Four...

My little, tiny baby is four years old! THIS tiny baby right here - now is four!

That seems so, so, not so tiny babyish to me!!!

My sweet Marley is growing up so fast. We couldn't be more proud of her! She is so funny and sweet and smart and strong willed - which can prove to be difficult as a parent but will serve her well in the future. This year Marley wanted to have her birthday party at Storyland, or the magical playground according to her. Well, upon entering Storyland you must go through a kid sized tunnel - this made bringing in the three tiered topsy turvy Mad Hatter cake an interesting challenge! Thanks Uncle Wes!

Here it is, safe and sound! Grammy did an amazing cake yet again!

The lucky birthday girl got to use Storyland's Castle to celebrate the big numero quatro.

Of course, her best buddy Audrey was there to celebrate the big day!

The day was filled with fun rides and lots of playing!

Of course there were pb&j tea sandwiches made with pink and purple bread

and cookies just like Alice had!

Everyone sang Happy Birthday to you

and enjoyed some yummy cake and ice cream.

Then we played some more!

Mackenzie enjoyed a ride on the beautiful carousel,

Those who were daredevils risked it all on the ladybug roller coaster! (Marley was not one of them.)

We ended the day with a train ride around City Park. Mars had to sit next to her best cuz, of course! (Be sure to admire thier facial expressions!)

This party animal couldn't go any longer!

A wonderful time was had by all! Thanks to everyone who came, and for those of you who couldn't make it, you were in our hearts! As for Marley - well she is already rubbing it in that on her next birthday she will be five - FIVE! Time sure does fly when you're having fun...

And so it begins...

Marley is turning four this week - and she is one lucky girl to be the proud new owner of one sweet swing set! This weekend we had building party to construct all thirty nine phases of this monstrosity. Jessie and I had already spent about 2 1/2 hours, separating, labeling and bundling all of the phases. Saturday, several friends and family members & thier dogs gathered in our backyard to put it all together.Kenzie was happy to lend a helping hand.

Look! A Loftin, we were so happy to get a visit from Chris, Bri, and Clayton - even though it was a crazy whirlwind!

Hurry up! We are ready to swing!

Kenzie was really digging all of the tools.

And the watermelon.

They worked late into the night, but they were determined to get it done.

They finished at about ten thirty that night - a mere 10 hours after they started! Since all of the reviews that we read said most people built in about 40 hours, the men felt victorious! Marley was in heaven, until I drug her inside and hosed her off!

Thanks to everyone who helped, we had a blast. Let the playing begin!

Marleyisms

Scene: Family of four driving down the street.

Marley: Mom. How are you doing?

Me: I'm fine Mars.

Marley: Well I AM NOT FINE!!! I HAVE AIR IN MY EYES!!!

Me & Tre': Laughing hysterically, while Marley wonders aloud WHAT

IS SO FUNNY!?

A Southern Rite of Passage

A Southern Rite of Passage, originally uploaded by stlanier.

Sticky Baby, originally uploaded by stlanier.

Mackenzie's First Snowball, originally uploaded by stlanier.

Here in the south, your first snowball is pretty much one of those milestones that must be recorded. It is a big event in which you must be stripped down to your diaper (you MUST still be in diapers), sit out on the front porch with a rainbow snowball (it MUST be rainbow, and don't you call it a snowcone!) and be set free with a spoon, a straw, and waaaayyy too many colors of food coloring combined with an illegal about of syrupy sugar and ice - all while your mother documents all of the sticky sweetness with that giant camera that is constantly in your face. Oh. No? That's just in my world? Well who could resist a half naked baby in full bliss and amazement that, what? the whole thing? you are just giving me the whole thing? and - whoa! that is delish! Mmmm and you aren't even gonna stop me when I... pour it on my face? Oooo check out this purpley red syrup drip on my belly! Ooo! right in the button! that is sticky! and cold! Dang! You are the most AWESOME MOM EVER! you want to take my picture, whatever, I didn't even notice you sitting there! Anywho here is my baby in all her sticky sweet goodness.

And we're back...

After a nice long hiatus of repeatedly failing technology I am back and Maude (that's what I named my camera) is better than ever!

We had a wonderful holiday weekend for the Fourth of July holiday spent lounging with some of our favorite people and eating way too much of our favorite foods!
We started our weekend hanging out by the pool with Uncle Wes, Aunt Heidi, (or Nanny and Parran, depending on which child is speaking) and the girls' best cousin Brody. Marley, who used to be terrified of the "big pool" has now taken to it like a fish to water. (Pun intended)

Kenzie on the other hand was not feeling so aquatically inclined. Okay, every time I look at this pic I crack up.

Still not feeling it...

Okay... maybe if I hug him, he will leave me alone?

Free at last! And a nummy baby belly too! I can't hide this baby under the water!
Really - does he seriously think five minutes will change my mind?

Finally Papa gave up. And all was well, see, if an idea is not Kenzie's then it is just not a good idea. And bad ideas just do not happen in Kenzie's world. Case and point. Cookies. A good idea. Really. Good. Idea.

After noshing on way too many cookies, and burgers, and hot dogs, and slices of chocolate cake - a bunch of our favorite friends and family went up the street to the levee to watch the fireworks over the Mighty Mississippi.

