October Costume Capers

October costume capers at the Halloween store

Itchy & Scratchy mask fun, yep they're BIG Simpsons fans!

One of our favorite things about pre-Halloween season is our visits to Halloween stores for what's been affectionately dubbed as "October costume capers". While the girls search for their official costumes they make sure to try on all the other fun masks, hats, and silly wares before finalizing their decisions. This has become an annual family tradition and I notice that with each passing year our October Halloween costume trips grow in frequency. The girls crack me up with their silliness and while they are building up their bravery around all the scary Halloween animatronic invaders, I have to admit to being amused by their tiptoeing around the "press here" pads on the floors and slyly finding ways to occupy themselves in the costume rows to avoid watching these creepy displays. Bottom line - they are both Halloween lovers in the making and in a few years they will likely be tormenting/scaring their little brother during Halloween store visits. Poor guy.

After a very fun search, they finally settled on their costumes. Elise is going to be a vampire this year, her first scary costume choice ever, which deserves celebration! Alina is going with two costumes this year to fit her dual personalities, as sweet and pretty princess Cinderella by day (for her preschool parade) and as a cute yet deadly little vampire by night (for actual trick-or-treat). Hopefully baby boy will arrive before Halloween to join in on the fun!

More costume fun with friends plus brave Alina

Masquerade masks never get old

Elise the tiger, and introducing Demonic Alien Baby, 
Evil Clown Baby's new partner in crime

Maternity Photo Session - Baby Boy's First Photos

Maternity photoshoot - Baby boy is due in October!

These two are going to make the best big sisters

Baby brother's big debut is just over a month away, and we are all so excited for his arrival in mid October. I was happy to get a chance to do my first maternity photoshoot, as I never did any when I was pregnant with the girls. I was so tiny with the girls, and even though we took some photos I really wish that I did a maternity session like this. I'm grateful to have a wonderful and talented best friend, Christy, who took these beautiful photos. We will cherish these memories for years to come and I especially love seeing the genuine smiles and excitement on the girls faces. They are on pins and needles waiting for the arrival of their sweet little brother and my belly has received plenty of love and kisses over these past several months. He moves like crazy now and loves when his big sisters talk to him and give hugs (well actually, that's a maybe...he usually kicks when they smother my stomach). We are so eager to meet this little man and see his sweet personality unfold. The countdown to October 19th is on!

Obligatory belly shot, he's a squirmy fella

The little man's first photo

Alina showering baby brother with love

Alina's 4th Birthday - Sleeping Beauty Party!

Alina's 4th birthday - Sleeping Beauty party fun!

The very happy birthday girl

Sleeping Beauty party food and dessert table

Bounce house/water slide fun with little friends

Alina and Annie, best little pals

The little beauty

Food fit for a princess

She loved her Sleeping Beauty birthday cake

Making a wish

Party guests and sweet treats

Bright flowers and Sleeping Beauty figurines

Big smiles from the birthday girl

Littlest party guest, baby Cousin Brett

Opening her presents

Sweet birthday girl after a very fun day!

Happy 4th Birthday Alina!

Our adorable little four-year-old birthday girl, Alina!

Happy 4th Birthday to our littlest baby girl, Alina! It seems like such a short time ago when she was placed in our arms for the very first time. I could tell from the start that she had a special little spirit. She was the easiest baby and almost never made a fuss over anything. She was a very active and inquisitive toddler, but one thing always remained central; her thoughtful personality. Four years later and she still really is the sweetest girl with the biggest heart! She never went through terrible twos or the tantrum stage, which has been amazing for mom and dad. Her favorite saying is, "momma, no matter how big I get I will always be your baby". It gets me every time. We had a fun Sleeping Beauty theme birthday party for her last weekend with her close friends and family. She had the BEST day!

Raising her and watching her grow these past four years has brought so much joy to our lives. She loves swimming, riding her scooter and bike, playing with her princess dolls, drawing, gymnastics and finding other fun outlets to get her energy out. She is excellent at coloring and very meticulous about staying within the lines and using the brightest colors possible. She now recognizes all the letters in the alphabet and has started sounded out words and associating them to each letter. I feel like reading is on the horizon for her soon! She loves to learn, but also has such a playful spirit and thoroughly enjoys immersing herself in imaginary play. She is a great caretaker to all her dolls and toys and makes sure they never get lonely. While we celebrate four, at the same time I find myself wanting to bottle up her sweetness and adorable little high pitched girl voice. I find that we dote on the words and phrases she says because she truly has the most optimistic and positive view on the world and how things work. She is growing up so quick, but I have a feeling that her sweet nature and thoughtful spirit will always remain a central part of who she is. We love you Alina, Happy 4th Birthday!

We love you, sweet birthday princess!

Little Red Cheongsam and our Yin and Yang

Alina in her little red cheongsam dress

I bought this adorable little red cheongsam dress years ago with the intention of Elise wearing it at some point. Unfortunately for me, at three-years-old Elise had a strong aversion to the color red, anything covering her neck or mom telling her what to wear. She flat out refused to put it on. I tried again with Alina and finally had success! She not only wore it, but posed for me and grinned the entire time. I've always found it amusing how kids can have such strong opinions at young ages. Elise was fighting me on clothing choices since before she could talk. Alina will usually wear anything I pick out without much fuss. 

