T-shirt Tradition II, 2012

Every year we take a picture of the kids on (or close to) their birthdays wearing an old t-shirt of ours, as a way to show how much they have grown since the year before.

Here is Sadie this year. 

 (She's 5! In case you hadn't noticed.....)

This is last year. 

And when she turned 3 (in Tasmania). 

And the year before that. (When she turned 2 - the first birthday she celebrated with us.)

Party Time

Everybody is ready to go on a scavenger hunt. 

 The girls' team

 The boys' team

 Sam found his!

 Sadie found hers!

 An attempt at a group shot of the girls with the slap bracelets they hunted for.

 Joe shows them how it's done.

 Sadie's turn - right on the money!

 Lunch time

 Present time

 I think Riley would like to take this one home with her.

 The boys' watching spot.

 Pinata time

 Nobody broke an arm this time. :)

One last shot with Grandma and Papa before they head home. 

Birthday Cakes

As requested, Grandma made the cake. (No argument from me!) 

Birthday presents

Grandma and Papa were here Friday and Saturday to help celebrate Sadie's birthday (and make the cake, since Sadie informed me I wasn't allowed to - only Grandma and Papa). We opened presents Saturday morning before Sadie's party.

Are these all for me?

 A sewing machine - I can be just like Grandma!

 The long-desired picnic basket. Who cares if it says for kids 12-36 months?

 My own lightsaber! Thank you Matt, Elisa, and Ben!

 Back off, dear brother, this is mine!

 The force is with me.

Modeling her new glasses, robe, and shoes - girls are SO easy to please! I highly doubt her brother would have been happy with any similar items...

Yes, you are 5!

Nearly every day since Sam's birthday earlier this month, one of the first things Sadie says to me each morning is "Am I five yet?"

Today she was thrilled when I finally got to say yes!

Here's a video from last night discussing it. 

Super-triplets

(Somebody should really comb Sadie's hair....oh, that would be me.) 

 What do you want me to do?

 The littlest flyer is going AWOL.

 ...and he's back. And he can fly with just one arm!

More Christmas

Then we headed back to Plainfield to celebrate with my family. We had lots of fun with Grandma, Papa, Matt, Elisa, Carl, Alissa, and Ben.

Mini-Coke glasses in the stocking-bags.

 The wall track was a major hit with everyone.

 Papa is turning out to be quite the crafty guy.

 It's always better when Uncle Matt reads to you.

 Dueling magna-doodles.

 Just hanging out with Grandma.

 It was even warm enough for a trip to the park - Sadie got to test out her new "PLAIN PURPLE BIKE!"

 Grandma snuggles.

 Cousin time.

 And every once in a while I got to play with Ben, too.

 Ben would like to play Wii, too. Or at least use a remote as a telephone.

 Storytime.

 Weigies. For the second time. Because Grandma is here and she always says yes to that request.

 Bonding with Uncle Joe.

 And more hanging out with Grandma.

 Ben eventually came to love Gus and got quite the giggles when Gus would lick him.

 Uncle Carl was here too - supervising Operation.