Happy 2nd Birthday, Elijah!

How is it possible...that this little guy...

isn't one year old...

...but TWO years old today?!?!

Elijah didn't really care about opening presents this year, but his sisters were happy to help him! Sienna even put on a Christmas dress for the occasion!

Mike let each of the girls pick a present for Elijah from the dollar store. Isabella chose these firemen,

and Sienna bought Elijah a teddy bear.

New books and a cute stuffed rat from Aunt Katy and Uncle Nathan! (Elijah was born in the Chinese Year of the Rat).New jammies... ...and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots (Tracy and Mike's favorite childhood game) from Aunt Tracy, Uncle Jeff, Trevor and Sydney We gave Elijah a new helicopter...

...but he was much more interested in playing with the box!

Who needs new toys...

...when the box can provide just as much (if not more!) fun?!?

Check out this goofball!!

Here's the helicopter that came from that cool box!!!

Elijah loves all things related to transportation-especially dumptrucks, so I made him a dumptruck cake this year! The birthday boy checking out his birthday cake!

One of Elijah's newer words is "dumptruck." Now he can say, "dumptruck cake!"


He got this cool Monster Truck from his friend, Sammy.
Happy birthday, Elijah!!
Yum!!
This tired puppy is ready for bed after a fun birthday!!

Father/Daughter Dance

Our local YMCA and Rec Department organized a Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dance for kids in first through fifth grade. Isabella couldn't wait to go to the dance with Mike and several of her friends!

When Isabella was asked to be a flower girl in our friend, Becky's, wedding three years ago, I made this dress just to see if I could make a flower girl dress. I used the material from the skirt that I wore in my friend, Sarah's, wedding in 2001. I was glad that Isabella could finally wear the dress since it was way too big when I first made it!

This bow is supposed to go on the back of the dress, but Isabella wanted to wear it in her hair!
Mike took Isabella out for dinner before the dance.

Sienna was ready for her pajama and popcorn party with her friend, Lauren.

Ready to party!

Since Lauren's older brother and sister went to the dance with their mom and dad, she came over to have a pajama party with Sienna.

They ate popcorn, snuggled up on the couch, and watched Monsters, Inc.

Isabella and Mike had a lot of fun at the dance. Mike said it could have been called "Ditch Your Dad Night!" Luckily, he knew a bunch of the other dads (and moms) from our neighborhood and from basketball. Isabella and her other first grade friends ran around, did the limbo and led a conga line around the dance floor. Afterwards, they went out for ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. Isabella came home with a beautiful rose from the dance and chocolate on her face. She was so wound up when she got home!

They showed me how they danced.

This will be a fun tradition for Mike to continue with the girls for the next few years, and hopefully, Elijah will go to the dance with me some day!!