Road trip!

Uncle Gary came to visit for 3 whole weeks. I love my Uncle Gary, he is one of my favorite people in the world, so I had a great time playing with him.

Mommy and daddy decided that since he has only seen the Midwest, we would all go on a road trip to the South. Mommy packed our bags, daddy packed the car, and we went off to the beach. Mommy and daddy kept saying how Uncle Gary had to experience Waffle House. I think that place is pretty yummy too.  Mommy is always raving about it, though she seems a bit embarrassed when she says it.

First, we went to Nashville to visit mommy's good friend, Emily. Emily took us to some fun areas and cool restaurants, and we had a good time. But, wow, it was hot compared to Kenosha. She has a dog I loved to play with too. But oops...mommy forgot to get a picture of herself with Emily.

Nashville:

Next, we headed to Atlanta. That is where Grandpa Jerry, Mimi and Uncle Spencer (but Mimi and Uncle Spencer were not there) and Aunt Debbie live. We stayed at Grandpa Jerry's house and mommy took us around Atlanta to see her old friends and favorite places. I also had a playdate with some new friends! We drove to Athens one day, and hung out with mommy and daddy's friend, Jacob, from Chicago who moved there, and checked out the town. It was super hot though, so we could not spend too much time outdoors. I think mommy was worried I would get heat stroke, since I passed out in the stroller. We had to spend some time in a Ben & Jerry's...it could not be avoided - hehe.

Outside the Vortex, in Little 5 Points, Atlanta:

Outside Atlanta Fish Market:

We got to spend Father's day with daddy and grandpa..it was such a treat for me to be with so many members of my family at once, and from both sides. We were also in Atlanta for daddy's birthday.






We spent the afternoon on Father's Day at the Botanical Gardens. It was really pretty, with lots of interesting stuff for kids. The children's area could have kept me busy for hours, and I think mommy was really impressed and wanted to play there too. Since it was Father's Day, they had face painters and a train that I got to ride.

Playing with my Atlanta friend, Lena:

After Atlanta, we drove to Destin, Florida. It was so pretty there. The sand is like baby powder, and the water is totally clear. I could stand and watch the little fishies swim all day. At first I was scared to get too close to the water..it has been a long time since I had been to a real salt-water beach...but after the first day, I got the hang of it. Mommy and daddy rented a townhouse across from the beach, and we had a great time. And the best treat...Grandma Joy came to stay with us too!

Showing off the dinosaur I found on the beach:

I loved spending time in the pool and the beach..I wish we could do that everyday, all year long!

School's Out!

I finished the first year of my first year of school!  It was so much fun, and I am sad that I won't see my friends until September.

I know mommy was very skeptical to let me go to school so young because she was sad she would miss me too much, but I had so much fun.  Every weekend, I always looked forward to see my friends again.

For our end-of-year program, everyone's family, in the entire school, had dinner together, and us kids performed songs for them on stage!  Since I am in the toddler class we only did a couple of songs.  The teachers knew us well enough that we would not sit still for too long.  We sang the Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.  I wasn't even shy...I looked straight at the audience and sang!

I had a great time that night with my friends  There was even a magician for the kids after dinner to keep us busy, while our parents bid on items to raise money for the school.  Mommy was trying to get me basket full of princess goodies, but was outbid in the last minute.  She did get some cook books though.

The dentist!!

I had my first trip to the dentist.  And it was really fun.  I drew in coloring books in the waiting room, and then once I was called to go in the back, I was able to sit in a comfy chair and watch my favorite cartoons.  Mommy sat next to me.

I was very cooperative, and let the hygienist count and clean my teeth.  The dentist said my teeth were perfect and that I had no cavities.  I know mommy was nervous because I still go sleep with milk, and mommy says I shouldn't be doing that..but the dentist said my teeth were "perfect" with no signs of decay!  He did say that I have a cross-bite, whatever that is.  He said for a cross-bite you have to get something called braces at an early age.  I think mommy just doesn't want to worry about that now, but it sounds fun.

