More pictures for you! The day we scheduled Makayla's one year pictures turned out to be 104 degrees. A bit miserable...and Makayla didn't think this was very fun. Ironically, these crying faces you see are exactly what daddy saw when mom wasn't around during her first year of life.
I love this next one - not because my sweet girl is so sad, but because of the amount of emotion packed into that expression. My dear child - life is really not that bad.
Ok mom, I will look one time but I am not going to smile for you.
You asked me to smile, and I said I wasn't going to smile....now I am sad again.
Please, just take me to the water.
Wind blowing through my hair...life is good :)
And who doesn't like wet sand in her toes?
Yay...picture time is done!
More science center pictures. Kids love to build rockets (have mom build the rocket) and launch them.
Makayla likes the train table.
Near the end of October, we had a progress night at preschool. The girls got to show us some of the artwork they had been saving and dress up.
We made it to an apple orchard/pumpkin patch again this year. This is the big corn pool.
And the jumping pillow.
Brynn "drove" and gave one of our younger friends a ride.
The hay rack ride.
Two princesses, a football player and a cheerleader.
The official 5 year pictures for Hailey and Brynn and 3 year pics for Klayton. My babies are growing up so fast ;)
Klayton wanted a train party for his birthday.
And ice cream cupcakes on a graham cracker/oreo train.
Hailey and Brynn rode scooters every day that the weather would allow. Klayton would ride the neighbor's scooter or pick up one of the girl's if it was free. They would ride on the trail while I pushed Makayla in the stroller. Klayton finally got his own scooter for his birthday! We are eagerly awaiting warmer temperatures so we can get back out on the trail!
The excitement of Christmas is really starting at our house. The kids are old enough that they remember prior years and love helping put the ornaments on tree.
And getting the nativity sets out - one for play and one for "pretty".
Hailey's turn for the star this year.
Makayla - she loves music already.
Hailey chose Cinderella and Brynn chose Snow White. The girls got on the computer and "pinned" what they wanted me to make for their cakes so I had very specific requests :)
Makayla wanted to be a present.
This was our first year with kids singing for the Christmas service. They also had a Christmas program at preschool (shown below). Hailey and Brynn were sheep.
We had a play date with cookie decorating -kids had a great time. They each had their own bowl of frosting so when Klayton licked the utensil he only spread germs on his own cookies :).
Makayla participated by eating the cookies.
Van Mersbergen extended family Christmas celebration - Aunt Arlene brought a yummy activity for the kids to do!
Birthday date with Daddy - Hailey and Brynn insisted on going together on their date instead of separately.
Donuts in jammies for the girls' birthday breakfast.
Off to Grandpa and Grandma's house for more Christmas celebrations! Reading the Christmas story.
Makayla had fun ripping the paper this year!
Reading the Christmas story on Christmas day.
Makayla took a great nap on Christmas day so she was a little late for opening gifts. Since she was the last one, she got to open all of hers at once instead of taking turns with the cousins!
The cousins plus me...Makayla was too concerned about her cookie so I had to hold her in the picture.
We had a few warmer days after a snowfall - great weather for playing outside!
Makayla's first experience with snow. It took her about 2 minutes to just sit down outside and cry when she realized she couldn't do much in her snow gear! Luckily I got a picture right away.
As you might notice, miss Hailey will often tell me I can't take her picture...I have to catch her in the "groups"!
And one last visit to the science center to celebrate noon years eve - there was face painting and a big balloon drop at noon along with some other activities.
The "princess" face.
"Butterfly" face
Admiring their "make-up" in the mirror!
Spiderman face
Makayla was intrigued by the face painting. Since she did so well sitting and waiting/watching Hailey, Brynn, and Klayton, the girl painted Makayla's face too. We later learned in the bathroom that ages two and under were not to get their face painted as one little girl yelled at her mom - "That baby has face paint, why couldn't my baby get her face painted!" Oops, did not mean to cause controversy on that one!
And noise makers - why wouldn't it be a great idea to give hundreds of children noise makers as soon as they enter the science center? Loud is a gross understatement...
And the balloon drop at noon. Happy Noon Year!
The kids took great naps that afternoon and made it until 10:30 New Year's Eve!
Thanks for catching up with us! It is supposed to be sub zero temps for the next 36 hours so I am making a great start on my decluttering goals for 2014! We will see how long this lasts before my heated blanket calls my name. :)
