Aliyah's Birthday

On March 3rd, the day after Tikvah's first birthday, Aliyah turned four.  Grandma DeShon sent her an outfit to match Tikvah's new outfit from the day before.  She happily put it on and asked to have a picture with Tikvah.

Later that day, Aunt Evie stopped by to say hello and brought Aliyah another outfit, which she also loved.  Grandma Mary brought the Hello Kitty shoes as an early Easter present.

Aliyah requested macaroni and cheese and hot dogs for dinner.

She also got her first taste of chocolate milk (Pull family four year old birthday tradition).

The only thing better than macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and chocolate milk

is opening lots of presents.

My good friend, Julie, came through with a crocheted purse for Aliyah.   She was so happy to be a part of the crew with her new YELLOW and purple purse.

After presents we feasted on cake.  Aliyah's request for a cake was a yellow blanky cake

with Cappy (her bear) on top.

Despite the fact that the cake was grossly undercooked in the middle, she was happy,

almost as happy as we are that she's our bandicoot.

 

Happy Birthday sweet four year old.

We love you!

Pizza and Presents

On March 2nd, Tikvah joined the ranks of four of our other children:  she made it alive to her first birthday.  We feel pretty proud, we've only lost one...okay, just kidding, but we count them all making it as far as they have a true miracle.  Have you ever met these kids' parents?  

To celebrate the big day we had first birthday smoothie

 

and milk.

For dinner, she got her first slice of pizza,

homemade pizza.

She did not approve,

and would not even try a bite.

Grandma rescued her from the wretched pizza

and soon we were opening presents.

Our traditional one-year old gift, stuffed animal and book, was given.

Tikvah's animal is the kinkajou, so we enjoyed a reading of the book, Peeper! the kinkajou and

the other kids immediately threw her kinkajou into her crib so she could have it handy at bedtime.

There were lots of other fun gifts, but her favorite so far, has probably been this noisy, light up book from Auntie Laura.

I was just thinking a few weeks ago how we have a real shortage of noisy things around here.  With five kids, a cat that won't stop meowing, and a mom who talks non stop, we need more noise.  I guess that means we'll just have to cut Joe's word quota back from 10 to 5 words a day to compensate.  Seriously, though, I hardly notice the thing and she really does enjoy it, at least when she can rip it out of someone else's hands to play with it.

She also got this great picture from sister Xandra of Tikvah and Xandra sitting on our white couch (kind of hard to see) with the blue wall and black bookshelf in the background.  It sort of looks like a swimming pool, but if you know it's our white couch, blue wall and black bookshelf it's all very clear.  And very sweet.

Kind of like a one year old kinkajou.  

Happy Birthday Tikvah.  

We love you and the non-pizza eating girl that you are!  

Pot Painting

The weekend of Tikvah and Aliyah's birthdays, Grandma Mary and Grandpa Tim were in town.  Gramps had a class he was teaching which meant he left grandma with us.  While he worked, we played.

Grandma brought along a painting project for the kids.

They each worked so hard and so carefully on their flower pots.

The finished product is now proudly displayed in their windows.

Mustache Envy

The first weekend in March, Xandra and Theia went to a Boxcar Children Mystery birthday party. They came with tales of great fun and a few souveniers.

 

 

 

The fake mustaches made the rounds.

 

Even Grandma Mary,

 

and Aliyah gave them a try.

 

Grandpa Tim didn't seem impressed.

 

I think he had mustache envy.

Keep Trying

The girls found Tikvah in their room with this sippy cup

 

 

 and try as she might, she couldn't get a lick of orange juice out of it.

 

 

Should we tell her it belongs to the dolly or just let her keep trying?