Happy 4th Birthday Navia!!!

It's so hard to believe that our little princess turned 4 today!!! She's growing up soooo fast and is ready to try new things whenever she possibly can :)

Today we made the day a Navia day - in her words, "I'm like a princess today" - so cute! We started out opening gifts before the kids went to school - and Navia LOVED it!!! She actually said that she couldn't believe that people got her gifts and she feels so special.

She read the cards so carefully - this one's from Gramma and Grampa McGifford...

A "Navia" princess barbie and make-up kit from Gramma and Grampa McGifford - the barbie has brown hair/eyes, just like our little princess.

Now's it's time to open Grampa and Gramma Bailey's . . . first the card . . .

She can't wait to dress the angel in the other outfits and the Dora lipstick went straight to her lips - of course!!!

Now's it's Auntie Jenna's turn . . . can you tell that she's excited . . . a gift card to McDonald's - can it really get any better for a 4 year old?!?!

Now for the "American" Bailey's gift - yep - a pink Dinosaur webkinz - it's already very loved!!!

And then she opened the gifts from her brother, sister and parents - ballet outfits, shoes and make-up . . . she's set!!!

Trying to stand on her tip-toes - so cute!!!

Daddy took the morning off to take Navia out for a birthday breakfast and then went to Emma's class for a Christmas craft morning. So while he was taking the kids to school Navia got dressed into her Princess Dress and got ready for the day . . . yep . . . she spent the ENTIRE day in her princess dress . . . the ENTIRE day!!!

She loved her pink hair!

So, first stop of the day - Broadway's with Mom and Dad...

She asked the waitress if there was special princess food here and was brought out a chocolate chip pancake with whipped cream and strawberry sauce - she LOVED it!!!

Next stop - Navia and Mommy went to a movie, "The Princess and the Frog", for a morning showing - just the two of them. She had a blast and loved being able to wear her dress there - everyone at the theater knew which movie she was going to see - we didn't even have to tell the cashier - just had to pay :)

Navia wouldn't take her eyes off the screen - it was a lot of fun to do this with just her!

Next stop - Walmart for Build a Bear. It has become a tradition in our family that on each child's birthday Mommy takes them by themselves to choose an animal to stuff and dress - can you guess what kind of animal our little pink princess wanted . . .

Navia stepped on the pedal too soon and turned into a stuffed girl!!! It was hilarious to watch . . . you can see a bit of the remainder on the floor.

Navia and her pink poodle she named "Rainbow" - yep - I think we need to talk with her about what a rainbow really is, but they're cute together!!!

By the time we got home the kids were getting off the bus and Navia needed to get back into her ballet outfit and that is how she spent the rest of the day . . . Amanda came over to babysit while I taught and they made birthday cupcakes together, icing them and eating them.

She had a great day and I had a blast hanging out with her, just hanging . . . no work, no cleaning, nothing but just being with my new 4 year old - that is the life!!!

Party Weekend

On Saturday night we went to Braden's work party, but it looks like the camera came out when the boys were away, oops - sorry Brade!!! So instead we have the ladies . . .

Then on Sunday it was a very different party . . . Navia's very first birthday party ever, her 4th Birthday Party!!! She wanted two special friends to come over for a princess party and they had a blast!!!

They made little "gingerbread cottages", freeze dancing, a treasure hunt and lots of playing . . .

and of course, cake!!!

Oh, and presents!!!!

After the girls left Navia played with her new toys and then the kids bundled up and Daddy took them sledding! Emma and Kaleb have mastered standing up on their sleds - kinda a "foe-snowboard". Navia has tried, but keeps on getting a face full of snow :)

Kaleb likes trying new "techniques" for going down the hill . . . I wonder what he'll come up with next?!?!?

The night ended watching a Christmas movie and remembering.

