Fantastic Friday

We had a fantastic Friday to wrap up a funfilled week.

This morning, we had a MOPS playdate at McDonalds playland, our favorite summer hangout. Seriously, they're starting to know us by name! It was a 9:30 playdate, which is a little early on the ole get out and go for me, but we made it! I drank lots of coffee, and we stayed for two and half hours so I could get a lunch for Ella out of it. I thought I'd be getting a nap out of it after, but no dice!! Amelia was dressed in her purple and gold, and she got lots of compliments. I thought Brooke was going to put her in her diaper bag and steal her!! Ha ha. Ella Pearl played and climbed with her friends, and mommy got some good momy conversation in with her friends. It was a good time for all, and even though Ella didn't leave tired, Mommy sure was

Ella was NOT happy about having to leave Mc Donald's playland!

Anna and Mrs. Maria made it all better though!

After I tried several attempts, Ella finally went down for a nap, but she only slept for about an hour. She was still so sleepy when she woke up. That afternoon, we went swimming with our friends down the street, Dixie, Megan, and our favorite babysitter Taylor! We went to the third neighborhood pool that I had never been to before (because it's actually in another whole section, about five minutes away). But it was really nice. It was right on a big lake, and there was a huge swimming pool, and a little baby pool that was partially covered.

Dixie bounced Amelia all around the baby pool, and she was in Heaven with all the attention. She was soaking up the sun too! It was a gorgeous sunny day. Megan played with Ella for a while (and Ella kept calling Megan Chloe - I guess she thought she looked like her cousin!) Then Ella made a new friend, Avery. He was the cutest little 3 yr old boy, and he and Ella splashed around that pool like they were best of friends.

Before we left, we all went into the big pool for a while. Ella just went on her own with her floaties on and tread some serious water. I can't get over how independent she is in water she can't touch in. I need to see about getting her in some swimming lessons this summer because she is ready to go.

To top of our Friday, Taylor came over to babysit while Bart and I had date night. We just went to Texas Roadhouse, but it was so nice to go in, get a quick table for two, and not have to carry a diaper bag for once. Still and all, we missed our little girls - and it was a great night!

Our last day with our guests

On our last day with our guests, we hit the stores again, of course. After the girls had taken a long nap after just playing around the house all morning, we went shopping. Our little girls are troopers, and I have a feeling they're going to be big shoppers like their mommas. That evening we went to eat - MEXICAN - of course at Los Cucos. We sat right next to the playground, and the girls played while we ate.

Amelia is a little too young for guacamole. Bummer!!

The playground was a happening place.

Bart and his mini me monkey on his shoulders. He won't have much hair left if he keeps doing this...

That night, the girls got in their best friend pajamas that Aunt Stina bought for them. Are they not the cutest little things??

We all had a great time with our BFFs! We had a fabulous time!!

Ella and Andie and the Day of Fun!

What a day!! Tuesday morning, we had a playdate at 10:30am at the Ruckus Room. Only one other MOPS mom showed up, but there were TONS of other moms and kids there since it was raining. Ella and Andie had a BLAST with the other kids. Andie wasn't too sure about the inflatables at first, but she slowly warmed up to them. She was soo funny because she would bounce it with her hand, then her foot, then she would stand on the entrance, and before we knew it, she was bouncing all around on the inside! This being Ella's umpteenth time there, she was everywhere. Meanwhile, Amelia ate and looked around at all the millions of kids running around.
Andie loooves the Ruckus Room!

Ella Pearl loves to bounce!

Ella attempting the big slide, which she does with ease. She looks so tiny atop that big slide!

So serious!

After a loong nap back at the house, the girls were bouncing off the walls once again. So, Christina and I took them to the slashpad while Bart watched Amelia. They had SO much fun! The weather was sooo nice, and we went in the evening, so we didn't even have to worry about sunscreen. They ran around and played until they nearly dropped!

Bikini babes chilling in the car.

Check out Ella at the far right of this pic....priceless.

Needless to say, we had another early bedtime!! Woohoo!

Ella's first visitor of the Summer!

Sunday afternoon, my best friend Christina and her little girl Andie drove all the way from Denham Springs, La to see us! We were so excited to see them and get to spend a few days with them. Coincidentally, Sunday I hung up my Blackberry for the last time and got an iPhone!! Woohoo! It worked out great because Christina also has an iPhone, so she showed me how to use the dang thing!

Sunday night we just went to the grocery store and hung around the house. The girls enjoyed a delicious cuisine of macaroni and cheese and turkey dogs. They were so excited to see each other, even though we weren't very sure they remembered who each other were, and they played so cute together. Every once in a while we had to break up a fight because Ella was hoarding her toys or one made the other mad, but they were quick to make up.

