Happy Valentines!

I think just about every year since we've had kids. I've tried to make some sort of "cute" Valentine with pictures. This year I just couldn't pull if off. I thought for fun I would post a couple pictures from Valentines past.

Mai 2005

Mai 2006

Ava 2007

Sweet Valentines 2007

Mai 2008

Ava 2008

This year we were able to spend Valentines Day with family celebrating Cooper's 5th Birthday.

It included some pizza making

and of course some cake eating.

It was a fun night and we were glad to be able to spend it with family.

Ready for Spring

Some days I let them pick out their own clothes (that's not always easy for me).
True it was a little warmer today- but this might have been a little too big of a jump. These girls are ready for warm weather and summer clothes (and yes this was the best picture I could get).

January turns to February

We've been busy but having fun. We were lucky to get a surprise visit from Mai's BFF and our good friends the Kaufmanns. They came to help family out so with my job and theirs we didn't have as much time to play this visit but we got to see them several times and had so much fun. Always a treat. Here are the girls enjoying some gator fun. Yes, I should take more pictures.

A couple of weeks ago we got a peek at baby Z and things are going great. Everything looked good which is always a relief to see. Here is a glimpse at #3! I can't believe that we are already half way there.

2nd times a charm

Mai got her hair cut! Not just a trim this time but a new sassy hair dew to go with her sassy self.
It's cute and she was a model client... just depends on the day (err ah moment). You never know which Mai you're going to get.

The good and the bad

We show it at any given point with no warning ...

The good - Ava's got her first haircut!

While we were in Illinois we went to see Ellen to get the girls hair cut. Ava went first (because Mai said so - I thought she should go first to show Ava how it's done. Nope. I should have known I was in trouble right then). So Ava got her first haircut complete with a wash and she did great.

Isn't she cute? We just had her hair trimmed but it looks good.

I do think she was a little nervous though she had this funny tongue thing going on the whole time.

As easy as that was next came Mai.

The bad (this time) -

Remember this?

She's 4 now so it was a different version and Ellen isn't scary but today was still as messy. She has had her hair cut since the car and by Ellen and she's loved it but today was a different story.

She was not going to get her hair cut, she was not going to wear the cape, she wasn't sitting in that chair she just wanted to keep her own hair she said. I had flashes of past Mai moments so after I tried all of the tricks I could think of to make her think it was a good idea it was time to go outside and discuss it further. It was really cold outside though so after some "talking" we went back in to the bathroom. In Mai fashion she found a penny on the ground in the bathroom and suddenly she was going to get her haircut because she had money to pay for it - we had to wait our turn since we had missed it but she was willing. Our turn came and the chair became exciting the cape was still not happening, (don't ask I have no idea). No hair wash. No hair clips. Poor Ellen tried to clip up her hair and it sent Mai right back out of the chair... okay, no clips. I held her hair up (I really wanted her hair cut and no way she was going to win - but I was willing to compromise). We didn't get a "cut" but we got a trim. Here's the nut.

Thanks Ellen for putting up with us. Aren't you glad we live in Texas :).

A little sassy but kind of funny.

Just don't tell her I think so.
Mai has been fighting the colder weather for a couple months now. She doesn't want socks, jackets, anything warm. Some days in Texas that's fine other days it's not. In Illinois it isn't okay in December so we were always trying to get Mai in her jacket. She was frustrated with Galen and with a big huff she says "Daaad you're wearing me out!"

Baby Names...

Ava got a new Bitty Baby from Santa. Galen and I asked her what she was going to name her baby and her answer without hesitation was- "Baby Jesus". Hmm that one's taken Ava...