5 on Friday

1. We hope everyone had a wonderful Easter on Sunday!  The Easter Bunny visited our house the night before.  "She" had a cold, so she hide the eggs right after putting Ellie to bed.  Of course Ellie came out of her room a half an hour after the eggs were hide and instantly noticed them.   I told her I hadn't seen the Easter Bunny (sneaky bunny!) and maybe he was still there--- she better get back to bed and quick!  2 hours later (yes, 2.5 hours past her normal bedtime), she was in our bedroom and so excited about the Easter baskets the bunny left.   She was not tired and wanted to know when she could get up!

2. One might think that since Ellie got to bed so late she would sleep in a little bit... nope!   Up an hour and 15 minutes earlier than usual and ready to find eggs!   Once Neve and Daddy woke up we had our Easter egg hunt and headed off to church.   After that we headed to my aunt's house in Marshalltown for lunch and another egg hunt.  We were on the road back home around 3:20, with Neve falling asleep within 5 minutes of getting into the car.

3. We purchased a new game this week: "Ticket to Ride." Nick and I decided we were not spending enough time with each other between studying, biking and everything else going on.  When we would hang out we would watch a movie (which usually resulted in me falling asleep and headed up to bed 30 minutes into it).   Since we love to play games we brought out "The Game of Life" the other week.   It was so much fun and we had a great time together.   Since we cannot find out cribbage board (not sure where it ended up after the fire), Nick went on a hunt to find a new game to play that works well with just two players.   "Ticket to Ride" was the ultimate winner.   You can finish a game in 20 minutes or less with just two players (although the game can be played with more).   We loved it!   And I must say, I dominated Nick both times we played.   That doesn't happen (and I may have been bankrupt at the end of our "Life"game).

4. On Saturday morning we went shopping for a bedroom set for Genevieve.  The hunt continues, as we were unimpressed with pretty much everything we saw.

5. Since I commented so much about Neve's teeth coming in, I am happy to report that she has been sleeping through the night and the teeth pain is gone (at least until her 2-year molars come in).  It has been wonderful!

Curls

Curly hair for dance pictures!

5 on Friday

1. Nick and I played board games on Friday night.  It has been a while since we have done that sans kids.  So. Much. Fun.

2. This weekend was deemed birthday party weekend.   We celebrated birthdays for two of the young boys in our neighborhood on Saturday afternoon. 

3. Saturday evening the adults went out to celebrate a neighbor's 30th birthday.  We went to Perfect Games in Ames and played laser tag.  I had never played before.  It was awesome!   The place was rented out for an hour and there were about 16 of us total.   A great workout and I wasn't all that bad at it (once I learned how to play).  I would definitely do it again!

4. On Sunday Ellie attended a Princess Party for another neighbor.  Rapunzel showed up for the party!  She loved it and quickly informed me that she wanted a princess to come to her 5 year old birthday party.  I informed her that her party was over 6 months away.  Just like her mother, planning ahead.

5. Ellie had dance pictures Saturday morning.   She was supposed to have her hair in curls, so she slept in foam rollers the night before.   She loved it!   When we took them out she was so excited to have curly hair like our neighbor, and thought her hair was going to stay curly forever.  I had to inform her that the curls would go away, and her hair would be straight again--- but we had the curlers and could make her hair curly again... She thinks we should curl her hair after every bath now!

Pigtails!

Check out the long hair, and pigtails, on this 2-year old! 

I can already predict that her hair will be up most of the summer.

Bedtime Adventures

- The girls were having a great time the other night... I had to capture it on video.
- Notice Genevieve falling down towards the end of the video.  It didn't phase her a bit.
- The next night Ellie asked if they could run around and be thrown up in the air again... Daddy said no.
- I love our family of 4!

5 on Friday

1. Naps... Neve seems to think she is over them on the weekends, as the past two weekends have resulted in no naps one day.   Ellie on the other hand does great with them at home but not so much at day-care.  

2. Last weekend the girls and I went on a hunt to find some short sleeve shirts and long pants for them to wear... we failed.  Good thing we have Aunt Megan who had given us a couple outfits a few weeks back!   It was pretty fun going to the mall with both girls (Daddy was on a bike ride).   I love being able to do things like that with them.

3. We tried to play outside last weekend but it was pretty windy.  Today there is snow on the ground.   I cannot wait for sunny 60s and 70s degree days!  Neither can the rest of the people in the house.

4. I started a new workout program this week.  Ellie is super sweet and sets out water for me each day (or when she remembers) so I do not get thirsty.   Love it!

5. We put the highchair away this week.  Yet another thing Neve has outgrown. She does love her booster seat though! 

5 on Friday

1. We celebrated Genevieve's 2nd birthday on Saturday with a Ladybug themed birthday party.   She loved it, and the cupcake she ate most of.

2. Reason #908 I love our neighborhood: we can plan gatherings at a moments notice.  Friday night the guys gather at one house to watch the ISU game, while the gals and kids gathered at another house for a PJ party.   Sunday was a similar situation, the guys at one house and the rest of us at our house.   Dinner time?  No problem, we just ordered pizza!   Super easy, last minute and totally not me.   I am so glad my neighbors can bring out my spontaneous side.  I am such a planner, sometimes I wonder if there is such a side.

3. Neve turned 2 on Tuesday.   Such a big girl!  Her "Well Check" visit went great and she is tall for her age (surprise, surprise).   She picked donut holes for breakfast, we had lunch in the cafeteria with Mommy and Daddy, and the girls had Mac N Cheese for dinner.  She was pretty much smiles all day long, so I am going to call it a win!

4. As you saw in a previous post, we took down the baby gate on Sunday.  She also started using a booster seat instead of a highchair for eating.   AND she gave up sleeping with her Binkie on Tuesday night.   Our little girl is growing up!  Next up: big kid bed...  I am not sure I am ready for all of these changes.

5. I had a spontaneous dinner with a girlfriend last night.  I love getting together and catching up, especially over a drink or two.