Birthday Beauty

She soaked it all in.

I have to say, Ellenie loves the spotlight more than anyone else in our family.

And this is the first birthday where she understood that it was all about her.

She is still trying to use the "Well, it's my birthday" line to get what she wants. She's a quick learner!

But maybe having three small birthday parties made her celebrity status go to her head.

One her official birthday, I took her and Lillianna to our nearby metropolis of Jackson Tn for some special errands.  She was so excited when we pulled into the parking lot of Chuck-E-Cheese.

She was even more excited to see her Daddy there! 

When we got home, we sang to her so she could to blow out a candle and make a wish on her official day.

The next night, we had a small but spectacular BLUE birthday party (notice the attire) at home.

She loved having Ya-Ya and Marshall, Aunt Kitty Cat and Uncle Bill there to celebrate.

But....she loved the make-up she got even more.

Oh and the blue icing and blue cotton candy even more than that.

Our third party was at her pre-school where she insisted that LaLa join us from her class down the hall.

Which was great because there was only one other child in her class that day.  Because of the (little) snow we had, lots of little ones stayed at home.  No matter, Ellenie loved the attention anyway.

A cupcake on the big day, a blue cake with family, mini blue cupcakes at school - whew!

Surely she was caked out.  Not so...her sweet older sis insisted that we make her a giant snow cake.

We did, we sang, she blew out the candles (that Boone kept eating) and then, she was officially 3.

"I'm brwee years old"

This past year...

January and February:

March & April:

May & June:

July:

August:

September & October:

November:

December:

 My sweet Ellenie Lane, you are so beautiful...inside and out.

You are our little ham, our comedian, our entertainer.  It makes you so happy to make us laugh.

You still LOVE to dance, love to sing, and love to make funny faces.

Your giggle is precious but when you laugh really hard it is absolutely contagious.

I love watching your imagination at work - you love to be a very busy Mommy to your babies, love to run errands with your grocery cart, love to get work done in your "office".  In these modes, you often talk to yourself or your babies in your own jibberish, I mean "Spanish" as you call it.

Lately, you have become very demanding and bossy and I often have to remind you that I'm your Mommy.

And even though I know it's just a phase, I like to think that this bossiness is just a glimpse of the beautiful self-confidence you'll one day exude.

You still love make-up and all things princess.

  You gave up your paci this past year...in exchange for a set of 7 tubes of Princess makeup.

Your favorite color is blue and you love your long hair.

You still love to be held by me or your Daddy and you give the best hugs and sweetest kisses ever.

I am so proud of how kind, smart, creative, spunky and loving you are.

What gives me the greatest joy is seeing you and your big sister together.

You two are incredibly thoughtful, so loving, and just precious together most of the time.

You wake up singing to eachother and go to sleep talking and giggling.

You hold hands when you walk and even keep eachother company when one is going to bathroom!

Lately though, you have learned how to really push her buttons (as most little sisters do) and nothing makes you more upset than when she hurts your feelings.

But..as quick as it started, its over and you two go back to being best friends.

I just love how much you mean to eachother.

Three years ago today, you were born.

And....about an hour later, your buddy was born in the room next door. 

I can't believe Virginia is 3 too!  Happy Birthday!!

Like most Moms, I can't believe how fast these past three years have sped by.

Yet when I think back on how much you've grown, how much we've done, how wonderfully full each day with you has been...I feel overwhelmingly blessed.

You are such a blessing to me Ellenie!  I love you sooooooo much!

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY!

Christmas 2010

Christmas was full.

Full of sweet, sweet moments with the girls doing fun things together.

Full of warm, cuddly moments of enjoying just be together.

Full of family and sharing love and joy with them.

I do love Christmas for being so full of these things...family, friends, love, and joy.

We all seem more full of love, full of hope, full of joy.

Or maybe we are just more willing, more open to sharing it during this time.

Regardless, I love it and wish it would last just a little longer.

It seems we do something different each year for Christmas and this one was no exception.

We stayed home - at our own house! - for the first time.

It was different but it was very special.

We did take a day trip to see...

this Angel baby, sweet Vivienne and her super fun siblings.

We went to wish this beautiful girl a very Happy 8th birthday!  We love you Ella!

Then, a couple of days later, she came to see us as we hosted a little family Christmas party and

birthday party for this sweet little fella.  Happy Birthday Connor!  We love you too!

Connor's little bro, Evan, came too and stole the spotlight, the attention, and all the hugs and kisses from everyone.  He gets that from his mother.

Evan thought it would be a great idea to have some friendly Christmas competitions...

"First up," he said, "Cutest Elf Face Contest"

He won.

Then Evan announced the next contest, "Squishiest Hug"

Again, he won.

"Time for Best Behaved in the Christmas Eve Pajama Picture Contest!," 

Evan yelled after hanging the stockings.

Evan went undefeated that night.  He is something.

So Christmas morning was very special, sweet, and fun.

My favorite pictures:

This says it all...make-up was her primary request for Santa.

She was SO excited about everything she got but man oh man, she loved this make-up.

I will always remember the squeal she let out first thing that morning when she spotted the presents in the living room from her bed.

We were so happy to have Connor and his fam with us this Christmas.  He was adorable and so excited about all his train toys.  I will always remember how fast he jumped in the pink Princess car that morning.  He thought it was a super cool ride.

Lillianna was so sweet this Christmas.  She loves the magic, the traditions, and the story of Christmas.  She was into it all - taking care of our elf Minty, teaching Ellenie about the birth of Jesus, leaving cookies out for Santa, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.  She really enjoyed it all.

Sweet Evan was such a blessing this Christmas.

  He is such a reminder of all that we have to be thankful for.

Christmas was full.

Full of all the best blessings of this abundant life.

We have so much to be thankful for.