Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Ella's 4th Birthday!

Yesterday was Ella's 4th Birthday!

We let Ella open one of her gifts the night before her birthday.

She loves her new dog! Cookie barks, turns her head, blinks, and "chews" her toy. Usually these types of animals are hard because they're basically robots, but this one is really soft and cuddly.

Emma got a few small gifts for sister's birthday and opened one the night before too. She loves kitties and this one meows, walks, and kneads.

Opening more gifts on the evening of her birthday

A Snow White dress!!! Ella's been asking for a Snow White dress for the past couple of months and was delighted to find one in her gift bag!

Emma opened a gift from Gramma and Papa.

She loves this Noah's Ark! She takes the animals out, makes roaring sounds, and stuffs them back into the ark. She even took her evening nap with the ark and animals in the crib with her.

Excited to discover the Lalaloopsy Treehouse


 
Emma, holding the Sleeping Beauty doll we got for her

Ella, opening her Mulan doll

I'm so glad Disney made some of the lesser known princesses in "toddler" doll form. Ella's so happy to have Pocahontis and Mulan!

Uncle Nate and Auntie Joy sent Ella the Strawberry Shortcake Market and a Strawberry Shortcake Ballet School book! Ella immediately started "reading" the Ballet School book. :-)

  
Ella loves playing with the Strawberry Shortcake Market! She has better hand-eye coordination at 4, so she does pretty well with all the small pieces. She loves that it has a working register, take-out window, and cake that rises in the oven. :-)






The Princess Zhu Zhu hamster sets assembled





Ella LOVES this Tag reading system! She took it up to bed with her after exploring it downstairs for quite awhile.

Monday, December 26, 2011

First Christmas In Our New Home

We had a wonderful first Christmas in our new home! The girls had lots of surprises and really enjoyed the day.

 Ella, discovering her Christmas gifts





After looking around, Ella wanted to go put on her "Christmas" dress and get Emma up from her nap. Emma had actually been up earlier for an hour or so, but we kept her in our bedroom until she was ready to nap, so that the girls could experience Christmas morning together.

Emma discovers her Talking Zoo




I think she likes the zoo! :-)





Admiring her princess kitchen

Emma loves the piano and the princess kitchen too.





Ella picked a Shaun the Sheep to give to Emma for Christmas and was so excited to help Emma unwrap it and to give it to her.

Ella's gift "from Emma"

Stockings!



Emma's favorite stuff from her stocking was the chocolate. She's never eaten so much chocolate in one day!

 Ella, unstuffing her stocking :-)







Ella was excited to see Goldilicious, but was concerned about not having Pinkalicious. I told her she should open another present...



Emma loves her new Cabbage Patch doll

Emma got a few stuffed cats and some little cat figurines. She loves kitties!

Another exciting discovery... Pocahontis!

Emma got Belle.



 Here's the set up Playmobil ice cream parlour.

 Emma loves this Rody bouncing horse that Gramma and Papa got her!

Ella's new unicorn jewelry box and a Hidden Flower Fairies book from Gramma and Papa!

Emma, exploring her interactive Tiny Love book from Uncle Nate and Auntie Joy

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Set-Up

Here's what we set up and was waiting for the girls to discover in the morning.

 Their own little piano!

 Stuffed stockings and presents wrapped under the tree

Emma's new talking zoo and a kitty holding a tin of cookies

 Ella's fairy house

 A doggy for Ella with a tin of cookies

Something Ella had specifically asked for, a princess kitchen

The Night Before Christmas

 Ella decorated "Gingys" the morning of Christmas Eve...

and put them out for Santa that night.