my big girl is 3!

so the big day came and went. sweet cheeks turned 3! she had a big birthday bash on saturday. her theme of choice: backyardigans! we had lots of fun, pizza, and cupcakes. it was a lot of fun watching her enjoy being the center of attention. she did more than great letting her cousins help her open her presents as well. my sweet cheeks really is great at sharing, now that she is 3. i really am so proud of my big girl.




notice that in most of her pics, when i tell her that i am taking her picture, she automatically tilts her head to the right.




do you like this action shot of sweet cheeks playing hop scotch.


my beautiful sister and I. i may be the younger one but my sister's face is aging beautifully. she is wrinkle free, unlike myself! i really have so many lines for 31!



sweet cheeks was excited for the easter bunny to visit this year. the bunny is the same now as when i was a kid because her basket was hidden. i got a kick out of watching her creep around each room of the house, tip-toes and all, till she found her basket. it was full of jelly beans, pez, a my little pony, chocolate bunny, and these cute slippers-





we managed to neatly color eggs as well.



sweet cheeks and her cousin sporting their princess heels-



***

i record american idol to watch. i decided wednesday after work/school to watch tuesday's episode while cooking dinner for sweet cheeks and me. i was so surprised by how much of the show sweet cheeks watched. she didn't pay attention to the commentaries but watched enthusiastically while the contestants were singing. this morning sweet cheeks told her dad that she didn't want to watch dragons tales because she liked it when she was a baby, and that she wanted to watch american idol. can't say he was happy about that. too funny!

***

i have seen a uk catalog, as well as their website, called vertbaudet. i really wish we had something similar to this site in the u.s. they have some really cute room decor pieces for little girls. this is one i would love to have-

a mess of fun

i have so many fun pictures of sweet cheeks to share. seems like we have done so much in the last week or so, and as a result, lots of good photos. i will preface this post by saying that sweet cheek's 3rd birthday is exactly one week from today, so i find myself a lot more sensitive these days. i am so excited to be the mother to such an amazing almost 3-year old, but it still makes me sad to see how quickly time is flying by. i miss her being so tiny. i miss my baby. i miss her being dependent upon me for many of her daily needs. i am proud of her for being so strong, so opionated, and so independent, yet it is a bitter sweet. this baby of mine is in fact not a baby at all. she is 100% kid.

i have mentioned it before but sweet cheeks has this constant need to always carry her bag with her. i am told this is normal, as lots of my friends kids do the same thing but i think it is kind of funny just the same. here she is with her bag that i always see her put stuff into but never really take anything out!




we had great weather on sunday so we met sweet cheek's aunt and cousin at the park for a little playtime. i was pretty impressed with sweet cheeks and how well she did on a lot of the "big kids" stuff. i was nervous to let her but she did really well. how do parents with more than one keep their eyes on both kids when at the park? i was worried the entire time about loosing her and she was the only kid i had to watch for.






sweet cheeks and i spent more time outside on sunday. she was snacking on a rice cake, just walking around the front yard. the way she was standing in this picture is a real precursor into her attitude later in life. i totally see it.



i love this picture of sweet cheeks taken at the aquarium last weekend. she truly is this happy.



the aquarium has a 3-D movie. it was hilarious seeing sweet cheeks in these funny glasses but she really enjoyed wearing them. i was impressed with how well she did during the movie itself. there were several moments in the interactive show that made us both jump, and she removed her glasses a few time, but she did great.



sweet cheeks got this shovel/bucket from a birthday party she went to. she was desperately looking for something to shovel, so i entertained her for a good bit by allowing her to shovel jelly beans. she loved every minute of it.



i really find myself loving every picture i take of this girl but i sincerely love this one. sweet cheeks was trying on her birthday tiara the other day when i took this shot. she is perfect, but she looks so big to me. this is the photo that had me seeing just what a big girl she is. again, i am excited and proud for the little girl she is becoming, but i do miss the little baby i had not that long ago.

ignorance can be bliss

sometimes i wish i didn't ever hear the news. i do my best during the week to avoid watching the nightly news, but often on my way to work, the radio will give a quick news report. today's story made me sick to my stomach. it was a story about two marines wanted for a you tube clip of them supposedly petting a sweet puppy, then tossing it off a cliff. why and how could anyone do such a horrific thing? why aren't people who harm animals punished more severely? it was just a sad thought. i know it doesn't end there for animal abuse. i know there is enough out there that animal planet has a few series about those animal heroes who daily have to rescue abused & neglected animals. yes, neglect is a form of abuse. tethering is a form of abuse as well- tying a dog to a rope or chain where it remains to poop, pee, eat, and sleep all in the same area. it is sick and severely disgusts me. this is one example of why i think ignorance can sometimes be bliss. i just want to avoid the news for this reason. it is such a sad world sometimes and i do not want to acknowledge that since i willingly brought my daughter into it.

***

ahhhh.. speaking of my daughter.. the cutest thing in the entire world! my beauty is nearing the great age of three already. time is sure flying. she was kindly pointing out the wrinkles on my forehead the other night, and i quickly responded to her that those wrinkles are there because mommy is getting old. she asked if daddy is getting old, and i replied that yes he is getting old too. sweet cheeks thought about it for less than a second and said that she is not getting old but is "new." i love her.

we went to the zoo this past weekend to enjoy the beautiful early march weather. sweet cheeks loved it with the exception of the roaring lion and the fighting lemurs. and now it is picture time-

-here is sweet cheeks coming out of the panda exhibit & posing with mommy & baby



-we got to ride the carousel. funny she chose for us to ride the exciting bench!



-funny face with daddy in the petting zoo



-sweet cheeks on daddy's shoulders. note the giraffe behind them.


-i was surprised but she wanted to brush the pig in the petting zoo. already such the animal lover


***
one of sweet cheeks daddy's friend had his daughter over our house wearing a cute poncho. we commented on how cute it was and would you believe he had his wife's mother make one for sweet cheeks. it was the nicest thing, considering this person doesn't even know us. sweet cheeks loves to wear it, plus it looks so cute on her.