Babies and Birthday Parties

Josie continues to take very good care of her babies. She will literally read to them for hours... maybe not hours all back to back but certainly hours throughout the day.

Josie had a great time at her friend, Ashen's third birthday party. His mom Sarah creatively made a train cake. There were a dozen or so individual cakes each decorated differently with different colored icing and candies. It was adorable.

We've been trying to get out and walk when the weather isn't too terrible. Josie definitley has a new best friend these days... his name is daddy :)

Here they are "racing" together.

And here they are posing in the the trunk of a huge tree.

Thanksgiving photos coming soon.

A Walk to the Park with Daddy

Since the day he was fired, I don't think a single day has gone by where I haven't said to Marty "I'm SO happy you got fired!" All of us are doing great with the new lifestyle/schedule and are overall much happier. One of the best things about it is that Marty has a lot more time, energy and patience for Josie. They are very best friends right now. It really warms my heart and makes me smile to see them so happy together. Last week Marty took Josie on a walk to the park(something he just didn't have the time or energy for before.) They had a great time.

Of course, Josie just had to bring "baby Gretel" She doesn't do much these days without her.

Halloween

It is mid November already and I'm finally getting around to updating the blog with the Halloween photos. Better late than never I suppose.
The day before Halloween we went to the annual Admiral Junction trick-or-treating. Josie was all dressed up in her monkey costume and ready to go. This year she really understood that when she said trick-or-treat she would receive a piece of candy in return. Pretty cool! Check out her pumpkin bag. My mom made this in probably the early 80's?

Her favorite were the lollipops.

Riding on Daddy's shoulders with one of her prized lollipops.

By the end she was pretty tired. She normally runs most of the way home but on this day she was carried the whole way.

On Halloween we went trick or treating at some of the houses on our street. Josie wasn't sure she wanted to go but once we were out there she kept saying "just one more house"

A Weekend Away, Halloween and Big Sister Prep

Josie spent last weekend up at Aunt Liz and Uncle Ed's. She had such a great time. They went to a pumpkin patch and Josie went for a ride in the wheelbarrow and picked out a few pumpkins.

And she jumped in the hay house

She also had a great time with a little girl that lives next to Liz. How fun to have someone to scoot with and be able to look at all the animals as you go by.

She also did some painting

It was such a fun weekend for Josie and a wonderfully relaxing weekend for Marty and me. I spent the weekend in Port Ludlow with a group of college girlfriends.
There were no photos taken of Marty's weekend. Although if I had to paint a picture for you it would be of him blasting the music in our new stereo system upstairs. Maybe dancing in his boxers... not sure. Not sure I want to know.

I got back from Port Ludlow on Sunday afternoon and Josie stayed at Liz's an extra night. We were able to go out to dinner and a movie on Sunday. What a treat! Thanks Liz and Ed!!


Last week we carved pumpkins with Bryn. Here they are scooping out all the gunk.

And here are the girls with the final product. Not the most creative jack-o-lantern but it will do.

Josie has been talking a lot about her baby sister. She is convinced it will be a sister even though we keep telling her that it might be a brother. She decided to practice reading books to her babies in preparation for her role as a big sister.

Halloween on Bainbridge

A couple weekends ago we took the ferry over to Bainbridge Island for an annual Halloween celebration with friends.
Here is Marty and Josie leaving the Seattle terminal.

The party, as always, did not disappoint. It was complete with "smokey" drinks

A big band

and of course, spider cupcakes.

Josie's favorite was the cupcake, no question.

The ferry ride on the way home was fun too. It was an unseasonably warm October day and we all enjoyed the ride back on the top deck of the ferry

This is what a bunch of sugar and no nap looks like:

Josie's 3rd Birthday

Josie turned 3 last Tuesday. Just because her birthday is actually only on one day is no reason that she should not be able to celebrate for at least a week, right?! The weekend before she had a bunch of friends over for a friend's party. The day after her friend party Auntie Kim came down from Bellingham with gifts and kisses. Thanks, Kim!The day before her birthday we made cupcakes to take to preschool. She thoroughly enjoyed licking the beaters.

The morning of her birthday she got her gifts from us: the new ladybug bedding for her new "big girl bed" and her two favorite books. These are Spanish books that we had checked out at the library and she was always sad when we had to return them. You can see she is happy when she realizes that these are for her to keep.

On her birthday she was so excited to wear her new back pack from Grandma and Papa. Thanks, Grandma and Papa! She loves wearing a back pack and feels like a big kid.

We brought the cupcakes that we made to share with her preschool friends. It was one of those funny "wow, I really am a mom" moment for me. I remember having the same feeling when I gave my first test as a teacher. I know I've been a mom for 3+ years now but I have such fond memories of my mom bringing cupcakes to my classroom every year. Without fail she baked, packed and delivered cupcakes for each of us kids - and there were 4 of us and we are all born in November!!! Thanks, Mom! More and more I'm realizing all that you did for us :)

The celebration continued into last weekend when we had the whole Riemer clan over for breakfast. Again, Josie was spoiled with gifts. Thanks, Liz, Ed, Eric and Stephanie!

And, of course, the big hit was the scooter from Oma. Thanks, Oma!

A few days after the final celebration, Bryn and Josie had fun with her new "Let's go Fishing" game. Josie often asks Marty, "Daddy, can we go fishing?" and he replies, "I never thought I'd hear a child of mine ask that!"

Josie is thoroughly spoiled by not only gifts but by a loving family and friends!

Backyard Birthday Party

Josie and Bryn had a joint birthday party last Saturday. Thankfully, the sun was shining and we were able to have the party outside. The swingset was a HUGE hit.

Here are almost all of the kids at the party. Obviously the "Lined up" look doesn't last for long.

By chance, all the girls were wearing the same color pink and sat on the same side of the table. I know by the teenage years they will probably call and coordinate their outfits but this time it was merely coincidental.

Everyone brought a wrapped book for a book exchange. It was fun to see all the kids opening gifts and being able to take a new book home.

Balloons, balloons and more balloons. Can you have too many balloons at a kid's birthday party?

There were lots of hugs.
Here is Josie and her friend, Lowen.

Josie just adores Bryn's little sister, Ansley. She is always giving her snuggles and trying to play with her. It is very sweet. Thankfully, Ansley seems to like it, too.


Bryn, Josie and Lowen enjoying their gift bags and lollipops.

Bryn, Ansley, Josie, Derek and Lowen posing for one final picture.

More of Josie's actual birthday coming soon in the next post.