ROAR! Bella you're FOUR!

ROAR!  Bella you're FOUR and we celebrated with the most perfect birthday party with all of your favorite things...lions, swimming, cake, and chick-fil-a.  We invited some of your best buddies over for an afternoon of fun and it was extra special because Grandma and Pap came too.  We ate a yummy lunch of chick-fil-a nuggets and we introduced all of the adults to "Pittsburgh style" salads, which is just cobb salads topped with french fries...yum!  After we fed the "animals" we went outside to swim followed by cupcakes for the birthday girl.  It was an afternoon all about YOU and you had the absolute best time.  As our friends left, we handed out animals with the cutest little party hats as the party favors.  Happy birthday Bella bean, we love you and your little ROAR to the moon and back!

A letter to our Addie girl as you start Kindergarten

Dear Addie girl,

Wow!  How are we here already?  I remember thinking about this day years ago when I was up for those mid-night feedings and it seems like I've blinked and now we are here.  You're first day of Kindergarten is here!  I never understood why parents would be so emotional over this.  Yes, the kids are gone Monday-Friday, but it's only a couple of hours and the break will probably be kind of nice.  It's such a bitter sweet feeling though.  Addie, I know you are ready, but am I?  The idea of you having this life outside of the home is both terrifying and beautiful all at the same time.  For the first 5 years of your life I was always there with you.  I knew who you were playing with, what you were doing, and how you were feeling.  I  was there to protect you and guide you through all of those big and little moments.  Now, it's my job to put you on the bus every morning and wait for you every afternoon.  The time in between is all on you sweet girl and you've got this!  You are so strong and confident that I know you will make the right choices.  You are kind and energetic that I know the other kids are going to be so excited to be your friend.  You are so smart and eager to learn that I know you are going to impress your teacher's by always putting forth your best effort.  Addie girl, you are as beautiful on the inside as you are on the out and I want you to always remember that.  Make good choices, always believe in yourself, and always show off that smile!  At times life will be difficult.  Some days may be harder than others, but you will be okay.  You will always be okay.  Please always remember I am and will always be in your corner cheering you on no matter what.  I love you to the moon and back my sweet Addie girl!  You got this!!

Love,
Mommy

Dear Noah Ryan - You're TWO

To our favorite little guy,

You are TWO years old and we celebrated your birthday with the cutest "Taco TWOsday Fiesta" with your little girlfriend, Molly.  We invited all of our closest friends and had a fun afternoon of playing, eating, and celebrating.  Then, on your actual birthday we were lucky enough to celebrate with Grandma, Pap, Uncle Brian & Aunt Carla, T, Patrick, and cousin Bryan since we were all in Washington, DC for the wedding. And our icing on the cake (literally) was one more celebration at home the following weekend with just us.  The girls planned a Mickey party for you and we opened your presents, sang, ate lots of cake, and celebrated YOU once again.  You loved your new roller coaster and you were obsessed with your rubber ducky filled dump truck from T.  All and all it was an amazing MONTH of celebrating our favorite boy and we enjoyed every second!

I cannot believe it's been TWO whole years since we welcomed you into our family.  You are my favorite surprise, the little boy we didn't even know we were missing, and my favorite little man.  You've won over the hearts of every one around you!   I can't get enough of you, you and Dad are best buds, and your sisters are completely obsessed with you.  Noah Ryan, we love you to the moon and back and absolutely loved celebrating YOU for your birthday - all month long!

At 2 years old, you are 100% ALL BOY.  You love all the things - balls, cars, trains, superheroes, dump trucks, etc.  You are rough and you are tough, you literally never sit still!  You are on the go (usually with a ball in your hand) and you already have quite the arm.  I think we have a future ball player and that would be your dad's dream come true!

At 2 years old, you are STRONG and DETERMINED.  You may be the youngest of our bunch, but boy do you know what you want and how to get it.  You are talking up a storm, saying words and phrases, and have the cutest little singing voice.  "We wish you a Merry Christmas", "Happy Birthday", "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", and "Baby Shark" are your jams!

At 2 years old, you are a WATER BABY.  Every time you wake up from your nap you ask to go to one of two places - the pool or the beach.  You LOVE being in the water and you are hilarious to watch.  You "swim" and dive in the tanning ledge portion of our pool, usually while wearing your goggles and you are happy as can be.

