Joey was feeling guilty for not doing his fatherly duty and teaching Olivia to ride a bike. The girls never rode bikes in our old neighborhood because it wasn't very bike riding friendly. So Olivia never really had much experience riding with her training wheels on. A while ago we took her training wheels off because they got all bent and made her bike impossible to ride and then something happened to the brakes being stuck on the wheels. So the bike has been sitting in the gargage now collecting dirt and dust. 
Going, going, gone...
(and by the time I have finished this blog post she has informed that she can start on her own)
My mom came to visit and she threw Sammie a birthday party. Sammie hasn't really had an official birthday party before with a bunch of friends over and she has been asking for one for a while now. Her main request? A mermaid cake. She was in heaven. Sammie has so many little friends we could have had twice the party, but we had to draw the line somewhere. Lucky girl has been practically celebrating her birthday all month long.
I couldn't imagine my life without Sammie. She brings so much laughter to our home. She is such a smart little girl. She loves puzzles and games, drawing, dressing up, playing in the mud, jumping on the trampoline, playing soccer. And that laugh. I don't know of anyone who can laugh like Sammie. Her whole face lights up. I love her!
I let Abby play with the watercolors the other day. Sammie and Olivia were both gone. Everytime I let her do a "big girl" thing she gives me this look like, "Are you really letting me do this?" Then she will do it really timidly as though I am going to make her stop as soon as she starts. She keeps looking up at me with her big blue eyes. No really, it's ok Abby.
We had a busy Valentine's Day. 
Joey had a thing up in Sacramento on my birthday weekend so we all tagged along and stayed with my parents for a few days. It was so fun seeing family. Especially our new little nephew and cousin, Noah. He's a cutie and a boy. We need more of those around :)
I celebrated my birthday by shopping and being with family. And we even got to see a princess. Rapunzel stopped by for the party. (My sis-in-law is a princess for kid parties, and had just come from one) I love being with my family.
So another birthday...another year. I feel so blessed and grateful. It's a good life :)
I caught Abby reading to her baby after lunch. She first looked at her baby in the stroller then mumbled something that sounded like, "Wee Jaw Bawn yaw?" and gave a little nod of her head. I'm getting better at translating Abby talk. "Read Jolly Barn Yard?" Then she arranged herself in front of the baby stroller and quietly turned the pages. She had one of her favorite books, The Jolly Barnyard. The girl loves farm animals and we read this before every nap. She is such a little mommy to her babies.