Monday, we took to the road! We packed three beautiful girls in the back of the Acadia, and we headed to the playland at McDonalds. It was so funny because Christina and I kept laghing at how things have changed. For those of you who don't know, she was my roommate in college my freshman year, and we have been through a lot of fun times together. Back in the day, we were going out and partying. Now, here we were, fifteen years later, jamming out to Barney with three carseats in the back on our way to McDonalds. Ha ha ha.

They had a blast! They climbed up and down, all the way to the top and slid back down again. I think Andie was making her momma nervous doing like Ella, but Andie was a little pro! We left there and went to the creepiest little resale shop in Katy called Children's Carousel. This place was dirty, smelly and very unorganized, but it was an adventure to get there! After, we made a few rounds at Katy Mills mall. Stina and I looove to shop, and I love shopping with her because she shops the same way I do. The kids were so good. We stopped in the playland at the mall, and they wore themselves out. Amelia was an ANGEL all day. I tell you, she is A GOOOD BABY! Seriously, that's all Christina kept saying...she couldn't get over how Amelia just goes with the flow. We finally got home and put the girls to bed early. It was nice to hang out and relax with my bff.

My First Playdate!

I've been wanting to host my own playdate, but I don't have much to offer other than a playroom den of toys and a very empty backyard. So, after spending a few days at our neighborhood splashpad, I decided it would be a great idea to host my own playdate at our splashpad. So, I invited my MOPS friends over last Friday, and they were ecstatic. Well, it never occurred to me that I had a limit on how many guests I could invite to the splashpad. When I checked in me and my girls that morning, there was this old lady I like to call "the pool nazi," who sneered at me when I told the teenage lifeguard that I had several others coming. She said I was only allowed two guests, and I told her it wouldn't happen again, but it's happening today!
So, Kim came with Meganne, Maria came with Anna (and her little boy), and Krystal came with her little boy Nathan. It was a perfect day, and the kids had a blast. We started out on the splashpad side, and eventually ended up on the kiddie pool side. They ran around and wore themselves out!

Nathan and Meganne called shotgun while Ella cruised in the back!

Ella and Meganne becoming one with the water!

Anna and Ella sharing the slide.

Wheeee!

Meanwhile, Amelia was sunbathing!

She loooves a day in the sun too!

It was a great day and a very successful playdate!

My first attempt at a cloth diaper...

Ok, so many of you have been asking....I tried the cloth diaper a few days ago, and Ella had it on her for five minutes before she came to me...wet all down her pants. I was so bummed! What happened?? Did I read the directions on how to set it up?? Did it need something more than what I bought??

Well, YES, Einstein....next time you need to NOT put it on backwards!!

Yes, so I washed it and am going to try round two tomorrow. I should've bought a few inserts so I could try it for a few rounds, but right now, all I have is enough for one change. I also purchased some g diapers (per Noelle Ory Lorentsens' recommendation). HEB had two on sale, but they didn't sell the inserts....so I have two cute cloth diapers and nothing to put in them yet!

I am not giving up! I am planning on going to a class on cloth diapering in a few weeks, and I want to try a few before I settle on one kind. I'll be writing a series on my Examiner blog about my experiences in the cloth diapering world!! It should be VERY interesting...

Lazy, rainy day

Ella Pearl, Ella Pearl, Ella Pearl...
Why did you feel the need to wake up this morning at 4:30am and continue to stay awake for the REST OF THE MORNING?!! Seriously?! 4:30AM!?! And of course, I was the one to get up with her. I tried to bring her into the bed with us, but she was wide awake and not having any sleep. I finally just surrendered and went into the den and let her play. 6:15 rolled around, and up came Amelia. I made sure they both stayed awake till an early lunch, and they both went out for naps at noon. Silly mommy, though....of course, I didn't sleep!! Not after the TWO cups of coffee I needed to make it through the morning!

As you can see, this is how Amelia finally passed out at lunch time. :)

Later when they woke up, we just kinda lazied around. I took them to HEB for a grocery run, and we played around the house. Ella was ALL ABOUT the Little People today, and I have some great video of me sneaking up on her while she configured them speaking to each other. Here's a pic of her being silly with some sticker eye she found.

Daddy put her to bed tonight, and I don't think he'll ever do it again. Ha ha. He is too soft to drop her in her bed and leave and let her cry, but he surely doesn't like to wait around 45 minutes for her to finally fall asleep either. It's a tough decision to make...