At 2 years old, you are a MAMA'S BOY and it's pretty awesome.  Nothing beats hearing "I love you Mama" every night after I tuck you into bed and I wouldn't trade it for the world!

At 2 years old, you love MOLLY.  Molly has been your girl since the day you were born.  You two are inseparable and it's so cute.  Preschool just started and the two of you are in the Bees class together and you loving spending your school time with your best bud by your side. 

At 2 years old,  you are a DANCING MACHINE and you have the best dances moves.  It doesn't matter what the song is, you shake your little booty and wave your arms, it's adorable.  Every time I pick you up from school you tell me you "danced" and it's so cute.

At 2 years old, you are obsessed with Paw Patrol, rubber ducks, and eating pancakes.  You love Addie and "Lala" and have a special bond with both of them.  Don't get me wrong though, you are still siblings and you are known to give a hair pull here and there!  You love to give fist pumps, high fives, and french fries to just about any one you meet.  You've never met a stranger and attract attention pretty much any where we go! 

Noah, you are amazing!  You are the most handsome little man and we cannot get enough of you.  I am the luckiest mom in the world to be there to cheer you on as you learn and grow and maybe even hit a homerun here and there!  I will always be your #1 fan no matter what path you choose!  Happy birthday little man!  We love you to the moon and back, Noah Ryan!

Love,
Mommy

My Favorite Things - Disney Edition

Our Disney World was by far my favorite family vacation to date!  It truly is the Happiest Place on Earth and so so magical to experience, especially through the eyes of your little ones.  Addie was at the absolute perfect age for all of the fun.  She loved the rides, shows, all things princess, and has a new fascination with Tinker Bell.  Bella wasn't far behind her but had her own personal Disney agenda.  She is Lightning McQueen obsessed, has a sweet tooth perfect for all those Disney goodies, and had her own diva style at the boutique that makes me laugh to this day.  Noah may not remember this trip in the future, but I will never forget it.  I will remember how he jumped out of my arms any time he spotted Mickey or Donald, how he couldn't help but dance at every Disney tune, and how he smiled from ear to ear any time we said the word snack.  Disney isn't just about the characters you meet and parks you visit, it's about the memories you create while you are there.  It's those moments that make it so magical and here are some of my favorite moments from our trip:

