Birthday Wishes and Birthday Tears

Birthday Wishes:

Tuesday was Sammy's birthday. We had all of her little friends over for a party today. Weeks ago, I asked Sammy what theme she wanted for her party. She decided on "Hello Kitty." So I bought "Hello Kitty" napkins, tablecloth, birthday hats, cups etc. Last week, we went to pick out her cake at the bakery. She saw the "Hello Kitty" cake but then she saw the Little Mermaid/Ariel cake and that is what she wanted. Being the flexible mother that I am, I improvised and she had a Hello Kitty/Little Mermaid party. Besides, you are only four once!

Birthday Tears:


Sammy got Tinker Bell underwear for her birthday on Tuesday (when we had the family party). On Wednesday when we had all her friends over for a swimming party, she really wanted to wear her new underwear. However, she needed to wear her swimming suit so she could get wet. She thought she could do both and just wear her underwear over her swimming suit for the party. Obviously, I objected to this duo. It was with great tears and much convincing on my part that she finally gave in. She sobbed to me that they were her very favorite and that she really wanted to show her friends.



Overall, Sammy had a great birthday! She is thrilled to be able to say for REAL now that she is four and feels so grown up!

Licking Ariel while wearing Hello Kitty hat

Even though her eyes are closed in this picture, make no mistake - the girl is HAPPY!

Tossing water balloons

Popping water balloons

After sleeping on curlers, Sammy's hair came out beautiful. However, she wouldn't look at the camera so this is the best I got of her.

Exhausted after a full day at the beach in St. Joseph's, Michigan. Her friend really was asleep, Sammy wasn't far from it.

Hanging out at the beach

Fourth of July weekend at the zoo

Sammy and her alligator friend at the zoo

Summer Time Creativity

So we invited the neighborhood over for a water party. After the slip n' slide got old (I forgot to take pictures of that part) and everyone seemed a bit bored we came up with this. It was a huge hit. I have never seen so many kids crammed in our club house to take their turn on the slide. We had our very own water park! Final count was 18 kids and 4 adults. I wish you could see all the kids crammed in the club house better. It was quite a sight.

This kid went in the pool with the biggest splashes. He soaked me and my camera! Fortunately, my camera still works.

This girl is holding her nose because there was so much water in the pool that you literally went under. Abby was there too, however I somehow didn't get any pictures of her. She did have a huge fit when everyone went home and I deflated the pool though. She would have done it all night, if she could. Now almost daily, she asks me if we can do it again....

Go Sammy!

Look Mom...

Look Mom, I'm as big as you....

...yes, and the shape is exactly the same as well....

FREEDOM at last!

Here is Alexandra on the day she got her cast off. They put ear phones on her because the saw was very loud. She didn't cry at first. I think she was just stunned and not sure what was happening to her.

Here she is a minute or so into the sawing and still not crying. What a brave little baby. You can see Abby, Sammy and my doodles on her cast. I thought I was pretty clever to write "Baby Under Construction" on it. Heh heh!

I love that she is also holding on to the ear phones, bracing herself for what is coming.

It was so nice to see that thing come off.

She started crying after a few minutes. Charles said it was probably from the strong vibration more than the sound.

She was pretty much screaming and really having a fit by this point.

All done! Her legs looked remarkably good. They were a little dry and flaky but nothing too serious. We also found the petals of a little flower under there. (You can see it just above her ankle.) I don't know how that got there. Also, the doctors and nurses said that her cast was one of the CLEANEST they have seen. I took that as a great compliment to myself for being such a fabulous mother and attacking any leaky diapers with severe force. It was a lot of hard work and it made it all worth it for them to say that... I am so good!

It has been fun to watch Alexandra discover her legs. The first day she literally looked at them and felt them with a little puzzled look on her face.

Her cast came off on Thursday and by Saturday she was already rolling over. By the following Tuesday and Wednesday (today) she is scooting herself in reverse and covering some ground. It is so fun to see her progress. I guess the doctor was right, she won't need any physical therapy.

I am loving giving this girl a bath. Charles can't believe how long it takes me but I am just enjoying it so much and so is she. I love having a clean baby for REAL. Abby loves to carry her around and Sammy can now carry her too. They get in fights about who gets to carry her next. I have to limit them though because she will never learn to move if it were up to those two.

She is now also wearing a rhino brace which is NOTHING compared to the cast. It basically goes around her hips and keeps her legs in the spread-out position. It is made of foam. She has to wear it for 20 hours a day until the beginning of August. After that, she will just sleep in it. I have realized when we have taken her out that she prefers the brace to sleep, otherwise she doesn't go to sleep. Who wouldn't want their cozy brace that makes you do the perma-splits while you sleep? Aaaahhh now that's comfort!