Mardi Gras 2012

Mardi Gras festivities are still going strong and have been just as busy this year as any other year. Especially now that we have Savanna full time we had to make a few special arrangements.

Here is our sweet little family!!



However, one huge advantage of having Savanna this year meant that for the first time she was able to see JC on his float. I know that JC has always wanted her to see him on his float but it has just been too complicated in the past to bother arranging. But...this year, Mamzy agreed to bring Savanna down to the parade and then stay the night at our house with her.


Savanna had a fabulous time.





Some details..my ball was first, on Valentine's Day actually! Our theme was Jungle Love...hence to costumes!! Mom and I rode together and had a great night!


Me and my handsome hubby!



Next was JC's ball. First we waited to see him and catch all kinds of goodies. Then we (me, mom, Savanna and some other dates) waited for the parade to pass. After it was over, Mamzy and Savanna went home and I went into the ball.

One tradition my husband started when we were first dating was to throw me a stuffed a penguin from the float.....this year he added a baby one for Savanna!!


Of course...she wants my Penguin!!! (He's hidden for now until I add him to my collection at school)!

Bicycle, Bicycle, Go So Fast...

Bicycle, Bicycle, Do Not Crash!

We had a really hard time with the bicycle at first! In fact she had nothing to do with it! But suddenly....she has really gotten the hang of it!

And of course....any girl would do better in a costume, especially a magic one like Tinker Bell!

A Little Dress Up!!

My how these pictures do not reveal the week we have had!! A few facts that our princess is facing.....



1)This is for real,
2)We get up and go EVERY day,
3)Yes...we have rules and chores,



4)I will always honk when I pass the front of the house and see you in the window,
5)I can tell when you haven't brushed your teeth,
6)Sprout is a reward not a requirement,



7)When I say I'm going to be a little late to pick you up...you do not have to respond, "I'll be in the office because everybody leaves" (not that late),
8)I understand you cannot run as fast in your white keds as you can in your tennis shoes...but sometimes they are cuter
9)No, your brush does not have knots, it's your hair baby!

...and finally, no matter how hard you try you can't push us away....


10)Love is UNCONDITIONAL!

God, What are YOU Thinking?

Here is a post I wrote about two weeks ago: **I decided to post it today after I read the link you can follow at the bottom!

My new title for it is: A New Perspective

HELP?!?!?!

I have no idea what I am doing....as a new parent. Not to a newborn, I imagine that to be easier, but to a 4 year old. A real, live, opinioned character who has her own thoughts, wishes, and plans! I am afraid I am failing. How do you take a child, who has for the most part been raised by someone else, and make her fit into our lives??? It's different than every other weekend, it's everyday, all day, real life parenting!

I have been around kids my whole life. I've worked in daycares for years...but for some reason this is harder!!

Are my expectations too high?? Do I challenge her more than I should??? Do I instigate problems more than avoiding them?? Do I teach her valuable lessons or am I wasting my time? Does she have enough responsibilities....or too many?? Do I push her too far or do I back down to easy??

I have no FREAKING clue!?!?!

Now read this....

I Don't Want to Raise a Good Child

Prima Ballerina....or something like that!!

This week was visitor's week at ballet and Savanna was very excited!! She may have been slightly under the weather since she had her booster shots yesterday...which she has constantly reminded us, were no fun!!

Anyways...here are a few shots. You never can tell how these little ones will do! One minute she's on and the next minute I think she has forgotten what first position even is!!




Here is Savanna and her cousin Isabella


GRACE



We were still proud...as any parents would be! And in case I forgot to mention...these girls are all just about one year ahead of Savanna in age!

Our Last Disney Day!!

Our fourth morning started off with a character breakfast at Chef Mickey's!! We chose to do this breakfast to get to see some other characters...besides the princesses!!

This was a great time...the food was great and things just moved along easily!!

First we had to wait in a short line....I started to get frustrated because we had a reservation...but we didn't wait long!





Then we had a family picture! The other reservations included a picture, but not this one...we bought it anyways!



Then came the characters....
Donald

Mickey

Minnie


Pluto

Goofy


After breakfast we headed back to the Magic Kindgom...to find the ONE AND ONLY LOST PRINCESS!!!




Daddy got his Mickey Ears (ice cream)!



AND THEN.....We found her....(about 2 hour wait)...RAPUNZEL!!! It was awesome and Savanna was amazed!!!




Seeing Rapunzel was the only thing we did this day at the Magic Kingdom.


We had not originally planned to go to the Animal Kingdom but after hearing so many wonderful things about The Festival of the Lion King...we decided to go!! A PERFECT decision...it was awesome!

Savanna met Pocahontas..


We had relaxing lunch..


Watched the Lion King..


We also rode one more ride there....Dinosaur (Savanna's second least favorite ride)!!

We really enjoyed our trip...but it was a lot of work!! Four park days was really the max for us...it starts to get old waking everyday!! When we took it slow and just went to the parks for a few things...we had a much better day!

AND..don't think we didn't order the professional CD of photos....I'll post those when I get them!