her. She clung to him for dear life!

Annie's parties

We celebrated Annie's 4th birthday several times....her little friend pool is getting larger, and I wanted to have everyone over for a swim play date anyway, so I just took the opportunity to combo it with a princess parties. The first one was for our small group friends, the second for school friends, and the last was a cousin combo in Nashville with family. On her birthday morning, Sat the 26th, we started by opening her gift from us-a Frozen doll house, then went to the doughnut shop, of course! 

I was happy with how cute this cake turned out. Perfectly simple in decor and easy for me to make.

 I decorated the inside with all the princess themed decor because there was a threat of rain, but as party time neared it started to seem sunny and hot, so we ended up hauling it all out  again anyway.

The kids in our small group have grown in number!! We were so excited that the Zorio family was driving through town back from a beach trip and decided to join us!!

Such adorable friends-both turned 4 in May!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few days later, we had our school buddies over. All the decorations were still up, so it was pretty easy! Annie helped me make cupcakes that morning. Jasper, the best babysitter ever, came by early in the party and gave Annie this gift:)

Best buddies!!

We got in a good swim and ate outside, then a big storm was coming through, so we rushed to do the pinata outside, then had cake and opened gifts inside. People had to stay around and let the kids just play while the storm blew through. It was a doozy! 

Funny she is pretty much surrounded by boys! Her best 2 school friends are Owen and Connor, then also John Lane came who she loves, but is a bit older. Owen's sibling Ellis is the only other girl represented, then his brother Aidan came and brought our neighbor Caleb along!  

This is the next day-playing with her new dress and princess dolls.

And trying out her new Veggie Tales backpack from the Wayes!

The following weekend, June 2, we went to Nashville and met up with the Bushes at Grandma's house.

We combined the family May bdays!

Group shot! My mom, Marie, and Jake came as well as Grandpa and Peggy.

This beauty salon gift was a hit-everyone was getting their hair done!

So was this stick horse and hat from Mom and Dad

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This was especially a neat celebration because Diana had brought her mom down from Iowa for the week (following Grandpa's funeral in May), and it lined up with our gathering! Loved having Grandma DeWitt there!

Feeling silly!

And sillier!

Cake shot with Aunt Mae!

**Annie is 4!!**

Our big girl turned 4 on 5/26. Below is a bit about her, starting with her questionnaire. We also had a family photo shoot just before her birthday, so these are her solo pics. Cutie!

 1. What is your favorite color? pink and purple
 2. What is your favorite toy? dollhouse and backback (new bday toys that are fresh on her mind), so I'll also add stroller, babies, stuffed animals
3. What is your favorite fruit? peaches
4. What is your favorite tv show? Veggie Tales (also Pinkalicious, Minnie Mouse, Doc McStuffins)
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? carrots
6. What is your favorite outfit? Elsa Ana dress
7. What is your favorite game/sport? Feed the Woozle (school), says she likes to watch volleyball (we've seen the PCS girls play and also her cousin in KY)
8. What is your favorite snack? goldfish
9. What is your favorite animal? tigers
10. What is your favorite song? This is the Song that Never Ends
11. What is your favorite book? Pinkalicious, she loves to be read to and will accept most!
12. Who is your best friend? Owen and Connor
13. What is your favorite cereal? Krispies
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play with Chalk
15. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk and Juice
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Pink kitty, pink blankie (tons of stuff in her bed-different stuffed animals that are special to her at that moment)
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? donuts
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? cake
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? doctor
21. What is your favorite thing to do at school? play with all of the toys

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I was looking back for her 3.5 year post, and evidently I never did one! Darn! So this will be a bit long. I just try to take a few notes about the kids as we do life, so they may seem random, but I want to remember the little things about our littles! Overall, though, from 3 to 4 has been much easier with Annie. She's a bit more chill and able to process things rather than quickly get upset and throw fits. I can talk her through things and she is able to stop and think instead of become irrational. :)

-Annie is a spunky, happy-go-lucky girl. She is sweet and passionate at the same time. She is very much a girly girl and also has the emotional personality you think of with girls. She cries at the drop of a hat and then the next minute is totally fine. She has a sassy side that lands her in time out fairly often, then she also has such a loving side that is extremely sweet and demonstrative. She is the most physically loving of the 3 kids and just adores sitting close or in our laps, hugging, giving cuddles, etc. She will fall asleep while laying on daddy, whereas brother would never be able to do that. Sometimes when she is having an emotional time, this physical touch can do the trick to snap her out of it. Once when we were swimming she swam to me and I held her close and squeezed her. She said, "I like this so much!" One time I was asking those little conversation starters and asked her what makes her happy. She said, "Cuddling with Mommy."

