4 Years Old!

A few days after the party it was Abby's birthday. Again it was a week day so David was at work, this meant that the day should have been a normal one! However, half way through the morning we realised that David had all the keys to the house and as per usual he had locked the door. I couldn't get hold of him so we just had to get on with the day and hope for the best. Maureen came over to take my mum out for coffee so she had to climb out the dining room window! It was quite a sight to see :)

Since it was Abby's birthday she picked the meals so for lunch we had Mac and Cheese. I don't remember now if it was before or after lunch but Rachael came round to see if we wanted to go to the park with her, Lewis, Libby and Leo but I explained the problems about being locked in! So she offered to take the girls so they also climbed out the window and climbed back in later.

While my mum was out for coffee they went by the school and picked up a set of keys from David. Once she was home Abby and her Grannie had fun doing a sticker book together while the younger sisters took naps. Once David was home we opened, cards and presents. Her birthday dinner choice was fajitas followed by ice-cream and fruit.

Abby got a pop-up paddling pool, pots and pans set, playmobil, book and a cut and make baguette set. I think she had a fun day.

Abigail Faith is polite, loving, very compassionate, sooo intelligent and helpful. She loves bible class and learning. Abby is learning to write letters and numbers and she is even beginning to read. Her smile can light up your day and her laugh is infectious. Often times she will do or say something and will just cracker herself up. A lot of her day now is spent role playing rather than specific toys. She can dress herself and helps with her sisters coats and shoes, helps out in the kitchen and enjoys taking on more and more responsibilities. Her favourite - colour is red, food mac and cheese or spaghetti, TV shows; Dora, Everything's Rosie, Octonauts, Nina and the Neurons, Treat ice cream and chocolate, anything sparkly and girly and to be involved in everything! Dislikes - cooked carrots, loud noises, to see people upset.

Abigail you are growing up so fast and we love the beautiful girl that we see in you. You are dear to our hearts and we will always love you.

Birthday Lunch

2 peas in a pod!

Excited for presents

Playmobil fun, fun , fun


Her sister helped open the boxes

Sleeping in the paddling pool

Playing together


Newborn

One Year old

Two Years Old

Three Years Old

Four Years Old

Girls party

With the girls birthdays only being a week apart in June we combined their parties on the Saturday in between the actual birthdays.

Of course it was Dora and Diego themed So we had plates, cups, napkins with the theme. The menu was pizza, potato smiles and stars, fruits and cake.

The guest list: Grannie, Uncle John Anthony, Auntie Kristen, Brennan, Jonathan, Russell, Rachael, Lewis, Libby, Leo, JR, Dashia, Gideon, Naomi, Grandpa Michael, Grandma Maureen, Rachel, Emily, Uncle Nathan, Aunt Stacey and Kellan.

It was a bit showery and windy but we had a fun day. Firstly as people started to arrive I was told to come to the door to help with something......... When I looked out I was surprised to see Nathan, Stacey and Kellan! Although Abby wanted to invite them we told her that they wouldn't be able to come all this way for the party. They had planned this trip back and kept it a surprise so it was wonderful to have them here and be able to share our celebrations with them. It was especially great for them to meet AJ and Aleah and it was wonderful to see Kellan again as when they left he was a toddler and now he is a little boy!

The kids played, we ate, had cake went to the park and field just outside our house and then let the girls open some presents. We were having so much fun that we ended up eat leftover pizza for dinner! The girls had a terrific day and we are so thankful to our friends and family for making the day special.

ONE of the worst cousins shot


The best picture of the cousins

Anna Jane Grace is 2 Years Old

Anna Jane's birthday is the first between the girls so we decorated with some balloons and banners. We had it all decorated for when she got up in the morning. It was a relatively normal morning. I let her pick what she wanted for lunch so we had grilled cheese, pickles and fruit. Shortly following lunch it was nap time and we planned to give her cards and presents afterwards so that David would be home. Unfortunately almost all of the presents we bought her did not make it that day. She did have a few to open though from her Grannie and Abby. Grannie gave her a new book and a playmobil set and Abby gave her a Diego magnet book. She woke a bit earlier than usual and David hadn't gotten home yet so I distracted them upstairs till he arrived. We headed into the livingroom where her cards and presents were laid out on a chair. She had fun opening them and was glad to have some new toys that were hers! Her dinner choice was lasagna and peppers/salad which we all enjoyed followed by watermelon. Since we were going to have cake later on the party day I didn't want to have it over again and again so we had ice cream and I put a candle and mini sparkler in it. Anna Jane just though that was the greatest thing ever. The next day the other gifts arrived so we did another present opening. She loved her new toys. We gave her a small doll pram which she called a “pramer” and Aleah gave her a set of pompoms.

Our baby is 2! She is incredible, so funny she makes us laugh all the time with her expressions, statements and actions. She is so creative and imaginative, she will hold her hands up by her face and wiggle her little fingers, then say “claws, snap you up”. Loves playing with Dora toys, dolls, playmobil, kitchens, bouncing, but most of all she loves books. She will cuddle up with you and a book every chance she gets. Her special toy is Bunny and she snuggles with him to sleep and on car journey's. Her favourite - colour is blue, fruit is watermelon, vegetable broccoli/corn/green beans/pickles/peppers (pretty much anything vegetable actually), TV show Dora and Diego, treat cake and chocolate. Dislikes – chicken (unless hidden in her food) :) having to leave the play park. She is adventurous and brave while being loving and generous. She adores her sisters and often almost kills them with kindness or tackle cuddles!

