I want to be a witch when I grow up

All Alexandra wanted for her birthday was a special edition barbie doll...and not just any barbie, but the Wicked Witch of the West. That's right. We were at Toys R Us and Isabelle was going gaga over the new barbie fairies from "Thumbelina". Allie was half heartedly saying she wanted the pink one, but kept on wandering away. I finally asked her what she was looking at and she brought over the Wicked Witch. It laughs an evil laugh and plays that song, you know...da da da dada... Well I thought she would get over it but she would not let it go. Everyone that asked what she wanted for her birthday..."the Wicked Witch of the West". Well Uncle Jon obliged to her persistent request although he felt bad for giving it to her. She was so excited when she opened it and kept saying how pretty she was and how much she loves her because she can tell all the flying monkeys what to do. She was telling someone on the phone about the Wizard of Oz movie and said it was a movie about a beautiful green witch who was queen of the flying monkeys and they would do anything she wanted. Oh, and she's evil.

Well, when we put her in bed on her birthday night, she wanted her witch, she lovingly looked at her and preceeded to ask me how she can fly:

Me: She puts a spell on the broom and then it can fly

Allie: How does she do a spell

Me: You know like abracadabra, its magic

Allie: Do you know the spell to make a broom fly

Me: No

Allie: Can you teach me how to be a witch, I want to be magic

Me: I don't know magic

Allie: (In a dreamy voice) I wanna be a witch when I grow up, can I be a witch?

Me: Your Nani wanted to be a witch when she was little (she really did, I'm not being mean)

Allie: (Super excited) REALLY? ...I wanna be a witch

Ben: The witch does kinda look like your mom, minus the green skin (it is a very pretty doll :) )

Allie: I wanna have black hair and be a witch, but I need a witch outfit, but does it have to be black, I don't like black.

Me: No, it doesn't have to be black. We'll look for one tomorrow.

Allie: Ok, goodnight

I turn off the lights and in the darkness hear...da da da dadada hehehehe and a little giggle from Allie.

Rooftop Garden

So, we have this amazing roof top patio. It is tiled and enclosed and you get to it from a spiral staircase from our bedroom. We haven't really used it yet because there was nowhere to really sit up there. My brother Mike had a great idea to put a garden up there. So, today we officially started our rooftop garden. I now have this image in my head of a beautiful garden with a bistro table and chaise lounges ... but we'll see. I did find furniture and we got the tomatoes planted. We also planted jasmine plants on all of the balconies. It smells soooo good. But the kids loved to plant all the plants and they promise to water...we'll see. We'll keep you updated on our little oasis. I think it is going to be awesome, Ben and I got hot chocolate and quilts an hung out on the lounge chairs after all the kids were in bed. I have to say, I think it is my new favorite room :)

Green Eggs and Pancakes

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Cheese

This is what I found after leaving Allie unattended for apparently what was too long. Her response to this was...but I only like the cheese. I think I need to invest in some cheese whiz, do they even still make that?

and the Oscar goes to....

The girls were so excited because they got invited to an Oscar "gifting" party. That is the party the celebrities go to to get all of their free stuff before the Oscars. My friend Jessica was taking her "Knotheads" to the Oscars and stayed with us when she was here in LA. We got to keep her darling little Elsie. The girls would have been happy enough with that. We even got to go check it out when they were setting up. Then the guy in charge thought they were so cute he invited them to the party. They got to meet a bunch of Disney stars and a bunch of stars they had no idea who they were. The girls thought they were famous too, cause they modelled knotheads all day. They had a good time!

Top:Brenda Song from "Suite Life of Zach and Cody" Lower: the star from "Cory in the House"

"Allie"ism

I have so much to update...and I'm not going to do it right now...but I thought I would throw out a couple more of Allie's comments.

When wanting a board game out of Oliver's room during nap time:
"Mom, I really want a boring game".

After I freaked out that Allie had just shoved her entire hand into her cup of milk causing it to spill all over the table, she exclaimed in a frantic panicked voice:
"But mom, my graham cracker was drowning in there! I had to save it!"

Ha ha ha

Oliver has started a new habit at dinner. It started when Ben would put a toy on his head and pretend he didn't know where it was. Oliver thought that was hilarious. So, now Oliver puts food on his head and makes his fake hahaha laugh, the one he does when he wants you to pay attention to him because he is funny. Needless to say, he goes straight to the bath after dinner.

Allie is headed to preschool!

Allie started preschool! She is at Los Feliz Nursery School.. a coop preschool. She loves it, and I do too. I can't believe she will be headed to kindergarten in August.

Fairy Tea Party

Isabelle and her little friend planned a playdate that had a "fairy tea party" theme. I was informed that I was to get a cute cake, tea party food, and favors. They also wanted to make "fairy" boxes. I love that playdates have evolved to full on parties for two. But, I have to admit they are too cute in their pettiskirts and they had a blast.

Oliver being the mom

I thought it was cute cause he does his fake laugh, then yells upstairs to the girls, then gives Ben his food and shows him how to chew it. Hmmm he is very observant...I better watch myself :)

"Izzie"ism

Said while holding her hair straight up and out:
"I was so excited, my hair went ecstatic!"