Today would have been Braden's mom's 53rd birthday. She is still such big part of our life and to let today go by without anything didn't feel right (although most years Brade would have called her tomorrow and then they would laugh about him missing her birthday by a day . . . again!) So, I took the bottom part of the cake that wasn't touched, re-iced it, decorated it. After supper we went around the table talking about the great memories that each one of us have of Mom - from her reading to the kids, doing puzzles with them, beating them at "bop-it", making cool breakfasts and not letting them disturb their mom and dad while we were still sleeping, making them sock monkeys, laughing with her . . . the list went on and on, but each thing was another part of who Mom was and how she loved each of us. We sang Happy Birthday to Gramma, watched the sparklers burn bright and then kids blew out the candles for her. We miss her soooo much and I know that this Christmas is going to be a unique one - a time of fun and laughter and joy, then at the same time remembering that Mom isn't here this year and we won't see her face on the computer screen as we open gifts with Gramma and Grampa Bailey via the webcam and we won't be able to talk to her or try and find the perfect gift for her. It will be a hard one. But, it will be one that we will remember everything that she was and still is to us.

So, weekend of parties ended with celebrating an amazing woman that was born on this day and we were lucky enough to call her Mom & Gramma!!! We love you!

A Month in Pictures

This last month has been quite busy around here and I've neglected my blog, so . . . here it goes . . . a month in pictures . . .

Daddy bought silly string to have a silly string fight with the kids in the backyard - Gramma Bailey did this in one summer and it has such good memories attached to it . . . I think our neighbors thought we were crazy though!!!

Ganging up on Daddy

Run Emma, run!!!

In November Gramma and Grampa McGifford came down for a week. The kids had school for a few of the days so Navia got some extra one-on-one time, but she sure didn't mind!!! It was great having them down and showing them what our life is like out here - this is the first time Grampa has been to our new place. The kids had a blast and it was a bit of an adjustment when they left . . . yep . . . we would love to have grandparents living around here! Brade and I even were able to sneak out for a date out to Merrickville :)

You'll notice that the kids LOVE playing tag - and they do it with everything in them and making sure that everyone around gets involved. I'm sure Gramma and Grampa were exhausted by the time they left!!!

Sorry - you don't need to see me stuffing my face - I'm a hypocrite though, so here's everyone else - hehehe!!!

Gramma and Grampa gave Emma a recorder and within 10 minutes of a www.youtube.com video she was playing like a pro. Kaleb thought it was cool that Emma learned "Jingle Bells" because he knows it on the piano and thought that they'd play it together. Great idea, except they were playing in 2 different keys - ouch!!! BUT - they didn't even notice :)

The kids also gave a concert for everyone and Navia had to do her "special song" for everyone. . . it changes each time but always will contain "in this world" - too cute!

We went to the Museum of Nature one afternoon and the kids had a blast - I think they liked having grandparents here to show off to!!!

They were "vets" at the bird rescue station - which they took VERY seriously!!!

Emma wanted to learn how to knit and Gramma taught her, but I forgot to take any pictures. After Gramma and Grampa left I searched www.youtube.com, taught myself how to knit and then kept helping Emma. She's now made one fingerless glove and needs to start her next one. The only side effect of this is that now I know how to knit so every time I sit down I have to be knitting! I just can't seem to let myself waste valuable time when I could be doing something . . . I think I'm going crazy!!!

The first weekend in December we decided to do the kick off to Christmas thing. On the Friday the kids and I went Christmas outfit shopping - which turned up some amazing outfits, of course. Then on Saturday morning they went to meet Santa Clause and have a pancake breakfast and make Christmas crafts at the community center, in the afternoon we went to a tree farm and cut down a tree and in the evening we went for a snow-less sleigh ride, again hosted by the community center. Then on Sunday we decorated the tree, went for a fancy supper (the kids even ordered salmon, rice and baked potatoe - and it's because of Auntie Jenna cooking salmon in Airdrie for us one time, so thanks Jenna for getting them to eat something other than fries) and then went to their very first ballet, "The Nutcracker". It was an exhausting weekend, but a great one too!!! So, here it is in pictures . . .

Searching for the perfect tree (in the mud!!!)

Getting muddy while trying to cut it down

Emma giving it a go

Carrying it to the van and then we headed off for milkshakes - yep - it wasn't very cold. This will definitely be a memory!!!

Night time sleigh ride - Emma got to sit up front - which she loved as horses are her thing!!!

The rest of us were able to sit in the sleigh and enjoy the lights of the neighborhood

Aren't they just ADORABLE!!! My little man is in a SUIT, Emma wanted to wear a dress with a headband and bow and Navia got to wear another cute dress!!! They were so perfect!!!

Waiting at the restaurant for their food - yep - we made some cute kids!!!

In the theater waiting for the first notes of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker . . .

It was a great weekend, a great start of December, a great last month!