Princess For a Day

Yesterday Athena went to a fantasy tea party birthday for her BFF Amelia.

First they picked their dresses.

Then got their nails and hair done. Chose jewelry and tiaras.
Posed for photos by the myriad of paparazzi.
And had a fashion show.
Seriously, how girly can you get?
The princesses waited patiently as Princess Amelia opened alllll her presents, the trifecta of what little five year old girls want: Barbies and Build-A-Bear and Littlest Pet Shop, oh my!

Then they sat down and had tea, actual tea, with tiny little sandwiches and pink cake.

She looks a little bored in all the photos, but she seriously was floating on a cloud. Her expression and demeanor completely changed and she was living her absolute dream and soaking it all in. She was quiet, almost regal, not her usual goofy all-over-the place self, but she loved every second of her transformation and claimed it the best day of her life. I think it may only be comparable to Disney Princesses on Ice.

Sadly siblings were not invited and Athena and I breezed out of the house with John Patrick's car seat in my car so even a conciliatory trip to Chuck E's wasn't possible. This little cutie got to spend a rainy day at home with her Daddy (almost) all to herself.

Forty Three Across

43. The only family member born in KY, soon to be five years old.

At first we were quite proud of how Athena had carefully written her name in the boxes of Mimi's found crossword then we laughed at the appropriateness of the topic.

Blah blah blog

If I hadn't posted something yesterday, Chris was going to hijack the blog and post something himself ("in typical 'Julie' format") to help me get over my writer's block.

Apparently it would have gone something like this...

"Blah blah blah something cute.
Here's a picture.Blah blah blah something funny.
Here's a picture.Blah blah blah something sweet.
Here's a picture.

Now that wasn't too hard was it?"

To love Chris is to love his snarkiness, he teases because he loves.

Welcome February

January didn't exist for me.

It started with a debilitating sickness that zapped all my energy and refused to go away. "You need to rest" everyone said or "Just do the bare minimum." Well there isn't any rest with three little ones and even "the bare minimum" is still pretty exhausting most days. So my sickness went on and on. Even after all of the kids got it and felt better, I still felt awful.

After nearly two weeks of ick, I caved and went to the doctor. A nice prescription of antibiotics and codeine cough syrup did the trick and I was finally back to normal, except with heaps of work to do, piles of mess and a massive NEA deadline looming.

The rest of the month was scrambling to get back on top of things and the poor blog lay silent. Now I'm not really sure how to get started again, so I'm just going to get started.

So far February has been lovely. The rain clouds have dissipated, the sun is shining and there is lots to catch up on.

Yay for February, the love month.

(and January, good riddance, I never liked you anyway)

Do you miss these faces?

I know you haven't seem them for awhile.

But they are coming back, I promise...

Congratulations! You're sick!

For the first time in my history as a mother, I got sick first. I must have picked something up over our weekend away because I came home and immediately felt something coming on.

It hit me hard on Wednesday and it was all I could do to make it through the day until Chris got home. Then I lay under my covers and shivered and coughed while he took care of the little ones and put them to bed.

The very next day, Athena woke up looking flushed and hot. I took her temperature, 101 degrees, gave her the grape flavored Tylenol, proclaimed a "sick day" and made her comfortable on the couch.

Zoe said she was sick too but when I took her temperature she was fine, no fever. She forced a cough and begged for some medicine, insisting she was sick, and not wanting to miss out on all the special attention.

This went on all day. Every time I checked Athena's temperature, I had to check Zoe's as well but she never once spiked a fever, and was denied the purple medicine.

The following morning, however, two hot and flushed little girls stumbled into our bedroom. I piled them into our bed to check temperatures. Athena first, 102, then Zoe, 101.8.

"Congratulations, Zoe, you're sick!" to which she replied, "See, Mommy, I told you!"

***

Post Script ... we are still slightly under the weather. Chris made me spend all day yesterday in bed because I am just not getting better. The girls continue to hack and cough, but at least the fevers are gone. And the dude just got it this morning. Now we are waiting for our pillar of strength to fall, Chris has been doing double duty and is due for the ick. Hopefully by the time he gets it I'll at least be back to normal.