Physically she has light brown hair and green/blue eyes. She is wearing 2-3 year old clothes and size 6 shoes, still has 4 back molars to come through and has a cute smile.

We are so proud of her and love her more than we can say. She is such a blessing to our family.

Anna Jane Grace we love you, happy 2^nd birthday.

Birth



One Year
Picture to follow, once we find it!

Two Years

Busy month

June is always a busy month for us as the beginning of the month is our anniversary and the end of the month is two of the girls birthdays. It is also the wind up to the school summer holidays.

As usual our anniversary was upon us before we knew it and as we were hosting 2 campaigners again this year we had a low key celebration. We fed the girls some leftovers for dinner and once they were in bed we ordered Chinese and watched Blindside, an amazing movie which I recommend everyone watching. It was a relaxing evening and it was nice to take a break from the kitchen. That was our 6th Anniversary. As per usual we didn't think about taking pictures.

May's highlights

May found us in Stirling again as David was preaching in East Kilbride one of the Sunday's and it was easier and quicker to get there from my mum's house. We had a great Sunday with our brothers and sisters in E.K. The girls got to see their cousins as it was JA's birthday and so they came down so we could celebrate it together.


Dressed and ready for Church


Aleah has a new trick. Sitting up in her bouncer chair


CHOCOLATE! Every one's favourite



Choc Chip Cookies fresh from the oven, yum


Making funny faces



This is how we always look


Meal times are getting a messy affair


Aleah loves her station


Since our fence blew down it broke my washing line and once the fence was fixed I was so excited to be able to hang out washing again. So I had a DIY day and put up the new line as well as putting a new bolt and hook on the gate all by myself. I must admit to feeling a bit proud!




First ice cream experience.



Trying to get a nice shot of the girls. This was the best we got.


I was working so hard to get Aleah to smile, her sisters were cracking up. This picture makes me smile. I love Aleah's Elvis!


Almost perfect but AJ was fast losing interest.

Our Birthdays and Easter

David's birthday was in February and mine is in March. We celebrated David's birthday twice, once while visiting family at the start of the month and then again on his birthday when we were home.

For my birthday it started as a normal day - kids, meals, laundry, cleaning. Then while I was upstairs dealing with clothes and laundry I thought "wouldn't it be funny if I looked out the window and saw my mum coming in" and guess what, I did! David had arrange it as a surprise. Not only my mum but Kristen and the boys, JA would meet us at the Red House for dinner later. We had a reasonable meal considering we had 5 small children with us. Upon returning home we had a wonderful mars cheese cake made by Kristen.

This year we have tried to make sure that we are all together as much as possible for any family occasions since these are the first ones without Dad.

Easter came around and we decided to do our egg hunt on Saturday so we could pick the time of day and be relaxed with it. The girls had great fun finding the eggs and other treats that we hid around the garden even though half our fence was lying on the ground as the wind had snapped the posts a few weeks before. They had just found the last treat when it started to rain so it was perfect timing. Then on the Sunday we had a wonderful Sunday lunch at the home of Michael and Maureen. Their kids and grand kids were there so it was a full house and with 3 young babies they all took turns napping in the pram. After lunch and play time the kids all had another egg hunt. So all in all it was a fun Easter. Also over the Easter break we had JA, Kristen and the boys came to stay for a “sleep over” and as always we had a great time together.

The last big event was David's return to work after the Easter break. It wasn't too bad and I counted down the last 8 weeks before the summer break.

Oh, I guess there was one more event before the summer. David had a couple of days off to take so we used one so he could have a long weekend. We headed down to stay with my mum again as David was preaching at East Kilbride. During our time down it was JA's birthday so again we all gathered for support and to celebrate his day.

Of course I have included more pictures of the girls.

Okay, I loaded the pictures backwards but there is far to many to change it so the first pictures are actually towards the end of the time.

Relaxing in front of the TV after a busy day.


Playing in the field outside the front of our house

At Aden Park


Picnic time



This kid is such a hoot!

The girls all love each other so much



Fun with Lewis and Libby on Easter Sunday


Emily and Aleah




Girls finding Easter surprises


Egg Hunt


1st "solid" food, baby rice


Good Hair Day


I went to get her for her bath and found this....


AJ called me over and told me she had drawn a tree!


Cutie pie


Face painting from the grand opening of the new park




We put new flooring in the dining room and since all the furniture was out we emptied the ball pit balls into the room and latterly put up their tents and tunnel.





Sick day. We were all ill and had very sore throats so I gave the girls lolly pops to keep their throats moist. They never usually have them.

Watching a movie on our sick day


Cousin Brennan's 5th Birthday party



When we eat strawberries we do strawberry tongues!


I walked in to see this........


At the Red House for my birthday dinner



Abby's first washing up experience


Having cupcakes at the indoor playroom



Our smiley Aleah



Chocolate girl!


"Cheeeeeeeese"


Princesses