Sister Sing Along

These goofy girls love to sing along to the songs they can find on the iPad. This is a  rare moment of the two girls playing nicely TOGETHER. Fingers crossed we have more of this and less of this in the future . . . . 

(Luckily, their daddy is magic and knows how to block inappropriate content. )

When you take Lexi out for ice cream . . .

Lexi had a Free Mudslide from Spangles for being the Box Top winner for Pre-K (so really Mom, Grandma, Nana, and Aunt Kayla should have gotten free mudslides for cutting those things for the past year but whatever, right?).

We bribed Lexi with getting to go get her free mudslide ALL DAY; we had really built this thing up to be amazing! 

(Emma Jo has that pesky peanut allergy and if there isn't an allergen menu, I don't risk giving her anything that might trigger an allergic reaction. 

Epi-Penning my kid is not my idea of a fun Saturday night)

I took her up after dinner last night and we had a little ice cream date. 

She loved her Chocolate Strawberry mudslide, and I loved just getting to sit and chat with her - she's a lot of fun, you know.

When we got home, I noticed that the sidewalk chalk and lawn chairs were out, but I couldn't see Paul and Emma anywhere! 

And then I pulled the car into the garage, 

looked over, 

and found this: 

 

Why are they in the car?

Why is Emma in the driver's seat?

Why, for the love, is she wearing a helmet?

IDK. 

I just IDK.

MAYbe so . . .

 Our first full days of summer have been busy. I think Paul and I have become our parents in that we can't relax until all of our projects are completed. I have been busy trying to get the house totally clean and Paul has been working on finishing the deck and working on the yard.

 The girls have been doing their best to distract us from these tasks. Emma is a mess in general, but compound that with mom and dad trying to get things done and she goes into overdrive - the child can make a giant mess in 10 seconds or less.

Emma Jo, while extremely naughty, is alternately very sweet. She has given hugs and kisses and cuddles a LOT over the past couple days - I think she knows that she needs to be precious in order to get away with all of her shenanigans. 

 

By the last day of school on Thursday, Lexi was exhausted. Crying 2-3 times a day, whining, etc. I don't blame her - we have been insanely busy the last month, and the hustle and bustle has worn ME down, and I'm not 4 years old! Lexi even turned down an offer to go play at Nana's house one afternoon, if that tells you anything about her extremely tired state. Poor thing. 

She's spent a lot of time just enjoying NOT having to be anywhere - playing with her toys and hanging out with Mom and Dad.

I'm not sure she was super useful when she was "helping" her daddy stain the deck, but my goodness she sure is cute!

 She mustered up enough energy for a bike ride around the neighborhood.

It's Summer Time, Baby!

Time Out!

One of Emma's new favorite things to do is try to send Lexi to timeout. 

I think it is hilarious, Lexi does NOT. 

She used to cry, but now she just responds by saying, "I'm not going!" or something. 

Uncle Scottie

 Uncle Scottie is a Marine. That means he has to leave sometimes. Last year he was deployed to Afghanistan and currently he is on assignment in another country. Basically he has spent most of Emma's life on a separate continent than us.

 Luckily, Jesus invented Skype and Facetime. 

When Uncle Scottie comes home, my girls flip out- because they love him. He's like a big jungle gym to them - because he has muscles and doesn't subscribe to the same rules of safety that I do. Scottie builds the gigantic pillow forts and slides (yeah he made a 4 foot tall cushion slide once) and doesn't put the girls in timeout for running in the house.

 So they love their uncle.

 We all do.

TWO much

 My darling girl turned two yesterday. That's right - it's been two years, and yet it only seems like minutes since she was 6 1/2 pounds of precious. She's still precious, just no where close to 6 1/2 pounds anymore. 

 Emma's birthday coincided with Mother's Day this year. Part of my Mother's Day present involved my parents keeping our girlies overnight on Saturday night. That's sort of ironic, isn't it? Let's celebrate being a mom by not having your kids for a night. Weird. 

I felt pretty guilty that Emma Josephine was going to wake up on her birthday and I wouldn't be there, so I went a little crazy decorating for her very small Birthday party.

 She had a pink explosion waiting for her, along with streamers on the door and a birthday outfit (complete with a birthday princess tiara that she wore for less than 3 seconds).

 Smile, chickadee, it's your birthday!

Emma's presents were perfect. She LOVES playing with the toy kitchen set and toy food. Like, really loves it - that stuff buys me a good 45 minutes every day. So when I found a princess cash register - jackpot! It says things like "hello princess shopper!" - super cute. 

 Emma also enjoys vacuuming. She did not get that from me. This cute little vac actually picks up tissue paper! Well, it would if we put batteries in it, but Paul and I are firmly anti-battery. Why would you make something loudER? 

Emma Jo (pretend) vacuumed several rooms yesterday!

 Emma also got new princess dresses, new books, some kitchen toys, and a Barbie from Lexi.

 Lexi got a little present, too. She was very good about understanding that it was Emma's day - Emma was going to get presents, not Lexi. With it also being Mother's Day, Nana and Mommy got presents too and I was afraid that was going to make her extremely sad. I gave her a little present - a new book. Sort of appropriate since she was the baby that made me a mommy, right?

 Emma enjoying her birthday presents. She insisted on putting on this princess dress as soon as she opened it - too cute!

The cupcakes - what a great invention the cupcake was! Seriously, let's all take a minute and thank the genius individual that came up with this idea - everyone gets their own, no fighting over whose is bigger/better/frostingier/etc. 

Plus you can decorate them all a little differently - so fun!

 These cupcakes have been Emma approved!

Happy 2nd Birthday Emma Jelly Beans!