June

We have thoroughly enjoyed our June. I hate to see it go. I wish the summer months would slow down.
We started the month off in North Carolina...Ahhhh Sunset Beach!! We spent Friday visiting Mike's college room mate. On the way down this VW Squareback blew past us. Of course I had to grab my camera because this is identical to my very first car. I haven't seen one on the road around here for years. I loved that car. Even if we did have to scrape the ice off of the inside of the windshield in the winter, while driving.

The hotel we stayed in on Friday had a great park behind it. Maya surprised us when she just took off on her tricycle, peddling and steering like a pro. We have a small flat concrete parking pad that Maya had been trying to ride her trike on but wasn't having much success. Everywhere else around us is grass or gravel and hilly. Not the greatest for learning to ride a tricycle. After riding around in places where there's lots of flat open space she has become a champion tricycle rider.


We had a great time at the beach this year. Maya loved spending time with Chloe and Caitlin. It's so nice to go on vacation.

We have spent a lot of time in the pool. If it were up to Maya we'd be in there all day everyday.

And I've been spending a lot of time in my laundry room! Every quilt, towel, rug etc. has been washed. Not to mention several loads of clothes. I love my new toys!

This was one of Maya's gifts to her daddy for father's day. I can't remember where I saw this idea. It was in some magazine but I can't remember which one. It sure did turn out cute though.


A birthday party with a jumpy house! I could hardly get her to come out even for cake.

She did come out for a group shot in the Spiderman masks.


Maya attended her first VBS last week. She had a blast! We don't go to church so this was all pretty new to Maya. She loved learning the songs. And she did a great job when they did the program for the church. She was in heaven the day they brought animals that they could feed and pet. It was hard to get her away from these bunnies.


The theme of the VBS was Rome. It was a lot of fun for the kids and everyone that participated. This was the 3 & 4 year old class playing a game. There were so many kids there.

Looking beautiful for her singing debut on Sunday morning.


So Maya's month goes out on a not so happy note. She had to have blood drawn today in an attempt to find out why she has hives. She had a back full of scratch tests on Friday. She has been a trooper through it all. As soon as we got back to the car after having her blood drawn she asked what kind of band aid that was. I told her it was just a white one and then I made a smiley face on it. She laughed when she looked at it and then immediately put on the pity face. "I need to show my Daddy", she said in the most pouty voice ever so gently touching the band aid. So Daddy, this one's for you.

May

May was mostly cool and wet. We had some sunny days too and it is certainly getting green with all of the rain we've had.
This was my third Mother's day. I love being a mother! I love my girl!

The azaleas were particularly full and beautiful this year. But it only took one good rain to knock all of the blooms off. But they sure were nice while they lasted.


Maya has gotten a lot of use out of her Ariel umbrella and the kitty rain boots that her cousin Lilli gave her. She loves those boots!


Still loves Little Critter. New favorites are Olivia and Arthur. We spend a lot of time at the library.


Also still loves to paint. When she gets to paint at her easel she says she is painting a Jackson Pollock paintin'.


She finished up her gymnastics class. These were the only 4 girls left by the end of the class that started in October. They had such a great time and it was so much fun watching all of these little girls grow up.


Memorial Day


The sewing bug bit. Monnie's flowers were a perfect backdrop for Maya in her Momma-made outfit.
This was the longest Maya's hair had been in a while. I thought I might let it grow for the summer so she could have some pony tails. These were the only pony tails she got. It's short again now and looks so much better. The tails are super cute but they will not stay in her silky mane.

April

April was full of fun, friends and family. Oh, and don't forget BIRTHDAYS!!

We started the month in a cabin in the woods (by the window a little man stood...la la) with our great friends the Lazars. We were so happy that they made the trip to WV and that we got to get together with them again so soon after spending our 2 year family day anniversary just a few weeks ago.
It was quite a few days with my truck thermometer reading 80 degrees when we got there on Saturday. Then leaving on Monday with at least 3 inches of snow on the ground. I did not take even one pic of the girls in the snow. I am SO over the cold!! And as I type this tonight, I am even more SO over the rain that has nearly washed us away this week.
Both little and big people alike had a great time. We celebrated birthdays one day and Easter then next. Ella and Maya had cupcakes that they made and tiaras to wear for their birthday party. Then they had Easter bonnets and baskets to hunt eggs. They spent a little time in the hot tub with Evan. And they ran and played and stirred and ran and played some more. The stirring was all Maya's idea as she has some crazy obsession with stirring. We put some of Maya's panties on Ella and she's been potty training ever since. What are friends for?!
The boys, including Fisher took a little hike out to Long Point to get a great view of the New River Gorge and the bridge. Laura and I never left the cabin. We enjoyed a relaxing time just being together.
We are so thankful for the friendships that we likely would have never made if not for the blessing of our girls. Cosmic alignment, the hand of God, fate, luck...call it what you will. It's truly amazing how much happiness these little girls can bring into your life and not just with their presence but with everything the whole process encompasses.

