June's 4th Birthday

Our sweet June. Where do I start? This girl keeps the whole family laughing and/or pulling our hair out. She's got an amazingly developed sense of humor and can be so clever that I can't believe what's coming out of her mouth. For example, I told the girls not to use the word "butt" and she gets around it by calling everyone "-utts" while looking at me with a grin. I wrote on Instagram that around her birthday she told me that she feels "ready for real make-up now." She loves to sit on my bathroom vanity and pass me each make-up item as I request it when I'm getting ready in the morning. She also loves to put my lipstick on me. Two days ago I was putting some play make-up on her and she puckers her lips just right doing the lipstick. When Ryan got home from work she ran out to the garage with lips puckered to show him all her make-up.

Her birthday came two days after we got home from Disneyland, so she got to celebrate a few times. She got presents from us, my parents, and her cousins at Disneyland (her first birthday, as she calls it). On her actual birthday at home, Rebecca and Brandon came over and she got more gifts. I love these photos of her with her cupcake and ice cream. She has always been such a beautiful little baby and now little girl.

The next day, we met two friends at Chuck E Cheese in the morning. It was nearly empty, so I got everyone lots of tokens and they rode the rides, ate pizza, and did presents. June really wanted a friend party, but with Disneyland being so close, I just didn't have it in me to plan something. Plus, it felt like we'd already done tons of celebrating. So I talked her into inviting Lyla and Annie to Chuck E Cheese and she loved that idea. I wish we still lived close to these two girls. We don't have any girls June's same age in our new ward. These three get along so well together.

 Ahhh, so cute!

June is looking older and older to me. I think I've just kept her a baby in my mind because she's the youngest, but she really is turning into a little girl. She's gotten very opinionated on what to wear and how to do her hair. She loves snuggles and attention. Lately, her favorite thing is to sit with me at the computer and scroll through her old baby pictures. Seeing her all newborn gets me excited for the new baby and I hope it's preparing her a little too. She was such a cute thing! She loves preschool and her gymnastics class. She's just my best little buddy right now with Willa in school. She's at the age where she is reasonable and can be talked through logical solutions to problems. She's happy and chipper on most of our outings and it's so delightful. She loves to help me bake and cook and is getting good and adding the ingredients and even making scrambled eggs (with me right there). I don't think I really got to enjoy Willa at this stage as much because I was caring for baby June. So everything Willa might have or was doing, was tempered by caring for a baby/toddler. Whereas right now, June gets undivided attention and doesn't have to share with younger siblings when we are at home. The baby is going to be a hard adjustment for her, but she's getting ready (though, she often cries to me that she doesn't want to be a big sister and what's she going to do when the baby cries, and what if she gets hurt and I'm holding the baby and can't help her). But, I think she's ready to be full of love and be very helpful with him too. I'm just so glad we've had this time to be just the two of us.

The most adorable baby!!

Disneyland, pt. 3

For our third day, Shannon and Scarlett came down to meet us. It was very crowded and a little hot, but we managed to do a few things together. The princesses was definitely a highlight. The line was long, but once we got inside the girls got some nice one-on-one time with the princesses and LOVED it.

 As I wrote earlier, the girls LOVE Elena and when she happened to be on of the princesses there, they were on cloud nine.

 My favorite part was when Ariel was talking to them. She asked if any of them liked to swim and if they ever pretended to be mermaids. Willa was totally into it and immediately said, "Yes! I have a mermaid fin that I wear in the pool every time!" Then Ariel asked them all the colors of their fins and Willa responded. It was just so cute and innocent.

 That night we met my family and did all the Bug's Life stuff in California Adventure. Most of it was just the right pace for the girls and I wish we would have had time to do it before. Carrie's kids got June a little birthday bubble wand as a present. She's opening it in the photo below. We had seen these ALL around the park the past few days so she was very excited to have her own.

 We capped the night off with one more ride on Small World. It was getting late and I think it was our third Small World of the day, so we were getting tired. But it was fun because it was the first and last time Carrie's family, us, and my parents were all together.

After the ride, I meant to go straight back to the hotel, but the Electrical parade was JUST starting. It seemed too sad to not stay and watch. Plus, I'd showed the girls videos of it at home in preparation. They really enjoyed it and at one point, one of the workers grabbed the girls and took them to the very front so they could wave and curtsy as Alice in Wonderland passed by. She looked and waved right at them. It was such a sweet little thing and one of the types of things that makes Disneyland special.

We got home after a very late night. Both girls fell asleep in the stroller and stayed asleep as we transferred them into bed. Willa even fell off the bed in the middle of the night (we scooped her up and put her back on) and had no memory of it the next day when we asked her. The next morning we cleaned up and headed out.

It was really a great trip. I'd say that the crowds really surprised me. We purposely planned the trip after President's Day but before Spring Breaks started, and on a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday. I thought the parks would be fairly empty and enjoyable. Instead, it was probably the second busiest I have ever been there in my entire life. We never even really got to Adventureland or Frontierland. The crowds made getting over there pretty taxing and we just wanted to do what the girls were most interested in - thus, LOTS of Dumbo rides and Fantasyland :). When we were driving home, it was actually a little relieving not to be walking over with the crowds and waiting in line to get in. But looking back, all we really remember are the happy memories and I'm so so glad we could finally take the girls there and that we could go before we are back in the baby season of life.