Tea for Four

The girls and I spent a great afternoon with some of our favorite friends at the teahouse.  We got all dolled up in our fanciest “princess” attire while this mom wore her fanciest jeans and sweater.  They dined on chips and peanut butter sandwiches while the moms enjoyed some wonderful wraps and sandwiches.  And for the finale, we all dived into a piece of delicious Savannah cake!  The girls had a fabulous time…..and the “big” girls too!  There are more pictures to come.  Leslie took some awesome pictures that I still need to ask her for:)  I am so glad that I have found some good friends down south!

 

Addisan enjoying her ice tea in a fancy tea cup.

 

Campbell did awesome as usual dining out!  No tea for her, but lots of puffs instead:)

 

Cacci all dolled up in her mama’s pearls!

 

Heather and Violet enjoying some one-on-one with no older brothers around.

A Princess and Disney on Ice

We went to Disney on Ice and had such a fabulous time.  Since Campbell is still too little to take, we invited Addisan’s friend Violet to go with us.  When I was a kid, my siblings were young adults and out of the house.  So my parents would take my two best friends to events such as this.  I had the best memories, more so because of my friends as oppose to the event itself.  I think the case was the same for her as for me.  I can’t wait until Campbell is older and they can both invite a friend!

 

Addisan in her Cinderella dress up dress before we left.

 

Addisan saying her final goodbyes to Campbell before we went to go pick up Violet.

 

Addisan patiently waiting in the car to go.

 

The two girls posing for me outside the stadium before the show began.

 

Some action shots of the performance.  After seeing this show and watching Addisan’s excitement grow, I think I trip to Disney World will be in our near future.

 

The girls dancing during intermission while Tommy bought them cotton candy.

 

The cutest picture of Violet.

 

A love these little moments!

Jack’s House

We went back home for Jack’s first birthday.  It is hard to believe that he is already one.  It feels like it was just yesterday that Nicole and I were both pregnant.  For me, when I look down at all the weight I still need to lose, I do still feel preggers some days.  We had a chance to visit with Nicole’s family, their friends, Kevin, and Erin.  The only thing I hate about going back home, is having to leave them and return to Richmond. 

 

Addisan and Gavin were bickering about taking turns with this wagon.  So problem solved…we put Campbell in it and they both got to pull her:)

 

Campbell LOVED being pulled around.  She is so easy going!

 

Me and the birthday boy, Jack.

 

Addisan trying to make boy toys into purses somehow.

 

J.T. enjoying his favorite toy of all time while his daddy catches up on some light reading.

The Last of the Parties

Finally on Sunday, we had the last of the parties.  We invited our family and our close friends the Hammonds.  It was very low key with sandwiches and light snacks.  Both girls had a fabulous time spending the afternoon with so many people that love them.  Below are some high lights of our day.

 

This Dora car was a find!  We bought it at the Charter Colony yard sale for $10!  Please don’t think I am cheap.  My first thought was Addisan will love it!  Second of all, she has no idea what “pre-owned” really means:)  I went on line to see  the original price…..since it was limited edition, it sells on  EBAY new for over $450!  Needless to say, once she is done with the car, we will be putting it up to sell on-line!

 

Popeye and Ju-Ju brought Campbell a gift.  It was a Minnie Mouse that she loves.  Also, Baby and Pop-Pop bought her really cute monkey pjs that she wears all the time.

 

One of the gifts that she received was a soccer goal.  She went to a soccer clinic last winter and loved it.  We are going to pout her in soccer again in the spring.  Thanks Aunt Susan and Uncle Billy for the gift!

 

This was “the” gift of the day.  Campbell would not let Addisan get to it.  It was so funny!  It is a cash register that actually scans products.  You put the stickers on any items you want and it will tell you the price once you zap it!  So COOL!  I set up a grocery store in the hallway for Addisan to use her cash register and she loves it!  Thanks Baby and Pop Pop.

 

I am not sure who had more fun with it, Billy or Addisan.

 

Addisan decorated the cake herself.  My mom’s birthday is the day before Addisan’s birthday, so we had a dual cake:)

 

Addisan loves blowing out the candles to the cakes this year. 

 

Karsen is just the cutest thing in her party dress!

 

Aunt Ronya mailed this super soft coat to Addisan for her birthday.  When I put it on her, she said that she looked like Little Red Riding Hood, but she was missing her basket, cookies, and fork!  Too cute!

I’m a Party Girl, In a Puppy World!

