Opening Day!!

A couple weeks ago we started Connor's second year of baseball.

I cannot tell you how much this kid loves baseball!

And there's nothing like a parade to kick off the season.

It was a super early morning but we were all really good sports.

Except Dom. He had to work:( 

There's my buddy!

So proud! He would've been more proud if he were sporting a Giants uniform.

But we can't have it all, now can we! 

P.S. Doesn't he look like a giant in comparison to his teammates?!

Sorry Buddy...your parents make tall kids.

There's nothing like Little League Baseball.

*LOVE* 

And nothing like a clean uniform. Even if it's only for a second! 

GO TWINS!!!!

 

Here's to another fun season!

 

P.S. ONLY and I mean ONLY on the Little League Field will I be cheering for ANYONE other than our Giants!

(I need to figure out exactly who I need to brown nose to get my son in a black and orange uniform next season!)

 

Birthday Wrap Up

OK, so I may be a little behind...again!

But I'm back and want to share a little of Emma Kate's actual birthday party with you...

This year she had decided she wanted her party at her gymnastics gym.

Great!

That will make life much easier!

Then she said she wanted an Ariel Party.

Hmmm...

I really don't like to throw character parties. And.

How the heck do I combine Ariel and gymnastics?

I truly lost sleep over this one!

That's when I realized, thanks to Heidi and a few others, just give the girl what she wants and the rest will fall into place.

Ariel it is!

I found a really cute Ariel cake pan, but I love cupcakes too.

So why not have both?!?!

I asked my mom to make the cake.

(She used to make my birthday cakes just like this and I thought it would be really sweet if she made Emma's in the same fashion.)

 I did the cupcakes with Ariel wrappers and fish with "bubbles" on top.

Here is the cake...I think Ariel got Botox!

My poor mom was very hesitant when she showed me the cake.

(It's been a really really long time!)

But Emmy LOVED it! And that's all that really matters!

(And I know how much work it was, so thank you Mom!) 

And I guess I have officially started the book for every birthday tradition.

Connor now has 6 books signed by people who helped celebrate his birthdays and Emmy now has 3.

They love looking back and reading the notes from everyone on the inside covers. 

And here is the one thing I did that actually combined gymnastics and The Little Mermaid...

The Favors. 

I found these little stands at Ikea last year and used them for the center of the table... 

Now for the real fun...! 

The kids had so much fun!!!

And the adults got to sit and watch for a while.

They played so hard. And got all sweaty.

Miss Amanda (Emma's teacher for the last several months) led the activities. 

 

Emmy loves her some girlfriends!

After all that fun, we headed up for snacks and dessert. 

I absolutely love this last picture of my big 3-year-old!

She was one happy girl. 

Everything was almost perfect, until she pooped her pants at the end of the party.

As in leaking out.

Yeah! Fun right?!?!

That's ok, if having kids teaches us anything, it's...just roll with it!

Besides, we officially had ourselves "A Party Pooper!"

And we continue to "Make Memories..."

Emmy's 3!

It's hard to believe it's already been a week since Emmy's birthday.

Last year I had worked on her birthday and it felt awful all day to not be with her.

So this year Jeff and I BOTH had the day off to be with her!

This year was a party year for her. *More on the party another time.*

(Usually we alternate years for the kids...1 year they get a party and no gift, the following year they get a really cool gift and a family dinner or activity.)

 

Ummm...I think the day got a little out of hand.

It was originally my intent to take her to Build A Bear with cousin Corbie and then have

grandparents over for dinner.

 

But you see about a week earlier we saw a commercial on TV for Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream.

This is when Jeff leaned over and whispered, "You should take your mom and Emma for her birthday..."

 

So in the morning Emma woke to a Rapunzel dress hanging in her room with a flowered "princess" headband. (No young lady can show up to Disney on Ice in anything but princess attire!

She just thought the dress was a birthday present and wanted to wear it immediately. And ALL day.

 

So mid-morning Ma, Aunt Becki, Jeff, Corbs, EK, and I piled in the van and went to the mall.

The kids had a blast building their bears cats.

Emmy chose a bright pink cat and a Tiana princess dress for her.

She chose the name, "Amadalla" for her kitty.

(P.S. Connor is obsessed with Star Wars and teaches Emma about all the characters!)

The best part about Amadalla is that when you squeeze her paw she plays the song "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid.

In my opinion, that cat is a train wreck!

But she loves her! 

Later when Emma woke from her nap, Nana arrived for our Girls' Night Out.

This is when we told her why she had found a Rapunzel Dress hanging in her room!

She was one excited little lady and insisted on Amadalla joining us.  

We started our evening at In n Out.

Emmy had to tell EVERYONE why she was wearing a "Tangled dress" and that it was her birthday.

And then we arrived at the show! 

And we celebrated everything princess.

The arena was filled with little girls in their princess dresses and light up wands!

I can't decide who I enjoyed watching more...EK or my mom watching EK.

We made "friends" with everyone around us, laughed, traded wands, jewelry, etc...

I think it was one of my most favorite Girls' Nights Out...ever!

No offense ladies;) 

The sets were so neat and Emmy got to see Rapunzel "fly" through the sky with Flynn.

OK so the night ended really late for her...and us.

And we pretty much had meltdown the whole way home until she whimpered herself to sleep.

But it was all worth it!

 

Not quite the day I had planned. But so much better!

And still a party to come...

Ooops. I may have gone a little overboard this year.

Shoot me!