It's a Girl!!!

No, sorry, we don't know what we're having......it's a BIRTHDAY Girl!

Ella Bella is 6!

Again (like the past 2 years!), she insisted on a "baby" party. This has nothing to do with us expecting a baby and EVERYTHING to do with her love of babies :) So we went with it...right down to the baby shower balloon and "New Baby" plates that she picked!

Thursday morning started out, as it should! I was volunteering in her class that afternoon and decided to surprise her with McDonald's and have lunch with her beforehand. It was great....maybe too great....because as soon as we got back to class & started writing, little Ella just started tearing up and crying! Her teacher was at a loss & said "I never see this side of her"! Leave it to Mom to bring out the worst. The problem was she wanted me to stay or to come home with me, neither of which was happening....so she cried for a good 15-20 minutes! I felt horrible that she was so upset, especially on her birthday! Her teacher was awesome about it....pulled Ella aside and did the "teacher" thing....then she slowly got it together. One little boy in her class, David, was so concerned about her being upset and really tried to help. The pregnancy hormones are flowing here, so David nearly had me in tears with his sweetness ;) Anyhow, David suggested Ella show me her journal.....just what we needed! We giggled at her stories & pictures & Ella was back to herself.....phew!.....just in time to head to computer! So much for writing!!!! Moral of the story: I'm only volunteering in the morning.....by the afternoon she's just too tired and seeing Mommy puts her in a tailspin!

After all of that, I came home to make Ella's cupcakes!

She LOVED them!!! Babies...what's not to love??

This is the look of sheer joy.....as Ella opens the only thing she really wanted: high heels!!!!

Sometimes I wonder if she really is my daughter......

She almost teared up again after blowing out her candles because she forgot to make a wish! We quickly did a "take 2"........then she whispered to me "Mom, I wished that you will be with me forever" :)

After cake and ice-cream, she put on her pj's and nearly passed out on the couch. We could tell she had been pretty tired all day....reminded us of Berenstain Bears' "Too Much Birthday"!!!

Thanks to everyone for making our sleepy 6 year old feel extra special!

A Monster Bash

We celebrated Luke's 3rd Birthday on Saturday! Time flies, seems I was just blogging his 2nd birthday......silly me ;)

Anyhow, we started off his day right: Waking him up...like it or not....with his birthday breakfast in bed...nothing fancy, but the kids LOVE this!!!

The boys and I made his "monsir tuptakes" on Friday...they were tons of fun to make with them and Luke was THRILLED!!!! He couldn't have been more excited over these things!

I have to admit, I definitely shared in his excitement!!!

Enjoying Mema's number cookies....more monsters!

His prized birthday gift! Once this thing was opened, he spent the rest of the night sweeping! He would try to put it down, but coudn't stand it...he'd have to get back up and sweep!!! Thank you Mema and Pappy!!! He's a huge helper sweeping the house with the real thing, but I had to lock it up when the job was done, because he'd want to lug the huge thing around all day & keep sweeping...now we all have the best of both worlds!

Thanks to Grandma and Papa and Mema and Pappy for coming to celebrate our little monster and to everyone for thinking of Pookie on his special day! We love you!

Our Sweet Valentine

We spent Valentine's Day sharing some very special news with the kids:

They are all pretty excited about this little Love :)

None more than our baby-lovin' Ella Bella...pretty sure we made her year (atleast until late Sept!)
She wants to be the first to hold the baby, she wants baby to sleep right beside her in her room, and she keeps telling me "Mom, I am SO (with an eye roll) excited about this baby, and you know why, right?...cause I LOVE babies"! No doubt, SHE will be the baby hog ;)

Emma and Anna quickly realized what a change this would be for our family....more specifically, them. Emma's biggest concern was if we could still go to the beach & was quite relieved when we said yes! Anna was immediately trying to figure out where baby would sleep, where baby would fit in the van (won't), and was saddened a bit thinking about all of the attention baby would receive...I expected this a little from her. We had a little talk and the next day she told me "Mom, I'm so excited for the baby now since you explained about how babies can't do things like I can and that you and Daddy love us all the same".....love you, Boo! Ty is pulling for a boy.....hoping that with 3 boys, he might end up with the neat loft

bed the girls have :)

Then there is Pookie.

He is so sure he is having a "sis-sir".....it may or may not have something to do with the fact that he is smitten with his newest cousin, Gracie Marie......

Hope you all had a Valentine's Day full of love too ;)