Her first Performance

She was so excited to sing in her Christmas Program.  This would be her first Program and she wanted everyone there.  Unfortunately, her Daddy and sister weren't out of school yet, so she had to settle for little ol' Mom.  I wasn't sure how well she would do.  She gets a little shy sometimes, then other times she is the Queen of Adventure.  She did absolutely fantastic.  She smiled the whole time, scanning the crowd, looking for me.  When she finally saw me, her face lit up.  It was absolutely precious.  She sang some, she looked around a little, twirled her hair alot, and was generally adorable.

Party a deux

It was a party filled day, Hadley had her Class Christmas Party too.  I usually take a long lunch break to go to their parties, but I knew it was going to be impossible to be gone half a day from work to attend Christmas parties two hours apart from each other in two different towns, so I took a vacation day.  It doesn't take much for me to commit to a vacation day :)  The big girl was as giddy as the little girl about her party and the little girl was so excited to be at her sister's party.  She ran around they room, like she was on the biggest sugar high of her life.....wait she was.

 

It is a Party!!!!!

Christmas Party......The Red Head loves a good party.  At the mere mention of the word, chick is over the moon.  So the whole way to her Class Christmas Party, she was asking a ton of questions, I mean a ton of questions.  She wanted to know what they were going to eat, who was going to be there, what they were going to be doing, you get the idea.  The last picture needs a little detail behind it, Sophia's mom had given Sophia her phone, Sophia ran over to her crew and began sharing what was on it, like any group of girls they all gathered around and ohhh'ed and ahhh'ed.  It was a glimpse into 10 years from now.  Presh......

 

 

Her Hero

I don't check Hadley's back pack that often.  I think I take for granted Wayne is at the school with her, so he knows what is going on.  Generally, when I do check her back pack all I find is a ton of folded up notes that her and her friends draw and give to each other.  They fold them up in those fun little shapes, we use to love and write PUSH and draw a button on the outside.  It then takes me down memory lane and I get a little nostalgic, then sad because my baby is growing up and I might cry a little.  After a little more thought, maybe I don't check her back pack because I don't want to be curled up in the fetal position crying my eyes out.  A few months ago though, I got the treat of what I'm pretty sure will be my life.  My heart soared......

 

 

Yes, her spelling is a little off, but what made this so special to me, is this isn't something she and I or her and her Daddy have talked about.  This is something her PawPaw told her about, probably when they were sitting in the pasture watching the Purple Martins.  She never mentioned it but she understood what he told her, why it was important and stored it away.  Love this girl and love that she is listening, we just don't know it sometimes because she locks it away for later!  Love her HERO too!

Lights, Camera....Action

...and it is showtime.  My big girl loves the stage.  She tried out for a part in our Church Christmas play and got the part of Susie.  I don't usually go to any practices and try not to ask any questions.  I like the thrill of the surprise when she takes the stage and boy was I in for one.  She had a solo, Silent Night...queue the tears.  They were a flowing.  She is going to have to learn to suffer a little for her craft though.  Seems the stage was a little HOT, she wanted to get shed of her coat on stage in the middle of her performance.

 

 

 

 

 

Bubble Suit

This little lady makes me want to wrap her up in a bubble suit , so she doesn't damage anything. Discipline has become very difficult, because half the time it is pretty harmless, but she needs to be corrected, unfortunately she doesn't take us very seriously, when we are smiling at her. When I put this outfit on her, she was confused. She asked, "what is this thing"? It was so loose, then the sleeves were a little long and she kept saying, "my sleeves keep catching me". They kept falling over her hands, so to her that meant catching. Going to the bathroom, required a complete strip down. Fortunately for me she got her BryBry to take her. It's a wonder she didn't slip away from her and begin streaking through the Church. That would have so been Ellison.

 

More Festive Attire

I mentioned we had a few Christmas outfits right?  Well these are left overs from last year and apparently I bought these big enough that we are going to get two years out of them.  Which is really a good thing, because they are cotton and comfortable.  Which my big girl LOVES.  This was this Sunday before Church.  The Red Head decided she wanted to pose on one knee, not questioning it loving that she is  getting in to getting her picture taken.

 

Has anyone seen my baby?

The last one, the last paci in circulation.  It was a day we had been dreading, but we had said that when she was three, we wouldn't let her have it anymore if she was still taking it.  We had made a couple of lame attempts at giving it up, but someones daddy folded like a cheap card table.  She kind of has him wrapped.  The night of her birthday, I let her curl up and go to sleep with me and she did fine all night.  The next day for nap, she wanted to nap with me again.  Then that night Wayne told her that she had to sleep in her own bed if she wanted to go see her KeKe and girls and that was it, as long as we were attached it it, it was gone as quickly.  My baby is gone and she is such a big girl.  BOOO!!!!!

