Rose had the best dance class on her birthday!  When we were in the waiting area changing out her shoes, she asked her teacher, “Will you sing Happy Birthday to me?”  She said that in 17 years of teaching, no kid has asked her to sing them happy birthday.  That’s our Rose, just as precious as they come!  So our class and the class that goes in after ours all sat around her and sang a spontaneous Happy Birthday to Rose!  Since it was so unexpected, the girls were all super excited and dove in to give Rose lots of hugs!!!  It was just about the sweetest thing I have ever seen, and I will never ever forget it!  Since I was holding Rose to get her shoes on, I didn’t get any pictures, but that is one memory that will live on in my heart forever!  What a sweetheart!

   

 

After a quick lunch and nap, we headed to the doctor.  On her birthday, I know.  We have a little ouchie that had to been seen today, but we have medicine and she’ll get well quickly.  We’ve been around the block with ouchies! 

My finger sucking littles!  Our dentist is going to be so mad at me at our check-ups this spring.  He personally brought over Mavala, a bitter polish for their fingers, but every time I use it, we have major melt-downs all day, and I just don’t have the strength.  We keep saying, after Christmas, after birthdays, during spring break, but quite honestly, they depend on those fingers to calm them down.  It’s a habit we have to break somehow… so if any of you brand new moms out there see your baby start putting their fingers in their mouth, please use the baby mittens.  It’s a lot easier dealing with it before they become dependent on them.  (and I thought the gloves were only used so they wouldn’t scratch their little faces with their finger nails, and since I kept their nails cut short, I never used them… no one told me, so hopefully I can tell someone else – use the little soft mittens!)  You will thank me later, ha!

 

Back to the birthday girl, lollipop cheers and a sweet birthday kiss from sissy!  And yes, she went to the doctor in her Ariel dress-up costume!  Birthday girl’s choice, and I thought it was totally perfect for our 3 year old!  Next up, the big birthday surprise!

  

There are no words to express how much life, joy, laughter, and love you have brought into all of our lives!  From your crazy messes to your sweet open armed hugs and expressive little/big voice, you will always be our sweet baby Rose.  A thousand I love yous!!!  Happy 3rd Birthday, Rose Blossom!  (“No, I not Rose Blossom, I Roro!”) 

 

Anna Kate has been seriously into dress-up, but it’s been unconventional.  Most of it is putting together interesting combinations of Noelle’s clothes.  She isn’t playing around with her own clothes unless it involves a bikini top of some kind, shorts, and cowboy boots.  She’s totally adorable!  And Noelle!  She has taught herself over 6 different patterns on her rainbow loom.  She’s always watching how-to videos and making bracelets for all of her friends!  Her last feat was the ladder pattern.  She’s rockin’ it!

Here’s a peek into a little bit of what we’ve been up to through the lens of my phone.  I’ll let your imagination run wild making up your own captions this time, lol!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

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A couple of weekends ago, Noelle had a blast hanging out with Jake at Cheer Texas for his birthday!

Noelle and I were having SO much fun taking pictures together!  It’s our little hobby if ya didn’t notice! 

 

Emerson had a fun Cheer Texas birthday party a couple of weekends ago too, but a friend took Noelle, so I didn’t get any pics of that one.  Happy Birthday, Emerson!

  

This is my Noelle bug!  With every click of the camera, she could strike a different pose ALL DAY LONG!  Love you to pieces, girlfriend!!!

 

Anna Kate had so much fun kicking off her last semester of pre-school!  All of the pictures in this post were hand selected for you to see by Anna Kate from 1,000s of images that Mrs. Paula put up for her pre-k students’ parents to view last month.  First up, studying the letter “P” and making pigs in the blanket for lunch one day!

 

Learning all about the anatomy of trees!  Anna Kate thinks her tree is the top right tree in the right picture.

 

Next up, the science museum!

 

I asked Anna Kate what she was saying in the picture on the right, and she said, “Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!”  Sweet girl!

 

These pictures are making me miss her long hair!  She loves her bob though, and I do too!  She’s precious!  She wanted everyone to know that the turtle front and center is REAL!  I’m not sure if it was at one point or not, but I promised her that I would tell you guys what she said!

