Oliver had a very strong opinion on how are days should be spent outside in the snow. The girls love the snow...but Oliver took it to a whole different level. The cousins joined in one afternoon. Oliver still outlasted them all.
Oliver LOVED the snow. He calls it "snowmem". Yes, I know he has pink gloves on, but he was out there so long he soaked through 2 pairs. You'll hear Allie looking for her gloves at the end of the clip. It was like 6pm and he wasn't comin' in.
When Daddy came for the weekend, Oliver was lovin it, sled rides, and lots of snow fun. The girls and their cousins made a slide down the back steps. Non stop fun, I tell ya.
After Christmas, the kiddos and I made the roadtrip to Utah (that's right, I made the trip alone with 3 kids...isn't there an award for that...trophy or something) , to visit family, and check on our sweet Nani. An extra special treat for the girls was that their brand new baby cousin, Lily, was there. Tuffer and Morgan are now in Minnesota, so the girls were so happy to have her for the few days our trips overlapped...this is about all they did for those days. I don't blame them, she is adorable. Alexandra was soooo excited that they matched! So, of course pictures followed. Aunt Morgan, baby Lily, and the proudest older cousins!
This was our very Christmas at home without our extended family. Ben was on call over the holiday, so a California Christmas it was. One little hitch, we didn't have a tree, no ornaments, I think all we had was a nativity. So, I headed to target to get all-plastic ornaments, and the girls decorated their first tree of their own. Christmas Eve we decorated cookies. Allie was especially in love with this activity. She went for hours. Christmas morning was full of happy faces. Oliver had to be dragged away from his "choo choos". I love the dinosaur causing mayhem in the train town. We knew Christmas morning would go fast. So we went to the El Capitan in Hollywood in the afternoon. The girls love going to this theater because they have live stage shows previewing the movie. We had reserved seats with VIP treatment. Mickey and the gang put on a great show, finished with "snow" falling from the ceiling of the gorgeous theater. We then watched "A Christmas Carol" which proved way too scary for all of the kids. But still, they had a good time.
Isabelle was asked to sing for the Ward Party. Allie wanted to sing with her, so they sang, "When Christmas Comes to Town" from Polar Express. Allie missed when to come in...but she picked it right up. I love her little voice....it makes me happy.
As I was going through videos...I stumbled across this video. It is Izzie singing the same song "When Christmas Comes to Town" but she just turned turned 5 the month before this video. I love the sass she throws into it. She was such a little sassy pants!
Izzie stayed up to do a "Sleigh Ride/Marshmallow World" Medley. She couldn't hear the intro..and there was a slight mishap with the accompaniment in the middle, so there is an impromptu occapella moment. But Izzie went on like a pro. With only a week to learn it...she did pretty good. :)
This is a post for grandparents :) We don't live close, so they don't get to see their fun little school performances. Although, I think everyone should tune in to the kindergarten...because 5 ear olds singing anything is always entertaining. Isabelle's class learned to play the recorder. (On a side note there are some distracting sounds in Izzie's video. That is the sweet little boy with autism, he was having a hard time with the large crowd.)
Isabelle and her cousin, Nathan, were born 2 1/2 weeks apart. They have always had such a sweet little bond. I can remember when they were only 2 or 3 and Nate would lead Izzie into the room with his hand on her back. They are so similar in personality and temperament, they get along so well. So, I loved that they were able to be baptized the same day. Izzie would have been baptized on her birthday, but she was so sweet, she wanted to wait for her Nani to be able to come. Unfortunately, Nani's hospital stay was much longer than we had hoped. But, they had a sweet and simple little baptism with so many family members. This wasn't their first big day they shared. They were both blessed on the same day as well.
Isabelle sang at her baptism. I recorded it when she was warming up, so that my mom could see. She was still in the hospital when Nate and Izzie were baptized.
Oliver is definitely a little man. He is such a boy, I love it! He turned 2, and almost immediately moved from Elmo, to Disney "Cars" and Buzz & Woody from "Toy Story". I love the car noises, the sound effects with every "punch", karate chop, and jump. I love that he has to wrestle every day. I love that he goes around singing his own "songs" into straws. And that he gets so excited to see his boy cousins, that he chucks a ball at them as soon as they go through the door and says "catch". I have to work on loving his "no fear", his desire to jump of the tables, and down the steps. I really won't ever love his desire to go down the driveway hill as fast as he can on a scooter, skateboard, or just running full force toward the street. I love that he searches the whole garage, before I realize that "sup bor" means "skateboard" and lights up with excitement when I figure it out and find it. I love that he looks for trains the ENTIRE time we are in the car. I love that "muk" or milk is not milk, but milk with pink quik in it. (Dad doesn't like that one so much) I love that he poses with his gun and sings his own "theme music" at the same time. I love that he gets sad every day, when Daddy and the girls leave. I love that he will repeat anything you say except "I love you"...to that he just smacks a big kiss in the air. And I love that after being such a little man all day, he still loves to snuggle his mommy. He is growing up fast, but I am enjoying every second.Happy Birthday Bubby!
Oliver has spent the last six months being completely in love and obsessed with Elmo. So, it was only fitting that his second birthday be filled with everything Elmo. This was also his last day with his beloved "Binks". Say farewell, son-of-a-dentist, it is only because of your mom's soft heart that you have had it this long. Happy Elmo Birthday Party!
The cousins joined in one afternoon. Oliver still outlasted them all.
When Daddy came for the weekend, Oliver was lovin it, sled rides, and lots of snow fun.
Aunt Morgan, baby Lily, and the proudest older cousins!
Isabelle was asked to sing Christmas Sunday. She sang an adorable arrangement of "Away in a Manger".
Christmas Eve we decorated cookies. Allie was especially in love with this activity. She went for hours.
Christmas morning was full of happy faces.
Oliver had to be dragged away from his "choo choos". I love the dinosaur causing mayhem in the train town.
We knew Christmas morning would go fast. So we went to the El Capitan in Hollywood in the afternoon. The girls love going to this theater because they have live stage shows previewing the movie. We had reserved seats with VIP treatment. Mickey and the gang put on a great show, finished with "snow" falling from the ceiling of the gorgeous theater. We then watched "A Christmas Carol" which proved way too scary for all of the kids. But still, they had a good time.
This wasn't their first big day they shared. They were both blessed on the same day as well.
They are too cute!
Oliver Benjamin
Happy Birthday Bubby!
Happy Elmo Birthday Party!