"Allie"isms

I have been meaning to start writing down the funny things my kids say. I have bought journals and note pads and placed them around the house for easy access--yet I still haven't written them down. So...I am going to start blogging "Allie"isms and "Izzie"isms, and pretty soon there will even be "Ollie"isms. So, today we start with and "Allie"ism. Alexandra received a loaded bucket of art supplies for Christmas. Really the Christmas present was that I let her use the fingerpaints and glitter glues and every other horribly messy art supply. She also received a dry erase board that she can practice letters and numbers with. We were at "D" and she needed my help. I showed her how to do one and then talked her through the next one, "Start at the top a line down, now back to the top and curve around....good job". The curve must have reminded her of the "C" she completed earlier...because Allie's exasperated reply to the letter "D" was, "What a waste of C's."

Seasons Greetings

Bath Time!

Snow Day!

We made it to Utah and the snow! The girls were so excited. I may be a bad mother, but I think they stayed outside for 5 hours today. The best part was that Tuffer and Morgan took them all out with their Saint Bernards and I took pictures from inside. Oliver couldn't stand being inside for long. He kept kissing the dog through the window. He absolutely loves dogs. He has no fear of dogs--even of these giant ones. Oliver joined them, but didn't like the falling snow on his face. After Morgan and Tuffer had to leave the girls stayed out and finished decorating the snowman. Then their cousins showed up and joined them outside for sledding and more snow fun. They had a blast!

Oliver is walking!

Turkey Day

Two days before Thanksgiving i got the flu--this is of course is after a week of ovarian cysts--so I was feeling pretty bad and I still had to clean and get food. Not to mention Allie and Ollie have the croup and I have a bad cough too. Ben's parents were on their way, his brother and girlfriend, and one of Ben's residents too. So, I was feeling overwhelmed and sorry for myself. And I had to make Oliver's birthday cake too-for the night before thanksgiving. I actually pulled it off before his parents arrived only because they got stuck in traffic. Then Oliver got up from his nap and we were ready for cake and presents. I had gotten all prettied up for the first time in a week--I did my hair and makeup and got him up from his nap--sat down-- and he threw up all over me. In my hair, down my shirt (and by that-yes I mean my cleavage--great!) and all over my pants. So, I went to take a ahower when I realized that our hot water was gone. The repairman said we needed a new water heater (it is only 6 months old) I had to give it to the landlords they really tried, but we didn't get it replaced till the day after. The pilot light wouldn't stop clicking on the stovetop so I finally had to unplug it and use a lighter to start my gas range instead. Of course we got our first big rainstorm-and if you know me--I don't work well in gloomy weather. On thanksgiving morning I got up at 6 to start the rolls and turkey and that just ran into the rest of the food. Then after the turkey was done, I went to put the casseroles and rolls in and my oven wouldn't turn back on-thats right. It was getting pretty comical by this point--so I ran to the neighbors to beg them to use their oven. Well, we still ate--and on time. So, I am pretty much exhausted. I got pictures of the table, but I got distracted once dinner started and so I didn't get pictures of the people at the table---but I can't do everything:) So, the day AFTER Thanksgiving I am thankful for HOT water, working appliances, sunshine, not throwing up, and not being thrown up on.

Izzie's Turkey!

...but he was still hungry!

My sister-in-law Stephanie has 4 boys and so I was picking her brain on what kind of party to have for Oliver. She said she always just picks what they are really into at the time-like cars ets. So, I thought and thought--now at the time Oliver hadn't gotten into playing ball yet--and I couldn't think of anything he really liked, except...FOOD. So, thats how I came up with the hungry caterpillar theme. This boy can eat--a whole banana, a bowl of oatmeal, and a big jar of baby food, and you guessed it---he was STILL hungry! We postponed cake until Ben's mom and dad got here, but when Oliver woke up from his nap he wasn't feeling well--so we did it Thanksgiving morning instead. I have to say I think the cake turned out super cute! He got a new tool bench from Nani and Papa. He got a ride on toy from Nana and Poppy. He got hammer toys, a basketball hoop, and a jeep toy! Lucky boy. Happy Birthday Oliver!

Happy First Birthday Oliver!

Happy Birthday my little man! I can't believe you are already one--yet it seems like you have been in our family always. I love how sweet you are and how happy. I love that you "talk" to me in your own little way. You have always been so good at communicating what you want. I love that you love your daddy so much. Dada was your first and only word for the longest time. Then came "I love you" or "I ya ya", then "sis". And slowly you started to say "mama"--usually in tears or when you needed me--but you still said it! I love that you look for dad everyday in and out of the house. It does make sense that he would be right outside--he leaves out the door and comes in the door-so he must be right outside. I love that at 5 months you started making eveything a ball. I love how you throw the ball so good. You love to hammer and build. You love cars and wheels and playing ball. You are such a boy. But you are so sweet and lovey and cuddly too. You give the best kisses--on demand--and all on your own too! You are so curious and self sufficient. You love to pull everything out of the drawers. You have gotten quite good at getting around, and you are so cute when you take those few little steps. I love love love when you dance. You are like your sister Izzie, whenever you hear music--in the elevator, in the store, a commercial--you dance and dance. You have a darling sit-dance that you just pump your stomach back and forth and throw your hand up and down. Then there is the standing dance when your little bum goes up and down so fast. And you are even trying to get tricky lifting up one foot at a time-going side to side. You say hi to everyone and grin so big. Everyone that sees you comments on what a happy baby you are and what amazing eyelashes you have. You are so happy and such a sweet little spirit. I am so happy we finally have you in our family. We love you to pieces! Happy birthday!

Tough Guy

Oliver has becoming quite the little man! He absolutely loves to play catch, and he has discovered tools. Everything is a hammer. I thought this was cute--building stuff with dad.