Happy 1st Birthday Little Carolyn Mae!

Carolyn turned a year old on April 3rd. I really don't know where the time went. She's already walking and babbling and getting into EVERYTHING. She's a sweet girl and her big tricks are waving and giving sweet open-mouthed kisses :)

She's a much bigger girl than Eleanor was, already 19 1/4 pounds. She loves to eat everything, but her favorites are steak and bacon (just like Daddy).

Carolyn loves to play and play and play. We have a playroom upstairs and whenever we carry her up there her little arms and legs get a flapping and she squeals and squirms. She loves playing with her big sister and recently started mocking her - pretending to eat food from the play kitchen, etc.

Carolyn has the cutest toothy smile! And lucky for us, she's a happy girl and we see it often.
We love you Carolyn Mae!

Happy Birthday Sweet Eleanor Jane! (March 24)

Our baby girl turned 3 on March 24th. Eleanor is such a joy. She's got to be one of the sweetest girls always telling us she loves us - just out of the blue, she'll walk up to me, wrap her arms around my neck, and say "I love you Mama".

And she's always thinking of others. One day she had a dollar and I asked her what she wanted to buy and her response was, "Something for Daddy, Carolyn, Mommy and Eleanor".

So for her birthday, cousin Francie was celebrating her 4th birthday with a trip to Chicago and the American Girl store. How perfect, Eleanor was invited, and we celebrated her 3rd birthday too.

Eleanor, Francie and Delaney on the train

The girls: Francie, Delaney, Eleanor, Isabelle, and Anna

Eleanor in the "Big City"

Eleanor and Bitty at the AG Cafe

We had an amazing day. The store is unreal with its doll hair salon, hospital, and more dolls and clothes and accessories than you could imagine. Eleanor saw a high chair minutes into the store and wouldn't waiver. So we bought her that and some little jarred baby foods and a bottle for her birthday.

Aunt Jennifer bought little 3-year-old Eleanor an aluminum bat, glove and ball for her birthday. Did I mention the bat's aluminum? Yeah, I'm thinking we need to get a helmet (for Carolyn). No casualties yet, but Jennifer also bought Carolyn a whiffle ball and bat with a T. Eleanor T'd up a ball and crushed the ball into Jennifer's head with her first swing. How perfect :)

No matter what the doctor says (24.6 pounds), Eleanor is really growing up. Her latest trick is playing in her room after we tuck her in and say goodnight. We'll hear her singing and talking to her dolls for an hour after bedtime some nights.

Eleanor caught reading past bedtime (she's currently into my old Little Miss and Little Mister books - anyone remember those?)

Eleanor's our little entertainer. She dances, she sings, she plays the 'bitar' (guitar). She loves watching musicals. We recently watched Mama Mia, Annie and the High School Musical movies. She loves anything with singing and dancing. So when Annie came to South Bend I had to get us tickets. I got tickets to the Friday night show for the two of us. I picked her up from daycare and told her about the tickets. I told her it was a special night, just the two of us, and we'd probably get dressed up. Her eyes lit-up as she told me, "I'm gonna be a ladybug!". No Eleanor, not that kind of dressed up.

The entire drive to the show, Eleanor was in the backseat, "Mama, this is going to be fun!", "I love Annie!", "Where does Annie live?", "Mama, this is going to be fun!".

In our seats in the third balcony, before the show started, Eleanor pointed down to the stage and said, "Mama, someday I want to go down there and sing." You know, it wouldn't suprise me.

She loved the show and be-bopped in her seat throughout. Since, she's been going throughout the house singing, "HOLY COW, SOMEBODY PINCH ME PLEASE!

Eleanor, stay sweet. We love you!