Natalie's Birthday

More than a little late, I know, but better late than never. I actually have some time so I'm playing blog catch-up today, maybe I should make that this blog's title, playing catch-up. Anyway, Natalie turned 5 on October 1st (FIVE, YEARS, MAN!!)


She didn't know she was getting a "Mommy make me better" baby doll she had seen in a commercial. She asked for it every time she saw the commercial, and I played it cool. Mom found it and sent it, so I didn't even have to figure out a way to buy it for her and hide it (try that when she's in the shopping cart with you. May have worked when she was 2, but not anymore.) Anyway, this was the look on her face when she realized what she was opening.


She had to use scissors to open everything, because she's a big kid now, we were curtly informed, and basically letting her use scissors is akin to letting you or I drive the Space Shuttle.


I loved the reaction from Madeline when she opened this puzzle. She *loves* puzzles and she reacted with her whole body, "OOOOOHHHHH!"


Jesse had all sorts of little things for both girls after Natalie opened her big presents, things like nail polish (I made that disappear post haste) markers, and new princess cups with straws. He made them close their eyes between each little surprise, but Madeline never quite got the "wait til I say open 'em part.) She would close her eyes for just a sec, then totally peek, then yell out the next surprise, while Natalie obediently has her eyes covered waiting for Jesse to say open 'em. It was so cute.


Here's her cake. It was an ice cream cake from DQ, and the *WHOLE THING* was made from ice cream. I thought it would have a "cake layer" you know? The writing on top was supposed to be purple? But we let Natalie put the princess candle and the little pink candles on, and she had a blast. And the cake was *so good.*

A frog!

I'm sure you all remember that Baby's nickname when she was, er, a baby, was "Frog." Please to enjoy the following...We have these little sticky-toed frogs all over our house because of the bugs that the window candles draw. It's like a smorgasboard for them, and so at night you can see them walking and hopping along on the windows from the inside. In the morning, this little guy was sitting out in plain sight. My guess is that he has learned a valuable lesson.Rooney was more interested in blowing bubbles.We released him back into the wild :) Actually baby threw him in the pond, and the goldfish tried to eat him, so he jumped out. I don't think we'll be seeing Mr. Froggy back on the porch for a while, and he probably didn't have anything nice to say about his stay with us to his little sticky-toed buddies, either.

Still Catching Up

Procrastinating questions on theistic evolution, actually. I would much rather be creating a new diaper cake I have in mind!! But I have school work that has to get done at some point, and the girls are in bed, so it's about as quiet as it gets around here. But do I go to the computer and just get my school work done?! NoooooOOOOOOoooooo, I put laundry in, take laundry out and fold it, put dishes away, reload dishwasher, threaten dog with his life if he doesn't stop barking at nothing, straighten the perpetually disheveled sofa and living room, check email, (at one point, I did open my textbook,) take second load of laundry out and fold it, wipe down bathroom floor (it had baby soap squirted on it,) put another load of clothes in, and start dishwasher. Still not able to concentrate on school, so I spend half an hour promoting the website. Then I check the blog to see if anyone's commented on the pictures I posted *last* night when I was procrastinating school. No luck. Not that I blame anyone, since it's been a coon's age since I put new pictures up. But since I was here....after this I will get my work done. Honest engine. Unless the clothes are dry....Jesse got this massive inflatable water slide for the girls and set it up the same day we were working on the pond and the new landscaping. Natalie must have gone up and down that thing 700 times. She was unstoppable, laughing her butt off the whole time. We did not get Rooney to slide even once. Not once. In fact, when I tried to carry her up at one point and just slide her down, she went into convulsive nuclear meltdown, and so I decided to leave well enough *the hell alone*. If she was perfectly content to stand at the bottom of the slide and watch Baby come down, cracking up hysterically every time, then hunky dory. The only reason she's even wet in these pics is from Natalie's splashes. Big Ben was close by keeping a watchful eye on all the fun, taking the occasional drink from the slide, and barking at the splashes Natalie made at the bottom. Notice his black nose in the picture. I think he wanted a turn.

