Easter 2011

I know, I'm way behind.  

Better late than never right?

We had Easter at my SIL parents beautiful home.  

Cole, Luke, Austin, Kate, Sadie, Zach and MaryJane.

I love watching the kids hunt for eggs in their Easter clothes.

Nice crocs Cole.  There is always something, right?

Getting Frankie to look at the camera is quite the challenge.

Grandpa and Nana

Frankie is not quite sitting up on his own. 

Some how I managed to snap this while Kevin's hand was out view.  

Video: Frankie

Can you believe that this little boy is almost one?!  

I love all the faces he makes!

Here is proof that Frankie is not always so serious.  

He loves the changing table and I love trying to get him to smile.  

Highchair Redo

Finally, I got around to replacing our old Peg Perego Highchair Cover.

As you can tell after 3 kids, it was major yucko!

The replacement covers are $60, so my options were to either by a new highchair for that same amount or make one.  Since I love how this highchair reclines and has a 5 point harness I decided to make a new one.  I found a tutorial online here that inspired me to cut up the old one a create myself a pattern.

I found this darling laminated alphabet fabric at Piper's Quilts for $20 a yard. 

I love the idea of the laminated fabric because the covers I found on Etsy were made out of cotton fabric. I wanted something more wipeable.

I had some of the materials on hand so the total I spent on this was $30.   

I loved the way it turned out!

Not having a true pattern to follow was a little tricky but it was also fun to figure out.

It took me three tries to get the binding right.  But once I figured it out the rest went pretty smoothly.

Some parts would look a lot better if I had an industiral sewing machine.

But all in all it's suits the purpose well and it's cute.  

Frankie enjoys it too.

I know he's wearing a girl bib.  But when its your fourth, anything will do.  At least he's wearing a bib.

A Spring Break for Mommy

In April, Frankie and I took a little trip with my Mom out to see my Brother and his family in Costa Mesa, California.

It was a perfect little getaway for me!  Something I don't get to do very often.

Frankie was a great travel buddy!  He's so easy that my brother kept wondering if I had really brought a baby with me.  Frankie made no fuss at all!

I didn't take many pictures.  It was just so nice not to have to do anything. :)

We shopped at the beautiful South Coast Plaza Mall and ate at the yummy Wolfgang Puck restaurant.

Aunt Insun and Frankie.  He loves to touch faces.  I love that about him.

a borrowed pic from my brother's blog

My adorable nieces!  They loved Frankie!

While we were there, I got to help out with cute Olivia's birthday party. 

We made a tea pot cake like Sadie's.

Why is California so dreamy?  I loved walking off the plane at the Long Beach airport to be welcomed by that beautiful coastal breeze.  It just feels heavenly!  And thankfully my brother lives so close to the beach that I was able to enjoy that breeze my whole trip in their home with the windows all open.

After making a pit stop at the world best donut shop, we had a beach day at Newport which was again, heavenly!!  The perfect temp.  

So relaxing.  Frankie and my niece Sophie were lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean waves.  My favorite. 

I love Frankie's little "Sandal Gap" on his toes, a marker for Down syndrome.

I finally got a picture of this face he makes.  It just cracks me up!  When he does this, I call his name and his eyes will pop open all big, hello!  A total face transformation.  Ha.  

While I was gone, the kids got to stay home with their fun daddy who made them their personal hot tubs and let them build and sleep in a big fort.  Grandma was a big helper too.  

My flight got in so late that the kids were all asleep when I got home.  The next morning Frankie and I went to greet them.  I sat on the floor with Frankie on my lap and said "knock knock" on their fort door. They all jumped out and the second they saw Frankie they all exclaimed in unison, "FRANKIE!!!!!!!!!!!"  And they hovered around him repeating his name with excitement.  It was the cutest reunion ever.  Mommy who?

Thanks Nate and Insun for a great trip!  And also thanks to Stormy and Kevin for holding down the fort at home!  It was a nice treat!

A Flower Party

For Sadie's friend party, she wanted a flower party.  

I can't find the invitation to post. Darn.  

My kids have a friend party every year.  I grew up with the every other year thing, which is nice for the mother.  But I've given in to Kevin's motto of "they're only kids once" and "they won't want friend theme parties forever".  I hope the latter is true.

I didn't follow a color theme.  Just flower everything.  Sadie was really involved with the whole thing.  The flower buckets were from the $1 spot at Target.  I actually got them for 50 cents (long story). 

Having a spring birthday with a flower theme is really easy.  Flower decor is everywhere!  I bought silk flowers at the dollars store and made them into pens with floral tape as part of their party favor.

Kindergarten friends!

Lilly, Elle, Lucy, Ruby

Jane, Sadie, Leah, Cousin Kate and MaryJane 

MaryJane was very much apart of the party.  She really believes that these girls are all her friends too.

For our craft we made mini pom pom flower bouquets from napkins.  I had them all ready to be separated but I think they were a little on the hard side for them to make.  Some did just fine and others needed help.  

Once their bouquets were made they loved holding onto them.  

We played a little toss-your-bouquets-into-a-pot game and the girls got to choose a felt hair clip that I made for making the shot.

These were really easy and fun to make!

Sadie determined that there HAD to be face painting at the party.  Flowers.

Her face with that special birthday glow again.

A "pink flower cake with yellow in the middle".

There's nothin' like a homemade cake.  I love the look (and taste) of it.

My first attempt at buttercream frosting.  Yum!

I'm so bummed that I didn't have time to put ribbon in the cake stand.

It's a pain to do but looks cute in the end.

Sadie dreamed of having a "smash cake".

All her friends got a kick out of the idea.

After presents, cake and ice cream, we had a dance freeze party.  Lily gave Sadie that adorable masquerade mask.  A great way to wrap up a fun party.  

Sadie is Six!

This little girl

doing the happy dance.

She woke up to our traditional birthday morning of her room all decorated and presents awaiting to be opened on the table.  The best way to start your day!

Her friend party was scheduled for another day so we took her to dinner to 

the Pizza Factory and Fat Cats.

Sadie LOVES her baby brother and he ADORES her!! 

She is so motherly toward him and she always wants to hold him.  

 Sadie was so happy to have Nana and Great Grandma come!

One of my favorite things about Sadie is the glow she has on her face when it is her birthday!  

She feels special and it shows!

Sadie is such a pleasant little girl.  She's polite, thoughtful, kind and caring.  She says the funniest things (remember this)!  Her creativity always blows me away!  Just wait til I show you what she made for our show and tell family night!

Sadie LOVES her daddy!  They are so much a like and she is thrilled about that.

We love you Sadie!  Happy Birthday Sweetie!