Happy Birthday, Matt!

 Doesn't he look so excited- I told him to smile and he said he did!  I probably won't be too happy when I turn 35 either!  But I take what I can get with him- he doesn't like to get his picture taken.  Oh and he must not have been too happy about making his own cake.  When I asked him what kind of Coldstone cake he wanted, he said he wanted to make Myrt's chocolate cake instead, so it was his idea to make it himself!  He did a great job- it was his best one yet!

Happy Birthday, Matt!

Hope you had a great day!

Big Sister

Ashlyn is going to be a big sister just like her big sister!!!

We are having a baby and we are so happy and excited!

The baby is due July 20!

Ashlyn thinks it's a girl- we were in the baby section at Kohls and she wanted to buy some pink pj's for the baby, but I told her we couldn't buy anything until we knew if it was a boy or a girl.  She said, "It's a girl!"  So we'll see!  Rylee used to say that she wanted a baby brother, not another baby sister because sisters were naughty.  But now she seems to be ok with either a girl or a boy.  Ashlyn is going to be a wonderful big sister- Rylee already is!

Another Lost Tooth

 Rylee lost her third tooth this morning. It's been loose for a while. It was hurting her last night after eating some corn on the cob.  So she was ready to pull it today.  Well, actually, have Matt pull it for her!  She tried on her own but she couldn't quite get it.  She can't wait for the Tooth Fairy to come!!!

Ignore the hair and the swimming suit- it's Saturday and she hasn't been out of the house yet!  (She didn't want to go shopping with me and Ashlyn!)

Sunbeam

 I can't believe Ashlyn is a Sunbeam now!  

Rylee with her new CTR ring.

Ashlyn got one too, but didn't want her picture taken with it.

Happy New Year!

 We went over to my mom and dad's for New Year's Eve.  Rylee got excited when I told her that on New Year's we get to stay up late, eat food, and play games.  So the game we played was a new one my mom bought called Disney Hedbanz (yes, that's how it's spelled!).  It was lots of fun- the best part was that we each got to wear our own Mickey ears headband!  Then we had to ask questions about who was on our head- we played it for a while!  Ashlyn didn't quite get it- she kept telling everybody what their picture was!  Rylee asked pretty good questions, but sometimes she would sneak away to the bathroom to look at her picture or go look in the mirror- the little cheater!  But it was fun!  Matt even played for a little bit- and he isn't much of a game player! 

Then we celebrated the new year at 10:00 with the ball dropping on TV in New York and went home.  The girls probably could have stayed up until midnight, but because we have 9:00 church they went to bed a little earlier than that- but not much!  Matt and I did make it to midnight, but just barely! 

Happy 2012!

Ashlyn's Birthday Party

 I just had to throw this one in- it was taken on her birthday.  But it shows just how much she loves this thing!  She was being really quiet in her room a few times and this would be how I would find her- with the headphones on.  The girls like to use the headphones because they're different and they haven't used them much.  But they don't realize how nice it is for the rest of us!

 I couldn't find a Rapunzel shirt, so I got her this dress instead on sale that she can even use for a Halloween costume.  It's pretty big- I think it would fit Rylee. 

 Cory made the banner in the window.  

He had made some other decorations- lanterns and stuff- too, 

but I didn't know what to do with those.  

So we just used this!

 Here they are with their Rapunzel dolls- 

Cory gave Rylee hers two birthdays ago and Ashlyn got hers this Christmas.  

 Mercedes and Ashlyn playing with the castle.

 I liked this picture of Ashlyn and Cory smiling at each other- so cute!

 Grandma, Ashlyn, and Grandpa

 I remembered to have my mom take a picture of me with the birthday girl!

 Ashlyn loves giving hugs to Cosette and holding her!

 Oma is helping Ashlyn open the Cinderella light she gave her.

And it looks like all of the girls thought it was pretty neat!

 When she opened the Rapunzel pj's from Grandma and Grandpa, she couldn't wait to put them on.  She loves pajamas and wears them most of the time we're at home. but she couldn't wait to take off the dress too!  Oh, and she's holding the money she got from Grandma and Grandpa Blatter.  Somehow she also managed to sneak in her binky. 

Side note about the binky:  Matt has been telling her for a few months that after her birthday she doesn't get her binky anymore.  I was a little nervous, but the day after her birthday, I told her the binky fairy came to give them to little babies who needed binkies.  She had a couple of meltdowns, but not too bad.  She has gone 3 days without a binky- even at night- and I'm surprised at how well she's taken it!  When she does ask for it- which is more out of habit than anything- I just remind her about the binky fairy and she's fine. 

 Giving Grandma a hug.

 And one for Grandpa.

 Mercedes helped Ashlyn blow out her candles!

My cute little three-year-old!

She had a great birthday and was so excited that her friends could come over- it was family, but she considers all of her cousins her friends, so thanks everyone for coming and for celebrating with her!

Christmas Day

 

 Santa brought the girls a princess castle!

 And they each got a set of princess barbies to go with the castle!

(He got them for a very good deal!)

 All Rylee wanted for Christmas was this "Reindeer with cute eyes."  

She saw Santa three times and this is what she told him she wanted each time. 

She also wrote it on many letters to Santa.

So I'm sure glad he brought it for her- 

she has carried it around everywhere and slept with it every night!

 And Santa thought Ashlyn needed one too- but the penguin one!

 They have had the most fun with this piano thing, especially Ashlyn- 

and it came with headphones!!!

 All ready for church at Grandma's house.

 Grandma gave each of the girls a Storybook Cabbage Patch Doll.

(I missed the dolls for the pictures!) 

So Ashlyn's was Little Red Riding Hood.  

Grandma made her the cape and 

gave her Red Riding Hood books

and this cute little basket.  

 Rylee's was Little Miss Muffet. 

So Grandma made her a blue cape and 

gave her Little Miss Muffet books and some spiders, 

which she absolutely loves!  

So it was fun for her to get a little Halloween 

(her favorite holiday) for Christmas!

 Then we went to Myrt and Grandpa's for Christmas dinner.

 They had to help everyone open their presents, of course!

 Ashlyn loved collecting the wrapping paper and putting it into the garbage bag- 

she even stepped on it so it would all fit.  

Something she learned from her daddy, I'm sure!

 Ashlyn sure loves Great-Grandpa.  

She calls him "Other Grandpa!"

 What a wonderful Christmas!