Pinkalicious

Even for all the work and exhaustion and craziness, I really do love throwing my minis birthday parties. It's not possible without tons of help (thanks Mimi and Mariana) and it never goes exactly how you imagine, but it's all about making memories and celebrating the wonderful day that our they joined us in this world.

Athena's Pink Pajama Party over the weekend was totally "Pinkalicious" - by her request, of course. We had pink balloons, pink streamers, pink napkins, pink cupcakes, pink lemonade and thirteen little girls all dressed in pink pajamas (plus a couple of tag-along little brothers).

The Dude got into the spirit of things with some pink pajamas I found in one of the girls' old clothes bins.

Fifteen little guests arrived exactly at 5:30 with sleeping bags and flashlights. We milled around a bit until it got dark and then turned off all the lights. In the darkened room, we played a version of "Duck, duck, goose" except it was "Asleep, asleep, awake" and then flashlight Hide and Seek and then went on bear hunt. It was total wild chaos. My living room looked like this.With the Dude in the middle of it all, pretending to be a big kid.

Athena had friends from her old school and her new school (she wanted them to meet) but especially loved having her BFF, Amelia. I have a feeling we'll be seeing alot of her - which is great because she is a wonderful little girl and they are well matched in their personalities - they simply adore each other and they'll be going to the same Kindergarten next year (EEK!).

After the Bear Hunt, we had pink cupcakes and hot chocolate.Yum.
The birthday girl like.
And then presents. Lots and lots of presents.
After presents, we settled down for storytime, gave everyone "Good Night (Hershey) Kisses" and sent them all home to their own little beds.

And then played with all Athena's new toys.
Every attempt to get a photo of my pink pajama clad crew ended like this, of course...
With retrospect, I can look back and say, "Yeah! It was fun!" but there are many things I would have done differently. Oh well, at least Athena felt the love.
Now onto the next party! John Patrick turns ONE in a week!

Five

In this house every great birthday starts with a birthday breakfast. Athena chose smoothies and "Yiayia cake" (aka Entemann's Raspberry Danish) for her special meal and had a whole pile of presents and cards from family to open along with it.

Zoe loves birthdays too, doesn't matter whose it is.

Everyone always looks a little beheaded at birthday breakfast pictures, but hey its a family tradition!

Thank you Granddaddio and Grandma Andre and Baba and Yiayia and PopPop and MorMor and Unca Stu and Mimi, of course. Athena loves all her presents. You all spoil her.


After breakfast, Chris took the girls shoe shopping and the Dude helped Mimi and I decorate for the big party...more on that later!!

Impossibly big

I can't believe my little girl is turning five tomorrow. I've told her for months now that when she turns five, I'm gonna cry. And I'm all teary-eyed now just thinking about it, but tomorrow I know I'll be excited for her.

Five is such a milestone. It's when you leave all things babyish behind and start living in a big kid world. One where you go to school and have best friends and a life separate from Mommy.

We're preparing for Athena's birthday bash tomorrow. Fourteen little girls in their pajamas are going to have a pretend sleepover. The girls helped me prepare the pink cupcakes last night. Totally gross, but they are not for the adults.
Athena just had to wear her new pink ruffled dress, taking great care not to spill or dirty it. And, Zoe helped in her new pink tutu - her little sister present (thanks Yiayia)!

John Patrick also got in on the action. His favorite cabinet is the one where I keep all my cookie cutters and baking dishes. Makes great sounds when you bang them together. You just have to embrace the chaos.

Athena and Zoe posed for a photo this morning in their new dresses from Yiayia. Zoe will not take off the pink tutu. She is looking impossibly big these days too.

What happened to these little girls?My keyboard is damp from the tears.

P.S. Tonight after school - we're getting hair cuts. This "growing out the bangs" thing is not working, and I can't take it anymore.

Wordless Wednesday

My tiny coworker.

Five year old on wheels

A five year old rollerskating for the first time is about the equivalent of a dog on skates. Just picture it.

Athena and I went to a birthday party at the local Rollerama this afternoon. Ah my youth was spent at such a place. It is just the same. I debated taking Zoe too, because she really really wanted to go*, and siblings were allowed. But Chris was staying home with the Dude and I didn't think I could manage both of them on skates. I'm so glad it was just Athena because I was basically holding her up with all my strength while she flailed about. No balance, no instinct, no ability to stop.

It was super fun meeting all the parent in her class while sweating profusely having just walked her, bent over and simultaneously holding her up and catching her, around the rink. I was not wearing skates. Although I did see a Mom, older than me, wearing legwarmers and skating her baby in a stroller around the ring. I wanted to give her the big thumbs up and ask to have a playdate, but I didn't.

A whole new world opened up to Athena today. She loved it. The party room had carpeting and she was able to skate on her own from the table to me a few times. Finding her skating legs, figuring it out. By the last go-round she was only holding my hand, although hanging on for dear life, but she had gotten it. It was amazing to see her learn so quickly. And she can't wait to go back. This time with the whole family and me on roller skates rolling John Patrick in a stroller.

Maybe we'll do it for our anniversary. After all this is the exact Rollerama that Chris and I had one of our first dates. But that's another story...

(* Don't feel too bad for Zoe she had just come back from a birthday party. This was the second party of our day.)

Meanwhile...

While the men were indulging in all sorts of nefarious activities (including blog hacking - seriously he change my password!) the women were enjoying many wholesome pursuits with our friends in the Bay area. Including...

having "tea" outdoorsand hula hooping and feeding farm animalsand making funny faces and going for long walks on a beautiful day and tree climbing and park playingand spending time with our BFFs.

It was fun visiting the big city that we used to call home. Although it became very apparent that we are now total suburbanites when I locked the car doors at first sight of a disheveled person talking to themselves and when Athena saw a parking meter and said "Mommy what is this?"

The reason for the trip was to see some people very special to me who were on our coast for a few short days. Anytime spent with you guys is just not enough - but I'm grateful for it and can't wait until the next time we can all be together.

Although I don't think I'll be leaving my boys alone anytime soon.

***

P.S. if anyone notices the beauty and quality of the pictures above its because they were all taken from Alaine's new Nikon SLR - *sigh* - I have serious camera envy, it is hard going back to my old point-and-click.

The Unattended Men

The women have gone walkabout this weekend, abandoning their only men.

They packed their bags with a plethora of various girly accoutrement.

Suspiciously, the women did rise at weekend’s early morning light.

Then quickly occupied their car, and on the road took flight.

So the men did find themselves alone – on St. Valentine’s Day no less!

And proceeded to do the things that unattended men do best.

Oh how fortunate those women were to avoid such a scandalous affair

Of unshaven men watching Sports Center – clad only in underwear!

The men then watched Kentucky Wildcats beat those Tennessee Volunteers

While eating peperoncinis and drinking fine imported beers.

And if the women thought their men would starve, they’d be undoubtedly mistaken.

For the men enjoyed a variety of meats – like pork chops, sausage, ham and bacon.

On the whole, the men’s behavior would surely not come recommended.

But it is most certain that such things will happen, when men are left unattended.

This hijacked blog has been brought to you by the Liebel men - left all alone on Valentine's Day weekend.

My Constant Companion

The other morning, after dropping the girls off at school*, I tried out a new yoga class at the gym. Upon returning home I laid the Dude down for a nap and immediately took a conference call. The call lasting the duration of Dude's morning nap and when he woke up I was still in my yoga clothes. He didn't seem to mind playing our the big bathtub while I rinsed off in the adjoining shower. We giggled at each other through the glass, until he figured out how to turn the water on.

* The girls are now going to school full-time, that's Monday through Friday. They started last week and I have mixed feeling about it. But I have finally admitted that I'm not a stay at home Mom that works, rather a working Mom that stays at home. It stings knowing they are just down the street when I working and snuggling the Dude. But the girls are thriving and the level of activity and stimulation they are experiencing can never be duplicated at home. It's all about finding balance and this feels like the right choice, for now.

The Dude is Bipedal

Not walking yet...
but standing solidly on his own two feet.