February 2016

We bundled up and headed to the playground at the school by our house.  We go there often and we will certainly miss it when we move.

We took trips to Chuck E Cheese, the library, and Chick fil A after school while it was still cold outside.  They did this ride at Chuck E Cheese about 10 times.

The girls still play so well together and I often hear Marlee say "Laynie, lets hold hands".  It makes me so happy.

Laynie still likes to read her own books at bedtime.  Her new favorites are Pete the Cat and a Princess Look & Find book.

Apparently Marlee is learning exercises at school.  Her push ups kill me.

 The girls got new Valentine's pajamas (Marlee is obsessed with these footed pajamas and wants to wear them all the time).

 We did a Valentine's craft.  It was not kid friendly.  It was permanent sticky paint.  I think it was for grown ups.  Oops!

 

The girls had fun at the Valentine's party at Jack & Jill and Marlee had fun at the 50's themed Valentine's party at her school (her teacher made skirts for all of the girls to wear).

 We all went skating after church on Valentine's Day.  It was Laynie's first time to skate and she did awesome.  She even tried to skate backwards and do turns.  Marlee did awesome, as always.

 We had a nice weekend at the end of the month so we all went to the park for a picnic.  It was SO windy that we could hardly eat and we spilt a lot of things, but they had a good time.  Marlee wanted us to eat on her Frozen blanket.  Eat was a tight squeeze.  Dada had to eat on the grass.

We took a trip to Devil's Den that Sunday and it was such a good day.  The trail was steeper than I remembered and I had a lot of moments where I felt like I was going to have a heart attack because the girls wanted to run alongside of the ledges.  They had so much fun exploring.  Marlee loved looking in the caves and Laynie would look in the caves and say "where's the monster?"

 Marlee posing for the camera.  Haha!!

 Laynie fell about every 20 steps.  Poor thing.

  We all went out for ice cream afterwards.

 Marlee must have talked to Ma about orange sherbert because Ma took her to get some more that Thursday.

Marlee got her recital costume at dance.  So cute!  I can't wait to watch her at the recital.

January 2016

We spent most of January trying to stay inside and avoid the cold.  We visited the library often.

 We checked out a new indoor activity center.

The girls loved this place and ask to go back often.

We have had a lot of dance parties in the kitchen.

And we spend a lot of time being silly together in the evenings.  They love playing with their Dada when he gets home from work.

We haven't gotten much snow and I'm not complaining.  However, it would be nice for it to snow and stick just once so the girls can play in it.  Marlee was so excited about this little bit of snow that we did get.

 The girls and I stayed home Martin Luther King weekend (Dada was in NYC) to get Laynie potty trained.  I have put this off because I hated potty training Marlee.  But, Laynie proved me wrong.  She peed and pooped in the potty as soon as I took her diaper away.  The only accidents she had were right by the potty because she couldn't get her panties down fast enough.  I guess it payed off to drag my feet for so long!  Marlee was such a big help.  She wore just her panties all day like Laynie and was so encouraging.

We did lots of crafts during our three days in the house.

 The girls had a tea party with real water in the bathroom.  I let it go on for about thirty minutes and then I had to put a stop to it.  I think I could have gone swimming in that bathroom!

 We did lots of cuddling that weekend

 And we all slept together in my room.  Marlee said "Are we all going to sleep in here together?  This is going to be so awesome!" 

 Laynie loves to read her own story every night.  I love it.

Marlee wanted to watch our wedding video.

Then she wanted to marry Dada

A few things I want to remember:

• Laynie still call Marlee Laynie.  It kills me.  She knows her name is Marlee, but she is always saying "where's Laynie?"  or "I'm coming, Laynie!"
• Laynie puts herself in time out every time she gets upset.  I don't ever have to put her in time out and I have never had to spank her.  I just say "No" and she completely melts down and puts herself in the corner.  It is quite dramatic and she is upset for quite a long time.
• Marlee asks about 1,000 questions a day.  She wants to know everything about everything. and she obsesses over things.  For instance, she asked where her pee and poop go when she flushes the toilet then she wanted to know everything there was to know about sewers.  Before that, it was ledges.
• Marlee is in a preschool class now and is learning so much.  She is writing her name so much better and learning how to zip her coat, do jumping jacks, etc.  She has something new to show me every week.

December 2015

Marlee's Birthday was a hit.  She said "I always wanted one of these".

 We tried out a new play place.  The girls loved it.