1. Waking up when it was still dark to catch our flight 
• Counting down the days to our Disney trip was like counting down the days to Christmas morning.  We had a paper chain and every time we ripped one off we were one day closer!  We had a 7am departure flight, which meant it was still dark when we woke up and left our house.  The girls thought it was so fun to be awake that early to catch a plane - and our end destination was the icing on the cake!
2.   Bella seeing Lightning McQueen
• We stayed at the Art of Animation resort in the Finding Nemo suites, but it was the Radiator Springs wing that was a hit with my crew!  Bella was star struck as we walked through the resort and found Lightning McQueen.  It was only a statue, which in all things Disney may not be that exciting, but it made Bella's day.  It was a life size representation of the same race car she sleeps with every night, which was so, so cool in the eyes of a 3 year old!
3. Seeing the castle for the first time
• There's something so amazing about going to Magic Kingdom and turning that corner on Main Street to see the castle for the very first time.  Grandma and Addie sprinted ahead of us and the sight of it had Addie screaming at the top of her lungs and pointing!  She was in awe!
4. Princess makeovers at Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique
• Our princesses were given the royal treatment as we kicked off our first day at Magic Kingdom.  Addie's face was priceless as they transformed her into Cinderella, complete with fairy dust and make up.  Bella was a little hesitant at first, as she is with most things, but she came through and shined with a style of her very own, which brings me to my next thing...
5. Bella's pink hair
• Bella isn't as much of a girly girl as her big sister, she usually prefers a super hero cape to a princess gown.  Even though she wore her pink princess dress for her make over, she topped it off with long, crazy pink hair.  It was definitely a unique style, not one that I would have picked out for her, but it made it super easy to pick her out of a crowd from a distance when she was on Daddy's shoulders.
6. Enchanted Tales with Belle
• The Enchanted Tales with Belle is one of my favorite experiences.  It's an interactive play that tells the story of Beauty and the Beast.  Addie played a horse and let out a confident "neighh" right on cue, Eric was the dad and Bella was the cutest little Chip that I ever did see.  Grandma, Pap, Noah, and I watched proudly from the audience as they performed and paraded around the room.  It ended with a special meet and greet with Belle, who has always been one of our favorites (although Bella would have preferred to meet the beast!)
7. Hugs for Mickey & friends from Noah
• Every time Noah spotted Mickey and friends, he literally tried to jump out of my arms.  He is obsessed with them!  He ran right up and gave them a hug and if he really liked them he turned and posed for a picture.  It was so sweet.
8. Happily Ever After fireworks
• The kids LOVED the firework show.  Addie sang along with the music, Bella covered her ears for most of it, but got very excited when she saw red fireworks, and Noah's jaw was to the floor the entire time.  It's such a magical show and by far one of the highlights of our trip.  We were lucky enough to catch the show 3 times during our stay and it got better and better each time!
9. The obsession with Tink
• On our first day, Eric and my mom told the girls that Tinker Bell was flying around the park watching to see if they were being good.  The girls would "spot" her when we were in line and then were amazed when she magically appeared in our pictures. (Thank you Disney magic shots)   Grandma even topped it off by leaving the girls little treats under their pillows each night for good behavior.  Each morning, their fascination with "Tink" grew.  Then, we saw her in the parades, watched her fly from the castle during the firework display, and finally got to meet her on our last day in the park.  The girls still talk about going back to Disney World just to see their best bud, Tink.  
10. Our little dancing machine
• Noah was a dancing machine the entire trip!  The second he heard the music during a show he was up on his feet, moving to the beat.  He's pretty cute too so he always attracted attention from the characters :) 
11. Bella's never ending naps
• Bella was a trooper during our trip.  She did her best to keep up with our crew, but each day she gave in for a stroller nap and she gave in hard!  When she passed out, there was no waking her up!  It's kind of funny too because she slept through most of the things we decided to do for her.  She picked to meet the carnival characters back by Dumbo, but then fell asleep in line and slept through every single one of them.  She loves superheroes, but slept through the whole Incredibles dance party.  She wanted to take the boat to see the animals on the Jungle Cruise, but slept through our entire fast pass window.  That girl can sleep, through anything!
12. The red balloon
• Sometimes it's the little things and life and to a one year old boy, it's a red balloon.  He was SO happy marching up and down Hollywood Boulevard with his red balloon and it was the cutest thing ever.
13. Roaring for Lion King - moments in line
• Luckily we didn't wait in many long lines, but when we did we made the best of it.  In preparation for the Lion King show (which was by far one of our favorites!) our little lions took turns practicing their ROARSSS and it resulted in a lot of little giggles at the same time :)
14. Food and drinks - spiked dole whip, sushi donut
• Disney really hits it out of the park when it comes to food and drinks and since we were on the Disney meal plan we made sure to try as many things as possible.  The spiked dole whip in Animal Kingdom was hands down my favorite snack, with the unique sushi donut as a quick second.  The kids loved the Mickey ears, oversized soft pretzels that were as big as their heads, and any type of ice cream.  
15. Princess meetings with our princesses (and the books)
