Two Two Year Olds on 3-2

Their second birthday was on 3-2 and I am a bit behind in putting this up but still trying to catch up on posts. It was an awesome day and they had lots of fun. Candles and Happy Birthday sung at every meal! They loved the candles this year.

Breakfast was muffins with candles and then we went to the park for a Wendy's lunch and cupcakes with Savannah and Kylie.

Rachel enjoying a cupcake, or the frosting at least. They didn't actually eat the cupcake part!

Livy doing her candle again and again.

Party blowers or what ever they are called.

Rachel was the only one who couldn't get hers to blow so......

She got attacked by them!

After naps we were off to ITZ for dinner and fun with Grandma and Grandpa. and cupcakes with candles again :)

Rachel is always the messy one! At lunch and last year too!

Trying to blow out candles with Pop pop.

Yea!! She did it!

Singing happy birthday with Grandma.

They did candles and sang happy birthday at least 10 times on the birthday. They loved that part!

Riding the roller coaster with Grandma! Sorry Grandma, your head didn't make it into the picture!

All of us on the roller coaster.

It was a Monday night so we were almost the only ones there which was great. The girls ran around and had lots of fun ripping out the tickets Eric and Alan would win.

Tthey loved the roller coaster and Eric, Brenda, and I even got to go on the big roller coaster in there. I was very impressed how good it was for such a small space.

Getting tickets.

Pplaying this ball game, don't know the name, whoops!

Rachel would throw it right in the gutter or zero point spot every time, but she was happy doing it!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for a great birthday night! They had so much fun with you!

Enjoying the roller coaster again!

Eend of the day, way past bed time and just opening presents now! What a fun second birthday! I can't believe they are two! Amazing how time can go fast (already two) and slow (some long days) all at the same time! I'm happy they are so fun and we get to do more things with them now that they enjoy. Two will be a fun age I think, besides the potty training and terrible twos part! But I am so excited to see them grow and learn more and to keep watching their personalities develop and their bond as sisters grow stronger. It's gonna be another wonderful year as their mom!

Sea World

Quick note before the Sea World post. We were sick the week after my parents left and bored because we couldn't play with others so we made bird feeders. Pine cones covered in peanut butter and rolled in bird seed.

Llivy loved making them and here is her finished product. a string goes around the top and it hangs in the tree.
First lesson learned. Do all projects outside. I was not thinking when we started and are at the kitchen table as you can see. She loved doing it but wiped her hands off in between each hand full of bird seed she put on top of the pine cone. Birdseed all over the place. Lots and lots of it.

Rrachel enjoyed it but not as much. She did some tasting of the bird seed and got upset when I wiped her mouth out. then there was crying from then on. Oh well. It went ok I guess. We went to Sea World for the weekend and when we got back Pebbles had ripped a few of them off the tree and eaten all the peanut butter off of them. I don't know why I even try sometimes!

We went to Sea World in San Antonio the weekend before their birthday. Kind of for their birthday but they don't get that so really we just went to go. It was a lot of fun with them because they got so excited to see all the "dolphins." Everything was a dolphin. Shamu, the real dolphins, belugas, and sea lions were all called dolphins. Sometimes sea lions got called seals if they were lucky.

Rachel excitedly pointing out the whale every time she saw it. And Livy said "I no know" or "I no know see" every time they went under water! That is her "I dont know" but her don't sounds pretty close to no. It is really funny and cute to hear but she had the broken record thing going on with that phrase through the whole show.

This was at the Shamu show and they loved it. They actually liked the pre-show better when they whales were just swimming around all over.

Classic picture! So cute! She was in awe the first few times she saw them.

Rachel having a blast with daddy.

Doing smores at the hotel that night. Eric burning his marshmallow. The girls loved holding the sticks and ate a little chocolate but not a real smore.

They did great on the drive to San Antonio and loved the elevators in the hotel. There weren't many people in the hotel or Sea World so it was perfect for us. And they slept pretty good too. They got up early but napped and went to sleep really good. First hotel stay for them and I was very happy with how it went. The girls were sad we didn't get to go swimming. No indoor pool and it was super windy and kind of chilly that weekend so no swimming for us.

Second day at Sea World. They loved these characters more than the real animals. I wish I had gotten it on video but when Shamu when by Livy got down from the table we were sitting at and started chasing him. It was pretty funny.

