Happy 5th Birthday, Gabriella!

Today was FUN! FUN! FUN! Gabriella had a wonderful day and it started with a bang. The birthday girl was so excited for her birthday that she woke up at 5:55 a.m. She ran into our room and jumped on our bed. She was so excited for us to wish her a happy birthday. We gave her a gift soon after she woke up.

She asked for "glass slippers" for her birthday. We found her these adorable clear jellies at The Gap and they seemed to be just want this "Princess" wanted.

She then got her first birthday phone call from Nonnie and G-Pa. 

Birthday girl all ready for school. But before heading to her school, we made a slight detour... 

To IHOP! Gabby's birthday is also National Pancake Day! All four of us enjoyed free pancakes while supporting Shriner's. Gabby LOVES pancakes and IHOP is promoting The Lorax movie, which is one of Gabriella's favorite books. What a perfect morning!

Daddy and Adriana as we wait for our breakfast.

Yummy pancakes!

We brought cookies and juice boxes to her class to celebrate her big day. When she got to school, she picked out a birthday crown that she got to wear all day. How special! 

After school, Gabby opened up gifts from family. Nonnie and G-Pa sent this adorable sugar cookie arrangement. So festive!

We told Gabby she could pick any place of her choice for dinner and she chose Incredible Pizza. This is the birthday girl having her dinner before playing games. 

Playing skee ball. She loves this game. She has an awesome expression on her face. 

Playing a water gun game with Mommy and Adriana.

Playing games with Daddy and Adriana.

Sisterly love. Adriana had just as much fun as Gabby today. 

When we got home, Gabby opened up the rest of her gifts from Mommy, Daddy and Adriana. Mommy and Daddy got her a bat and shorts for t-ball, which starts next week and a new outfit for her tumbling class. Adriana got her Disney Princess stickers, bubble bath and a Hello Kitty DVD.

Then we sang "Happy Birthday!" She looks like such a big girl in this one.

Blowing out the candles!

"I'm 5!"

Gabriella, we love you so much and you are a wonderful blessing in our life. Your caring, loving and funny ways are endearing not only to your family, but to everyone you meet. Thank you for being a wonderful little girl. You simply amaze us and we love you so much! We hope your day was full of as much fun, love and excitement as you bring to our lives. Happy Birthday, Darling!

Weekend visitors and Mardi Gras

Last weekend Aunt Bridget and Aunt Megan visited us. Gabriella and Adriana loved having them around for 3 days and they kept them busy with lots of fun activities. Sunday evening, after dinner, we roasted marshmallows in our chiminea. It was a chilly evening.

Gabby sporting a hairdo she requested. What a funny girl!

Yummy marshmallows! Adriana had a lot of fun!

Our visitors.

***

Yesterday was Mardi Gras and Gabriella's school held a parade in the morning to celebrate this fun day before the Lenten season begins. All families were invited to decorate a "float" (wagon) and be part of the celebration. Gabby and Mommy decorated our wagon and had a lot of fun doing it. Gabby and her classmates made their own Mardi Gras masks for the parade, too.

Our wagon decorated in the Mardi Gras colors - purple, gold and green. 

Marching in the parade around the school.

Mommy and Gabby.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We hope you had an especially sweet Valentine's Day! We sure did! On Monday evening, after dinner, we gave the girls their V-day gifts from us. We surprised them a day early so that they could enjoy them together. They each got a purple tote bag with all kinds of goodies inside - stickers, a notebook, candy, art activities, among other little things. The girls were so excited! 

Lots of fun stuff! 

So excited to paint their suncatchers!

Ring pops were a big hit! Check out that "bling!"

The girls' Valentines - Mommy got a little creative. :)

Gabby had her V-day party during school. Later in the afternoon, we attended Adriana's V-day party at her childcare provider's house. The girls had so much fun and love their friends at Ms. Bethany's!

Eating yummy treats with good friends.

We hope you had a special day full of love and happiness!

Pancakes!

Let me start off by saying we have such a wonderful Daddy (and husband)! He does so much for us everyday, but yesterday he made our morning a little more special. After church, he made us pink pancakes in honor of Valentine's Day! What a sweetie! 

He created hearts and letters. 

The girls love when he makes them a "G" and "A," and this time they were so excited they were pink! What a great surprise!

They were just as good, too! 

These are Valentine's Day baskets the girls made this weekend at the Philbrook Museum of Art (Adriana's is on the left and Gabriella's is on the right). The Philbrook is a wonderful place for people of all ages. They host free Saturdays once a month for children and families to participate in various art activities. This month's theme was Valentine's Day, of course!

Beauty Shop...

Last weekend my friend Kelly came down from KC to visit. The girls had a lot of fun spending time with her and Kelly was a great sport. She played along with the girls no matter what they wanted to do. Here are a two photos of them playing "Beauty Shop." Kelly let them brush and style her hair. Gabriella and Adriana loved it and I think Kelly had a fun time, too! ;)

Kelly read to Adriana while Gabby combed Kelly's hair.  

Thanks Kelly for visiting us. We had a good time and the girls were so sad to see you leave. Please visit us again!

Present and a peek into the future?

This evening while I was preparing dinner, the girls were in their bathroom playing peacefully. I peeked my head into the room to see what they were doing. My heart melted because this is what I saw...

Big Sister fixing Little Sister's hair. 

They both stood on their step stools so they could watch themselves in the mirror. I was taken back by how mature they appeared. A lump formed in my throat. After taking in the moment, I quickly grabbed my camera.

 I love these little girls so much. I am truly blessed to be their mommy. I thank God for entrusting me with their lives. 

As I went back into the kitchen to finish preparing dinner, I couldn't help but think to the future... One day, when they are older, they will be helping each other in the morning get ready for school. Perhaps a dozen or more years from now, high heels while replace the step stools and they will be doing this before Homecoming and Prom. And then my thoughts traveled even further into the future and I thought of their wedding days. Will they be sure their sister has everything, from hair to veil, in the just the right place? Then the lump grew a bit bigger and I thought I might cry.

Next year Gabriella will attend all-day Kindergarten and Adriana will begin her first year in part-time pre-school. I knew it was inevitable that this day would come, but I struggle to believe it's only 7 months from now. Geez.

But, until then, I will continue to enjoy having them both with me daily. It's truly a blessing.

Let's Go Fly A Kite...

And send it soaring! 

We did that yesterday at a local park. It was a perfect windy day. It felt like early spring rather than mid-winter. We've had these kites for about 8 months so the girls were very eager to fly them.

Oh what fun!

Gabriella is in the pink shirt and Adriana is wearing pink and purple stripes. What a great afternoon for kite flying!

Adriana thought it was so cool. Daddy helped her handle her kite.

Gabriella handled her kite really well. She loved it of course.

What fun and cute little girls!