Happy Birthday Big Girl!

Aiyana was dressed to impress in her amazing hot couture rainbow tutu from Tutu Monkey!

Wow! Our firstborn baby is 4! Aiyana you have been such a beautiful part of our family! We feel like the luckiest parents on earth each time you tell us you love us! Thank you for being you!

Celebration was in abundance this year! We had cupcakes and play with our Karate friends, an all day BBQ party with family, a trip to Legoland and a fabulous Rainbow Fairy basketball party! Each celebration was special in its own way and Aiyana shined at all of them.

Thank you Amber for the great party pics!

I made an original rainbow fairy basketball mini cupcake creation for my girl!
It took hours because the first batch of cupcake batter ended up all over my kitchen floor at 2am. Ooh the things we go through for our children!

The girls sprinkled Aiyana with glitter to make her an official fairy.

AJ and Zen taking a stroll in a stolen mustang. It can't be theirs! Pink?

Make a wish!

Yaya rode the Beetle Bounce at least 6 times!

Aiyana earned her drivers license at the Volvo driving school. She only cut off 2 other drivers and ran one into the wall. Not bad for her first test.

This was the first time AJ fell asleep in the stroller. We need to go to Legoland more often!

Moving on up

Thursday Aiyana received another tape on her belt. She has been practicing her kata daily and is so proud that her work paid off.

STOP...

... and smell the roses... or whatever these are!

Lately I feel like I am in a hurry most of the time. In a hurry to get the grocery shopping over. In a hurry to get a quick shower, to feed the kids breakfast, to take the dog out, to get to karate, to bathe/read to and put the kids in bed. We made the choice that I would stay at home with our children so I wouldn't get a "hurried mother syndrome" with too much on my plate. Well, I feel that way anyway.

I think back to when Aiyana was a toddler. We would spend an hour every night reading book after book! We giggled and tickled and cuddled as as filled her little mind with information. It is definitely one of my favorite memories!

Bedtime nowadays is a little different. After dinner, the kids play in the bath for a few and then it is a scramble to get them both moisturized, dressed, and teeth brushed. When we read, AJ will interact with me for 1 or 2 books and then he is done. Then Aiyana wants to sit in my lap for her book. HA! AJ gets jealous and climbs all over the both us ...and the book. So, I end up reading through her story quickly and tucking them both in. I miss the days of relaxed evenings cuddling together and ignoring the dishes or the floor that needs to be mopped. I miss the days of long afternoon walks through the neighborhood Aiyana and I took in OB.

Well...

this summer I vow to STOP... and live in the moment. This summer I vow to STOP... and ignore time. This summer I vow to STOP... and find humor in everything. OK almost everything.

This summer I vow to STOP... and feel the sand between my toes!

Growing kids

AJ at Ashleigh's graduation. Congrats Ashleigh! Off to Howard you go!!

AJ spends his days fine tuning his karate punches, kicking, throwing, and shooting balls, playing with his wheeled toys, feeding our dog Deuce, climbing anything and everything, and practicing his mobility and vocabulary. His running is getting faster and he can barely get both feet off the ground when he jumps. It is like a skip in place. He loves being my big helper by opening doors for me and picking up his toys.

AJ's latest words:
bike, car, doggy, no no, oh no, yummy, cat, that, this, mas, more, bebe, basketball, ball

his favorite signs:
milk, more, eat, drink, cup, dog, jet, daddy, cheese, chicken, elephant, giraffe, cat, down, up, finished,

A pretending to be a doggy.

Tonight Aiyana went to bed wearing a Little Mermaid swim diaper, AJ's spongebob pj pants and shark pj top. Kids are so goofy!

I can't stop thinking about my baby girl and how much she is growing. She spends her days at home changing outfits and leaving them all over her room, pre-reading, writing, bossing around her brother, drawing pictures and making up new dance moves.

Gotta love it!

What a great way...

to start the day!