Counting down..

Past few weeks have been busy and nerve wracking at the same time. Girlies' beloved Uncle Nate seems to be doing well now, and we are breathing a huge sigh of relief right now. We were all so nervous. I was getting the bath water ready one night last week, and I saw Faith standing in the dark in the play room. She was staring out the window, and I heard her whispering "God, please take care of my Uncle Nate." Our prayers have been answered.

Girlies have a big surprise awaiting them on Saturday after we get home from miss Ella's highly anticipated birthday party. They're excited enough already about getting to dress up for Ella's party, and they keep asking when it's going to be so they can see their cousins again already. It's funny!

I am notorious for being the WORST secret keeper in the entire world-- how I've been able to keep this secret from my girlfriends for this long is beyond me!

My funny girl who answers to the name Flop

This video is from before Christmas, but I love it so. It's Faith singing the T. Swift song "Sparks Fly," and I just love her voice.



I want their voices bottled up forever.

6-year birthday girl

SIX years ago today I went in to the doctor for my visit, and learned we would have an induction with our precious Maddie. So, it's been six years already since we knew she would be here within 24 hours.

Going from 5 to 6 has been crazy-- the biggest change is school. I have a school age daughter; it blows my mind. She's looking so grown up, and yet she remains the sweet soul that she's always been.

I look forward to this year and the accomplishments and strides she will make. And, yet I can't help but get sentimental about the fact that I now have a "whole hand PLUS one finger" aged little girl! I'm not sure where the time goes or why it has to go by so quickly, but I'm so thankful for every second of it.

Rapunzel birthday party

After a lot of thought, Maddie decided on a Rapunzel themed birthday party this year. Her birthday is on Tuesday, and we celebrated today after having to postpone it from yesterday due to snow.

She had been leaning towards a 'Toy Story' party, but really loves Rapunzel from the movie 'Tangled.' She's told me many times that Rapunzel is her favorite princess (at the moment) because she has freckles like Maddie, and shares the same main hobby-- drawing. I thought that was neat that she relates to her for those reasons.

Anyway, we've been busy making our own decorations for the past 2 weeks or so. It's always so fun to brainstorm with them for their own parties because they come up with a lot of good ideas, and Maddie came up with some cute ones all by herself. We did a spin on the 'Pin the tail on the donkey' game, and instead it was 'Pin the Flynn on the tower.' (Flynn from 'Tangled' is a new love of hers and her sisters!). And, she wanted a pinata so that she could tape a picture of Flynn on it as well for 'Hit Flynn with a frying pan' (like in the movie), but instead we opted for stringing Maddie's Flynn doll from the air, and letting them take turns whacking him with a frying pan while blindfolded. It was quite comical;)

Maddie also wanted to make "raspberry fizzaroo's" (a spin on an idea she saw in a 'Fancy Nancy' book), which came out really good I thought. She liked the drink a lot. And, they all had a blast doing a Princess Mad Lib story. I got that idea from a Princess party that Maddie and Faith went to last year at a make-your-own-pottery place where Tia Rosa worked at the time. It was cute.

Maddie's cake was a slight disaster this year. I am not good with decorating cakes, but I thought I would try a painter's palette (since she and Rapunzel love drawing/painting) and a princess cake-- the type where it's the doll with with the cake that rounds out her skirt. The doll cake was a complete disaster. I literally broke it in half while trying to put the doll into it. And, the palette was also quite funny looking, but Maddie loved it which is what counts. My poor sweet girl though, I don't think she would have even told me if it looked weird. She always has such nice compliments!

It was a bitterly cold day this year again, like last year. I remember last year it was about 24 degrees outside on the day of her party, and this year it might have been even colder with the wind chill. But, we bundled up all 6 kiddos despite the Arctic air and went sledding over at the field across from us. They all had a blast, and it was funny watching Donovan try to show Maddie how to use his snow board.

The three of them went to bed so happy tonight, and Maddie told us that she had "the best 6th party ever!"

Little chefs

Girlies love helping in the kitchen every chance they get- Abrie included.

Faith helped make a banana cream pie last week to take to New Year's Day lunch at Rhonda and Dave's next door. She did most of it herself.

And, the three of them helped yesterday make Maddie's birthday cake for her party and they made one of their classics, fancy dipped strawberries.

Three=cozy

Girlies start to the New Year, 2011?

Sleeping all together in one room.

I can't stop smiling. I can't even explain how much I love that they are all in the same room.

I've dreamt of this since learning that we would add another little girl to our family. Abrie "moved in" with Maddie and Faith before she even turned one, but they "moved out" rather quickly. Abrie is and always has been the worst sleeper in our family, and probably one of the worst sleepers in.the.world. Big sissies didn't exactly like the whole notion of sleeping in a room with a screaming banshee;) But, boy has my girl made strides.

Nook has reappeared (pacifier), but is solely for nap/bedtime now. I couldn't deny her her source of comfort when she found it in the play bins, just as I could never deny my girlies their beloved blankies. I suggested sleeping on the bottom bunk to Abrie, and she gets so excited that she is with her big sisters. She just hates her crib. Hates it. She seems to like the openness of a big bed (has been sleeping in ours for months!) and doesn't like the confines of her crib (this has always been her personality-- she hates being confined ie: crib, carseat, etc). So, she's been sleeping on the bottom bunk, and Maddie and Faith on the top bunk. Big sissies wanted to sleep all together like 3 peas in a pod on the bottom bunk, but I was worried it'd be too cramped.

The three of them are as happy as can be. I love that they are so happy together.

New phase in life for Abrie

No nook!!!

This wasn't necessarily my doing, but it's probably for the best anyway. Abrie hid her pacifier yesterday morning, and we can't find it for the life of us. She slept great last night (albeit, in my bed of course) though and is sleeping right now for her nap.

She does miss "him" though (I don't know why, but I've always called their blankies and Abrie's pacifier 'him/he'), but it she hasn't been asking for him as incessantly as I thought she would.