Two little girls had their piggies painted for the first time!

Sent from my iPhone Angelle Levet Farrell

What to be for Halloween?

I do not plan ahead, but as a mother of three small ones, I am getting better at it.  I started planning Ella's birthday party for August in May.  I have already started on Amelia's for November, and today I bought all three of the girls' Halloween costumes.  DONE!  Woohoo!

I had posted a comment on Facebook what everyone thought my kids should be for Halloween.  I don't bother asking Ella because I know she would say Thomas, and that just ain't happening.  I've had enough Thomas to last me a lifetime!  Surprisingly, when I offered the possibilty of princesses, she agreed, but she wanted to be Belle, not Cinderella.  Ok, I can deal...for kids who've only watched a handful of Disney movies (because stupid Disney won't take them out of the ding dang vault!), that's pretty good!

Then someone (I think it was Megan White) suggested Winnie, Tigger and Pooh.  Well, Ella was sold, and so was Amelia.  The more and more I thought about it though, they could use the princess dresses for dressup, and I had plans for an AWESOME mermaid costume for Olivia.  I was torn....then I went to Walmart with the girls.  Our Walmart on 529 is one of the first Wal-Mart's to have Halloween stuff out already.  The girls saw the costumes, and that was it....I have to say, I was sold too. 

What do you think?

I have some ADORABLE pictures of all three of them dressed up, but I'll save those for October.  Ella came home and put on her Tigger costume, and she wore it for four hours....I think she likes it.  Too bad its a size 12-18 months and it fits her like wedgie-induced capris.  I'm searching for the correct size, but I've learned if you don't buy them all together, problems arise.  So, at the very least, she will look like hoochie Tigger.  Love love love the costumes....they are so excited for Halloween now, and I love that.

Ella-ism #35

We're all about Santa right now...when she says she wants something, I tell her she has to ask Santa for it.  Make a list.  Start thinking about what you want to as Santa for.  She when she tells me, "Mom, I really want a little Sid toy" (Sid the Science Kid - don't ask), I tell her, "ask Santa." 

I did the insane and took all three of them to Wal-Mart the other day...it really wasn't that bad.  On our way our, we have to pass by the toy crane machines.  She always asks me to play, and I always tell her I am out of money. 

So, she says, "Mom, can I play the crane....oh wait, that's right, you don't have any monies.  You should ask Santa for some monies, mom....that would be good.  And maybe if you're good, he'll bring you some monies."

Maybe so, my Ella....maybe so!

Ella's First Day of Dancing

So, with our sudden change back to the Lamb School, we've had to tighten the purse strings a little, so Ella and Amelia in gymnastics is out.  However, our YMCA was offering dance classes for 3-5 year olds (ballet and tap), and it's very affordable, so I thought we'd give it a try.  I was very impressed with the teacher and the program, and I think it all worked for the best....God always has a plan. 

Kim stayed at the house with her two kids while Amelia napped, and I brought Olivia to the daycare in the Y.  Ella was all dressed in her ballet shoes and leotard, ready for class.  We hadn't gotten the packet for dress code until Sunday, so I just dressed her in what I had bought her....of course, now we need an entirely different outfit.  Oh well...play clothes!!  Ella met her teacher Mrs Cindy, and she got in line with the other girls as they called role.  It was adorable!!!  Then they all went into a classroom - no mom's allowed.  We had to smush our faces into the sliver of a window on the door to get peeks.

Ella was HILARIOUS.  I couldn't hear what was going on, but I know all the other girls around her were standing still, holding their heels together and making some pretty dancing stance, and there's my Ella...jumping up and down, playing with the crotch of her leotard.  Niiice. 

She said she had fun though, so we're going to keep going.  Dance recital will be May 19 (got that Mammy!?).  I think she's going to do great!  Yet, she's growing up way too fast.

Geaux Tigers!!

Saturday, LSU played my old alma mater, NSU.  OK, so it wasn't really my alma mater...I was only there for one year.  But it was my freshman year, so it was a very important year, and I will always hold a very special place in my heart for NSU and those white columns.  That being said though, I pulled for my tigers anyway.  We spent the afternoon with our friends Kurt, Robin and their son Dean.  Kurt is a big Georgia fan (blah blah), so we watched his team barely lose, and then we saw LSU greatly win. 

My little Farrell girls all represented well. 



I'm pretty sure life doesn't get much better than this.

Sent from my iPhone Angelle Levet Farrell

My sweetie girl all dolled up for her first MOPS meeting.

Sent from my iPhone Angelle Levet Farrell

Random Pics

These are just a few random pics on my camera that I couldn't help but share.

First week of Fall

This was the first week of fall in full swing, and it was a FABULOUS week indeed. 

