Daddy's Birthday

 We kept Paul's birthday low key this year since we have been so busy running around with these three wild babies. We celebrated at home with a simple cake and playtime in the living room. It can't really get much better than that. Paul successfully got all three kids on his back for a piggy back ride, he truly is the best daddy "in all the land". Happy 32nd birthday to the man of my dreams

It's Allison's Turn

 Allison Nichole is now in preschool. She was so excited to help me make her basket for her cubby last night. We used one of the ballerinas from her birthday party to make it extra special. It really helped that Andrew went to the preschool and Allison is very familiar with the routine and Ms. Cori. She felt right at home and there were no tears shed, from her nor I :)
I know this will be a great thing for her. She is more intelligent than most three year olds and this will give her an outlet to tap into her mind and creativity. She is light years ahead of most kids and I am excited to see her interact with her fellow preschoolers.

 Allison raised her hand during roll call and then we said our goodbyes. She was completely fine with us leaving. But did I leave? Of course not, I spied on her while she played in the bike yard. Just because I have already done this for one child, does not make it any easier to do it all over again for the next one. My Allie-gator has always been home with me when I dropped off Andrew at preschool, and now they are both in school. Sigh... what is a mom to do? Oh I know, go back to school myself... that is another blog  :)

My Allison Nichole is full of life, spunk and love. Her heart is big and she loves big. She is a natural born care giver and wants to take care of everyone. I can't wait to see how she blossoms in preschool. I am one proud mommy.

Pirate Adventure

 Since we have a party every other year for our kid's birthday, Andrew was not due for a party this year, so we decided to take him to the Pirate Adventure show. We thought we would only invite grandparents, and Aunts and Uncles, but didn't think that many would go. Well we were wrong! Everyone RSVP'd YES! We were so excited to celebrate Andrew's birthday Pirate style. We had fabulous seats and a yummy dinner.

Aunt Lindsay, her mom, Debbie and Addison and Rylan are apart of the family and we were so happy they were able to make it.

Andrew had an amazing time at the show. He was tense the whole time and screaming at the top of his lungs in either excitement or in anger if our purple pirate wasn't winning. At one point in the show, he was so tensed up and into the story line, I had to shake him and told him to relax. He looked at me and took a deep breath and then went back to watching the show. I thought it was so funny to see him physically have to relax himself because he was so worked up over which pirate was winning. Overall I think everyone had a fabulous time and I would defiantly do it again. Andrew had the time of his life and that is all that matters.

Andrew's face when we all sang Happy Birthday to him, back at our house for the "After Party".

Andrew's 5th Birthday

 Andrew's birthday was on his third day of school, so with the teacher's permission, I brought a cake for him to share with his friends. It was a bit tricky cutting this cake 23 ways in the hallway sitting on a little kid chair with Ashley and Allison to look after. But it was worth it to see his face.

 I managed to take a self portrait in the playground.

 We let Andrew pick where ever he wanted to go for his birthday lunch and there was no doubt in his mind, he wanted to go to Ruby's diner. We tend to have two types of meals out at a restaurant: 1. chaotic, out of control, expensive, and not worth it OR 2. Peaceful, funny, well-behaved, cheap and great experience. Thankfully today's lunch was #2.  Andrew is thrilled to be 5 years old. And I must admit that he truly is no longer a little boy, it is blossoming into a little Dude! He is tough, funny, imaginative and magical.

 After lunch we came home and opened up presents.

 Allison was so excited to give Andrew cut up pieces of ribbon that she cut herself and then wrapped up all by herself. He was sweet and told her thank you and gave her a big hug.

I love that Andrew still likes to dress up. He has outgrown his old pirate costume and has now moved on to this pirate costume. He loves to have sword fights with his daddy and rescue the princess named Allison. Where has the time gone...

Transitional Kindergarten

 

Really? Already? Seriously? I can't believe it, my Andrew is starting Transitional Kindergarten. Since he will be turning 5 in the fall, we had a choice to start him in kindergarten or transitional kindergarten. We opted for Transitional Kindergarten, which is considered a 2 year kindergarten. We were lucky to have him go to Cubberley Elementary School. His teacher's name is Mrs. McCormick. He was so excited to go to school. He looked so cute in his uniform and backpack on. It was raining for some stange reason this morning.  

I think it was bitter-sweet for Allison to say goodbye to her big brother. She had to do it the last two years when he was in preschool, but they were inseperable all summer long. She was proud of him and I think a little excited to be the only big kid at home.

After a quick kiss and a few photos, it was time to say goodbye at the door and watch him walk into his big boy classroom. It was a sigh of relief, knowing we got him this far and that he is smart, intelligent and confident enough to just walk in with a smile on his face, knowing he will be just fine. In a small way, I kind of felt sorry for him, knowing this is the start of Monday through Friday school for the next 13 years of his life! Yikes and I guess it is the start for me and Paul to do it all over again :) I didn't cry and I think because I am so grateful to have a self sufficent little man to call my son. I am so proud of him and the person he has become in such a short 4 years and 363 days here on Earth. He fills my heart with love.

Pirate Booty

 It was all Paul's idea. I am so blessed to have such a fun, creative and sporadic hubby to be the father of my children. He created this treasure map on the computer, then burned the edges and crinkled it up so it looked like a real pirate map. We hid it at a park and nonchalantly had the kids discover it. To say they were thrilled would be an understatement. On the map traced a path that lead them to land marks that they could recognize. It started at Allison's preschool, then the Queen Mary, Vincent Thomas bridge, Point Vicente lighthouse and then the Pirate Ship Park in Palos Verdes. We drove all around the path and when they saw the land mark they screamed and yelled and told us which way to go. When we made it to Point Vicente they walked around with shovels looking for the treasure. Andrew was determined to find it. And Ashley was just happy to be along for the ride. When we decided to continue ton the journey for the treasure, the road was closed due to a land slide. So of course we saw this as another opportunity for an adventure and we went exploring.

Once we made it to the pirate ship park the kids were ecstatic! I managed to bury the prepurchased treasure while Paul distracted the kids and I put two stick on top to make it with and "X". Once they saw the "X" they knew it had to be there and they started digging.

I thought they would scream and go crazy, but they dug quietly and found the treasure secretly so none of the other kids at the playground would notice that they had found the treasure.

We celebrated finding the treasure and rolled down the hill, again and again.