Bouncing Bigs and Sleepy Littles

Having Jack and Eli here for the weekend

was a LOT of fun.

It was fabulous to watch the kids all get along so well

and to enjoy each other so much.

All of that fun was exhausting though.

Especially for the littles. 

xo

xo

Turning two is hard work!

Elliotte was not impressed to be woken from her nap after her birthday party.
Sorry sweets. If I let you sleep too long, you won't go to bed
and this Momma NEEDS you to go to bed on time! xo

Eli thought the party was equally exhausting!

The big kids were exhausted as well,
especially after going for bronco rides on Daddy/Uncle Mark.

Elliotte thought it was especially funny to watch Jack try to hold on!

Elliotte worships her Uncle Harold.
She did a little dance when she first saw him on Friday
and kept saying "Harold, Harold Harold".

He's watching a show with her and sharing fishes from our guppy buffet.
No wonder she likes him so much.

And another!
He took her for a backpack ride.
She was trying to hug him here!

Birthday Pancake Breakfast

How great was it that our little community

hosted a pancake breakfast at our recreation centre

on the morning of Elliotte's birthday??

Not only was it fun to go there and treat the kids

(and ourselves)

but since Krista and her family were visiting,

it meant a free breakfast out

and no dishes to clean up afterwards!!

The kids loved it!

After they ate,

Mark and Elliotte took Piper to ballet.

Krista and her family ran some errands for me

and I went home to finish decorating for the party.

As usual, 

I was still running around trying to finish up the last minute things

when the first guests arrived, 

but they didn't seem to mind. 

What a great birthday for our littlest lady!

xo

xo

These two little charmers were happy breakfast dates!

An un-candid shot of the Martin family.

With the exception of Mark taking a short nap for this photo,
it was such a lovely way to start celebrating Elliotte's special day. 

All Aboard the Two Choo Train

There's a 2 year old in my house!!!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday 

to the funniest little girl you will ever meet. 

Elliotte Paige, we love every last thing about you. 

We love how incredibly independent and determined you are, 

yet how graciously and politely you can ask for help. 

We love that you dance when there is no music 

(not that WE can hear anyway) 

and dance even harder when there is music. 

We love how much you adore your big sister, 

acting as her shadow/copycat most days, 

yet that you refuse to be pushed into playing a game that you don't want to play. 

There are no words to describe just how incomplete 

our world would be without you! 

You have a special way of melting the hearts 

of everyone you meet. 

Happy Birthday sweet sweet girl.

We love you to the moon and back!

xo

xo

Fish and Chips anyone? 

All you can eat GUPPIES!

It was a very guppy day!

The party gang.

Our two year old enjoying her pizza,
which she requested!

Nonny - Elliotte's favorite Bubble Guppy.

What time is it?
It's time for cake!

I think Elliotte was pleased with her cake!

Blowing out the candles.

Happy guppy.

Eli got to try some icing off of the cake!

A very spoiled, I mean loved, little girl.

Piper and Jack sampling each of the guppies from the Fish & Chip bar
after all of the guests left.

Jack filled his cup up just a little too much.
He's concentrating very hard on how to get that cup to the table
without spilling his fish.
Blue may have been please with the few fish that
"got away".

Being two means big changes.
Look who is now forward facing in her carseat!
She was excited...

... but I think her big sister was most excited for her!!!!
I think proud better describes how Piper was feeling!

It was Fun to be One

Today was our little Elliotte's very last day being one.

Sob.

Tomorrow morning our little ham sandwich

will wake up a two year old!

Late Love

Valentine's Day was ten days ago.

We didn't decorate our cookies until yesterday,

but we did celebrate on the real day.

Piper also had a Valentine party at her preschool.

It was a LOVE-LY day!

xo

xo

When there is sugar involved,
there is 100% concentration!

Little sister is no different.

I heart Elliotte.

And I heart Piper.

Piper's loot from PreK and the grandparents!
(There was also chocolate, but that somehow disappeared.... mmm.)

