What the what?!?

What is up with that hair?!?

On to solids

We held off as long as we could, but when Elise finally got to 6 months old, we realized we could no longer just keep her on milk all day. But believe me, I tried. I knew once I started the foods, there’s no turning back to the simplicity of just feeding a baby milk.

 

It appears though that she was quite ready.  She loved her cereal, even grabbing the spoon to shove it in there.

 

“Just give it to me; I’ll do it myself.”

 

Happy baby.

Everything old is new again

Blair came across my doll clothes and suitcase from when I was little. She has had a lot of fun dressing her dolls up, and it has reopened a lot of memories for me. Some look like actual baby clothes (there's a super cute pink dress that I wish I had had when Elise was teeny tiny), some from my Cabbage Patch dolls, and some that were handmade by my mom and even one that was crochetted for me by our exchange student Els.

Even Sloane played along, keeping her baby warm and toasty in a fur coat my mom made.

Blair’s Birthday

 

She started off her big day with a birthday biscuit.

 

Then she had pink iced donuts at school.

 

She got to have Show and Share with her baby sister Elise.

 

We followed it all up with mac and cheese for dinner (her choice) and mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert (also her choice of birthday dessert).

Blair's 5th birthday!

Being in a perpetual state of "princess", we knew she would want a princess party. Since November (when the movie Tangled came out), she was planning on having a Rapunzel party. However, after looking through a party supply catalog that came in the mail, she changed her mind to The Wizard of Oz. Perfect, in my mind. What could be more fun to plan--I know that movie inside and out. But after several weeks of debating and flip-flopping, she finally decided on The Little Mermaid. I should have seen it coming. She was, after all, Ariel for Halloween. Being that The Little Mermaid is one of my favorite Disney movies, and I think mermaids are fun in general, this was an acceptable choice as well. However, did I mention she didn't decide on this until a week before the party date? Nothing like waiting till the last minute. Wonder where she gets that from??? (What? Why are you looking at me?) But we managed and it all came together in the end.

We used this picture for her invitation.


The bulk of our time was preparing for the cake. This was our (or I should say, Jeremy's) most ambitious cake project yet, and I think it turned out awesome! All of those bright shells and fish are white chocolate that he colored and poured into molds. He also used jelly bean rocks and tan-colored sugar sprinkles for the sand. We had seen that particular Little Mermaid cake topper online, but couldn't find it in any store. Blair didn't care so much about which cake topper we used, just that she got a bracelet like the one that came with this cake topper (it's hanging off the tail). Well, we finally found this topper at our local baking shop--Blair was thrilled that she finally got the bracelet. I guess jewelry really is a girl's best friend. 

 

We had about 15 little girls at our house. I've never heard so many high-pitched shrills in my life! (I don't have a picture of the party favors, but they were straight from a pirate's booty--gold (gold-wrapped chocolate), jewelry (candy bracelets and ring pops), pirate tattoos, and bracelets for the girls and eye patches for the boys. Oh and glow sticks, because who doesn't like a glow stick.)

Of course, there was no shortage of little princesses running around. Literally, running...in one long line...from one end of the house to the other...screaming.

She received many great gifts--all fitting to her girly girl style--hair accessories, makeup, mermaid barbies, princess books. Here she is with the vanity we gave her, primping in princess style.

 

And a side note: While Jeremy was busy constructing the cake, I was busy sleeping. Or more like passing out. I thought I was just worn out from late nights and party planning, but it turns out, I had the flu. I managed to survive the party, but then ended up being completely bed-ridden for 2 straight days afterwards. And of course, one person can't get sick in our house without everyone getting sick. Reid and Sloane had the flu (and later we found out strep too) at the same time I did. Then Elise. Then Blair. Then Jeremy. All of us within the same week. Fun times.