Nadia’s b-day party and Date night!

This morning I woke up and decided to mash some banana for Finley for breakfast.  We’ve been doing a few bites of food every day, until she gets it.  The bananas were, OK.  We were all bouncing around the house, getting ready, cleaning up, etc.  Mia came in the kitchen and I went to the laundry room for  a quick second and came back out to see this…

Mia took over mommy duties, and did a GREAT job!  Finley went with it and ate for her big sis!!  The love between these two is amazing.  I hope and pray is stays this way, forever!


Today was Nadia’s 4th birthday!  Of course Mia was so excited to go, that is her BFF!!


These two a two peas in a pod!  They get along so well and just love being together!!

After the party, we headed back home because Nana and Aunt Terri were coming to get the girls so that we could have a painting DATE NIGHT!!  Although I missed my babies, we had a great time!

Meme, Poppy and Ben also went painting!



Before we even STARTED painting, Meme got paint on her back, then apparently leaned up against Pops and got paint on his brand new shirt!  Never, never, a dull moment!




The nice gentleman behind us offered to take our picture, and of course we got a classic photo bomb, by none other than my sweet, special baby brother.




Ben’s and mom’s painting.  Don’t let Ben fool you, he WON the blue painting.  He DID NOT paint that one.  And no, I will not let him claim it, either.  He’s standing there all proud, thinking he’s gonna own that one.  HA


All of the paintings.  Dave’s, mine, Ben’s, mom’s and dad’s.


We had a great time!

Friday friend time

I worked today from 7-3.  Dave had to leave at 130 because it was an early start day.  Mom and Dad were both working, so you know who watched the girls all on their own?? My 16 year old brother.  And?  He rocked it!  What 16 year old boy can you say that about?  We just love that awesome dude!

When I got home, I fed Finley and we took a short nap together while we waited on the underground fence guy.  Once all that was done, Ben, the girls and I headed over to pick up Nadia, Mia’s bestie!  Mia was so good for Ben and it had been a while since the girls had been together, so I figured I would give them some play time.  Plus, Nadia is such a good girl, I don’t mind taking her anywhere!  And the two of them have an absolute blast together!

We got Nadia and went to CFA for food and play time!



Silly selfies….




Ice cream girls!


They had so much fun!

After we dropped Nadia off at home, Meme and Ben came over and hung out with us until midnight!!!

New suits, kiddie pool time and CFA

So the time is here.  Swimsuit time that is.  I absolutely LOVE girls bathing suits, not mine.  Because, yuck.  But for them?  I die.  I’ve been eyeing these completely-amazing-so-cute-I-start-getting-all-giddy swimsuits from Janie and Jack.  My mom knew how bad I wanted them, but couldn’t reason with myself to spend that money on them, so she bought one of them for Mia’s birthday and I bought the other.  And can I say, they were so worth it???
Look at the cute that is oozing…


No, I did not tell her to pose like this!  Oh em gee!!!


After I took a few deep breaths in my brown paper bag and caught my breath from hyperventilating, we went outside to play while waiting for our friends!

Cool baby chilling with her daddy :)


That POSE! 


Hulk smash the water!



This girl is such a water dog!  Puts her face in it, goes under, splashes.  NO FEAR!


Such a ham…










Then Mia’s friend Alex came over to play!  She gets along with him SO well and I think it’s because she met her match in the energy level department ;)  And because my child is so rough and boy-like when she wants to be.  She is so perfectly well rounded and I wouldn’t change her for the world!

Sweet Max!


Meme and Ben came over a little later and watched Finley so Mia and I could go to CFA with Katie and her kids!  We came back and hung out and Mia passed out pretty quickly!  The sun and water will drain it right out of you!!

Conference and zoo

Today we started our day off with a conference with Mia’s teacher, to talk about progress and such.  Mia was in a 3-4 year old preschool class and there were only two 3 year olds.  Her and another little boy.  I was so proud when her teacher showed us her “progress report.”  Mia was in all “green” and was meeting all requirements and was exactly where she should be!  My little fighter has come such a long way!  We had the option of moving her to her “home school” next year, but we decided to keep her with the same teacher for next year as well.  Not only for stability for Mia, but because her teacher already knows her and her story and plus we really like her!  Mrs. Dabney has been good to Mia!

Next up, I loaded the girls up and we met up with Dana and Aubrey and their girls Addy and Gracie for lunch and the zoo!  It started out great, but y'all?  What I had envisioned about taking two kids to the zoo was not at all how it went!!  It was borderline comical.  Now, that is.  Then, it was not!

I decided to take a stroller for Mia (since we don’t have a double stroller) and take the Moby wrap for Finley.  By time I changed Finley’s diaper, lathered them both up with sunscreen, loaded the stroller up with the essentials of the diaper bag, Mia’s snacks, camera bag, etc., and wrapped Finley in the Moby, about 20 minutes had already passed!!  Keep in mind that is was a hot day, so Finley and I were both already sweating on each other!  And?  I had the stroller so weighted down, that every time Mia would get out to check out some animals, the stroller would fall backwards!! 


One of our favorite exhibits, the Polar bear!
Mia and Gracie


Mia and Addy


Mia and the polar bear!  How cool is that??


We had to stop in the scorching heat toward the end to let the kiddos play while I fed Finley.  I put Finley in the stroller so that she, and I, could cool off.  And of course, Mia threw a fit because she didn’t want to walk and wanted to be in the stroller!

Once we finally got to the car and unloaded everything, Mia decided she needed to pee, badly.  I was not going to load Finley back up and go back in the zoo, so we did what any civilized and normal people would do.  I pulled her pants down and she squatted, right there in the middle of the parking lot, to pee.  Yep, I am that mom!

To top it off, despite my best efforts, she managed to pee all over the back of her shorts and panties.  Therefore, she got to ride home completely naked!  HA!

Although we all had fun and all got great naps out of it, I was more stressed than relaxed, to say the least!  I forgot how easy it was with just one kid!!

Next time?  I will execute a better plan.  Somehow.

A last day, a birthday and a big day

Well it’s official, my big girl had her last day of 3 year old preschool. 
Can someone tell me how this happened?  I feel like I was just changing her diapers, and now her first year of preschool is over.  It is so bittersweet.  To see her grow and change and develop, but to also lose a little bit of her reliance on me to independence and reliance on herself.  Obviously, she is only 4, but to see her independence develop more and more makes me realize how we only have them in our arms to nurture and form for such a little time before they spread their wings and fly.  Better do it right!!

First day and last day.


Today is almost my dad’s 55th birthday!!  Although I don’t get to spend it with him, because he is in Florida, I know him and my mom are having a great time together and nurturing their marriage while alone on this trip.  And I’m ok with that.  All marriages need that!  Happy birthday to my first love and man in my life.  You will always hold a special place in my heart and my life.  You are a wonderful dad, but an amazing Poppy!!  LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

I decided that since today was Mia’s last day of school, I would let her do something fun.  Something of her choosing.  We decided to have her best friend Nadia (we missed Brinlee because she still has school) come over for a sleep over!!  We would first go get pedicures with Nadia and her mommy, per Mia’s request!





They were so awesome and so patient with us.  Everything they did to our feet, they did to the girls feet (well not quite everything and not as extensive, obvs.)

That tickles!!




After Nadia’s mommy left, Ben, Finley, the girls and I went to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner!





We came home and the girls ran around and played outside…




Monkey bars!







After all of that playing and pampering, the girls got to play in the tub…



Time for popcorn and then a movie!!


I would say Mia’s first official friend sleep over was a success!!
I LOVE being a girl mom!!