Maya got some new cute birdy bedding. I don't know who loves it more. She and I both are wild about it.


Then we went to see the Easter bunny. Oh what fun! Maya was thrilled as evidenced by the enormous grin on her face. Show her a big ol' furry bunny or some random giant circus character and she's all smiles but if it has a human face (think Santa) forget it.

Then the bunny came to see Maya. Once again, the girl was ecstatic.


I thought I'd try some sponge curlers for a fancy Easter do for Maya. She sat very still and let me put the curlers in. She never tried to take them out while her hair was drying. And she was excited when it was time to take them out.

It looked really cute after I fixed it! But this picture was before I fixed it. She wouldn't hardly let me take a pic after I took the curlers out. I laughed while I was taking them down and Dad was taking pics. I laughed because it was so cute and so curly. But I hurt her feelings and I felt like a dog! She HATED it. She almost cried and so did I. She didn't want to go to my sisters. She didn't want pictures. She didn't want us to look at her. It was awful! She said "Fix it mommy. Make it back to Maya's hair! I don't want to go to Aunt Robin's!"


So after taking the flat iron to it and much explanation as to why I laughed and many apologies she was ready to go have Easter dinner with the family. I had to call and warn everyone not to mention her hair. It was still pretty fluffy but not curly and that was ok with Maya. I should have known better. Our girl is super sensitive but puts up a strong front. Sometimes I forget how fragile she truly is.


All was well once we got there and she got to play with her Brycie.


One of her latest face drawings. She asked for a pic of it as her Aunt Judy and Racheal looked on.


Here's the conversation:
me: "Let's put on your earth day shirt."
Maya: "Today's my birthday?!"
me: "No, not today. But it will be soon. Today is earth day not your birthday."
Maya: "Mom! Those are rhyming words!"
Smarty pants.


I almost missed the spring wild flower pics at our neighbors this year. It's been a wet and cold spring. While we were walking by her house one day Maya said she wanted her picture in Monnie's flowers. So we went right home and got the camera.




This is one of the last ones I took. Her expressions says it all. Enough mom. I just want to smell the flowers now.

Then we finished off the month with a birthday trip to the Outer Banks. We had a great time and great weather.

3! Yes, 3. My sweet tiny baby is still sweet but she has become such a big girl. Wow! Does anyone know how to slow down time?


Happy Birthday, angel! So. Much. Love.!

March

March is one of those months when the weather can go from 70's and sunny to 20's and snowing in the course of a day. But the snowy, cold days are soon to be gone and it can't come soon enough. We are taking advantage of the warm days to get some outside play time. We've sure missed that.
We spent one afternoon with Julianna and Jaclyn. The girls had a great time taking a little hike, building fairy houses, swinging and sliding.


All of the fairy house building has brought out the fairy in our girl. She can't wear just the wings though. She has to have a "beautiful princess dress" too. And of course, a flash light or two are always part of the costume.


I've put her to work doing dishes...not really! She does love to play in the sink. Maybe I should give her that job, LOL!

"Mom, take a picture! I'm sittin on Fisher!" Thank goodness he's a good boy. And thank goodness she doesn't weigh much. You can tell by the look on his face that he's really enjoying his rider. We often have a talk about not sitting on Fisher. Or not pulling Fisher's tail. Or not chasing Fisher with the stroller. I know she loves him but she sure does hassle him. But then in the next minute she's gently patting his head or laying her head on him and giving him kisses. (Sorry to anyone who is not a dog person but we always kiss our dog. He is our furry child and we love him) She has started calling him Ben Ben. Don't know where that came from.

This one was, "Mom, take a picture of Ben Ben and Maya and Baby Hippo". I'm just so amazed that she's asking to have her picture taken these days. My, my how they change!

Back to the sand table and she loves it as much this year as she did the last. I can't wait till it's warm enough to put water in it instead of sand. The sand and our new wood floors aren't getting along very well. I looked out and this is what I saw. I asked Maya what she was doing. She never even turned around and said, "Being lazy."


Happy Birthday to Daddy!!


Dad's best present!!