Biggest/Littlest Fan

...Christmas Day the karaoke machine arrives and Marianna of course performs "Love Story" first thing. Truth be told, the song (and singing) has gotten a little old around here but Daniella still apparently LOVES to hear her sister sing. She is her biggest (or shall I say littlest) fan!

3 or 13?

I have a couple more videos to post from Christmas day, but this was taken today and I got a huge kick out of it.

Marianna loved spending time in her room before listening to music, but now, with the Karoke machine in her room and her new Taylor Swift Cd (and her MobiGo and Vtech reader)...she gained so much more independence overnight! I hadn't heard from her in a while, but I knew she was upstairs and when I came up all of her new dress up clothes were on and she was singing her lungs out to "you belong with me"....after that it was on to read books from the vtech reader...we didn't see her for almost an hour!

So cute!!

Motivated Marianna

We have been working hard on Marianna's handwriting over here. A few weeks ago we bought some dry erase workbooks that Marianna has been working very hard at every letter in the alphabet. Motivated all by herself. It doesn't surprise me that all of her practice and hard work she is already able to spell her own name. We are so proud of every little achievement but I think this is pretty cool. (thank you Santa for the new easel to practice on :-)

(the pink dry erase marker makes it really hard to see though!!!)

Happy Birthday, Alex

Marianna was invited to Alex Rikers 5th birthday today and she was so excited. However, no one was more excited than mommy who came to realize that it was a DROP OFF PARTY! Marianna's first drop off party! I had 2 1/2 hours to myself to finish Christmas shopping and drive around town...all by myself!! (happy birthday/merry Christmas and happy new year to me!!)

When I came to pick Marianna up she was having the BEST TIME EVER and wants to have her birthday party there now too! It was a pajama party theme and here are some pictures from the end of the party.

Trying to get one group shot...

They made these adorable little bead purses...and the birthday girl Alex

Reinventing Fun

On some days, I need to rotate toys and make things new again. Today, I brought in the car that we play with outside and the girls had tons of fun pushing and playing with it around the house...much to daddy's dismay who thought someone was going to get hurt :)
Daniella loves getting in and out of the car and has some pretty creative ways of doing so...

I actually LOVE my Santa hat...

Hijacked!

The Calm Before the Storm

On Monday, the roads were terrible. Most all schools in Oakland County were closed and Mommy took a needed snow day to close out her 2010 work. Little did she know that this day was the last day of good health for anyone for the week!
Prior to the "storm" that took us all down this week, Marianna and I spent time making Christmas cookies which I later threw away because I was convinced that some questionable eggs made us all sick. (however, now I am sure it was a gi virus and not food/cookie posioning).

Daniella loves to play peekaboo and hide and go seek. These are here favorite games. She is quite a cuddler too and her current "lovey" besides her little giraffe pillow, is Beary. On this morning, he was strapped in eating breakfast with her.

Sweet Tooth

Marianna had so much fun decorating christmas cookies with mom today...we can't wait to sample our hard work!

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Winter Wonderland

The girls loved the snow and sledding this evening!  Let it snow...but not be so cold and windy!

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Bouce U Birthday

Right after (and by right after I mean during) Santa Brunch, Marianna had a birthday party for her friends Emme and Jahnvi at Bounce U in Troy. It was our first (probably of many) trip to bounce u and Marianna had a blast!

The three amigas! (Talia, Madeline, and Marianna)

...and there was one other table full of kids!

Birmingham Santa Brunch

Santa brunch was today and it was as beautiful as ever! Here are some pictures of the girls all dressed up!

Marianna LOVED Santa Claus! Daniella not so much....