This was the first year we had a birthday party for Addisan and her peers.  With Tommy working back home in Northern Virginia, I splurged and paid for someone to have it for me.  It was money well spent with the headaches and stress it would have caused me trying to get all the little details together by myself.  We decided to have her party at the Richmond SPCA.  It was nice to give my money to a party place that in return, saves animals lives.  I cannot stop raving about the facility and the party itself.  I was expecting a place that kinda smelled like dog and the festivities be in a small room off to the side somewhere.  It was nothing like that at all!  It was bright, colorful, and cheery.  Everything was so age appropriate and was fabulous!  We enjoyed having some of our closest friends from home come as well as our new friends from Richmond all together for Addisan.  This was the first time I felt completely at “home” in Richmond being with all of our new friends too.

 

We were welcomed into the HUGE party room by the SPCA mascot, Waggles, and the party favors that they put together for the kids.  Each child received a SPCA cup with a stuffed animal in it tied to a balloon.

 

When the kids arrived, they had stations set up that the children and the families to do at their own leisure.  This was one of them.  They also had bowling set up, coloring, a reading corner, and hula hoops.

 

Addisan trying her moves with the hula hoops.

 

Here I am posing with Sara. We are missing Colleen in this picture:(

 

Addisan stuffing her chocolate lab.  I loved this add on option to the party package.  Many of my friends say that their children carry around the dogs all the time still:)

 

Campbell taking part in the party!  We brought two of our neighborhood friends/babysitters to help with Campbell.  I don’t think we could have done it without them!

 

The party facilitator brought us all together on the carpet to go over the rules before going downstairs to see the dogs for adoption.  We were able to give them treats and the kids loved it.  Many of them were in little “bedrooms” where you could go in and hang out with them.  It was not depressing at all, but rather a relief to see how well these dogs are taken care of and with such love.

 

This was one of the dogs that was up for adoption.  This was in the kennel portion and not in the “bedroom” section.  Still, these kennels were so clean and spacious.  As many of you know, I have a soft spot for pits.  There were a few there and they were all so mild and calm.  This breed gets such a bad reputation for the mistakes people make by fighting them or keeping them chained up to trees.

 

Addisan with her birthday cake.  We put a photo of our two rescue dogs on it saying “Happy Birthday.”

 

Lexi and Molly decorating dog bowls with Addisan.

 

Addisan getting ready to open her gifts.  My strategy to make opening gifts go by more quickly is for the person who gave the gift to come up and help her.

 

This is Sara Lee, the diabetic rescue dog that was brought up to see the children.  They were able to play with her.  Overall, I think this party was not only enjoyable for all, but brought light to the need of animal rescuing!

Happy 3rd Birthday Addisan!

Addisan the morning of her birthday getting ready to open her gift from us.

 

Addisan sporting her gift from the morning….a Birthday Girl shirt to wear for her special day.  I get one for her every year from Gymboree.  After she opened it, she hopped down from her chair and gave us both a hug and thanked us over and over.  She is the sweetest girl and it made our day to see her excitement.  Now, I get to pass these shirts down to Campbell.

 

Addisan turned the big 3 on October 2.  We had three birthday celebrations for her.  By the time the last party was done, I was pooped! 

 

The first party we had was a party for all the neighborhood kids and my former first graders who are now in fourth grade.   Addisan is the youngest on the street and all the older kids love on her so much.  We are so lucky to live in such a great neighborhood.  We made the party really low key with a cup cake and sundae decorating bar.  Having the kids decorate their own got me out of frosting and decorating all 48 cupcakes!  We asked our friends not to bring gifts, but if they insisted on bringing something, they brought a new or gently used book for the Chippenham Hospital pediatric wing where Addisan stayed in the beginning of September.  We printed out labels for the kids to put inside the books and write their name in for the donation.  I have to be honest,  Addisan does not need anything and I hate trying to make space for new “treasures.”  Tommy and I did get her something to open and keep that night.  We got her a wooden ballerina doll that came with magnetic clothes.  She loves changing her clothes and making her dance.  The makers of the doll are Melissa and Doug….one of my favorite brands for kids’ toys.  They are all wooden, solid, and age appropriate.  Below are pictures from Party #1.

 

 

Addisan trying to patiently wait for her friends to get here.

 

I really wanted to get a cupcake tier to display them, but did not have time to purchase one.  I am hoping Tommy asks Santa to bring me one for Christmas this year:)

 

Popeye and Ju-Ju brought her birthday balloons in the afternoon.

 

Our sundae and cupcake bar.

 

Frosting.  Yum!

 

Friends decorating their yummy treats!

 

Addisan got a little shy when everyone started singing to her.

 

Our friends Marianne and Pam.  I love this shot of them!

 

Addisan opening her gifts and books.

 

I love this shot…..Campbell is just so done partying!

 

Here is a picture of Campbell and Campbell.  This is THE Campbell that inspired us to name our little one this:)