Baby New Year

(c'mon I just had to...)

Happy New Year!!!!
May your next year be filled with happiness and love.
What will the next decade bring?

Home for the Holidays

The last couple of days have felt like weeks considering how jam-packed they've been. We've been very busy shopping and wrapping and cooking and cleaning and then just enjoying the time spent with family.

This year we spent the holiday at home with family from all over joining us to celebrate. Yiayia flew in last week, Mimi and Stu arrived the day before Christmas Eve and Baba and Nana stopped in for Christmas day.
This year Christmas was so much fun because the girls were really anticipating it. And each day brought new excitements. Athena kept saying "I looove Christmas...it's my best holiday!" and I think Zoe enjoyed the candy canes most of all.

John Patrick was just happy to be a part of it all this year.
This is how we spent the holiday...
On Christmas Eve morning, we woke up to a house full of family. Unca Stu is always game for some coloring over breakfast

and then easily falls into the rhythm of the house by becoming a napping place following said breakfast.

While Yiayia cooked, Chris worked and Mimi and I did some last minute shopping, Stu took the girls to the playground. Then we came home and got ready for the Christmas service at church.
Zoe looked scrumptious in her red dress and pretty necklace but wasn't having any of my attempts at a photo session. And so began my annual futile attempt to get a few nice pictures of us all together.

Unca Stu jumped in to lighten the mood.

This would be a great shot if it wasn't for Bugs.

We replaced the plastic carrot for a candy cane and added an Athena and Daddy.

This is almost nice, except that my smile shows the strain of trying to keep three little ones from either crying, wiggling or smacking each other.

But this in one of my all-time faves.

After the service, we noticed that Athena got a hand delivered letter from Santa, which Mimi read to her, thanking her for her letter and saying how proud he was of her this year.

Then someone put the baby in the sink.

This year we had two Christmas trees, the "Mommy tree" which has matching silver and glass ornaments...

and the family tree which includes the handmade fun stuff decorated entirely by the girls.

After church we came home and had a wonderful French Canadian traditional meal of Ragout and Tortierre. Following dinner, everyone received new pajamas and opened one gift. This game was Athena's gift to Zoe, when she opened it she said "It's just what a wanted!!"
Then it was time to make cookies and prepare the treats for Santa. The girls decided he would like some chocolate milk, chocolate chip cookies, carrots for the raindeer

and a note to Santa reminding him of their hearts desires: a drumset and a kitty.

We posed for pictures so that Santa would know who left the goodies.
In the morning, the girls were amazed that the cookies were half eaten and the carrots too! And Santa had left notes for them! Zoe's note said that although Santa was not able to fulfill her wish of a real kitty this year maybe he could next year until then here is an almost real kitty to love which was attached to a FurReal cat that meows, purrs, blinks and wags his tail. She named her MeowMeow and she loves her very much.Athena's note said "Dear Athena. Here is your drumset. Rock on. Santa."
I was totally against getting a drumset, and I'm still not that thrilled about the noise, but everyone else loves it.
Santa did leave some great baking aprons for all of us in our stockings.
Chris shows off his Christmas jammies as he prepared the requisite plate of pork.

A couple of hours later and we had total destruction in our living room.
and happy happy little girls.
Athena enjoyed her new artset quite a bit.
Later that day, Baba and Nana came by with their wee pup.
And lots of gear for my boys, preparing them for college basketball season. (Go Cats!)
Yiayia showed off some of her Christmas presents.

Baba made the mince meat pie.

and Chris prepared the turkey.

We had an impromptu jam session and then ate dinner on my new dining room table that expands to seat eight comfortably (thanks Daddy, Yiayia and PopPop) with my beautiful Christmas linens and festive candles. Many new traditions are being born this year.
By the end of the day, everyone was worn, happy and warmed by the love of family. This truly is the most wonderful time of year. It was a lovely Christmas!