I hosted our annual Mardi Gras party again this year, though it was a low-key celebration with just our playgroup. Leah clearly thought the icing was the best part of the King Cake.
The girls and I dressed for the occasion, sporting our Mardi Gras beads and necklaces.
Our friends, Chris and Elizabeth, had a baby recently, so I made this Naomi dress for their little girl. When Chad delivered the dress, Chris was very appreciative that it was a color other than pink!
A closeup of the sleeve details.
One of EA's best friends also had a little girl, so I made this Whitley dress for baby Cate.
We headed to 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore to see Disney on Ice, and were joined by Molly's friend Riley and her mom Heather. The girls are ready for the show.
The show has begun and Leah's excited to see it.
Despite all the princesses, Molly still said her favorite part was Mickey and Minnie. They mostly served as guides through the many stories that were told/skated.
Mickey and Minnie always bring a smile to Molly's face.
The finale.
This winter's been so warm. Days of 67 degrees at a time of year where we're usually not getting out of the 30s! So, we've had some additional outdoor play. Here's Molly giving Leah a little push on the tricycle after they finished throwing the frisbee, blowing bubbles, and drawing with chalk.
Leah, you're about to drive off the driveway. You might want to pull the crown up a bit to see where you're going.
Sprinting down the hill.
Runing down together, holding hands. Very sweet. I wonder if their speed difference will cause any problems?
Not surprisingly, Leah took a small tumble. Don't worry, she was fine.
Chad checked out one of Leah's dance classes and snapped a few photos. These pictures are shot through small glass panes in a door, so they're not the best shots, but they give an idea of the class. Here's Leah paying attention to her teacher at the beginning of class.
They play a bit with musical instruments, like the maraca she has here.
They also play with stuffed animals, moving them around and placing them in different locations like on their bellies.
Leah's got her wand and skirt on and is getting into character in the fairy dance.
Leah loves to walk on her toes, which comes in handy at dance class.
Molly sang with her choir again today in church. They sang three songs at two different services and loved it all the way. You can also see pictures on Flickr.
We flew to Birmingham to celebrate Emmie's 3rd birthday. It didn't take long upon our arrival before the girls all headed to the play room. Nice shoes, Leah!
Emmie is so intent on using her computer that she has no idea Molly is about to give her a trim.
Grampa was appointed head book reader at bed time.
Emmie was insistent on having a flower party, so Aunt 'Chelle got creative with the flower theme.
Naturally, Molly and Leah were eager to assist with the present opening.
Time for cake!
It was finger lick in' good!
Leah took a quick break from the party festivities to assemble the alphabet with G'mom.
Emmie also got a kite, which was then of course flown. Apparently it's just as much fun to run after someone flying a kite as it is to fly it yourself.
Molly flying with Tate chasing. An image of timeless childhood.
Leah thought the flower balloons needed a bit of love.
The girls were finally all together to wear the Christmas jammies I made them. It was like Christmas Eve in January.
Emmie may be one of the few kids her age that knows what a chalkboard is. For those who don't, it's an upright display you write on with chalk while you stick out your tongue.
Baby rings can turn into steering wheels when you get older.
And the post the baby ring comes from can become a microphone.
We transitioned Leah into her big girl bed this weekend. She keeps saying "I love my bed!"
My aunt made Leah's new quilt. Molly noticed that the fabric matched the valance I made a few months ago. Nice observation kiddo!
Like I did for Molly, I painted Leah's letters to match her new room.
Here's the completed room, using Chad's new ultra-wide lens to capture all four walls.
I kept thinking that we were transitioning Leah much earlier this time. Turns out, Molly was actually 1 day younger when we transitioned her.
The first night went great, except that Chad accidentally set the alarm when resetting the clock and it went off at midnight! Thankfully she went right back to sleep.
And both girls are sticklers when it comes to routine, so we've had to work through a few issues like the new step stool at the end of Leah's bed and the new lamp on her dresser. Funny enough, the new bed has been welcomed with lots of smiles and bouncing fun.
I set up a playdate at Molly's gymnastics club for Leah and some friends to play. Leah always has to sit back and watch at Molly's practice, so she was super excited to get to play this time.
She knew exactly how to freeze after jumping on the tumble track.
Leah was only willing to get in the foam pit once. After that, she was happy to play with the blocks from the side.
Hmm, might not be the best snack idea.
Leah has been constantly dancing around the house since The Nutcracker so we decided to sign her up for a dance class of her own. Molly's studio has a Creative Dance class for 2 year olds, so we're giving it a go. Here's Leah ready to go to her first class and very excited about it.
But really, who needs a class when you've got these great moves? :)
