Our Girls

I just love these new photos of the girls taken by Tammy Pence Photography! They look so grown up - and so like sisters. We are so proud of our little girls! (Except Nora, who climbed out of her bed multiple times today - more on that some other time!) Really, we love them both so much and couldn't be more proud to be their parents.

Nora's 2nd Birthday Party

Here's how Nora's 2nd birthday started ...

Daddy and Papou surprising the girls with a Barbie car!

Both girls took turns driving the car around our back yard.

Then we headed to the pool for Nora's party

The cupcakes were a huge hit!
  

More pictures to come soon - girls are waking up from their naps!

Dancing Queen

Evie had her first dance recital last week, and it was the most adorable and hilarious night ever! She was so excited at home, getting dressed and having Aunt Melina fix her hair, then she fell asleep on the way to the recital and then somehow managed to wake up and act absolutely adorable on stage - even blowing us kisses! Of course, we were in the front row, clapping and crying and laughing and loving every minute of it! Check out our photos!

Nora loved watching the recital and wanted to be on stage so much!

Evie is on the far right!

Evie was really excited about all her flowers!

We were so excited to have Grandma Loretta in town for the big event!

Had to share this one too from the weekend - Nora found Yiayia's glasses!

Our Spring

We've had such a great spring - swinging in our backyard, Deanna Rose farm, weekends in Nixa, Aunt Meena and Uncle Matchu's new house, playdates with Phoebe and Reece, face painting and ice cream ... It's just been a wonderful few weeks. Here are a few of the highlights, starting with my absolute favorite photo of the month! Thank you Melina and Mom for the adorable fedoras!

With their Yiayia in Aunt Melina and Uncle Matthew's new house

Visiting the Easter Bunny in Springfield. Nora would have nothing to do with that creepy bunny, but Evie was a good sport!

Outside of church last weekend for Great Papou's 1-year memorial. Evie was so sweet looking up at the sky and Heaven and telling Great Papou (and Reina) she misses them. My sweet, sensitive girl!

Not so sensitive here, with her Wonder Woman face painting and ice cream with BFF and neighbor Phoebe

My girls, Mabel and Uncle Matthew enjoying the nice weather (and refreshments!)

The girls feeding the baby goats at Deanna Rose farm on opening day

Hanging out with Reece outside of the barn at Deanna Rose. Both girls had their faces painted.

Sweet sisters - we love you!

1st Injury

There's a reason my Dad started calling Nora "thumper." This girl is wild and adventurous and throwing herself/falling all over the place - usually to get right back up with a little smirk on her face. But not this time. Poor Nora fell over on one of our kitchen chairs last night and ended up at Children's Mercy today for X-rays and, eventually, this lovely purple cast. She has to keep it on - and dry! - for three weeks. Yikes! Despite our long day and the pain Nora surely must be feeling, she's been her usual happy and silly self and made friends with all the nurses and patients. Oh Nora, what are we going to do with you little "thumper?"

Nora's new accessory - a cast for her fractured foot



Here's the cast before Evie gets a hold of it with markers and glitter!

Our Girl Evie is 3!

One week later, I'm finally writing about Evie's 3rd birthday. What can I say - it was wonderful! See pics below ... We had a chef-themed party complete with personalized aprons and chef hats for all the kiddos. Attendees included Aunt Melina and Uncle Matthew, Yiayia and Papou, Great Yiayia, Phoebe, Ellie, Mabel, Maeve, Collin and Chloe (as well as their parents and siblings). The kids all played outside, made their own pizzas, sang happy birthday, ate cake and opened presents. Evie said her favorite gifts were from "anything from Aunt Meena," Cinderella and Prince Charming from Chloe and her camera. Here are the promised pics.

Right before the party began ... all is quiet and calm!

Evie waiting for her friends to arrive

Let the fun begin - our neighbor Phoebe is here!

Evie and Nora "making" pizzas (or eating all the shredded cheese!)

More cheese

All the little siblings

Evie's homemade pizza - see the "E"

Nora enjoying cake!

Evie with her presents

Oven mitts from Aunt Melina and Uncle Matthew

Chloe was such a good helper!

Since the party, I've had some time to reflect ... 3 is such an adorable age. Still a lot of whining but lots of imagination and personality. Evie is so observant and thoughtful, silly and creative. She loves dance (and even yoga now!), and she loves to sing all the time, color and craft, play outside with her neighbor Phoebe, look at Ella and Natalie on their blogs, make plans to hang out with Aunt Meena, Yiayia and Papou, play with Mommy's makeup and jewelry, watch Dora and Beauty and the Beast and, of course, terrorize/adore her little sister Nora. Evie, we are so proud to be your parents! You are beautiful and kind, and we love, love, love you with all our hearts!

Splish, Splash

I know I need to post pictures from Evie's birthday (it was wonderful), but here's a quick shot of the girls taking a bath tonight. They were having so much fun. Birthday pics coming soon ...