PS.

Speaking of love. This was a conversation that Piper and I had two days ago:

• Me: Piper, you know I love you, right?!
• Piper: Yes, mom.
• Me: How much?
• Piper: I'm only four. My arms aren't long enough. 

Be still my heart! xo

Bedtime and a Show

Every night before bed,

the girls get to chose a television show to watch

while they eat their bedtime snack.

It used to be so easy.

DORA.

No questions asked.

But now that Elliotte is a chatterbox who can form sentences,

things have changed.

Piper will ask for a Dora,

but Elliotte will demand 

(in a grumpy voice with a frown upon her face)

to watch Bubble Guppies or Goldie and Bear.

It's starting to get very very interesting around here!

xo

xo

There somehow seems to be calm between these two here.
I'm not sure how that happened. 

PS.

Elliotte is now wearing the little fleece nightgown that Piper was obsessed with when she was two. It's long sleeve and warm, yet Piper refused to wear anything else to bed at this stage. By the time summer came around, she would be sweating with it on. I actually had to take it away one day and hide it. Now it belongs to Elliotte, who hasn't begun to attach herself to it.... yet. Though she does love dresses and will sometimes yell at me if I try to make her wear pants! Kelly-Anne - Stop giving my children gifts that they love more than they love me!!!

My Princess Pirates

Some days I have mommy wins

and more days I have mommy fails.

Today was a little of both.

Piper found an empty paper towel roll 

and decided to become a pirate with a telescope.

Of course, with there only being one telescope,

both girls had to fight over it.

(They wouldn't be my kids if they didn't!)

In trying to be a super mom, 

I went to the kitchen, 

emptied about 30 paper towels from the existing roll

and gave the roll to Elliotte.

(But not before having both girls watch closely

as I wrote Elliotte's name on her's,

so as to avoid a future fight over ownership of each roll.

Piper proudly wrote her own name on hers!)

The end result was to happy princess pirates,

happily sailing away on their pirate ship

(aka. my bed)

looking for Treasure Island.

Elliotte wasn't being much help,

since the roll was held to her nose more than her eye,

but she was trying!

And then there was my mommy fail.

I tried to make mashed potato snowmen

for the girls for supper.

They ended up looking a little...

inappropriate?!

Fail.

xo

xo

Arrrrrrr Matey!

Elliotte Paige's telescope.

And Piper Cee's telescope.

My mommy FAIL.
At least the girls thought they looked like snowmen!

Birthday Party Friends and Fun

Today we took a little trip to Charlottetown 

to celebrate the birthdays of two of Piper and Elliotte's little friends.

Stanley turned 2 and his little sister Liana turned 1.

So much fun!

xo

xo

Our little party girls.

Elliotte has no fear.
She was up this rock staircase and down the tunnel slide
without a second thought!

Piper and Georgia waiting for cake!

Here comes the cake!

The birthday boy wasn't wasting any time
as he stole some icing from the cake!

The birthday boy!

The birthday girl!

No Photo

I don't actually have a photo today.

I always have photos!

I usually have a backlog of photos that I'm trying to use up.

Not this week.

Piper and Elliotte are feeling a lot better,

but Piper is waking up coughing at night and can't stop.

Last night her coughing fit lasted from 1:00-5:00.

She was in my bed with me the whole time 

and just couldn't stop coughing.

The lack of sleep is making this mommy cranky!

Tomorrow there will be photos!

For now, I'll post a photo from a year ago.

It's so amazing how much they grow in one year!

xo

xo

What's this little one up to?

Ahhh, trying to steal her sister's water cup!

Falling through the box was not part of the plan.

The cup is safe in it's rightful owner's hands!

Excuses

I've been missing posts..

because we're still feeling under the weather.

Hopefully we'll all be in tip top shape by the weekend!

xo

xo

They did this all by themselves. 

You can always tell when Piper is sick.
It shows on her face so much.
My sad sick little munchkins.