The girls started the Lamb School Tuesday, and they were about the cutest things I've ever seen in their little schoolhouse dresses (thank you, Aunt Shelly).  They were so excited to carry their backpacks and purse (aka frog lunchbags) into school, and they both walked right into their classes without even looking back.  Made a mama proud.  When I went to pick them up, I had to laugh at the teachers' opinions of my girls.  Ella's teachers told, "Wow, she is NOT shy, that's for sure."  She told me Ella owned that classroom.  Amelia's teachers told me she seemed so comfortable and at home in class, like she'd been there all year long.  A little social butterfly, they called her.  I love it...

Yeah, well, getting them both to look at the camera as we were flying out the door was tough. 

Wednesday began my bible study, which this semester will be on Mastering Motherhood, or what I like to call it, learning to discpline my children while keeping God in mind and keeping from killing my husband.  :)  Seriously, this is a MOPS based class, and I am really excited about it.  I get so much inspiration and strength from other moms going through what I am experiencing in life right now.

And today was my first MOPS meeting of the semester - WOOHOO!! Have I mentioned how much I love MOPS?  It was a speaker day, and we heard from a lovely young lady from Houston with two girls.  Her stories of motherhood sounded so much like mine, and she's also a writer.  In fact, she wrote her own children's book, which I thought was really cool.  I love my new group this year, and I see many newly formed friendships in my future.  Funny story though - every woman in my group that was there today has little boys except for ONE lady who has two boys and a girl.  One of them was even pregnant for TWIN BOYS.  Ella, Amelia and Olivia are going to have some interesting playdates in their future - I'm sure they can hold their own! 

Bart and I had date night tonight...we had a great time with lots of conversation, which are always my favorite kind of date nights.  After dinner though, we decided to go have a drink at a local bar.  We NEVER go out....in fact, I'm pretty sure I haven't stepped foot into a bar in three years, before I was pregnant for Ella.  It was a nice thing to do every once in a while...watch some live music and have a beer.  I felt human and a little like my old self.  Plus it was nice to be dressed up a little, without spitup down my shirt and actually having showered!  Ha!  I'm pretty sure I loss the cool factor when I whipped out my glasses to read a text on my cellphone though.  Oh well...it was a great time anyway!

Geaux Tigers!!

Ella and Amelia were dressed in their LSU best for the first game of the season Saturday night.  We all tailgated and watched the game, which was fabulous fun!  Ella and Amelia were even cheering, saying, "Geaux Tigahs!"  I need to get them some pom poms. 

Ella, honey...next time you wear a cheerleader uniform, put on some bloomers or close your legs!!

On the flip side, I got a new haircut.  Mama needed some easy hair, and I was tired of putting it in a ponytail every single day.  It feels sooo much better and healthier.  Major weight has been lifted...

"Look Mama, I'm a koala bear!!"

Sent from my iPhone Angelle Levet Farrell www.babyfarrelldiary.blogspot.com www.examiner.com/x-19078-Houston-Baby-Toddler-Gear-Examiner

Every girl loves a new pair of shoes

 After meeting the teacher Thursday, I was told the girls needed closed toe shoes for school.  I literally had not bought the girls new shoes all summer because we have worn white sandals every single day of the summer.  So, we headed over to the shoe store cause babies needed a new pair of shoes.  Thank GOD my "cousin" Megan came with me to tame the precious little beasts because otherwise, it would've been a nightmare. 

Ella insisted on giant bulky Dora sneakers, which I was NOT getting her.  Amelia wanted crocs because she could put them on herself, which I was also NOT buying her.  Then Amelia tried on a pair of pink glittery mary janes....they were adorable, I must say, but I was a little worried they wouldn't match everything, and we weren't buying 5 pairs of shoes per child here.  Well, little priss pot would NOT take those shoes off for anything.  She pitched a fit on aisle two when we tried to pry them off of her.  Ella of course had to have her pair as well, and so, I eventually caved.  They were adorable, and how could I resist what they called "princess shoes." 

While I was trying to pick out a second more practical pair of shoes for them, Megan decided to distract them with tap shoes.  They LOVED them, and we kept trying to teach them dance moves in the middle of the store.  They were sooo cute, tapping away...pretty sure the lady working there wanted us dead.  Thankfully, no one else was in the store for most of the time we were there.

Amelia is ONE size away from Ella, wearing an 8 while Ella was in a 9.  Wowser is all I can say.  I even scored me a pair of shoes, so the whole trip was a success.

They wore their "princess shoes" to a playdate today, and when they walked outside and saw how they sparkled in the sunlight, you would've thought they just won the lottery.  "They're so beautiful, Mama," Ella tells me, and Amelia chimed in with a big precious, "Wow!!"

