Gracie's Potty Trained

Our Gracie girl is potty trained. She was the easiest one. It did not start out well, so I wasn't expecting it to go well at all, but then she surprised me. She started off not wanting to wear big girl panties and not wanting to sit on the potty, and crying anytime I suggested it, but then she quickly got past that. I started on Thursday February 23rd, and she started doing great over the weekend and has been doing awesome ever since. We go to the park and the store, and she has no accidents and let's me know every time she has to go. I can't believe how easy she was.

She likes to sit sideways on the potty.

Other February Happenings

The weekend after Valentine's Day Chickfila had a daddy daughter date night. Anna and Daddy went together. She was so excited about her night out with Daddy. They had reserved seating, activities for the kids, and a pink limo for them to ride in. Anna didn't ride in the limo though. She wanted to play on their playground instead, and then she was too excited about going shopping afterwards with her Valentine money. She couldn't wait to go to the dollar store and pick out some things she wanted and buy them with her own money. She had a great night.

Ready for her date with Daddy.

Having a great time at Chickfila.

Playing in the play area.

Doing her shopping.

Since we were all sick right up until Valentine's Day we couldn't have a Valentine party with our friends. We decided to have it on President's Day when all the kids were out of school, so they could all enjoy the party. They had so much fun and played together all day outside. They also had lunch and made a Valentine craft together too when we managed to get them to come in for a little bit from outside.

Enjoying their Valentine lunch complete with heart shaped sandwiches, heart shaped marshmallows, heart shaped peeps, pink yogurt, and strawberries and red grapes.

Lilly, Caroline, and Noah working on their crafts.

Joshie and Lexi doing their craft.

Emily, Grace, and Anna working on their craft.

Noah's back left, Grace's back right, and Anna's in the front.

Playing outside.

More playing.

Noah had an assignment in Awana to make a creation poster. He worked really hard on it, did a great job, and had fun making it. His Awana leaders all said his poster looked great, and they were very proud of him. When he brought it back home he wanted to hang it in his room.

Working on his poster.

His finished poster.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Anna was the last one to get over the stomach bug. She just could not kick it. She was so miserable and kept crying and saying, "How come I'm the only one not better?" It made me so sad for her. Thankfully, she woke up Valentine's Day and felt much better, and it was just in time. I would've hated for her to be sick through Valentine's Day too. She looks so forward to all birthdays and holidays. When she woke up that morning she asked for smiley face pancakes for breakfast. So while Daddy was getting ready for work, Noah was already at school, and Gracie was still asleep she and I made pancakes together. She just wanted a big round pancake with the syrup on it making a smiley face. I had planned on making heart shaped pancakes, but if that's what she wanted that's what she was going to get. It was the first thing she'd eaten in several days. Later on that day I got out the bouncy house and set it up in the living room for the girls to play on because it was supposed to rain all day. It was so nice seeing them finally playing and having fun together again. While they enjoyed that I made some red velvet cupcakes for Valentine's Day. Then we went to Grammy's house while she was at work and left her a little Valentine surprise. When Noah got home from school I surprised them all with a special snack. I had gotten heart shaped donuts from Dunkin Donuts for them. We didn't have them for breakfast because I wanted them to be able to eat them together. They were very yummy. Arron unfortunately ended up having to work late on Valentine's but he did get to come home for a few minutes so we could exchange our Valentine gifts and give the kids theirs. Then when he finally got home for the night we got take out from Carrabba's. It was so good, and a perfect Valentine dinner...a great meal I didn't have to cook, and we didn't have to sit and wait forever at a crowded restaurant. We've gone out on Valentine's in the past and no matter how early we get there there is always a long wait, so we were planning on just bringing home take out even before Arron ended up working late. The kids played on the bouncy house a little more before bed, and then they enjoyed my red velvet cupcakes. Arron and I ended up being too full from our yummy dinner to have them that night.

Anna making pancakes.

Her smiley face pancake.

The Valentine cupcakes I made.

Grammy's Valentine surprise.

Valentine donuts

Gracie

Anna

Noah

Playing ring around the rosey.

My three little Valentines.

My pretty flowers, heart shaped box of chocolates, and chocolate rose (Gracie's holding it), and everyone else's Valentine gift bags.

Opening their Valentine gifts.

Checking out everything in their bags.

Jumping back in the bouncy house.

Valentine dessert

Fun times with my Girls

We started off last weekend, superbowl weekend, with Noah starting with a nasty stomach bug. It went from Saturday afternoon until around Monday when he finally started feeling better. By Monday night Gracie started with it and had it until Wednesday afternoon when she finally started acting like herself again and getting up and playing. No one else started with signs of it by then so I thought maybe we were done with it, and the rest of us weren't going to get it. So Thursday morning I decided to finally get us out of the house after being cooped up most of the week. We ran some errands and then stopped off at the park to play some before we went home. It was in the upper 50s and sunny so it wasn't too cold and felt nice out. The girls had so much fun playing together and getting some fresh air finally.

Friday morning was cloudy and cooler out, so I was glad we had gone to the park the day before when it was nicer out. We decided to head to Chickfila then for breakfast and to play on their indoor playground. We had a great day once again, and after Chickfila did a little Valentine shopping before heading home.

I ended up being wrong though about the stomach bug being gone. I was glad we got in some fun time for two days in a row because by Saturday evening Anna was sick with the bug, I followed shortly after her, and then Arron started with it Sunday morning. It was so not fun, but I'm glad we are all finally rid of it, and everyone was better in time for Valentine's Day.

Anna's Birthday Video

Last year in March Arron made little videos for Noah and Grace for their birthdays. Anna's had already passed so he made her a video this year for her birthday. He found the perfect song for our sweet girl, and it was actually called Anna.

(Thought I'd post the lyrics too.)

ANNA (by Michael W. Smith)

Jack is in the corner

The dish is with the spoon

The sheep is in the meadow

The cow is on the moon

But I am here with you and I believe

There's no other place I'd rather be

And a promise not to leave you

Is a promise I can keep

You're my muse

You're my rhyme

You're the fire warming this heart of mine

When you hear me say I love you

Anna, do you know how much I do?

So I watch you from a distance

Getting lost within your world

You pretend to be a princess

As you flutter and you twirl

Fragile as the flower in your hair

Dancing in your castle, unaware

That a single day without you

Would be more than I could bear

You're my muse

You're my rhyme

You're the fire warming this heart of mine

When you hear me say I love you

Anna, do you know how much I do?

Little Anna little star

That is what you really are

Cross my heart and hope to die

You're the apple of my eye