I was stoked to finally get some low light photos that didn't look as if I had too much to drink!

We spent Sunday lounging around enjoying these awesome ladies. I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend as well.

Yay! It is so good to be back!

Marleyisms

This is a little compilation of her greatest hits in order to further illustrate the ridiculous drama that serves as my entertainment.

Me:  Marley, go put on your shoes so we can leave.

Mars:  WHAT DID YOU SAY? (through clenched teeth)  You don't LOVE me and you want to leave me here? (face droops)

Me:  Now

Mars:  Fine, but I'm not going to be your friend.  Babyhead.

Me:  (flatly)  Wow.

Mars:  But I can't FIND my SHOES!!! (hand to forehead, falling   gently to the ground)  I never find my shoes!!!  (violin music starts in the background)

Me:  Mars, they are directly in front of you. (barely holding back the laughs)

C'mon Kenzie, you're looking cute today.

Mars:  (with face squenched and lips pursed)  You never think I'm cute.

Me:  Of course you look cute today!  (said through chuckles)

Kenzie:  abubaabaa, ahhhhh!

Mars:  WHAT KENZIE!!!  You WANT to leave me at home!!!!

Me:   Marley, she can't talk remember!!!  (barely containing the   laughter)

Mars:  Oh, yeah.  Let's go mom!  It's a beautiful day today!  Mom, I looooove you!  Where are we going to go today?  C'mon Kenz!

April

I have been pouting after the epic fail of the memory of my camera.  Somehow, about 500 pictures were randomly deleted, and about 79 were left.  Easter - gone, Jazz Fest - gone, the butterfly that spent it's dying breaths modeling for me that would have made amazing portraits to hang in the girl's rooms - gone.  Argh!  But I digress... these were spared, thank goodness!

Mars and I went for an afternoon walk to pick some wildflowers in a field near our home and the sky was singing!  That's the New Orleans skyline in the distance.

Macks has really been working her new walking skills and she loves to walk up and down the sidewalk in front of the house.  Then she plops down in the cool grass and takes in some sunshine.

Recently we got to spend some time hanging out with our favorite Northshore ladies, my dear friend Erin and her beautiful daughter Ava Grace.  Erin was sweet enough to let me practice photographing a child other that my own, though Ava is so adorable she makes it easy.  You can check out those pics over here.  The girls loved playing with Ava and ONE of them was kind enough to take a few pictures too.

Mrs. Lori, you might want to close your eyes for this one!  Tre' loves to toss my (and other peoples as well) children high into the air.  This causes oxygen deprivation for said child's mother and giggle fits from said child.

My sweet Marley Grace just looking lovely.

Here she is trying on the pettiskirt from my wedding dress - ah ruffles.

Kenzie took Poppie's project for a test drive, but she discovered the brakes were a little sensitive.

Gotta love the self portrait.

Finally we have Kenzie examining her first crawfish.  As expected from any good cajun girl, she loved it.  Then again, there isn't much this little foodie doesn't eat!

A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, far, far away, there were two fancy sisters who went on an adventure...

The oldest sister, Princess Mars led the expedition as they departed from their gingerbread house in the magical forest.

Little Princess Macks followed her big sister through the Toadstool Meadow.

Alas, the tiny princess, being new to all of this walking had to stop at the bench of azul to take a rest.

It was then that she happened across the savviest of the three pigs home, made of bricks, though he wasn't there.  He must have went to the market.

Finally Princess Macks caught up to her sister, only to find that the witch had put her in Rapunzel's tower!

But the fair Princess Mars had nothing to fear, for her little sister and their mother, the queen, were quick to save her!

And so the princess' continued on their journey when they came to a tiny schoolhouse in the woods, surely it was used by the Garden Gnomes.  It was just the right size for the tiny princess.

Just then Princess Mars spotted something white and fluffy.  It was one of Little Bo Peep's sheep, it had gotten away from the flock!

Then Princess Macks saw a giant shoe in the distance.  The sisters remembered just then that they had heard from the white rabbit that the old woman who lived in the shoe was lamb sitting for Bo Peep while she was on vacation in Hawaii!  They knocked on the door to let her know about the escapee. 

She thanked them for their help and offered them some broth to show her gratitude, but the sisters had to be on their way.

They continued through the forest until they ran into their good friend the old gnome.

He offered to teach the princesses a new dance that he had just learned.

They had a great time learning it, and the gnome was quite a good teacher.

They thanked him and told him to please visit them sometime at their gingerbread house, but they had to get going.  For it would be getting dark soon.

As they continued down the winding path, they came upon a beautiful turquoise frog.  Princess Marley ran up to him and kissed him, hoping that he would turn into a prince.  But alas, he was just a statue!

The princesses were starting to get very tired from their long journey so they decided to call on their fairy godmother to send them a carriage to carry them home.

They stopped to visit their good friend and fellow princess Snow White, but she was STILL napping, waiting for her handsome prince.

One last stop to check on their very dear friend Humpty Dumpty.  Thank goodness all the king's horses and all the king's men were able to put him together again.  Though it seems like he didn't learn his lesson!  Oh well!  The princesses returned safely to their little gingerbread house in the forest where the lived happily ever after.