first harvest.

This week we had enough things ready for picking that it was time to break out the shopping carts.  

Our carrots are miracles.  Every single one.  

I helped Miles plant them when I was 53 weeks pregnant.  I could barely bend over.  They basically got thrown in the dirt and then a monsoon happened the next day.  I was sure they had all washed away, but...

And after such a hot and unsuccessful summer in 2011, we're so happy to see cukes coming off the vine!

We've been eating radishes, lettuce and spinach for weeks, and now we have carrots, zucchini, squash and even a few strawberries!  

They both asked to eat a carrot "just like a rabbit" as soon as we got in the house (at like 9:30 in the morning...yay for getting excited over vegetables!).  

"I grew it myself". - M

"I'm like a bunny.  A PINK bunny!" - E

I just love how much they've grown up in this garden of ours.  

slip 'n slide.

While this one is swinging...

And while this one cautiously looks on in her pink tutu swimsuit (thanks to Aunt Trish)...

This one is learning about the slip 'n slide...

When I set it up and turned on the water he just stared at it, not quite sure what to do.  I'm super glad there wasn't anyone around with a camera when I showed him.  

Ella's Birthday Fun.

We tried to make Ella's birthday super special for her this year.  She needed a bit of fanfare after becoming a big sister and all.  I wanted to celebrate her and all her love for sparkly pink princess-y stuff.   

So like Miles, she awoke to a decorated room.   

 

Britton and I stayed up until midnight watching House and creating "flying lanterns" (from Tangled) for her room.  There really isn't anything I wouldn't do to ensure this...

On his lunch break, B picked up another of her presents from The Bike Shoppe and brought it home.

She loves surprises.  She voluntarily covered her eyes while he brought it in.  

"I go hide my eyes for my surprise!!"

At first she wasn't sure about her new tricycle, but by the end of the afternoon she was riding it all over the house.  

I took this photo on my phone to prove it...

...super happy birthday girl.

Also, she wore her new pink Minnie Mouse nightgown all day long.  There was NO talking her out of it.

Thanks to my awesome friends, we threw an impromptu birthday celebration.  I gave them about a day and a half notice and they came bearing gifts and smiles for my girl.  Such good friends I have.

The kids rolled out their own pizza dough and topped them just like we did when Miles turned three.

Then the kids got to decorate sugar cookies shaped like the letter "E" and hearts.  During this time I had to feed Emmett so Ella brought me her cookie across the room.  

She dumped the entire bowl of skittles out on top of her icing.  She was so proud.  

We sang.

She blew out the candles (with a little help).

She opened pink presents filled with pink and sparkly things.

Then later in the weekend she was surprised by her Papa and Grandma with this new play house! 

They came by shortly after she received 4,876 hair thingys from her beloved Aunt Rach, if you were wondering about her accessories.  

It was a wonderful birthday for my girl.  

Three.  

I recently read something someone wrote of their child turning another year older.  I can't remember where or exactly how they said it, but it was something like...

The days can be long, but the years are most certainly short.  

Here's to cherishing every day this year.  Even the hard ones.  

Happy Birthday Ella!

my girl is 3.

My sweet girl turned 3 years old today.

I can't imagine my life without her.

She's everything I've dreamed of.

Happy Birthday Ella!