Last Minute Jitters

Well, after much talking last night, Bart and I have decided to send the girls back to the Lamb School at The Met instead of Bear Creek.  I know most of you back home in Louisiana are like, what!? 

Ella went to the Lamb School at The Met Baptist Church last year, and I absolutely loved it.  She loved it.  It's the same church that I went to bible study and where I go to MOPS.  But this year with having two in MDO, it was going to be a little pricey.  Bear Creek Baptist had a really great program, so I enrolled the girls, and they were to start Tuesday.  My friend Noelle's girls go there also, although they weren't going to be in the same classroom, and our neighbors Dixie and Jeff are members at Bear Creek.  It was a great place, but I just love the Lamb School so much, and it's just where my heart is.  Thank GOD there were openings for both girls, and I enrolled them today to also start on Tuesday!  Yay!  I am SOOOO excited.  Ella even has some of her old classmates in her class.

Ella took a nap today for like the first time in two months.  She must be sick or there must be some barometric drop that made her eyes close because otherwise I have no other way to explain it.  She fell asleep on our way home from registration, and I carried her in the house, where she slept for an hour and a half more.  Being the smart one that I am, I moved her into my bed so if Amelia woke up, we wouldn't wake her.  Yeah...I was smooth.  So smooth I forgot to put a pullup on her, and she totally unloaded a full bladder on my side of the bed.  All the shamwows in the world aren't soaking that up.  Ugh!  I just am not used to her napping, so when it happened, I think I went into shock!

Going meet the teacher at our new MDO school. :)

Sent from my iPhone Angelle Levet Farrell www.babyfarrelldiary.blogspot.com www.examiner.com/x-19078-Houston-Baby-Toddler-Gear-Examiner

Fall always means new beginnings

Hello fellow blog readers....
I know I have been a complete failure in the blog department.  I have not written a single post since APRIL which is just a shame considering I gave birth within that time.  In my defense, I have been a little busy raising three babies.  I won't lie, it gets a little challenging sometimes, so time is not always my friend.  But it's September, fall is among us, and with fall brings new beginnings.  Rather than wait for a New Year to make a resolution, I decided to make mine now and try to post at LEAST once a week. 

I'm not going to spend my time apologizing for all I have missed.  As most of you know, I had my precious little angel on June 1st - Olivia Levet Farrell.  Tomorrow she will be three months, and she has been SUCH a wonderful blessing in our lives.  She is SUCH a great baby, sleeping up to ten hours at night on some nights.  I couldn't ask for more, really....and she is cute as a button.  She is starting to get a little personality, and she smiles and smiles.  And she's getting so big....she's almost in 6 month clothes already!  Such a beauty.  I'll elaborate more on her soon.

Ella Pearl and Amelia meet their teachers tomorrow, and next Tuesday, they start "school," which is really just a Mothers Day Out program on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  They're going to Bear Creek Baptist this year, a new place, and we're really excited to have them both there.  Amelia needs some classroom time!

Amelia is growing so much right now too.  She is a CHATTERBOX, talking just like her big sister.  She is a character, and she's starting to play a lot of pretend.  She loves to play dress up and sing and dance.  She reads books like her sister used to do, mimmicking reading and turning the pages.  It's a sight to see!  She has got the most gorgeous head of curly cue hair I have ever seen...I just gave her a haircut because it was like a giant fro.  No doubt though, it's beautiful, and she'll surely be the envy of all straight-haired girls she meets.  She has a little temper on her, approaching the terible two's a tad early...she loves to pull hair and throw a tantrum or two.  Hoping school will shape her up and out of that phase!

Ella Pearl is doing just great too.  She's growing up way too fast for my taste, and I am amazed daily by her intelligence.  She can do 24-piece puzzles all by herself right now, and while Amelia naps, she and I have been working in fun little workbooks, finding letters and numbers.  She is so smart.  She also loves to sing and dance, and well, we all know about her Thomas the Train obsession.  She loooves her train table she got for her birthday, and she loves playing with her sister.  Our newest news is that she is completely potty trained!!  Woohoo...it was everything I thought it would be and more!!  She still wears a pullup at night, but it's been panties all day every day for almost a month now.  So exciting!

We start gymnastics next week as well....Amelia and I will do a mommy and me class, and Ella will do her little class.  Really excited about that.  Girls are so fun!

Anyway, that's where we are right now...I PROMISE to start updating this blog more often.  It will be a little ritual for me....too many funny parenthood stories for me NOT to share.  I also learned to blog from my phone, so that will make sharing photos much easier.

Here's my first photo shared via cellphone.  It's a birdhouse me and the girls painted today.  They painted all the solid colors themselves, and they decorated the side walls themselves.  The roof sides and back have a handprint from each of them...will be such a great keepsake.  Thanks Krystal for the fun birthday gift.  It was Amelia's first time painting, and she loved it.