Anna's 4th Birthday

It is incredible to me that our little girl turned four this year.  It seems like yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital!  She has matured into this little woman who can articulate so well.  Her new favorite thing to say is, "I have a great idea..." and will explain to you her latest plan.  Over the past few weeks, the whole "using your manners" thing has clicked and it makes her Mommy and Daddy so proud to hear those pleases, thank yous, and may-I-haves!  She adores her little brother and gets quite upset when she has to go anywhere without him.  She gets more fun all the time!  Her latest quote: "I love being four!".
Because we decided to do an intimate princess tea party with just a few of her friends, her birthday ended up being a long string of little parties because she has so many people who love her and wanted to help her celebrate.  On Saturday we went to the UNC/Rutgers game and had a little birthday party at the tailgate so that Block and Talley and the Yates family could celebrate with her.  She looked so cute in her "Go Heels!" outfit.

Proud of her princess pin

Ready to blow out the candles on the Carolina cupcake!

She was so excited about the Snow White set
from Tim and Mary Beth.

After we got back into town after the game, we headed over to Sarah and Jason's to celebrate with them and Mimi and Papa.  Anna got Sleeping Beauty, the movie, from Sarah and Jason.  Mimi and Papa got her princess jibbets for her Crocs and a cute mermaid doll that you can take the "thin" (fin) off of to reveal legs.  She had seen it while we were down at the beach and had a fit.  I hate we didn't take any birthday celebration pictures!

On Sunday afternoon, we invited four of her friends over for a princess tea party.  Anna couldn't decide which princess to dress up as, so she wore her "married dress" since all of the princesses get married at the end of the stories.  We made cupcakes with pink icing and put lip gloss rings in some of them.  We decorated crowns with sparkling gems and then Anna poured tea for everyone to drink with their snacks, fruit, and cupcakes.  It was precious!

The pretty table ready for tea.

Craft table

Pretty princesses: Sophie, Ellie, Anna, and Madi
(Audrey couldn't come)

Gluing the gems onto the crowns was a big hit!

Anna pouring Sophie some tea.

Jack got a visit from the princesses, too.

Anna did a great job sharing her new Princess Tea Party castle.

What a gorgeous crown!

After the princess tea party excitement, we headed over to Nannie and Pops' for another celebration.  Aunt Lyn, Uncle Tom, and cousin TJ were all in town, so we had multiple reasons to celebrate.

Anna blowing the candles out on her Max and Ruby worm cake.

This Barbie's dress can wind up and then release down
with the touch of a button.

Yay!  Barbie's dorm room!
Isn't she too young to be talking about dorm rooms?

Aunt E got her a remote controlled Strawberry Shortcake car.
Uncle Bren was even excited!

Playing with her Barbie in her matching dress.

 Monday was her actual birthday, so we took cupcakes to school for snack so she could celebrate with her class.  She wore a birthday crown and got sung "Happy Birthday" to THREE times! After dinner that night, Mommy and Daddy let Anna open her final gift: Grow-with-me inline skates.  She had asked for some skates after seeing them on a Ni-Hao Kai-Lan episode and we thought it might be a good way to get her outside more.  She was so excited!  They fit right over her sneakers and have these cute training wheels on the back.  You can adjust them to three different levels depending on how advanced they need to be.  She has loved practicing her skating!

Her pretty Barbie skates!

All padded up and ready to skate!

Whew!  Her birthday was a whirlwind of fun and activity and lasted three whole days!  It's hard to believe these last four years have flown by so quickly, but I am really excited about what this next year has in store!  We love you so much Big Girl!

Anna's First Day of 3-Year-Old Preschool

It's hard to believe that Anna is another year older.  She is in Mrs. Long's class at preschool this year and has 12 other girls and only two boys in her class.  Poor Mrs. Long!  We were a little sad because her best friend from the last two years, Bryce, was assigned to the other class.  But, that means she has an opportunity to make new friends!  She looked so grown up on that first day.  Here's to another great year!

A growing girl with her Daddy!

Anna and Mommy

One the first day with Mrs. Long and Mrs. Sawyer

Anna First Day of Dance Class

 Anna took gymnastics last school year, but has recently been asking to take dance.  I knew she would absolutely love it, but I didn't want her to quit gymnastics. I didn't want her to be in more than two activities at 3 years old, either (she starts choir at church this year).  Luckily, a friend of mine let me know about a dance class that offers tap, ballet, and tumbling in the same class.  Score!

She was so precious going to pick out her shoes and tights and leotards.  When she put everything on that day, you could tell that she felt beautiful.  Seeing all of those girls walk in and prance around in their tap shoes was ridiculously cute.  After the class was over, she came flying out yelling, "Mommy, I had the best class!  Do you know what?  We got to do the freeze dance!"  I know Anna is going to be so excited to get her recital costume come the end of the year.  Oh, the things we have to look forward to!

The First Tailgate 2011: UNC vs JMU

The long-awaited football season was finally upon us and we all headed to Chapel Hill for the first game, with a little more gear than we have had in previous years.  We couldn't wait to see what Jack thought about cheering on the Tar Heels.  Plus, Jack and Charlie would finally be together again!  

Future roommates (according to their daddies)

Tuckered out from all the morning excitement

Anna took a nap, too, poor thing.  She wasn't feeling very good this game.:(

The boys and their boys

Anna perked up once the game started with some help from Aunt E!

Jack took another quick nap during the game...

...but then woke up to enjoy the second half!

The kids did great!  Although it was sweltering, we all had a great time and enjoyed seeing the Tar Heels play and bring home the win.  One down, two more in a row to go...

Jack is 7 Months Old!

What a month this past one has been!  Jack is growing so fast!  I had to pack up all of his clothes that weren't at least 12 month size.  He is definitely in size 3 diapers and pushing 4s.  He has mastered the army crawl and can get pretty much anywhere he wants to go.  But instead of crawling, he now just wants to hold onto something and stand up!  He is walking mostly on his tip-toes, but is slowly figuring out that it is not the most stable way to do it.  We broke out the music table so he can stand and play and he loves it.  He made his first trek to the beach this month when we stayed down there for a week.  He had his second ear infection this month and had gained almost a whole pound in just two or three weeks.  He is a great eater and eats pretty much whatever we give him, especially if it is something we are eating.  We tried to drop his third nap, but found out he still needs it most days.  On the days that there is something going on and he can't get that third nap, he can get through and just be a little fussy.  We're getting there.  On the day before he turned 7 months old, he learned how to clap and is so proud of himself!  It is so cute!  

Here are some pics from the past month...

First trip to the beach

"I don't quite understand this sand and wind stuff..."

At first he was a little timid with the waves,
but then got excited and started dancing when he would see them coming.

With Mommy and Daddy

Sleeping with Bobo

Happy Jack

Ready to eat!

I love my music table!

Anna's Love of Flying

Anna has always loved being tossed around, swinging, climbing, and riding rides at the fair. Usually, the higher it goes, the better she likes it.  Well, one evening the kids and I met my friend Carrie and her two kids at the mall.  Her little boy, Tucker, wanted to do the little bungie jumping thing so bad.  And, of course, since Tucker wanted to go, so did Anna.  Carrie and I looked at each other...and caved.  I was actually thinking that Anna would get on there and get scared because that thing goes so high!  I don't know what I was thinking...SHE LOVED IT!

Ready to jump!

She was as high as the upper balcony!

Self Portrait

Anna has an art easel in the playroom and occasionally likes to draw on it.  On August 25, 2011 she drew these pictures and they were so amusing that I had to have photographic evidence...

Anna's self-portrait: She looked at it when she was finished
and exclaimed, "It looks just like me!" 

Anna's drawing of Daddy

Mermaids Live in the Water

Anna got a new mermaid costume and kept asking if she could wear it in the bathtub.  I kept saying things like, "We don't want to mess it up!" or "If it gets wet, you won't be able to wear it again until it dries." Nothing worked.  She kept asking until finally I said, "Why do you want to wear it in the bathtub so badly?" She answered, "Because mermaids live in the water, Mommy!" And you can see the outcome of that...

Nicknames

Anna has so many nicknames for Jack!  I wanted to get some of them down before we all forgot them...

Jack (obviously, but this starts the progression)
Jackie
Jack-e-poo (a fave)
Poo
Pooch
Poochie Snooch
Snoog
Snooger Booger

Where she gets them from, I don't know...