• The Hendry's got the girls the cutest little princess passport books for Christmas for them to bring along on our trip and collect their autographs.  I loved them because it's a book that we continue to read and it shares a little bit about each princess and what makes them unique.  It's interactive and asks questions as you read through it about what makes you strong or brave, which also doubled as entertainment while we were waiting in line or at a restaurant.  The girls were so excited when we collected our last signature and completed our book and I was so excited that they had such a special souvenir from our trip. 
16. The buzz light year ride
• This was such a fun ride for our whole crew.  I loved how Addie and Eric had the same look of determination as they were shooting the aliens and Bella, Noah, and I were just trying to hit at least one during the ride :)  
17. Our little tink & red superhero face painting
• The girls were so excited to get their faces painted since it's something they ask for all the time at Busch Gardens, but we've never done it.  Grandma to the rescue, she always says yes because that's just what Grandmas do.  Addie went with a Tink inspired fairy look and in true Bella fashion she picked a red superhero.  
18. The girls dancing at the Grand Floridian
• On our day off from the parks we went to the Grand Floridian for an evening of fun.  The hotel was absolutely beautiful from the pretty chandeliers to the furniture to the grand piano that was in the middle of the lobby.  The girls had a blast twirling and dancing to the music in the middle of the lobby and it was the cutest little sight to see.  Then we went to 1900 Park Fare for dinner to celebrate Addie's birthday,  followed by a movie in the park, and a view of the Happily Ever After fireworks from across the lake.  We made so many fun memories even on our day off from the parks.
19. Our stroller tag
• You've got to stand out in the never ending sea of strollers - and we had the perfect stroller tag to do it - Lightning McQueen to the rescue :)
20. Frozen ride at Epcot
• Our Frozen obsessed crew LOVED this ride!  It was probably one of the favorites of the whole trip.  "Wow" and "That was so cool" was all the girls said the whole time, all while Noah was too busy dancing to his jam, "Let it go."  
21. Walking through France with Belle
• We had one of the coolest experiences ever when we were in Epcot visiting Belle in France.  We were the very last in line before her scheduled break so in full character she asked if the girls could walk her to the tavern to meet the Beast for lunch.  The girls happily agreed and hand by hand they walked through France talking her ear off the whole time.  Addie proudly told her all of the French words she learned in preschool and Bella was quietly just taking it all in.  Their stroll ended with lots of hugs and goodbyes and two very star-struck little girls.  It was absolutely magical :)
22. The chocolate ice cream Mickey ears
• There is nothing cuter than little ones eating ice cream - but put some Mickey ears on top of it and it just adds to that cuteness factor.  Bella and Noah couldn't get enough of the chocolate covered Mickey ears and our picky eater Addie loved the plain vanilla ice cream.
23. Matching shirts
• You can't go to Disney without some Disney themed matching shirts and all the Disney gear.  We sported our "Vacay Mode" and mismatched graphic tees proudly - with the rest of the Disney-goers!
24. The sweetest Minnie at Chef Mickeys
• When we went to Chef Mickey's for dinner we had some sad little kids because Grandma and Pap had to leave us to go back home.   Minnie spotted Bella sitting quietly in her chair and spent extra time cheering her up with a quick game of peek-a-boo.  It was so sweet and quickly turned her frown upside down.  We left Chef Mickeys still missing Grandma and Pap but in much better spirits.
25. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Eric and I took the girls on their first real roller coaster and it was hands down one of my favorite Disney memories that I still laugh about to this day.  Eric and Addie went first.  She loved it at times, she hated it at times, but in true Addie fashion the video Eric took during the ride is awesome entertainment.  Bella and I were next, but she wasn't a fan at all.  "This is not fun!" Bella said as we went up and down and round and round.  She did like the mining part with the seven dwarfs, but that was it and she does not want to do it again.  Their first roller coaster ride might not have been what we thought it would be, but it sure gave us some funny memories and lots of laughs.
26. The princess figurines
• I always like to be over prepared for everything versus under prepared.  I packed extra clothes, snacks, glow sticks, bubbles, etc. for our days at the parks especially since we never went back for breaks.  I had restaurant entertainment, things to do while waiting in line, and anything else you could think of.  Nothing got as much use as these little princess figures we carried around in a plastic bag.  The girls and Noah both played with them constantly.  Most of the time they made friends with other little kids in line who played along as well.  The princess figurines still get played with almost daily and are a huge hit in our house!
27. Bubbles
• Noah absolutely loves bubbles and even though I stocked up before our trip, Grandma and Pap still spoiled them and bought them each a hugely overpriced bubble/glow wand from Disney.  The girls each picked a Frozen one and Noah went with Mickey.  They were a huge hit!
28. Move it shake it dance party
• We were able to catch the Move It! Shake It! street party parade on our last day there and it was so much fun.  I loved that it was interactive and that the characters invite all the little ones to join in on the dancing at the end of it.  It was high energy and a huge hit with my crew, even Noah was dancing his little heart out in the street.
29. The parade
• The mid-day parade was full of characters, performers, music, and our favorite - Tink!  The girls were star struck when they saw her and Noah loved all of the Mickey characters.  Disney goes over the top for just about everything and this parade did not disappoint.
30. The ears
• You can't go to Disney without the ears and we wore them and wore them proudly! 