 

Sweet Mommy Kate!

 

She told me she knows how to check out super fast!  Next up, was checking out a stuffed penguin.  Our girl was totally interested and all ears!

When I first saw this picture, I said, “What are you guys doing?”  She said, “We’re sliding around like the penguins on the wall behind us!!!”  How clever!

 

Penguin row!

 

Anna Kate wasn’t there on the days they made the jellyfish and Olivia, but she was sooo excited to show them to you anyway!  She said, “You might think those are octopus, but nope!  They are jellyfish!!!”  And all kids love Olivia, right!?!  Tomorrow, for Mondays in the Middle, Anna Kate and I are going to fold clothes and watch Charlotte’s Web.  We haven’t watched it since she cried so hard and sincerely when she was 2 because Charlotte died.  I’ll never forget how loudly she wailed during that scene;  I still can’t believe she got it.  She loves Wilber though and has made peace with Charlotte having lots of spider babies, so she’s ready to watch it again (pig talk, right here)!

 

More fun art by Anna Kate!

All of this happened in one month at pre-school!?!  Yep!  You should see all of Mrs. Paula’s pictures!  This is only a tiny little piece of what all she does with the kids.  She’s literally super woman!  The last field trip of the month was to the stock show!

Anna Kate loved telling me all about the baby chicks and cracked eggs!

Anna Kate was not in the least bit immature about this picture, so you guys don’t be either!  It’s natural, and Anna Kate thinks it’s sweet!

 

The big bad rooster is watching you!

 

Next up, learning ALL about milking cows!

Anna Kate explained to me step by step how everything works to milk the cows!

 

When she saw this picture of the udders and the milk pumping through the tubes and into the jar, she said, “Yep!  There it is.  That’s the milk that we drink that’s in our refrigerator.  That’s how it gets here!”  She was so proud!  She also had a LOT to tell me about this horse statue.  She said the horse’s name was Midnight, and he wouldn’t let any cowboy ride him!  Anna Kate is a great listener and doesn’t miss a beat!

 

She said, “Mom, look how much that tractor costs!!!  And I got to ride it!  We all wanted another turn, even I did too, but we had to keep seeing new things.”  Sweet girl!

Anna Kate’s boot choice: purple, of course!

 

Anna Kate loved looking in the stores!

The petting zoo was super fun too!

 

Anna Kate loved taking a turn being the leader!

She giggled so much telling me about the giant metal caterpillar!

 

Here are a couple more crafts that stood out to Anna Kate!  We’re going to attempt them tomorrow!  As you can see, Mrs. Paula and Mrs. Julie rock it out with their pre-school program.  I am in awe of all they do (they feed the kids breakfast, lunch and snacks every day too).  These pictures truly are such a blessing to my heart to get to be a part of Anna Kate’s experiences at school.  Time is so short!  My second baby will be in school next year for the rest of her life (it seems).  It’s amazing we get to take a peek into her blissful days just discovering and being a kid (and learning more than we could have ever hoped for) during her years in pre-school.  God bless, Mrs. Paula and Mrs. Julie!  My cup overflows that Anna Kate has had such a blast learning and thriving at school!

   

The Ebert family just made a trip to China—and all around the world for that matter—to make it official that Hudson Samuel Qiang Ebert is the newest member of the Ebert family!!!  We have enjoyed watching their journey to bring him home and are so excited to share these precious pictures with you!

 

Hudson’s Gotcha Day was January 13, 2014.  At first, everything was new to him, but the adjustment into the family went so smoothly from the pictures and stories.  Stacking blocks were one of his favorite firsts with his siblings, Drew and Anna.

 

This Daddy/son picture is so meant to be!  Drew, Hudson, and Anna are three peas in a pod!  Hudson turned 2 on September 28, 2013, so he’s only 7 months younger than Rose.  She’s going to have SO much fun with him; We all are (when the family returns state-side this summer from England)!  The PondFam5 and everyone else that loves the Ebert family cannot wait to meet our newest little buddy!  We love you, cousin Hudson, and talk about you ALL of the time!  We pray for more smooth transitions and a lifetime of fun new memories with you in our lives!  We are all so blessed that you are here!