 Marlee got a pyogenic granuloma removed from her temple at the dermatologist.  I had to hold her down.  It was tragic.  We went to Toys R Us afterward and got a prize for being so brave.  She picked out some Frozen puzzles.

Marlee said she wanted rainbow lights on the house.  We decided to just light the trees.  The girls loved the lights.  Every time we got home after dark, Laynie would say "so pretty" and we would all have to go out and admire them.  Marlee reminded us often that we didn't have lights on the house.  The girl is hard to impress!

We rode the Christmas train with Josie and Hayes.  Don't let Laynie fool you.  She screamed the entire time we were in line.  I don't think she likes waiting in line.

We went to look at the lights on the square.  Marlee was underwhelmed because she was hoping for a tunnel.  Laynie kept saying "wow!  It's amazing!"

 We made Christmas cookies.  Actually, Ma gave us a kit with cookies and icing.  Marlee enjoyed decorating them and Laynie enjoyed eating the icing and sprinkles.

 I love this video of Marlee singing Away in a Manger and I love that little stinker jumping off the bed in the background.

We went to Silver Dollar City to spend the day and watch the parade at night.  It was CROWDED.  We didn't ride many rides because Laynie doesn't like lines but the girls loved the parade.

Here we are practicing our pirate faces for pirate night on our upcoming Disney cruise.

We stayed in Fayetteville again this year for Christmas Eve.  Marlee sat with us in big church and really enjoyed holding her candle.

The girls were so excited Christmas morning.  They got everything they asked for and more.  I think Laynie's favorite thing was the skittles in her stocking.  Marlee loved all of her little prizes in her stocking, too.  Next year I might just get candy and dollar trinkets. ;)

We went down to Jami's for lunch and then went to see Ma in the hospital because she broke her hip

 Every time Laynie would see a Christmas tree, she would say "A tistmas tee.  It's perpect."  It was my favorite.  I wish I could bottle it up and save it.

We did Christmas at Memaw and Papaw's house that night and I do not have a single picture to prove it.  I was doing a good job living in the moment.

Ma and Pa took us all on a Disney cruise for their Christmas present.  Except Ma and Pa didn't get to go because Ma was in the hospital.  Our flight out was at 6:00am, so the girls traveled in their pajamas all day.  Marlee was so excited about the big boat and the "aeroplane"!  Marlee sat with Dada right behind me and Laynie on the first flight.  I'm pretty sure she asked about 376 questions.  Dada was worn out!

  As soon as we got to our hotel in Cocoa Beach, we put on some summer clothes and ate lunch on the patio.  It was so nice to escape the cold weather at home.  Once the girls stepped foot on the beach they did not want to leave.  They kept jumping in the waves and giggling.  It was awesome.

 Marlee insisted on wearing her Tinkerbell wings down to the beach

Our best attempt at a family photo

When we finally got the girls in from the beach, Lou bird passed out and didn't move for the rest of the night.  That was a long day!

The girls looked so cute boarding the big boat

The first of many ice cream cones for Laynie.  Every time we passed the ice cream station, she had to have one.

 Here we are at the set sail party.  I look exhausted...because I was.  And I'm not sure why I have the heavier child on my shoulders.

 Right after we got on the boat, the girls discovered the splash pad.  This was by far their favorite thing about the ship.

The girls dressed up as tinkerbell for dinner.

We spent the day at the Atlantis hotel in Nassau, mostly enjoying the water park.  The water was SO COLD!!  Of course, the girls didn't care but we had to supervise and we cared!!

Here we are at pirate night

 

The girls got to meet all of the princesses.  While we were in line, Marlee kept saying "I can't believe we're next!"  Watching them meet them was my favorite part of the trip.  It was so magical.

 Marlee does poses like Elsa when I take pictures of her now.

Marlee had an appointment at the Bippity Boppity Boutique to be transformed into her favorite princess which was Elsa, of course.   She had told me when we met the princesses that she wished her Elsa dress went over her hands like Elsa's did.  She was beside herself when her new dress did just that.

 

 
 
 
 Once she was all dressed up, we had a photo shoot in the main lobby.  She did poses like Elsa.

 
 The Bippity Boppity Boutique experience was worth every penny.  I would pay for it again and again.  Watching her experience it was so awesome.

 

Laynie was too young for the Bippity Boppity Boutique, but she wore her Minnie Mouse dress to dinner.

 

 On the way home with her Elsa braid still in tact.  These girls were worn out.

The Disney cruise was absolutely amazing.  We cannot wait to take them again.