Football, Valentines and Hair

We had people over for the second annual Overall Super Bowl Party. Every year we accumulate more and more kids and the chaos grows and grows haha:) I can honestly say I did not see one play or even one commercial. I did, however, eat more than my share of Ryan's stuffed jalapeños. 

Ainsley had her three year check up and she did great:) it was her first "big girl" check up. All 4 of us went, since i had to head into work after her appointment. Dr Nelson was very impressed and happy with her. and she was happy she didn't have to get any shots this time.  She weighed in at 28.4 lbs (25%) and 37 1/2 inches (54%). 

Ainsley also had "doughnuts with Dad" at school, and Pop went as her date. They of course both loved it, even though Philip was sad to miss out.   The same day she had her Valentine party at school and came home with lots of sweet Valentines. She gave her friends swirly straws (her favorite). 

She also got her first "haircut" and by haircut I mean Donielle cut maybe an inch of hair. total. Ainsley just had this really long piece in the back and it had to be cut. And it took me days to get her to agree to getting it cut. So we eased into it with just a very small trim:) That night she laid in bed and I watched her pull the back of her hair checking to see how much was gone. 

Valentines Day weekend we just hung out at home, spent Saturday in Georgetown, we went to church then enjoyed being snowed in. Philip worked all weekend but did bring his girls special doughnuts Saturday morning. 

Parker has become the happiest sweetest little baby and I could cuddle and laugh with him all day (not that his sister would let that happen:) ). With the exception of last night he has been sleeping much better and we are all on the upswing from the cold that took over each of us this week! 

poor Parker was crying and Ainsley's solution was that he needed stamps 

Her Knight Dance

Every year, Lexington hosts a Father/Daughter Dance called "Her Knight". It is a non-profit event put on by volunteers for girls ages 2-12. Due to it's popularity it is now held at Keeneland. They have 4 sessions, 2 on Friday night and 2 on Saturday night. They request the smaller girls go to the earlier dance, so Ainsley and Philip got tickets for the 4:30 dance. 

Ainsley was woken from her nap a little early so I could do her hair and help her get ready for her special date with her Daddy! 

Seeing the pictures of all the Dads and their daughters was such a sweet thing to see. Ainsley and Philip were both so excited. She was in awe at the princesses that she got to meet. Chik Fil A provided dinner, there was a professional photographer and they were given a keepsake necklace at the end of the evening. 

Ainsley came home and told me all about how she met Anna, Elsa and Cinderella. Philip said she was a little wild once she got around her friends Avery and KK, but said they had such a great date together. I can't wait for to continue this tradition every year! 

Parker and I had our own little date and met my friends Alison, Jordan, and their sons at a restaurant for dinner

Big Girl Bed

Anyone who knows our daughter knows she is a bit... Lively:) She doesn't sit still. She runs. She climbs. She goes at life with all the gusto she has. And we love that about her. But it has always shocked us that she has never once climbed out of her crib (with the exception of one time poor auntie Jo was watching her). Last Friday night we had our babysitter watch both kids for the first time. When Ainsley was getting put to bed the timer on her sound machine must've gotten turned on. So after we got home and said goodbye to Lauren, I looked at monitor to see Parker sleeping peacefully and then an empty crib on Ainsley's camera. I looked up the stairs to see a pitiful little girl holding her mermaid and gripping the wall. "My sound machine went off mommy". I rocked her back to sleep but she was very concerned her sound machine would turn back off. "I can't sleep without my sound machine" she said. I assured her it wouldn't go off again. 

The next morning I was feeding Parker a little after 7 when I hear a thud on the floor upstairs. I look up and there is my little girl at the top of the steps again. I mean we made it two years and 363 days:) her crib has always been her security and safety net. She's decided 3 year olds don't need a crib anymore:) 

So Philip and I took her to target to pick out "big girl bedding". She chose Frozen, of course. And while I really wanted to find her something cute that matches her room- I also wanted her to love her new bed. 

I had visions of Ainsley playing in her ball pit at 2am or waking up to her standing next to my bed at 3am. But we talked to her and told her she had to stay in her big girl bed at night. That if she crawled out she could get hurt. And that we would have to go back to her crib. She was sad about that one because she said she loves her bed. So, so far it has been uneventful. She lays under her little sheets on her pillow until she falls asleep. She still moves around a lot at night but when she wakes up she will wait for one of us to come get her, like we told her to.  

We are both pleasantly surprised with how well she's done:) 

her little legs hanging out. and she hangs little blanky on side rail 

Annndd P man is back to sleeping through the night. Hallelujah! 

Ainsley's PartieS

Several months ago when I was trying to come up with a "theme" for Ainsley's party I asked her what kind of cake she would like. She looked at Parker's pjs of colorful stripes and stated "stripes like that". I laughed and sort of dismissed it. Well the idea stuck in her head and every time I would ask her she was pretty adamant she wanted stripes. So I went with it. If she wants stripes on her birthday, stripes it is:) 

Saturday morning started her birthday weekend and i told her I would make her cheesy eggs. She requested pink eggs and then wanted to add sprinkles. sounds gross to me, but she declared they were "the best cheesy eggs EVER". 

 That morning we gave her one of her gifts early because lots of family got accessories to go with it. We got her a doll house and she LOVES it.

Having a winter birthday is hard because everything has to be inside. and it's just too much having that many people and kids at your house. So we asked her where she would like to have her party and she exclaimed "Money Joe's!". Which taking 15 kids 3 and under to Monkey Joe's on a Saturday didn't sound super fun to me, I knew she would have a BLAST. and she did:) So with all 4 of us donned in stripes- we had the perfect 3 year old birthday party.In fact I haven't seen her so happy. She ran, jumped, bounced, laughed, and smiled for 2 hours straight. and I can't say enough about how helpful and organized Monkey Joe's was. They have this down to an art (and it was pretty cheap too!). 

It was so sweet seeing all of her friends there to celebrate her. And when everyone sang happy birthday to her and she just sat there watching them then calmly blew out her candle it brought tears to my eyes. Such a big girl already. My sappiness will be reserved for another post- ill stick to the party here:) 

We had to literally drag her out of there in tears- which means it was a success! Parker did great and enjoyed watching sis be her crazy self.  Sunday we had a smaller scale joint birthday party for Auntie Jo, Uncle Rick, Rachel and Ainsley at Nanny Pops house.  Nanny made blue ice cream per Ainsley request:) 

Monday, her actual birthday, we woke her up wearing party hats and singing Happy Birthday to her. I made her special birthday sprinkle pancakes (kind of like cake with icing more than pancakes with syrup). We hung around the house playing with her new things and then ran some errands (to get a helmet, big girl bedding and cupcakes!). She got to play outside some too since the weather was so fabulous. 

That night we went to pucchinis for dinner. Girl loves some pasta. 

She ended the night going to sleep in her "big girl bed" for the first time. I may have teared up a bit at how big she looks in it.