March Madness

 We had one nice day out and Savannah hopped back on her bike

 Seth checking out a bike in REI

 Big birthday hugs don't get better than this

 At the Aquarium

 Seth kept say, "Check dis out" at the aquarium.  So cute.

 Looking at the fish

 Look and see

 Waiting for the sea lion show

 Wathicng the sea lions

 Sea Lion show

 Loves fish

 Jelly Fish

 Lion Fish

 Savannah and the jelly fish

 Looking a thte tropical fish

 Just my level

 Like a lobster

 Touch Pool

 Sting Ray Pool

 Dinner at Mommy's Fav tonight--S &P Oyster in Mystic

 Happy Birthday Mommy.  Usually a beautiful water view.  Still really nice, but it was pouring rain and grey.

 Never miss an opportunity to try dessert, even if it is tiramasu.

 Seth and Savannah giving me cards

 Mommy got a GPS to always find her way

 Cannoli's are one of my favorites

 Wishes come true, but always more to be made

YUM to end a fantastic day with my hubby and kiddos

March Madness in our house has nothing to do with basketball.  Here it is birthdays.  Seth the 12th, Savannah the 17th and Mommy the 21st.  So we have lots of celebrating to do and much to be grateful for.  Even though March is a bittersweet month, the kids make it a brighter time for our family.  How can you not be happy and smile when you have these two and their joy and excitement?

My birthday fell on a Monday when Savannah just happened to have off from school for Parent Teacher Conferences and Rich's new schedule has him off on Mondays.  Seth was of course home and around and about doing his regular little 2 year old things.

I started the day by going to the salon and then Starbucks.  While there, it started snowing.  Big snowflakes and a wet snow.  Yuck.  I am moving to Florida.  It is snowing on my birthday.  It kept snowing before changing to rain around 1 p.m.  I wanted to go outlet shopping, but all the outlets around here are outside and in a 40 degree rain, not too pleasant.  Then we were thinking of the Butterfly Conservatory, but without doing the outside part, you miss a lot.  So we are saving that for Mother's Day.  We finally decided to go to Mysic, CT.  It is MUCH nicer in the sun, but the aquarium was open and we never do the inside exchibts because we always tend to go on a nice day.  So, we went there and had a great time and enjoy it being uncrowded for once.  We went to my favorite restaurant which has a beautiful view of the Mystic River and I had shrimp risotto and tiramisu with my three besties.  Can't get much better than that. 

After we got home we relaxed and opened my gift which is a Garmin GPS, which is useful, practical and much needed.  I have a terrible sense of direction and tend not to go places in fear of getting lost.  So, this should open up a new world to me and the kids and we can venture out and about more.  What a good idea Daddy!  5 stars!  All and all we had a great week of celebrations and I feel very lucky and blessed.  

Lucky Girl Turns Five

 First some Puppy Love

 Just needs his bed and a ball

 Tuckered out

 Who Me?

 The day before her birthday. 

 St. Patty's Birthday Girl

 At Applebee's for her birthday--her choice

 Good morning gorgeous 5 year old

 Got flowers from Papa and Sheila

 Yummy Dessert

 Seth thought her hat was hysterical

 Got a Tangled watch

 Surprise

 Time for dessert

 Oh Wow Chocolate Covered Strawberries

 Lovin' celebrating Savannah's birthday

Sweet treats for the sweeties

I cannot even believe I am writing this post.  Savannah 5?  No way.  That was YEARS away.  It is not possible that the tiny 6 pound, 12 oz. girl we met in Guatemala on April 15, 2006 is FIVE.  Five sound really like a big girl.  That is a whole person that is eligible for school, loses teeth, and is learning to read and write.  Five is no baby.  Five is a big girl.  And that she is.  And we love her.  All of her.  She is such a blessing.  Her sensitivity, her kindness and caring nature along with her definite ideas, independent thinking and sassiness.  She is the whole package.  And we love that about her.  We had a fantastic five celebration with family and friends joining in her party and then celebrating JUST HER at her favorite restaurant, Applebees, with just Mommy.  Then picking out a present at TJ Maxx and going home and having Chocolate Covered Strawberries for dessert, which are her favorite.  Then on Friday night we went out to Ruby Tuesday to celebrate as a family (again her choice).  She got many special gifts including earrings, clothes, a Rapunzel watch, tons of art stuff, puzzles, board games, and baby dolls. 

In school she did a special ceremony where she held a model globe and they lit a candle in the middle of the circle and she walked around it 5 times for each year she is alive to describe how the earth moves around the sun (the candle is the sun) and that is how long the rotation takes for another birthday.  Each time she made a rotation they showed a picture of her that year.  I think that is the nicest tribute.  I love it.  She also brought "fruit cups" since they do not allow sweets.  We did kiwi, green grapes, and blueberry on top.  She also brought rainbow goldfish.

She really understood a birthday this year and had an awesome time and was an amazing girl.  We are looking forward to a year of many firsts and a lot of growing up.  Five is an incredible growth year.

Look Who is Two and BIg Party

Papa and Sheila arrive for birthday celebration

Lucky Savannah got an early birthday present

Seth using his new toy phone

Ready to sing to Seth

Ready

So excited about his birthday

Seth likes licking the candle

2 year old on birthday morning having cereal

Look who is two

Happy to Celebrate

Family

Miso Soup

Bring it on.  I love my soup

Savannah giving Seth the present from her

Seth's veyr own DVD player.  He said WOW when he opened it

Time to party at Timbergyms

Our beautiful big girl decked out in Tangled attire

Savannah and her friends Gabe and Adrianna

Yummy birthday snacks

Happy Boy with a Balloon

Mommy and her cute kitten

The boys at the train table

Happy boy ready to slide

Through the tunnel

Got her face painted--meow

Family fun with friends at the party

Grandparents celebrating and ready for cake

Was amazing how they did the cake for both of them

Papa and his daughter and grandchildren

A beautiful big happy girl

And here she comes and the party is over

This was an exciting and fun filled weekend with family and friends as we celebrated Seth's birthday and had a joint birthday party at Timbergyms to celebrate two birthdays since Savannah's is coming up on Thursday.  Papa, Sheila, Grandma and Grandpa arrived on Saturday (after our celebration started during the week with Auntie I visiting), which was Seth's 2nd Birthday.  We went out and celebrated at Sakura Garden with rice, Miso Soup, and tempura.  It was great. 

The next day we had an outstanding, fun filled, party at Timbergyms which is like an inside playground with playscapes, ride on toys, bounce house, train table, playhouses, etc.  They also had a treasure hunt, magic show, pizza and cake.  We had over 50 people and there was something for everyone.  They did such an amazing job with everything and there was no hassle or clean up for us and we could just enjoy.  It took Seth a little while to warm up and understand and not feel overwhelmed, but that is ok and understandable.  He is two and it was an unfamiliar environment with a lot of people in a big place.  He had an awesome time for the last half hour and Savannah just had fun and joy from the moment it started to the second it ended (and even a little after).  It was a smashing success and we were all so happy to see so many people having so much fun.  Afterwards Seth took a big nap and then we went out to dinner.  It was a banner weekend with lots fun and family.