A good time was had by all, and Natalie was asleep before she even got near the pillow. Out like disco, and slept like a rock. We have to get that slide out again before the weather starts to cool off. You know, in January.

Playing catch-up

All right folks, as many of you know, I am up to my eyeballs with school, the baby shower gifts business, and two little girls. And one enormous dog. I know you are a sweet bunch of people, but the truth is you don't really want to see pictures of diaper cakes, but pictures of the girls. Right? And I have really dropped the ball lately! So here you go, our entire Summer in ten pictures or less!! I know you are in no danger of forgetting where to go if you need an adorable and unique baby shower gift, right? Good. Just checking.We re-did the pond, and Jesse put in some new landscaping to cover the barren wasteland that was up against the rock garden. The people who owned the house before us had let the leaves pile up for years, and they had smothered the grass. Looks much better in person, I had a hard time finding a good spot to stand in to get a picture without a hickory tree right in the middle of it.

Look at BabyBug's face. Priceless.

We spent a week in Wilmington at Jim & Sharon's, and Jamie and Bill were there with their daughters too. Natalie and Madeline had an absolute blast at the beach. All Rooney wanted to do was play in the water, which surprised me, because Natalie is usually the fearless one, Madeline, the more cautious. I hadn't figured out at the time how to get my camera to take more than 7 pictures, or I would have taken more. I wish I had gotten a few of the girls with Jamie and Bill. Phooey.

Every time I photograph a new diaper cake, Baby Bug appears almost instantaneously on the scene, conveniently dressed up like a princess, and wants her picture taken too. In about 90% of the pictures on the website, there is a tiny princess lurking just barely off-camera, and I can't tell you how many diaper cake pictures I've had to delete because the tiny princess pirouetted through the picture.

Matching outfits, courtesy of Grammy. I took about a dozen pictures, and I'm tempted to post them all, so you can all laugh at the faces the girls made while I tried everything to convince them to stand still and say cheese. They were having none of it, but I did the best I could!

New Line of Diaper Cakes!

I added a whole new line of diaper cakes to the website - if you haven't browsed through it in a while, click the link up top that says cute baby shower gifts. That they are!

Miss Madeline is 3!

What's wrong with this picture?!?! Once I realized, it was too late to turn back!! Thankfully, Rooney decided the cake needed a half-pound of sprinkles in that spot, so it camouflaged my mistake. Somewhat.

Hall of Fame Sunday

As was only appropriate, we christened Big Ben today during the Steeler game against the Saints, with his first adornment with the jersey that bears his name. He was none too thrilled at first, and spent several minutes trying to chew it. Likely because it was almost too small for him. Yes, we are going to have to buy the dog an XXL. He tired quickly of fighting it, and retired to the master suite for a nap. Quickly followed by Baby Bug, who had predetermined that if the jersey fits (or not), then the hat is only the next logical step. I was lucky enough to get this shot of him before he shook it off.
Jesse spent the morning working in the yard and tidying the garage, which meant cleaning out the bunny's cage. Baby sat with the little furball while she contentedly munched on clover in the lawn, and Jesse sprayed out her cage with the hose. Baby refers to this practice as "walking the bunny."

July Birthdays!

Pictures of Rooney's birthday to follow!

7 diaper cakes in one day!

These were all created for the same person, who I assume was throwing a large shower and wanted a centerpiece for each guest table as well as a larger centerpiece for the gift table. She paid to expedite every cake, so they all had to go out the same day - let me tell you, I was a little frazzled that day. And transporting 7 diaper cakes and 2 small children to the Post Office? Can you say Chinese Firedrill? Oy. They sure turned out cute though, if I do say so myself. :)

Watching Barney Together

Actually, Natalie is eating candy, and Ben was hoping for a handout, but Barney is like a trainwreck, it's hard to look away.