Turning Nine and Growing Fine!

Look!!! This is no small thing here. I have FINALLY grown my own human that's tall enough to ride the big kid rides with me! That's right, Emma, at the 5th percentile in height (last time we checked) has finally reached the four foot mark, and we are both SO excited for what Roaring Springs water park is going to be like this summer! Happy Birthday Emma!

   

Jake wanted to give her his own present, so he found this crocheted owl key chain that my mom brought back from Brazil (that he had claimed, but Emma had wanted), and wrapped it up and gave it to her because he knew she would like it. What a sweet boy!

She wanted her own alarm clock, so we got her a spiffy one that displays the time on her ceiling, which she thinks is totally awesome.

And of course, the thing on every one of Emma's wish lists, Legos!

1. What is your favorite color? Pink
2. What is your favorite toy? Tablet
3. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries
4. What is your favorite movie? Parent Trap
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Potato Bacon Soup
6. What is your favorite outfit? Blue dress-up dress
7. What is your favorite game? Clue
8. What is your favorite snack? Doritos
9. What is your favorite animal? White tiger
10. What is your favorite song? Gethsamane
11. What is your favorite book? Bad Kitty
12. Who is your best friend? Kjirsten Thacker
13. What is your favorite cereal? Honey Nut Cheerios
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Drive the toy car
15. What is your favorite drink? Lemonade
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Snowy --white tiger stuffed animal
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon Rolls
19. Where do you want to go for dinner on your birthday? Tucanos $$
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Zoologist and Vet
21. What is your favorite thing about school? Art and Recess
22. Favorite sport? Basketball
23. Favorite treat?  Ice cream

We did end up going to Tucano's, but we combined it with Valentines day and with taking Brad's brother Jeff there to make it totally worth it. It was delicious, and I think Emma ate just about as much as the rest of us. The girl loves meat! It's hard to see my only little girl growing up, but I'm loving the  new activities and fun we have together! She's doing great in school, and enjoys playing piano and ballet. She's a smart and talented young lady, and I love that she still loves snuggles, hugs and kisses.

Feb 2017

In a Galaxy not so far away...

Emma wanted to do a Star Wars themed party for her 9th birthday. I put up some streamers and stars, and made some storm trooper balloons for them to battle with their light sabers. We surprised her with a Ray costume right before her friends came, and she loved running around in it.

They discovered asteroids around the house, had Imperial Pizza with Vader-ade juice, and decorated cupcakes with red and blue frosting for light sabers. Emma picked the activities she wanted to do, so we had "Jedi training" where they tried to keep balloons in the air with light sabers, battled the storm troopers, "stay aboard the Millennial Falcon" (Musical chairs), until they were fully trained in the Jedi ways to take on Kylo Ren.... aka Big Bad Brad.

Brad was sweltering hot inside the layers, couldn't see well through the mask, and had 8 kids trying to attack him with swords and light sabers. He went down fairly quickly. I trained them well.

 A few of the girls finishing up a game of musical chairs...

 Miss Emma won the first round.

 Presents. I'm always nervous having a group of kids over that I don't know, anticipating a crazy, loud houseful of mischievous out of control kids, but this group was very well-behaved and polite. A very nice, unexpected surprising difference from last year! I'm glad to see she's making some good friends in school. She's a good kid; we're glad we kept her around another year!

Feb 4, 2017 

Lizzy Down for the Count

Lizzy loves coming with us to pick up the kids at the bus stop. In the beginning, she's so excited she's shaking! (And if you look in the back left right when the video starts, you'll catch not one, but TWO kids falling.. I laugh every time). Oh... and as a last note, don't turn your volume up too loud because Jake decides to whine right by the speaker... my apologies.

Lucas, my first body contortionist. He would just sit like that and watch his shows... And I love when he runs over to Brad just to snuggle for a while. Melts my heart.

 And poor Miss Liz got spayed and a fixed hernia. She was a pretty motionless drugged dog for a couple days. check out that bandage on her leg showing how much of her is just fluff! She did not appreciate the cone of shame.

Almost a week and a half after this, when she was completely back to herself, she all of a sudden wouldn't move unless absolutely necessary and wouldn't eat or drink. So back to the vet we went, and they discovered something about 1" in diameter in her abdomen... we're guessing it was a wad of toilet paper because she kept getting in the bathroom trash. Anyway, they wanted to do really expensive x-rays to make sure that's what it was, and possible surgery to get it out, but I opted for pills to help with digestion and hope she could pass it. It was looking pretty grim with a couple days of syringe feeding/drinking that we were about to take her back in, but luckily she bounced back and is doing well again. Phew. Bathroom doors will be shut from now on.

Jan 17 - Feb 2017