When it was time for me to go, they let me have my choice of whatever I wanted out of their treasure chest.  I choose a cool new Cars tooth brush, sparkly tooth paste, a pencil, some stickers, and a pretty bracelet.  When I got home I showed daddy all of my fun new stuff....I was so proud of myself!

My rain gear

Wearing the wellies Aunt Debbie gave me for xmas. 'Helping' daddy in the garden.

My peeps!

I finally decided I would draw something that made sense to the people outside my head. But I think I will take it slow to impress them. So, I surprised mommy and daddy with my new artwork...people!

I took the Sharpie pen that mommy always tells me is 'off limits', and showed off my talent. As I drew each limb, and part of the body, I described what I was doing. Mommy was well impressed. And daddy didn't even believe it was me who did it.

And I did it all on my own. Just you wait...I have more things up my sleeve ready to come out...when I think my everyday antics aren't amusing them. Little do they know what I am capable of.

Just yesterday, after my nap, I decided to go to the potty all on my own (yes, on the toilet!), and then changed my outfit that got wet from my milk. Again, I won points with mommy who was shocked that I had on entirely different clothes than what she put me in for my nap. And they weren't even backwards!

My first movie!!

For Easter....after I collected all the eggs the Easter bunny left me, and opened everything in my basket...mommy and daddy took me to see my first real movie, in a real cinema!


When they announced we were going to the movies, I was so excited. I went straight upstairs to my room to get clean clothes, my purse and some carefully selected personal items, so I would be ready for the big event.

We went to see Horton Hears a Who.

We arrived at the cinema, and everything was so big and exciting. Right away, I noticed a big poster with a dinosaur on it and was sure to point it out. Mommy made sure to get a big bag of popcorn, and a bag of candy, along with the drink box she snuck into her purse. Mommy and daddy were very pleased, becayse apparently the credit card machine crashed right as they were ringing us up, so we got all our food for free!

We then walked into a very large and dark room...at first I was kind of scared, but daddy picked me up and took us to our seats. I sat right in the middle of mommy and daddy and held on to a twizzler stick, my milk, my purse, and a stuffed animal fish (from Aunt Lesley a whole ago) that I brought along.

After the previews, I thought it was time to go home..I grabbed my stuff, and announced "I am ready to go home". Mommy and daddy told me the movie was just about to start, and I needed to be quiet. What is the deal with previews that last so long? So, I sat on mommy's lap, and watched the entire movie. I did better than other children in the theater who couldn't sit still as well as I could.

It was so much fun, and I felt like such a big girl...I can't wait to go again! I can't stop talking about it.

I'm 3!!!

I am 3 years old!!

(the necklace is from one of my Barbies, and I insisted on wearing it. I thought it would look good with this dress)

I know that being 3 makes my mommy a little sad. She thinks I am going to grow up to fast and leave her. But I remind her every day that I love her and give her a big hug. I think that makes her really happy.

This is the first year my birthday fell on a weekday, and that weekday happened to be right in the middle of my week-long episode of the flu. Luckily, I was healthy by my birthday which was on the following Sunday. Unfortunately, my birthday is in the middle of flu season, and out of 7 friends that were supposed to come...only 2 were healthy and able to make it, my BFF, Lily, and my good friend, JD.

Grandma Joy was here for the party too, and so was Aunt Lesley. I was so happy to have my family here. I wish I could see them more often.

Even though the party was smaller than planned, I still had a totally fun time. I got to eat lots of pizza, lots of cake, and open lots of presents, and play with my friends. Mommy and daddy decorated with lots of balloons, and we loved carrying them all over the house.



This year, mommy was sure not to get a blue cake like last year since blue ended up everywhere. This year, she made sure it was mostly white, but still cool:


I got to pick out my plates and napkins, which had girlie skull and crossbones on them.

Let's take a look at my first 2 birthdays:

And now - I am a little neater..don't you agree?



I received tons of great presents this year. One of my absolute favorites is my new Playmobil dollhouse that Grandpa Jerry sent. It only took mommy and daddy 2 hours to put together. The plane was from mommy and daddy: