Arty Party: Aleesia is 3!

Aleesia turned 3 on February 1st and we had an art party! I had WAY too much fun planning this and it ended up being such a fun morning with our friends and family! A quick run-down on the party and a few pictures to share!

 

Decorations – This was actually really simple to put together.

I grabbed a pack of aprons from Amazon, put up some of the kids artwork in the entry way to make an “art gallery”, covered the tables with brown craft paper and that was pretty much it!

We grabbed canvases and paint from Hobby Lobby – all of the kids LOVED painting! And we had a face paint station, too! Everyone painted away, or colored on the tables, and it was just a really fun time.

Food – I kept it simple, again! Sandwiches, fruit cups, dip and dessert!

The birthday girl insisted on a Minnie cake, so that is what she got!

 

The girls enjoyed themselves!

 

Everyone sang happy birthday (and Aleesia refused to blow out her candles!).

And she was so dang happy about this Anna nightgown!

But she loved everything, per her usual style!

But this picture just makes me smile, best grandparents ever!

 

Three looks good on this girl, if I do say so myself!

Don’t Blink

I can’t really believe that this little girl started her first year of preschool in September.

She has grown SO MUCH since then.

Her biggest accomplishments are being able to draw all of her shapes, being able to draw a detailed self-portrait (OMG you guys, it is so cute! her most recent one includes nail polish, bracelets, a necklace and a bow!), cutting with scissors and probably a hundred other things I can’t even think of right now because it is late.

She has made new friends. Read a lot of new books. Learned a lot of new songs.  She can even say the pledge of allegiance! My little chatter box is even MORE chattery and social than she was when she started.  We are really proud of her and all she has learned.  Her most memorable lesson is probably that you don’t run at school “or else you fall and bust your eye open”.

I think she is really going to miss her teacher and her school friends, but she will tell you that she is VERY excited for summer be-cation to start!  (and we are slightly glad to have a break from the “clothes fight” for a few months!)

I am just not sure how they grow up so quickly and you don’t even realize it.  Before I know it she will be graduating from high school. And THAT is totally unbelievable at this point.

Right now, I am trying not to blink too fast so that I can soak up all of her.  I don’t want to miss a thing.

Happy first-last day of school, my little bug.  (or, happy first-first day of summer break!)

A letter to my {oldest} daughter: FOUR!

Dear Gianna -

I know I say this every year – but time flies.  I honestly do not know how is it even possible for you to be turning four tomorrow?!!  It has been a crazy, fun, exciting year.  You are so much the same, but so much of a different more mature person than you were last year.  It is amazing how much you have changed and grown.

This year you have gone from wearing diapers and taking a binkie to bed

to wearing underpants and taking lots of books and “pets” to bed.

You had sleepovers and lots of fun adventures with your BFF’s.

Visited the princesses at disney world for a whole week.  And you talk about it every single day – you are a disney girl, there is no doubt about that.

You started and LOVE preschool. I have seen you grow and learn so much this past year.  I love to hear your stories about school and as much as I complain about all the crafts – I really love them.  One of my favorite things to do when I get home from work is to hear about your day, I hope we always talk about our days with each other.

But the biggest changes of all revolve around you taking on the titles of big cousin and big sister.

You LOVE your cousin Luci and love playing with her now that she plays back. 

And your sister? I think it is fair to say that you are smitten with each other.  Gianna you are always so concerned with where Aleesia is, how she is doing, where she is and what you can do to help her.  Sometimes it’s okay to be frustrated – and you are – but you do a pretty good job of expressing how you feel, which is awesome.  I could listen to you talk to Aleesia all day – the way you say “Hi miss!” to her in the morning melts my heart.  I hope you always love her so much (but I know you won’t always like her so much!) and that you always adore her.  You have also been such a huge help – I always ask you to tell me if she is awake or asleep in the car and when you answer “her eyes are awake” I can’t help but smile.

My favorite part of being your mommy right now is how sweet you are and the conversations that we have.  You are such a little person with big ideas (elaborate stories!), very serious opinions and just the right amount of logic behind your choices that it’s hard to argue with you most of the time.  You are a caring soul – always concerned with how everyone in your life is doing and feeling. I hope you are always that way.  Your very serious opinions tend to get you in a little bit of trouble sometimes but we are working through that together and things are getting better – I know you can’t be good all the time and it’s okay to have a bad day.

You have your own sense of style and you will NOT be persuaded otherwise, despite all of my best efforts.  So I started letting you pick out your own clothes before we buy them and when you get ready in the mornings – if I am going to pick something to stand my ground on, this isn’t going to be it.  I have started to really love seeing what you decide to wear – almost always leggings with either a dress or a shirt!  But your favorite thing is pj’s – you always change immediately when you get home!

There are some words that you still say “wrong” and I love it.  It helps remind that despite your mature personality, you are still a little girl.  Some of my favorites are “fader” (bother), “kitty hello”, “elphanent” and “belly egg” (belly ache!).  You still stutter when you are excited about something.  The way we communicate and converse amazes me almost every day.  you are starting to understand my sarcasm which I am sure will come back to haunt me!  you might talk non stop, but I’ll never get tired of listening to what you have to say no matter how busy I am.  And when you come up to me and say “I love you mommy” – nothing else can go wrong.

Your imagination is one of my favorite things about you right now.  You are GREAT at playing independently and as often as I can I just sit and listen/watch you and your imagination at work – it is truly amazing.  Barbie's, baby dolls, “pets”, lalaloopsy dolls, horses, your dollhouse, kitchen, legos – just about anything can entertain you for hours. You still love books and you REALLY love crafts and stickers.  Something you really enjoy, and often beg to do, is sweep and mop the floors and to wash the windows and the counters with your “helper stool”! I take any help around the house you want to offer. We work on chores and you do a great job clearing your dishes and putting your clothes in your hamper.  You are still my tiny dancer loving dance class and you started swimming lessons which are going really great.

This has been a really big year for you – one full of changes, growth, learning, challenges, fun, excitement and so much more.  You are an amazing girl and not a minute goes by that I don’t feel beyond lucky and blessed to be your mommy.  Aleesia is so lucky to have you as her big sister – I am positive you are going to teach each other so much.  Last night you sat down next to me on the couch and said “you are my best friend mama” and it’s just a moment I won’t forget.

One thing will never change – you will always be my first baby.  the one who made me a mommy.  the one whose goofy smile and big blue eyes make any bad day good.  the one who gives awesome hugs and kisses.  I can’t express just how much I love you, sweet girl, just know it’s a lot more than I can ever express.

Happy fourth birthday, bug – I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store.

Love you forever,

Mommy