Our Disney trip was hands down my favorite family vacation to date.  We spent a whole week in Disney and 5 days in the parks.  We rode rides, met all the characters, and created priceless memories.  Disney really is magical and we cannot wait to go back...

Bella Beans 1/2 birthday

Our little Bella bean turned 3 1/2 a few months ago and here's a little update on her...

-She is s obsessed with superheroes, the color red, and would eat waffles and Chick-fil-a all day long if I let her!  She much prefers her tshirt, shorts, and "faster shoes" vs. her twirl dress loving sister and I love how comfortable and confident she is in her own skin.  She is 100% her own little person and couldn't be more opposite than Addie.  She is smart, strong, and very soft spoken the majority of the time, but she's also a girl who knows what she wants and how to get it - that she gets Eric's mom and we love that about her!

-Bella has the sweetest little group of preschool and neighborhood buddies.  She asks daily to go to Claire's house, counts down the days until she gets to play at soccer with Emmett, and loves hanging out in the cul de sac with Brady. 

-Bella recently completed ISR swim lessons with Miss Sam and mastered the swim-float-swim sequence.  Since then she has become a fish in the pool, swimming completely on her own in the shallow end and loving playing games with her big sister Addie.

-Bella loves to be outside!  She is constantly digging in the dirt and helping Daddy water the flowers in the backyard.  She loves her scooter, bounce house, and playing at the playground - until she spots a bug.  She's not a fan of bugs right now!

-Bella has such a sweet tooth (just like her mama!)  She loves ice cream and asks to go to sweet frog on a daily basis.  She is the slowestttt ice cream eater ever though as she savors every single bite!

-She is doing amazing in her Owls 3 year old preschool class with Ms. Tanya and Ms. Ellen.  She is learning her letters, shapes, and how to spell her name.  

-We've started going to speech therapy once a week and will pause over the summer and continue in the fall when school starts again.  I've already noticed a difference and although it is challenging at times I like knowing that we are giving her the tools she needs in order to be successful at such an early age.  

-You remind us daily that you are a "BIG SISTER" to Noah and yes you are.  You are no longer our little baby Bella bean, I feel like we've blinked and you've become a kid.  You are always trying to hang with the big kids and mother Noah in Addie's absence.  It will be quite the adjustment for you (and me) when our Addie girl starts full day kindergarten in the fall but I am excited to see you step into that big sister role and see you shine :)

-Right now your favorite things include lions, superheroes, and Lightning McQueen.  You love the pool, beach, and riding your scooter.  You are still a momma's girl and you are not a fan when I leave you for whatever reason, but you work through it.  You also dislike trying new things, vegetables, and bugs.

We love you Bella bean and I cannot believe you are almost FOUR!  You are our sweetest little girl, but fiercely your own person and we love that about you.  Happy half birthday Bella bean :)

Christmas 2018

Christmas was absolutely magical this year!  We kicked off the season with a fun "Cookies & Cocoa with Santa" party at the new house with our new neighbors.  We continued many of our favorite Christmas traditions, including several trips to Busch Gardens Christmas Town, our annual Grinch family movie night, lots of cookie decorating, visiting the guy in red, and our Friendsmas with our Riverwalk neighbors.  We also celebrated with a lot of new events such as caroling through our neighborhood and receiving a special Christmas gram from Anna and Elsa!  Both Addie and Bella shined at their holiday program at school and their mini-performances at ballet.  It was a crazy fun month with very, very excited little ones who were full of holiday cheer.

We spent Christmas Eve doing their sibling gift exchange and then attended mass with friends and picked up Chinese food on the way home.  We prepped for Santa by sprinkling our reindeer food, leaving out cookie and milk, and checking the Santa tracker.  They ran around the house so eager for his arrival and I could not believe that they actually closed their eyes when their heads hit their pillows because they were so excited.

We woke up bright and early with even more excitement than the night before!  We spent our Christmas morning opening presents in record time!  The girls loved their new dollhouse that I renovated for them.  It was extra special because it was the same one my grandpa built for me when I was a little girl.  Addie loved her arts and crafts, Bella got the paw patrol toy she had been asking for daily, and Noah loved his new basketball hoop and cozy coupe truck.  The biggest surprise of all was that we were taking them to Disney World at the end of January!

Christmas 2018 was perfect!  There is nothing better than watching the magic of Christmas through your kids' eyes and I swear each year it gets better and better.  I cannot wait to see what next year has in store for us, Merry (very, very belated) Christmas from our family to yours!