Emma Birthday... A Couple Weeks Later

So I am finally getting around to posting about Emma's birthday. I have been busy lately. Her aunt and cousins came and visited the week of Emma's birthday. Her cousin Sophia went with her and they both got their ears pierced. Emma was very brave and only teared up afterwards for a minute. Sophia was amazing. She smiled afterwards. It was too funny. Mia insisted on watching the older girls get it done. I think my favorite picture is of Mia trying on glasses.

Before

After

On the Saturday following her birthday we had a party. It rained. :( It was still fun and we had our family and a couple friends over. Emma was such a great hostess. She tried to make sure everyone was introduced and included. These are some of my favorite shots from the party.

New Recipe

I have tried to make your basic crock pot shredded chicken with BBQ sauce sandwiches and am always disappointed. Then I had an idea...

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup BBQ sauce (I used Famous Dave's Sweet and Zesty)
1/2 can sprite
kosher salt, pepper, garlic

I sprinkled the chicken with the seasoning, and poured out the sauce and soda over the top. I cooked in the crock pot on low 6-8 hours and shredded. The kids ate it by itself and Charlie and I had it on the new thin wheat 100 calorie buns. (Charlie loves those buns BTW) So simply, but much better. I had to cut Emma off at three servings. Charlie, Justin and Mia all had seconds.
The sauce is very thin, but the flavor of the chicken is just right.

Super Stars

Emma and Mia are playing pretend. Emma's performer name is Hannah Montana. Mia's name is Star Boots. Yes, Emma is wearing a wig. I cannot tell you how much I love the wig, but especially the name Star Boots!

Earlier, they were playing on the trampoline and Toby threw up outside. Emma plugged her nose and Mia went to look at it. Emma told her to get away from it and plug her nose. Mia said she wanted to see what was in it. She thought maybe a leaf, but needed a closer look. These girls are so different, and each is prefect.

Yesterday I was doing Emma's hair and stopped halfway through. I told her I was done and asked what she thought. She loved it! I told her I was kidding and needed to finish her hair. She was upset, but I promised her she could wear her hair this way for crazy hair day or at least the last day of school. (And yes, I let her wear a blue and white striped shirt with a black and white polka-dot skirt to school. She had planned it out the day before and I guess I have to choose my battles.)

Put Some Feeling Into It!

Emma has been reading to me each day as part of her homework. She is a really good reader and enjoys it. Lately, it has been getting more entertaining. She will read to me and then yell a sentence. I will look at her and ask why she is yelling. She calmly tells me that there was an exclamation mark. Oh, okay then. She continues reading and then screams a word. I ask what is going on and she tells me that the word was completely capitalized. She is supposed to yell even louder for those. She's just following the rules.

You Have To Suffer To Be Beautiful

This was one of my grandma's favorite things to tell her granddaughters. Emma seems to be making it her motto as well. A few months ago we were leaving for school and I told Emma to pick some shoes so we could leave. She came running outside with some slip-on sneakers from 1 1/2-2 years ago. She excitedly tells me that she was able to squeeze her feet into them. Then she tells me that they must be magic shoes because they make her run really fast, even if they do hurt a little... AND they match her outfit!! Every once in a while since then she will get them out and wear them. (I went through the girls' shoes the other day and finally threw them out. Don't tell her.)

Emma has been asking to get her ears pierced for years now. I always tell her that it really hurts and that they have to shoot your ears with special earring guns. She always backed down until recently. She asked for them again and I talked about pain and guns. She wistfully said "I wish someone would shoot me in the ears." Then today I got out the computer and showed her several videos on youtube of little girls getting their ears pierced. Most of them screamed or cried. Emma quietly watched the videos and I thought that she was changing her mind. Then she tells me that she isn't sure if she will cry, but she still wants to do it. Well, her birthday is coming up, so I guess she will get her wish. The rule in my family when I was little was that you could get them when you were old enough to decide for yourself and take care them yourself. I guess she qualifies for that. It just makes me nervous for some reason.

It's Almost Spring

I decided it was time to make some new giant flower headbands. Some are cute, and some (one in particular) I think I made so ridiculous that my girls absolutely love it! Part of me wants them to wear it in public just for a good laugh, and part of me thinks I should burn it now. As I was making them the girls kept giving me more and more flowers to put on.

I also realized that I still had pictures from Christmas on my camera. Oops. Better late than never. I love that Mia opened presents Christmas morning in a swimsuit.

Just Loafing Around

Justin: Mom, are you going to mop today?
Me: (cautiously) Why yes, I was planning on it.
Justin: You know, if you mop first thing this morning then you will have the rest of the day to play games and do whatever you want.
Me: Oh, Justin, you have no idea what you are talking about.

Justin looks confused. I proceed to list off everything I have to do today on both hands, not including normal motherly duties.

Justin: Oh...