Disney Jr and Wizard of Oz

We had such a fun weekend this past weekend.
The past two years we've asked the grandparents to give the girls a "something to do" present instead of lots of toys and "stuff".  This year, Paul's parents got tickets to the Disney Jr show (Mickey's Magic Show) at the Colonial Center. The girls were so excited! We started our Friday evening with dinner at Chick-fil-a and some playground time and then headed to the show. I wasn't sure how Ruthie would do but she did great! She was really entertained by the happenings on the stage and also very interested in the people around us. Paul had to take her out the last 10 minutes of the show as she was done but other than those 10 minutes she was a trooper.



By some random fluke I ended up not scheduled to work on Saturday. It's been so long since Paul and I were both at home on a Saturday and it was so nice to spend the whole weekend together as a family! Dance Theatre of Columbia which is based out of our dance studio is performing Wizard of Oz this year. On Saturday morning they had a fundraising breakfast so we took the girls to meet the characters. They weren't so sure about it at first but Emmie quickly warmed up and by the end of the breakfast Ellie was ready to have her picture taken too!

Ruthie and Dorothy...Ruthie was so fascinated by Toto's ears!

Everyone involved in the show has done such a great job and I know the show is going to be fabulous! I highly encourage you to buy tickets and attend if you're in the Columbia area, especially if you have small children. (You can click on the link in the paragraph above to buy tickets or stop by Bailey Fine Arts!) The show is March 7th at 2 and 7.

The Theater!

Two weekends ago we went to Greenville for the weekend. I LOVE anything Broadway and one of my favorite musicals is Wicked. I've had the soundtrack since the play came out and I saw it in Atlanta years ago when it first started touring. Greenville has so many amazing Broadway plays this season, including Wicked so for Christmas my parents gave Paul and I tickets for Wicked and money for a nice dinner. We very rarely get a night out so I was soooo excited about our gift...free babysitters, a nice dinner, Wicked, and the best date = the perfect present!
Paul and I started our date night with dinner at Sassafras. I started my meal with a small bowl of she crab soup. It was so good and the bowl size was definitely NOT small. Paul had a small southern salad which was about the size of an entrée salad! I recommend not getting the large of anything unless you plan on making it your entrée! For dinner I got salmon and lump blue crab served over grits (ahhh-mazing!) and Paul had the Charleston shrimp and grits. Both of our entrees were quite large and were so good! It was so nice to have a dinner where we could sit and talk and relax!

After dinner we headed to the Peace Center for the show. My dad got us tickets in row F and I loved bring so close (when I saw it in Atlanta I was waaaay in the back). Alyssa Fox, who played Elpheba was absolutely amazing and I was spellbound every time she sang. The man who played the wizard was also exceptional. I was not as thrilled with the girl who played Glenda...she was good but was definitely not in the same league as Kristin Chenowith, who played the original Glenda. Paul had never seen Wicked and I do think he enjoyed the play...I know I did!




My mom found out that while we were in Greenville the Children's Theater was performing a Fancy Nancy musical. My girls big girls just love Fancy Nancy so as their Valentine's present they got a date with Gran to go see the show! They were super excited and we made sure to take some fancy attire for them to wear (they love their sparkly skirts!).

My mom said they both enjoyed it and that Emmie was spellbound! On the way home they stopped and got frozen yogurt which especially thrilled Ellie, that's one of her favorite treats. I'm so glad it worked out for the girls to see the musical and that they got to spend the afternoon with Gran!


Paul and my dad went and played golf during the day Saturday and they had fabulous weather. While everyone was gone (conveniently during Ruthie's naptime) I took a delightful nap where nobody was coming to ask me for a bandaid or coming in my room to go to the bathroom.


On Sunday we went to church with my parents before heading back. The big girls got to go to the same Sunday School class which thrilled them and they got to hang out with their buddy Jacob. They ask about Jacob every time we go to Greenville so they were very happy to see him!

Everyday Life

It's been quite awhile since I blogged so here's a quick look at our life lately in pictures! I'll do some more updating on fun things we've been doing sometime over the weekend. :)

Ruthie LOVES to have her hair brushed. I've never seen a child who loved it so much!

I looked up from cooking to find this scene in my den...WHAT?!? Franklin usually doesn't let Emmie get within a few feet of him...he's still traumatized from when she pulled his hair when she was a baby. I guess he's chilling out in his old age...or perhaps he just was enjoying listening to the story!

I love watching these girls play together. They're slowly learning how to incorporate Ruthie into their play. This days solution was to give her a chair somewhere else lol!

Sweet church friends who dance together...and their teacher goes to church with us too! Also, Sydney, the little girl in front of Emmie, is in our Sunday School class and she loooooooooves Mr. Paul (but won't talk to him!).

A few weeks ago Emmie went home from school with a friend (our washing machine was getting fixed during school pickup time) and she stayed with Payton until dance so when Ruthie was napping I had Ellie all to myself which NEVER happens. We read some books and had a great time playing some games! (Also, Ellie is so my child...she loves to wear pajamas and will often find an excuse to go put them on as soon as she gets home!)