 

She is a hugger

She won't nap and we can't get her to stay in time out.  She won't listen, she does whatever she wants.  She has really become a problem, we aren't sure what is left to do with her.  Mrs. Harper, we need you to come up her a.g.a.i.n., we know you have already been up her twice t.o.d.a.y, but she is acting out again.  These are ALL things I have been told about the Curly Haired Diva, by her teachers and there are so many more.  There was a time when I wondered how we were going to handle school, what her teachers were going to say about her, was she going to be THAT child.....would we have to seek alternative school.  Seriously, you giggle, it is the truth.  It is amazing to me how this little lady has matured, to be handed this, be still my heart.

 

 

 

We have Christmas outfits, how about you?

And so the Christmas outfits, continue (guess what, they might for a few more days too).  We have lots of hand me downs and lots of activities.  The last one of the girls together is my favorite, but the next to last one of Els totally captures her mood.  I'm here, what more do you want.

 

 

He sees you when your sleeping..

....He knows if you've been BAD or GOOD.

 

The "official" 2012 Santa pictures are in.

 

From Tennis to Italian

Saturday was one busy day.  Whew...I don't know that we could have crammed in one more activity.  We met friends for breakfast and then the girls and I went to watch Wayne in his tennis match, yep he thinks he is John McEnroe now.  After the match, we jetted home to eat lunch, then headed back out because Red had a birthday party to go to.  A pony party to be exact, which she was so excited about.  She loved riding the pony, as did her sister.  Don't tell the girls, but they have horses in their back yard, that they show absolutely no interest in.  Go figure. THEN.....we came home and put Red down for a nap, because it would soon be time for the grand finale of the evening, Santa!!!!!  After her nap, we got them dressed in their Bell Bell originals and headed out to see the jolly fella.  Els promised she was sitting in his lap and would tell him what she wanted.  After waiting in line for over an hour, I sure hoped she wouldn't disappoint.  I was concerned at first because she wanted Hadley to go first, but she didn't hesitate when it was her turn.  The only way to end the evening was with Italian, but after waiting in line for so long we were all REALLY hungry.  Ellison was so hungry, olive oil was flying and she got it all over her new dry clean only holiday dress.  Yep, not gonna stress about it...MEMORIES!!!!

 

I got this!

"Are you ever going to blog again?"  So asks the man with his feet propped up on the desk playing bejeweled.  Seriously....Yeah, he got the stank eye.  I have accepted that blogging will not be as frequent as it was before.  It is, what it is and I'm going to have to deal.  My primary goal is to capture events, check mission accomplished.  So Curls had a part in her school play, the first picture totally sums it up.  She was cool as a cucumber, home run out of the park this one.  One day after she has kids, those crazy memory skills she has will be a thing of the past.  Enjoy it while you can sista!!!!

 

Birthday Boots

These boots are made for walking and that's just what they are going to do.  Hadley is really starting to have an opinion on style and loves her some boots.  Ellison, well she has had opinions on her style since she could talk and she loves all shoes in general.  She really doesn't discriminate.  So when the girls "Great" Aunt MoMo, got them boots for their birthday's (MoMo let Hadley open hers really early), the girls were more than a little excited.  Here they are stylin' and profilin'.

 

I absolutely can not get over how big Ellison looks in this picture.

 

 

 

I Am Three Years Old

 

Ellison Ann Harper, aka The Red Head

 

I thought our family was complete as three, little did I know that we were missing this red headed force of nature.  She truly does complete our family.  Seeing the world through her wondrous eyes, really makes you realize how much you had missed before.  She finds joy in absolutely everything, even a box.  Her energy keeps us moving and although it causes a few grey hairs, I think it keeps us alive.  She is extremely compassionate and doesn't like to see anyone upset.  One of her teachers told me that in all her years of teaching she hadn't had a child as compassionate as this little lady.  Tears....of all the character traits to be known for, makes this Mama's heart HAPPY!!!  We are so grateful for a wonderful three years with this Angel.

The color of the day...PURPLE

My third celebration for my 3rd birthday.  We went to PawPaw and BellBell's house the weekend of Thanksgiving and had Ms. Ellison a celebration with family and friends.  When we asked her what kind of party she wanted the only thing we could get out of her was a Purple Party.  Purple, Purple, Purple!!!!!  She had the best time, this girl loves a good party!!!!