This brings me to the bigger picture and how I see my girls personalities as completely yin and yang. Honestly speaking, they are opposites in most ways, but through all their differences they bring a sense of harmony and balance to our lives in revealing such different personality dynamics and rewards. It's amazing how much perspective they've brought into our lives and while we can spend hours attesting to all their differences, ultimately I wouldn't imagine or want them to be any other way. This really gets me wondering what baby boy's personality will be like. I already have my yin and yang girls, so how will he fit in the mix? I wonder, will he be more like one or the other? As he grows, it will be very interesting to find out and watch his personality reveal itself. As for now I have my yin and yang to keep me on my toes.

Pretty floral embroidery and cute curls

Happy Easter 2015!

Easter egg hunt fun 2015

Pretty painted Easter eggs

The girls enjoyed their fried egg bunny rabbits

The look of egg discovery

The hunt kept them very entertained

The girls were very excited about their Easter egg hunt this year. The morning began with fried egg bunny rabbits, and a special note from the Easter Bunny telling them that the egg hunt was a team effort this year, so basically two eggs in each hiding spot. Even Mr. Bunny is aware that sisters can always improve upon their sharing skills - Hah! While the girls found PLENTY of eggs and goodies, I think their favorite part was the cute fluffy toy chicks they got. The Easter sugar goodness should last them well until the next big holiday. Happy Easter 2015!

The BIG Easter baskets goods

In sync with their Easter finds

The bunny left plenty of treats along with fuzzy chicks

Look who found the Easter Bunny's special basket

Enjoying the bounty of Easter goodies

Early Easter Fun

Cute cousins with the Easter Bunny 2015

These five are the sweetest little pals. The girls love spending time with their cousins and enjoyed getting to meet the Easter Bunny and hunt for eggs together. It's been a joy watching them grow and develop sweet little friendships over the years. When these five are together the laughter and smiles seem endless!

Little pals after their Easter egg hunt

Alina's First Dance Class

Alina loves her Saturday ballet and tap class

Adorable little dancer, Alina

Sweet little Alina started her first preschool dance class this month, and just look at her huge smile! She loves to dance and especially enjoys her new class as it is taught by the dance teacher that works at her preschool. She loves getting to dance at preschool and is very happy to be going to dance class on weekends now too. She makes the cutest little bun-haired ballerina and is so eager and excited to learn all the new dance steps and moves. We sure love our tiny dancer in the making!

All smiles while practicing her dance moves

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2015

Mischievous little Irish gal, Alina!

Well, I must admit that I feel so behind on holidays and blogging these days. We are in the thick of  full-time work plus raising kids and, like most parents know, it's a 24/7 job and most weekends and weeknights leave little time for much else. The birthday parties, school and extracurricular activities, plus just trying to find time to see old friends and family is certainly a juggling act. I had all these fantastic ideas and activities for St. Patrick's Day, but being a busy work weekday most didn't quite pan out and that sneaky leprechaun just barely made it on St. Patty's evening to hide some of his gold for the girls to find. They enjoyed the hunt, and mom forgot her camera...go figure. Alina happily donned some cute shamrock antennas and posed for a couple photos. Afterwards, it was the quick routine of bath and bedtime for the girls. 

Although, I will say that I did make Elise's day at school by packing her a festive green avocado egg salad sandwich, she loved showing off her green meal to her classmates. Elise was also on cloud nine this past week because she was selected as Super Kid of the week at school. She got to bring in a special poster to share with her class and wore a superhero cape all week! This is the equivalent of the Superbowl of the school year for kids. They are so excited to be Super Kid, it's preferable to finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow really.

Proud Elise posing with her Kindergarten Super Kid poster

Merry Christmas 2014!

Two very excited little girls on Christmas morning 2014

Presents and big smiles

These cuties just squeaked by onto Santa's nice list...whew

Sweet sisters in their pretty Christmas dresses

Miss Alina trying to guess what's inside

Gift opening galore

Christmas morning 2014 finally arrived! The girls not so patiently counted down until the big day and were thrilled to find that mom, dad, the grandparents, aunts & uncles AND Santa came through in the best way possible to bring all the gifts that their little hearts desired. They were all smiles throughout the morning and discovered that Santa is really hip to the Frozen craze. It's not like he has much choice, and he's smart enough to know that millions of little girls can't be wrong! He brought the girls the sparkling princesses that they had been longing for and of course some other fun surprises.

The girls loved opening all their gifts and then getting to go to the grandparents houses and open even more. The question now is, what do we do with all this stuff!?! Toy boxes are filling up, closets overflowing, books shelves packed to the brim. Even after donating old toys and relocating others to the grandparents we are still maxed out. It's amazing just how much our house has transformed in the thirteen years we've lived here. There have been so many great memories and this Christmas is yet another to add to that ever growing list. I always say how much I want to move, but I know when that day comes it will be bittersweet and we will miss what we had here, what we created, and where we were that one Christmas back in 2014.

Alina had the happiest smile all morning; Santa delivered!

Mommy with the two sweetest gifts of all

Daddy's girls

Christmas at Nana & Papa's and fun with the cousins

Little snake charmers

Christmas 2014 at Grandma & Grandpa's