March Madness

John, Ava and Olivia's birthdays (and Ancho's unofficial, made up birthday), a trip to Florida, Easter and D day...so much packed into one month.  Although madness sums it up, I wouldn't have changed a second.

The month started with what I will call 'birthday therapy'.  Not long before Emmy's third birthday we received our official diagnosis.  I was determined to celebrate her third birthday with a big, fat smile on my face.  Well, that's not exactly what happened.  I had my brother and sister's families here, decorations up, cake ready and I put on a good show for a while.  But by the end of it I was in my room crying.  Watching all the kids enjoy the party while Emmy was so withdrawn and unhappy (this was mid regression) did me in.  Since then, birthdays have been a little tough, even Ava's.  On Emmy's fourth birthday I spent the day fighting with the bus company trying to get a shorter route or an air conditioned bus since she recently began throwing up and becoming altogether unregulated in the heat.  After spending the first half of the day on the phone (school was starting the next day and I needed to get it settled) we opted to hop in the car and head to Lake Geneva.  It turned out to be a beautiful day, we all had fun but I still couldn't quite shake the sadness.  Enter 'birthday therapy'.  As I began thinking about Olivia's 1st and Ava's 7th birthdays, I found myself getting all pinteresty.  This is rare.  But as the planning began I realized this was therapy.  For me.  I don't know what birthdays will bring from here on out but I thought it was time to start enjoying their day.  So on St. Patrick's Day (Olivia's b-day) we had a rainbow party for both girls.  It was an awesome day,  complete with family, corned beef, Guinness, a scavenger hunt, leprechaun sightings, etc.

Notice one of our litte pinterest projects hanging from the ceiling.  These were yarn balloons described by the crafty moms as 'easy peasy'.  Let's just say wet gluey yarn, slippery balloons and a seven year old mixed together is far from easy peasy but we had a lot of fun making them.  Ava stayed up late with John and I and we worked on our little creation together.

John came up with a little device for Ava to use to make sure the yarn didn't get tangled and it had just the right amount of glueness.  She loved it.

Olivia was a little hesitant when it came time for cake.  After she got over the sticky hands, she dug in and enjoyed.

My little leprechaun (sporting Kendra's hat) enjoying her new ladybug toy compliments the Lummis Family. 

Pinata time



     

I'll have to post about the rest of the madness later.  Olivia's up from nap and protesting : )