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-Annie has  many "isms" that are uniquely hers and uses LOTS of expression when she speaks. She shortens everything, and we get a kick out of it. We don't know where it comes from! Some of these are Hens for Henry, pops for Papa, mons for Manar, Rubes for Ruby, go pods, Anns for herself, shugs for sugar, makes for makeup, and many more. She tries to imitate what she hears, but gets it a little off, so she ends up saying her own version of certain expressions. Some examples are, "Goodness aprons!" (for goodness gracious), "What in the whole world?", "What in the goodness?", "I'll watch an eye on her" (talking about keeping an eye on Ruby, "They're tumple overboarding!" (for they're toppling overboard!), calls braids "braves", sleeves "leaves", and "skin milk" for skim milk. She went through a phase of adding "ish" to words to make her own version (like sparklish). If she doesn't know a word, she uses "thingies". Says "prize its" for privates. Just the other day she said, "Good lands!" after something happened-this is a Steven expression! She had a pinata for her birthday and kept calling it a "pon-yo". She took Mr. Swanner over to show him the "pon-yo"and explained to him, "You hit it and candy goes EVERYWHERE!" She can never remember the term "goose bumps" and instead calls them "duck bumps".

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-There are a few things that make Annie escalate quickly. She hates to be hot, especially in the car. She cracked me up one day when she said, "It's too hot! I can't breathe!!" I could totally relate! She cries and cries that her back is hot in her car seat. And she has a meltdown if her shirt is up gets pulled up in the back or her undies get in her bottom (her explanation of a wedgie). Oh the car seat woes!

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Thank u mom. You're precious.
Little girl vs big girl
Thinks body is bottom
6/6 tuBes adenoid
Goodnight little mermaid mommy
Loves her Pearl jewelry
Jump up like a pup!
Catching sunshine in a bucket
Jowelin
I love manar. I love her soft arms.
That's a lot of sos
Why do we say yes mam? So we don't get spankings?
I had to go back to school-awe. I'm sorry mommy
Talking about throw up after-"it was like terrible" 8/12
Oh my!
Big girl at prek, teachers complimentary, peek in on her working, fave buddies Owen Connor, wants to have Owen to swim
Boat ride
Loves to talk about ballet, show us her dance moves
I have a baby in my tummy
Concept of time...last year
Doesn't like doors cabinets opened and closes them herself
Loves jewelry 
Adores playground
Does it have buttons?
Last year, last night, confusion about when things happen
Upset about shirt up in car seat and wedgies
Taken out by waves at beach
Prays and abbreviate all names, even her own, pops, mons, hens, rubes, go pods
Always notice when we're not buckled
Singing bible, saying pledges,
Got gum from faith!
Psalm 19:14 let the words
I'm good at sistering!!
Shugs for sugar
What does queen do? She wands people
Wham I️ grow up and I’m a princess...can I️ have 2 braids?
Gum treat
Airplane eating
R u gonna eat mommy?
Space and rocket center
Up on top of road
I can’t find my whoohoo!! Yelling from bed
Time out over baby Jesus nativity
Wh
Did u know I can have gum? Tells strangers
Can I tell u a secret? Did u know cats purr?
Asks questions then in middle of my answer says “I love you mommy!!” I want to hug you when we get home
Plays school on holiday
In Big church. Why didn’t we pray for those sick people in the hospital? (James in nursing home)
And please give us a new puppy, ok Jesus?
I like you mommy-said right after I started to scold her for doing something
I like your neck-she tells me
Asked if she could marry daddy when she grows up

1/3 front off bed
Sleeping perfectly laid out with baby under blanket and arm on top. Pretending to be pregnant a lot. Talks a lot about Mary and baby Jesus. Always spotting the nativity. Calls angels fairies.
Only an hr nap now...1:30-3
Happy when sick. “I accidentally spit up a little bit in my bed. Sorry mom.”
So difficult eating-keeps food in cheek for forever. Hid her broccoli behind table.
That man has a fat tummy!
Let’s do hand stacks!
“I love u in my heart”
I love you Jesus. I love your heart. Amen
Boz prayer
So so excited about signing up for dance
Praying-thank you for all the sweet and cuddly animals
I like your privates! To daddy in shower
Whoo girl when live music comes on-valentines mei wei
Wedges-big bumps!!
Peter the tiger-peter pastor
3/16-Sweet playing w grandma “tuh-wit”
Showed zebra her zebra toy
Loves snuggling-hotel sleeping. Fell off bed!
I’ve missed u daddy. I haven’t been w u in a long time. Ur a sweet daddy.
I love u in ur chicken remodel
I’m hot!!! My back is hot!! So upset about shirt being up or wedgie
My neck hurts!!! When playing iPad
Interested in writing name April

4/19-big car conversation about heaven, sin, Adam/eve, Jesus. Started w Maggie is dead. Do people die?

Jaspers our babysitter and she lets us stay up late and watch a movie!!
Aunt Mae spoils us!!!
Wrote name great 4/30
Terrible w names
Are they twins?
Buckle herself in
Colors in lines