Happy 5th Birthday, Vivian!!

I truly feel like we've hit a big milestone!  Five. Years. Old.  How??!!

Seems just like yesterday we were in the hospital with you.  Amazing I can still feel that way, but now see the most beautiful five year old in the whole entire world.  You are so smart, funny, athletic, a great drawer and the cutest little singer I know. You are a complete package! 

A recap of your birthstory, first birthday, second birthday, third birthday, and fourth birthday.

We are still a peanut weighing almost 36 lbs and about 39 inches tall, but you don't let that slow you down.  I love how determined you are when trying something, like going across the monkey bars.  You are always amazing me!

You learned how to swing on your own this year which is fantastic.  I knew you would learn before entering kindergarten.  

You love imaginary play.  You are always getting Joanna to play dress-up, doctor, being chased by a dinosaur, pretend shopping, etc.  I love seeing your mind work!

You give the best hugs and kisses!  You still have that child-like innocence about you.  You love me holding you like a baby still, and when I do, I can still see sweet baby Vivian.  

You prefer riding your scooter over your bike.  

You love animals like your sister.  You guys are often catching frogs in the backyard.  

You are in bed around 8pm every night and wake around 7am, sometimes later.  You have one book read to you and 3 songs.  Most nights Daddy is the one tucking you in.  

You do have a little temper.  Doesn't take much to get you upset, but often times it's short lived.  You are good about apologizing.

I cannot imagine our life without you!!!  We love our blue-eyed, blonde headed girl with all our hearts.   I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you sweet angel!

Happy Birthday, baby girl!  XXOO  

Sunflower Picking

While scrolling Facebook, Old River Farms posted their sunflower event....come to our field, take pictures and pick your own sunflowers for $1 each.  We've never gone sunflower picking and thought it would be something the girls would enjoy.

It was hot and itchy walking through the rows, but the girls (well, more Vivian) enjoyed themselves.  All Joanna wanted to do was go over to their animals.

We picked 6 flowers, paid, then made our way to the animals.  JoJo of course was in heaven.  That girl and animals.  Makes me happy seeing her so happy.  

Preschool Graduation

I can officially say I have a kindergartner and a preschooler.  Can't believe my sweet Vivian has completed preschool.  Seriously, time truly flies!

I remember when she started the 2's class like it was yesterday wondering how she was going to do without mommy for a few hours two days a week.  Then while seeing the 4's during that time playing on the playground before school pick-up then seeing them line up on Friday's for lunch bunch, and thinking, this will be Vivian before I know it.

   

I am so so proud of her!  She is so smart, sweet and talented.  Sweet girl sang loud and proud at graduation with her southern twang.  I think she wanted daddy to hear her all the way in Russia!  Gosh I love her!

Joanna was cute as can be walking down the aisle singing her little songs.  

We are so incredibly blessed with our two beautiful girls.  I cannot wait to see what 'big girl' school has in-store for Vivian.  I know she will do amazing!  I truly wish I could keep them little forever!  Vivian tells me all the time she doesn't want to grow-up.  Me either sweet darling, me either.

Joanna is 3!!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday to our Joanna.  If you looked in the dictionary for the meaning of second sibling, there would be a full page picture of you! Girlfriend, you are the wildest, strong-willed, exhausting, frustrating, tests mama's patience child I have ever met.  Along with all of that, you can be the sweetest, funniest, silliest and cute as a button child I have every met.  You are a complete package!!

It has been fun watching you grow!  A little look back here, here, and here.  

Stats: 

You are still a little peanut weighing in at 25 pounds...light as a feather picking you up.  I think I will always see you as a baby. I believe you are around 32 inches tall.  

Clothes size: 2T-3T depending on brand.  Size 6 - 6.5 toddler shoe.  

You are following Vivian's growth pattern which is great for mommy.  You get all of her hand-me downs.

Sleep:

You are still in a sleep sack and crib.  You are not transitioning into a big girl bed until you are 4, HA!  That's a battle I don't want to deal with.  You love your crib so no need to hurry.  You still take your nap around 1:30 every day and mommy always wakes you at 3 pm.  Some days you just play and others you sleep.  You are in your crib between 7:30-8 pm every night and wake between 7-7:30 am with the occasional wake-up around 6:30 am.  Mommy still doesn't take you out of your crib until  7 am. Before nap, you sit on your dresser and eat a few m & m's before going in your crib.  Mommy sings you 'Twinkle Little Star', 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' and 'Rock a by Baby' before you go in your crib.  At bedtime you have to have 5 books, but you do not want mommy reading to you, you 'read' to me :)  Our songs before bed we sing 'Silent Night', 'Jesus Loves Me', 'You are my sunshine' and 
'Rock a by Baby'.  Also, you only want mommy to put you to bed.  If daddy tries to take you up, you always cry for mommy.  There's nothing like mommy! 

Discipline:

Time outs and spankings do not work for you.  If you misbehave, mommy has to take things away.  You are bad about hitting, pushing and taking things away from Vivian. For that, no m & m's before nap or not books at bedtime.  You are getting slightly better about your anger issues, but aren't all great.  

