Buttercup Ballerina!

Happy Birthday, Anna Kate!

We had a great time celebrating Anna Kate today!

We started out the day with birthday muffins, complete with toothpicks as candles!

Lydia picked out and bought a present for her sister.  She was so excited to give it to her!

It was a set of Minnie Mouse dominoes that she loves to play with at the library every week.

We partied all day long!  She got a few small presents throughout the day, one when her daddy got home from work, and one at her dinner party.  We like to spread out the cheer!  I kept hearing her quietly singing the happy birthday song to herself.  So cute!  She was loving it!  Then Heather came over to wrap up the fun by bringing a special cake for the birthday girl!  Anna Kate loved it and even stood up and danced when she finished.  She was so excited!  We are so happy our sweet Anna Kate is TWO!  She was a very laid back baby, but boy oh boy, she has cried a lot this past year.  A lot!  Here's to hoping this year of life will be a little bit quieter than the last!  But she really is a good, sweet girlie!  We love her SO much!  Happy birthday, Anna Kate!!!

Our Christmas Morning!

We celebrated Chirstmas as a family of four on December 29th.  Our schedule was just a bit jam packed before and after that date.  The girls didn't seem to mind. :)

I believe Anna Kate's favorite present was that slim jim.  Ha!

I persuaded my family to take a "quick" group photo before we started opening presents.  

The girls each got a new book.

Anna Kate LOVES to read books!  I mean, she definitely uses them as a stalling technique before nap time and bedtime, but I think she genuinely enjoys reading!  Way more than her sister ever has!

Lydia got her new buttercup ballet uniform/costume!  She got moved up to the 5 year old class for the spring semester.  We'll find out at 5:30 how that goes for her!

Nothing like a little harmonica music!

Me and my girls!  (Anna Kate is at a bad age for picture taking...hoping she outgrows it quickly!)

While I cleaned up the Christmas chaos, Joel cooked up a delicious breakfast!

It was a fun morning!

Almost Two!

I'm starting to get sentimental over here.  My baby girl is turning two next week!  How is that even possible?!  It was a little stressful getting her here (and man, that IV was horrible!), but what a sweet, sweet baby I got to go home with!

The sisters met for the first time.  So sweet!

Anna Kate was just the cutest newborn ever...in my humble opinion. :)

Anna Kate's first trip to church at nine days old.  And just look at baby Lydia!  Just tonight, while I was putting her to bed, she prayed, "Thank you that I am getting so old, so I can go to school soon!"  Ahhhh!  Glad she's excited, but I'm just never gonna make it!  This mothering business is not for the faint of heart, or at least not for the extra emotional heart.  :)

This is one of my favorites of Anna Kate!  She's just so stinking adorable!!!

It seems like she just turned one!

But soon she'll be TWO!  Just can't believe it!  But she really does seem to get more and more fun with each passing day, so I'll just be thankful for that!  So, so glad she's a part of our family!!!

Decorating the Tree!

Markers!

I thought it was safe to let the girls use markers inside a box.

Wrong-o!

Sweet Lydia!

Lydia surprised me with a drawing of her daddy today.  She told me it was so I could remember him while he is at work.  She wanted me to carry it around with me as I went from room to room so I wouldn't forget about him. :)

She then did a portrait of me.  I was instructed to sit very still so she could get it just right. :)

Sweet Sisters!

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Fall Creek Falls!