Family Art Project

While Nana, Poppi, Jon, Mo and Elsa were in town, we requested the skills of my brother to design a canvas for our living room wall. It ended up being a great project that everyone could help with... check it out!

The project began with each granddaughter painting a corner... Elsa wasn't such a fan of the mess.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, jumped right in... literally.

Elizabeth loved painting... anything she could get her hands on.

She quickly picked up the concept of painting leaves.

Grace and mommy pressing a leaf onto the canvas.

Elsa chose to supervise.

Nana and Elsa having a conversation with Elizabeth adding her own 2 cents.

Hannah adding a leaf to the canvas.

Jon perfected the technique by the last corner.

About this time, thunder started rumbling. Thanks to Becky and Andrew, our downstairs friends and neighbors, all our efforts were NOT washed away.

Elizabeth moving from painting leaves to painting her fingers.

Hannah was in her element.

The finished product hanging on our living room wall... we are very pleased with the result!

Jon, thanks for your leadership and vision!

Hess Family Visit 2012

We just finished a week jammed packed with family, fun and love. It is hard to believe the week we were looking forward to for so long is over:-(. As we were leaving the airport, Hannah was in tears (as was mommy), Hannah said "Next year we need to be together for 2 weeks and it has to go slow." Gracie piped up, "5 weeks." Hannah responded, "No, Gracie, 5 weeks is too long." Oh, those kiddos... it would be nice to see family more than once a year, but we were so blessed by the week we did have. Here is just a preview... (special thanks to Maureen for being our photographer!)

We flew a kite and rode bike at the high school.

We played at the park and the beach.

We celebrated Gracie's 3rd birthday.

We created a beautiful painting for our living room.

Check back, I hope to share more of our fun week. Love you, family!

Grace's 3rd Birthday

At the last, the moment you have all be waiting for... Daddy's Birthday Cake for Grace. Well, before we get to that moment, here are some pre-pictures from her birthday. On Grace's actually birthday, we had a family dinner and gave her our presents... the game "Hungry Hungry Hippo" and a stroller for her baby. Grace asked for a "circle pizza" and strawberries for her birthday dinner. I also let her pick out a cake at the grocery store, because it seemed sad not to have a cake on her actual day.

Apparently there is a helium shortage, so we had to go with the balloon on the stick.

The party we saved for when Nana, Poppi, Uncle Jon, Aunt Mo and Elsa arrived. We make shrimp kabobs on the grill... yummy!

After dinner, THE CAKE... Grace had asked for a "Sack Cake." For those of you who don't know what a "sack" is, it is like a "snuggie" for babies. Since babies are not to have blankets in their cribs, this can be used as a blanket. Well, Grace has long out-grown her sack, but she uses it as her "lovey."

So, how did daddy do? We think it did pretty well and for days after this, Grace would come up to daddy and say "Daddy, I wuved my cake. Thank you SO MUCH!"

9 cakes down 45 more to go!

Questions with Grace at age 3

Grace Elise at Age 3

 Interview with Grace:

1. What is your favorite color? red
2. What is your favorite toy? Abby Caddaby
3. What is your favorite fruit? manana (banana)
4. What is your favorite tv show? Curious George
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? cheesits
6. What is your favorite outfit? dada dresses (dancing)
7. What is your favorite game? Uno Attack
8. What is your favorite snack? Ice cream cones
9. What is your favorite animal? none
10. What is your favorite song? Abby's song
11. What is your favorite book? none
12. Who is your best friend? Nathan and Sam
13. What is your favorite cereal? Strawberry Healthy Morning
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? play  in the backyard
15. What is your favorite drink? apple juice
16. What is your favorite holiday? none
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Strawberry Shortcake
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? cereal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? circle pizza
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? nothing
21. What was your favorite thing about being 2? going to be 3
22. What are you looking forward to about being 3? nothing

Mommy/Baby Group 5th Birthday Party

5 years ago, a group of new moms met each other through the Beverly Hospital Moms group. We met weekly for support and encouragement, led by a couple lactation consultants. After our meetings, many of us would go out to lunch together, rejoicing that we had someone else to talk to, who "got it"... all those new mom questions, anxieties and need just to TALK to someone.