Our biggest thing has been that mommy had to take the Kindle away because you were becoming way too addicted to watching non-sense YouTube channels. Plus, your behavior was off the charts. It truly has been the best thing.  Vivian has been off her's as well.  We've been about 2 months without it and we aren't planning on going back.

Loves:

You still love baby dolls and animals.  Both of you girls love animals so much, we had your joint birthday party at the farm (you can read it here). You've gotten more into playing with the play kitchen and cooking up food.  You always ask me if I want coffee to drink and hot sauce.  You add hot sauce to all of your pretend food so much, your teacher Mrs. Martha and Luke's mom, asked if you like eating hot sauce because you talk about it all the time.  You also like dinosaurs.  We are always being chased by T-Rex.  You would swing all day if mommy pushed you.  You like riding your tricycle around the neighborhood and picking up rocks to put on the back of your bike.  

You are a beach and playground girl.

Since taking it away, you love looking at books.  I love hearing you 'read'.  You take all the books off the bookshelf and look through all of them.  I'll hear you say, 'I said yeah, I said yeah' LOL.  Not sure where you got that from, but it's so funny and cute.

You could live off of Cheerios, m&m's, ice cream and Hershey Kisses if I would let you.  

Music.  You love singing ABCs right now.  You will sing it in the store and people can't help but stop and listen to you sing.  So cute!  You also love The Greatest Showman soundtrack.  Love watching you try singing the songs.  Your favorite song from the album is A Million Dreams.

You love to do exactly what Vivian does.  You are a 'monkey see, monkey do' kind of kid.

Gymnastics.  You love the bars and balance beam.  

School.  You absolutely love, love, love school!  You always list everyone in your class and ask if your teachers will be there.  You also love church nursery and Sunday school.  I pray the love of school will continue.

Dislikes:

Miss independent. You always want to buckle yourself into your car seat which can be frustrating for mommy, especially if we need to be somewhere.  There are many days the car seat is a battle.  You refuse to sit!  Mommy has to 'pretend' I'm going to leave you in order for you to sit in your seat. It works every time.  

Being told 'No.' The crocodile tears come immediately.  Then you will hit mommy in the leg.  Fun times!

When you are unable to do some of the things that Vivian does because you are too little.  You will then take your frustration out on Viv.  

Sharing.  You are not a fan of sharing.  Everything is JoJo's. 

Brushing teeth, at least before bed.  You will brush WITH toothpaste in the morning, but refuses toothpaste at night.  So weird!  We brush with water.  Better than nothing at all!   

Potty:

You are still in diapers, but if you are diaper-less, you will pee in the potty.  Or if you are in a bathing suit bottom, you want to use the potty.  For pooping, you always ask for your diaper and you have to go upstairs to the playroom.  You do not like pooping anywhere else.  When we do potty train this summer after our vacation, that will be a hard one to break.  

My Favorite Thing:

Every time mommy holds you, you always rub the back of my shoulder.  It is the absolute sweetest!!    

We love you oh so much!!!  Our daily life would be a little less exciting without you in it.  You bring so much joy to all of us.  We love you Jo!!!!!

XXOO

  

Joint Birthday Party

This past Saturday, we celebrated both girls birthday.  Joanna turns 3 on May 24th and Vivian turns 5 on June 22nd.  With the girls having siblings in their class and lots of the same friends, we decided to have the party together vs an individual party and having families to come to ours twice.  It truly worked out well!

Both girls love animals and thought it would be cute to have it at Old McFaye's Farm.  I originally thought about renting a water slide and have the party at the house, but decided having it somewhere else would be better.  I'm so glad we did this.  

The week leading up to the party, it rained and rained and rained.  I honestly thought we were going to have to cancel.  That morning I called Faye to get her thoughts on still having the party and I am so happy we decided to go forward.  It was busy getting things together because I got caught up watching the Royal wedding.  Truly a Hallmark movie coming to life!  An American actress marrying a Prince.  Sorry, got off track.

I managed to get myself together and load up to party at the farm.  We moved the picnic tables inside the barn just in case the rain decided to show, which it did the last 10 minutes of the party.  We lucked out!  It wasn't hot, no mosquitoes or flies, and a nice breeze.  It did sprinkle on and off but no one mind, especially the kiddos.

The kids had an absolute ball!  Feeding the animals, they had a hayride and a pony ride.  What more could kids ask for!   We ordered Dominoes pizza, had Cheetos as chicken feed, Twizzlers as lassos, watermelon for something healthy, and of course cake and cupcakes. 

We had both girls names on the Sam's Club cake and Vivian wanted Tom & Jerry figurines on the cake.  It was the most random birthday cake, but no one cared.  I think parents overthink on having a perfect birthday party and spending so much money when kids could care less.  They only eat the icing anyway HA!  As a 'Thank You', I handed out cow tales candy.  I hate party favors personally and not sure when the whole 'gotta give a gift for kids to come to your party' came into play, but we went simple.   

Can't believe we are about to have a 3 and 5 year old!!