Birthday Week!

It was a happy and kind of sad week full of great memories and some good-byes. We are so excited to spend each and everyday with Rose and realize each one is precious!

The day before Rose's 3rd birthday is when Early Intervention Services have to come to an end :( Our speech therapist, Jena, has been with us since Rose was 10 months! She has been with us as our baby grew into a little girl and now we had to say 'good-bye'. Rose will continue with her outpatient speech and we will also pursue services with the BCIU (they offer the next part of EI services).

As I always do, I took Rose's birthday off to spend with her. We started the day off with a speech session, a new episode of Doc McStuffins, and a trip to Learning Express!

Justin stopped home to join us for lunch and some outside play, before Rose took her nap (Rose is still napping and I'm very happy that she is! Some days it's an hour and other days 3. She is still going to bed around 8pm and waking up by about 7am)

  

After daddy was done for the day, Rose got a bath and we headed out to Moe's for her birthday dinner! Yes, she is wearing her PJ's, they are her favorite outfit to wear. 

Saturday was Kids Party Day (along with Nana and Pop to supervise)

The theme of the party was being creative with markers, paints, chalk...whatever :) We had 4 little friends, a baby, and their parents join us in celebrating Rose's birthday. 

Rose and I had made some fresh play dough for her friends in case we had to play inside. 

But with the beautiful weather, most of the party happened outside! The group activity was painting birdhouses...paint and birds, Rose was a happy girl!

We had a tasty lunch for everyone with grilled pizza. YUM!

Rose had a great time and I think her friends and their parents had just as much fun!

Is this not amazing? Nana crocheted Rose her very own Thomas the Train blanket! I would never have had the patience or diligence to make that, I'm glad Rose has her Nana :)

These were my favorite decoration for the party:

A picture of Rose each month of her life

And her 2-3 year old shadow box (it has some of her letter and number pages, a summer dress, PJ's, and sneakers, along with her horse show ribbons, train tickets, and our wrist bans from when she got her cast on! it was a busy year)

Sunday was also Justin's birthday. We mostly celebrated by taking the day off together on Friday, but Rose and I tried to make his day special (although she and I both have runny noses from allergies and I sound like a toad!)

Rose decided to wear her birthday crown a little more tonight, before I pack it away for next year!

Here's a years worth of our little girl growing from 2 to 3!

 April 2013

May 2013

 June 2013

 July 2013

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

 November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

Eggs, Bunnies, and Birthdays

I know kids go through phases and that Rose may change her interests next week, but I really love that Rose enjoys playing doctor. Her favorite show is Doc McStuffins and she can open and put on her own band-aides (whether she really needs them or not!). 

Rose is also VERY close to turning 3 and a present from the Virginia branch of the Bechtel family arrived and I picked it up from my parents house on Thursday. I did *try* and hide it in the back of the Jeep, but once Rose saw it there was no stopping her!

Rose received a Baby Alive doll, which she absolutely LOVES! 

Rose really loves feeding the baby and then watching for the poop :)

Friday I had off and Justin worked until early afternoon. Uncle Matt and Aunt Jenni both had off and asked if they could take Rose to the Dora exhibit at the Reading Museum which worked out great, because I was able to prepare for Rose's first birthday party. We decided to split the party in two this year to have family at one and some friends at another because I just can't fit that many people in the house and Rose isn't a fan of big crowds :)

Since I did work all week, we kept everything pretty simple and Justin picked up the cupcakes on his way home. After Rose woke up from her nap, she sampled one just to make sure they were good enough for her guests ;)

Getting ready for the party...

Party Time! We had the Stillinger side over and our neighbors to celebrate. I can't believe my little baby is going to be 3 on Thursday!

Rose has worn this crown every year since her first party!

Saturday morning after the farmer's market, we headed outside while Justin grouted the tile in our bathroom. Rose is a HUGE fan of taking as much stuff outside as possible!

After lunch we headed to the Blandon Easter Egg Hunt with our neighbors. 

 Rose got to be in the 0-2 year old group, which was really good for her. Our little girl is not a fierce competitor and will gladly give her eggs to others! While either Justin or I walk with her at the egg hunts, she picks up all her own eggs and was very pleased with her haul :)

Sunday morning, Rose came downstairs to her Easter basket. We have decided not to tell Rose that presents come from anyone else than people who love her, so we told her that we got her some special presents to celebrate an important day. While I loved the dresses I got her, I think Rose's favorite item was the Doc McStuffins band-aides I found for her at Target ;)

There was one more Easter Egg hunt at church and now I think Rose expects to have egg hunts all the time :)

After church we went to Nana and Pop's for Easter lunch. Nana had already given Rose her basket and we were almost done when Nana just HAD to give Rose one of her birthday presents...

I wish we had taken a picture of her face when Pop brought up the box. We asked her who it was for and she immediately said 'ME'. We also said we should wait to put it together and her response was 'No, Now'. 

Needless to say, Rose did not take a nap today. So we made the most of the wonderful weather and spent the afternoon outside. In Rose's Easter basket from Nana were two baby slings. Here she is taking a baby for a walk, just like a little mommy!

We also got out all the toys from the basement and Justin got some new sand for the sandbox....yay, for sand all over my house...

Meow even came outside a few times to join in the family fun :)