Out of that group, (thanks to Rebecca Sly and Lizzie approaching Hannah and I) Rebecca and I starting meeting at the Pleasant Street Tea Company and invited other moms to join us. When we "graduated" out of the Beverly Hospital group, we continued meeting together weekly for a good 9+ months?!?!?

Our babies all turned 1, the summer of 2008 and we had a celebration. Here is the group in 2008.

(back row) Rebecca and Lizzie, Heather and Ellie, Amy and Winston and Solomon, Michelle and Thomas.
(front row) Amy and Lila, Me and Hannah, Alyson and Taryn, Kristen and Max, Suzzane and Jack, Gabriela and Mariana

 4 years later... many of us got together again for a 5 year old birthday. It was so fun to see how much the kids have changed!

(back row) Taryn, Ella, Hannah
(middle row) Max, Thomas, Lizzie, Lola
(front row) Mariana, Ellie

So much has changed. At the 1 year old birthday, we thought it was a lot of work to chase after 1. Now the 1 year olds have OPINIONS and some of them have siblings.

Amazing Carrot Cake!

Happy Birthday, 5 year olds!

Thanks Rebecca and family for hosting such a great party!

Bye, Bye curls:-(

Grace's hair has been getting SO LONG and she refuses to let me put it up in a pony tail or braid. The last couple of days, she has been asking for me to cut it "because it is too wong." The other day I was in my room folding laundry, and Grace came running in my room asking me to cut her hair. I refused and went back to folding laundry. It wasn't long, when I realized the noise I was hearing was Grace and Elizabeth in the bathroom... where my haircutting box is kept! I ran in there... to my relief, they had only STARTED emptying the cabinet and had not reached the box of haircutting supplies. I think it is time to move the hair cutting box!

Anyway, this morning she was asking me again and I agreed. Bye Bye curls!

The haircut actually turned out pretty well. Elmo held her attention and her hair has enough waves still in it, that if I didn't cut it perfectly straight, you can't tell.

I hope to get a better after picture, but this is what I have for now. Grace says, "I yike it!"

Red, White, and Blue ~ Happy 4th of July!

Gloucester celebrates the 4th of July on the 3rd of July with a parade and fireworks. It is kind of nice that way. We were able to take in the celebrations last night... stay up way too late with some good friends AND have a day to sleep it off. Yes, even with kids, we were able to sleep in this morning... all the way to 8:00!

We had so much fun with Uncle Jim and Ann. They came over for dinner and Uncle Jim gave us some great tips for grilling. Thanks for the lesson and the delicious chicken! At about 6:45 we wandered down to find a place along the parade route to watch the Fishtown Horribles Parade. I kind of miss walking out my front door and sitting on the curb to watch the parade. Or, if necessary, going back inside and watching the parade from our apartment windows. There is just something nice about having a bathroom so close by... and we needed that... 2x last night:-).

Anyway, we found a place and sat down to wait... and wait... and wait a little more. At one point, we could see the firetrucks that lead the parade, but they weren't moving. Yet, they were close enough to worry the girls, so we had to practice covering our ears.

Ann and Grace covering each others' ears.

Hannah needing double protection.

Elizabeth's not worried... yet.

 The firetrucks started moving again... and the ear protection was very much needed. Elizabeth loved the police cars and continued waving after they passed us, but when the firetrucks came...

She was holding on to Uncle Jim for dear life. She wanted to climb as high as she could on him. Can you see her grip on his shirt? Yet, she did not cry and did not cover her eyes, she wanted to make sure she didn't miss a moment!

After the parade we returned to the house and I tried to convince the girls to go with me up the hill to watch the fireworks. Grace came with me (and Jim and Ann) for a bit, but very quickly demanded to go home because "the boom booms were too youd!" Hannah refused to leave the house and her daddy's arms. She said maybe when she's 6, the noise would be better.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!