Eric with the sharks. It was fun to go on our first family "vacation." and we worked our patience well with each other. He was calm and patient when I was not and vice versa. It's nice having a reminder to just chill sometimes.

Watch your fingers Rachel!

Livy with the fish.

Best part of Sea World in my opinion is the dolphin feeding. They come right up to you and you can touch them. So cool. The girls loved feeding them and seeing them but obviously couldn't understand how cool it was that they were so close. Livy was a little scared to get too close to them. Mostly just liked to stand next to me and chuck fish in the water.

Rachel loved it. And so did mommy and daddy. Cheers after every fish that we fed them.

Picture time with their favorite character.

A little disappointed in the rides/stuff for little kids. That is probably why kids under 3 are free. This was the only ride they could go on. Livy had a few crying fits when she couldn't go on the small roller coaster or train as she thought it was. But she had fun in teacup ferris wheel thing. Only cried/whined for 15 minutes while waiting in line while repeating "I turn" every time someone in front of us would get on. I am sure they would have had a lot more fun in the summer when the water stuff is turned on and they could play there too. All together it was a fun weekend. Really glad we ended up going!

Some of Our Favorite People

My parents and my sister came to visit us for 4 days on 2/16. It was a miracle-no delays or lost baggage! I think this was the first time that has ever happened to them since I have lived here! It was another wonderful trip and so fun to have them here. I love seeing the girls with their grandparents. It is so cool how they know them even though they live so far away. All of our frequent trips definitely pay off. Livy was sick the whole time with a fever and urinary tract infection but was feeling a little better the last day of their trip. We went to the zoo, hung out, ate good food, and they got the girls a kitchen for their 2nd birthday. Dad and Eric were just so happy to put all 300 of its pieces together for them! Thanks dad and Eric. Sorry about that!

Livy watching the elephants.

 Animal watching.

Seeing the giraffes was their favorite animal at the zoo but always their favorite thing to do is the carousel. Once they spotted it we couldn't look at anything else without them crying!


Livy being forced to take another picture!

Park time. We went to play and visit my parents favorite Texas ducks and rats! At Meyer park they have those huge rat things in the lake that run up to you for food. my parents love them! Just kidding, they of course think they are totally gross but it is a big joke around here that we have to go feed the rats when they come to TX.

Mom and her girls, me...

and Hannie

Eeveryone getting a good laugh at Livy because she was having a fit. No one wanted to smile for pictures this day.

Aunt Hannie and her nieces who love love love her and follow her everywhere and copy everything she does! Hannie is also the best baby sitter there is! She was such a big help keeping an eye on them and helping them. They "call" Hannah all the time on their phones!

Hannah getting a spin around too!

Rachel about to get spun.

Rae Rae and her best buddy Pop pop.

Walking around the water fountains at the temple. The girls love the temple. They like to call any really big building the temple but at least they are learning.

Snuggle time.

Stories and hugs!

We always love when grandma, pop pop and Hannie come to visit us. they girls are so happy and were actually crying when they left this time. they love playing with Hannah and following her around. it was great to have them here and just hang out. they got their fill of their favorite Texas foods, Papasitos (2x), Chick fil A and BBQ baked potatoes. All great things they don't have in NY. Can't wait until we get to see you guys again! We miss you and love you!

Valentine's Day

I know it has almost been a month since Valentine's Day and I am way behind. I have about three more posts to catch up until I am current. I don't know why I seemed to have less time than normal this past month and didn't get it done. So I am on my way to catching up.

Being bribed with M&M's to get to sit still for pictures. Not a great picture but I had to show the whole adorable v-day outfit from Grandma!


Best one I got of both of them together. It is a very difficult task now a days to get them both to smile together for me.

One smiles....

or the other!

Wednesday thru Saturday that week Eric was away so it was just me and the girls. Alan was gone too so we had Grandma Brenda's help a lot which was a wonderful treat!

Here she comes, get ready for a hug!

Before making cookies at April's with their cousins. Livy liked the rolling pin the best. Rachel wasn't interested very much in the whole process. I thought it was a fun v-day thing to do! thanks April! We missed Eric but had fun without him! The girls got to eat candy all day with their new pez dispensers and I got a free time treat from Brenda who took them Saturday morning so I could go and shop! Thanks so much Brenda for all of your help!