Sweet sisters holding hands on our walk...Ruthie was thrilled.

Ellie was so excited that Ruthie was big enough to ride in the car at Kroger. Ellie never gets to ride in it because then I don't have a place in the cart to put Roo. They had so much fun!


In other exciting news, Ruthie is now a walker...yay! She walks about 90% of the time and we're all loving it...the big girls give her lots of praise for her accomplishment! (And I'm excited that hopefully the knees of her pants won't looks so grungy now that she's not crawling all over the floor and I'm hopeful that there might be an end to the constant cough and runny nose now that her hands aren't on the floor constantly!)

Snug as a bug...

...in a box.

Ellie came downstairs this afternoon and said she needed a nap...it's too bad she doesn't have a nice bed. #middlechildproblems

Caroline Rose

Last weekend I went to DC for the baptism of my second Goddaughter, Caroline Rose. Caroline is 4 months old and I was so excited to finally get to meet her! She is absolutely adorable and was full of sweet smiles all weekend. I also had a great time hanging out with my first Goddaughter, Elizabeth. I hadn't seen her in about a year and a half and I loved getting to spend time with her!

I flew in Friday evening and the girls were in bed when I got there but Abby and Ben and I hung out and had a great time visiting.

I took Elizabeth some playdoh and Saturday morning she spent about 2 hours playing with it! I loved that she used the cookie cutters as bracelets! 

I also got to spend some time hanging out with Caroline.

Can you tell I dressed Caroline Saturday morning? You gotta have a bow!

Saturday afternoon Abby and Ben's families came into town and they came over and hung out for awhile.

Sunday we got up and got everyone ready and then headed to the church. Caroline's baptism was so nice and I am so honored to be her Godmother! After the baptisim we went back to Abby and Ben's house for a delicious lunch!

Me, Abby, Ben, Caroline, and Adam (Ben's brother and Caroline's Godfather)

Sunday evening I headed back to Columbia. I had a really great time in DC but I was glad to get back and see my sweet babies!

back in Columbia!

13 months

I am 13 months (and 2 days)!

• At 12.5 months I weighed 17lb 13oz (5th percentile) and was 29.5 inches (60th percentile). At 1yr Emmie was 22lb 3oz and 30in and Ellie was 20lb 3oz.

This is a 5th percentile belly...after a big bowl of fruit!

• I am taking steps by myself now but since I am such a fast crawler I mainly crawl.
• I wear 9-12mo and 12-18mo clothes and a size 3.5 shoe.
• I sleep about 13 hours at night and take a 2-3 hour nap after lunch.
• I'm starting to follow commands really well and overall I'm a very good listener.
• I'm starting to wear bows during the day. My hair is actually long enough to wear one without a headband!
• I love to eat fruit. If it was up to me I would eat only fruit! The only fruit that I don't seem to care for are strawberries.I also enjoy some vegetables (Lima beans and peas are favorites right now) and fish. I have tried shrimp and seem to like the flavor but it seems to be a little too much work to chew up. I am hit or miss on other meats. 
• I now have 7 teeth, 4 on top and 3 on the bottom and I have the beginnings of my top right molar poking through.
• I am starting to "talk" more. I will say "hi (ellie, Emmie, or Franklin). I say bye bye, book, and baby, although at this point they all sound alike! I say mama and dada.
• I still love to suck on my middle and ring fingers on my left hand.
• I often will point my finger and someone and jabber...my family is pretty sure I'm lecturing them!
• I can throw a pretty impressive temper tantrum. Fortunately these don't last too long.
• This month I went to the mountains and played in the snow! (And I slept great every night so mommy is hopeful that I've become more flexible in regards to my sleeping arrangements!) We celebrated GG's birthday while we were in the mountains and, unlike at my own party, I thoroughly enjoyed the cupcake!

• I no longer want to play downstairs with my baby toys. I want to be with my big sisters playing with their toys. This has been quite an adjustment for them as until now I was happy just to play in the same room they were in with whatever you they gave me. For the most part they are patient with me though!
• This month I spent a lot of time touring elementary schools. After the first few I was not amused.
• I don't usually like to sit and listen to books but I love to look at them by myself.
• I love baby dolls.

• I can and do climb on anything and everything!

I've learned to get up in the big girl chairs.

• This month I have learned that I am the third child and therefore the fastest way to get what I want is to just do it myself. I've suddenly become quite independent!

The Antics of Ruthie

If you've been following my blog for the last month or so then you are well aware that Ruthie is always up to something! Tonight after dinner Emmie picked a treat from her candy bag and we left the bag sitting on the table while she was eating her treat. All of a sudden we looked over and Ruthie was digging through the bag! 

We took the bag away and gathered up the candy she's pulled out. She was not pleased. A few minutes later she reached into the pocket of her bib and pulled out this...

...a candy cane! Funny, funny girl!

On a side note, Ellie had a candy bar in her bag and Paul told her he really liked those. She thought for a minute and then said "tonight is not a sharing night. Sharing irritates me tonight." #middlechildproblems