A girl can dream

So for the last nine months whenever someone said "Wow!  Mackenzie looks just like Marley!"  I'd say "really, I just don't see it."  Their noses were different, and their mouths seemed different as well as the shape of their face. I mean they have always looked like sisters to me and I will admit that they have always seemed to have the same big brown eyes though, but other than that I could totally see so many different features between them.  Then. . . Tre' took this picture and when I loaded it on to the computer I said "OHHHH! Now I SEE it!"  The eyes of course, but the eyebrows, and now the noses, the mouths and don't forget the ATTITUDE! (Double click the picture for further verification) It all matches!  I would say that in general the consensus has been about 60% Macks looks just like Tre' and Marley and 40% Macks looks just like you (bless you all)  with the occasional "Gee Sam, when are you going to have a baby that looks like you at all".  I am still going to hold on the the fact that ONE day there will be some resemblance to prove that I in fact gave birth to these children without having to solely relying on their birth certificates as proof.

Duh-nuh. . . Duh-nuh

Looks like an innocent little baby right? Wrong - this is SuperBaby and she is mobile and looking for trouble.  She has a mean army crawl and an uncanny ability to find just what you don't want her to amidst a sea of toys that are baby approved!

Oh - hello!  What a lovely camera.  What's that,  you want to take a picture?

Maybe I could take one too!

I'm gonna get you!

Success! Now hand it over!

No more birthday posts - I promise!

A few more birthday shots courtesy of our good friend Jonathan.

Marley girl hard at play!

This is the only time I saw my little monkey - make a wish!

A rare family photo.

Kenzie couldn't let her big sis get all of the attention - she cut her first tooth on Saturday!

Thanks J!

Whew!!!

 What a week!  Marley's birthday fell on Wednesday this year, and with her party on Saturday it made for quite a busy week.  Preparations started Sunday as we began working on the details for her cake.  Tre' and I made all of the gumpaste flowers to top her butterfly cake.

Monday night set the stage for my new bedtime of at least 2 am every night and which got progressively later each night.  Tre' jumped ship early and left me to airbrush all of the flowers and leaves that we made the night before!  Thanks babe! I guess somebody's got to pay the bills around here!

Other late night projects included favors and cookies!  Maybe I should start staying up till two every night, with no interruptions I am quite productive!

Wednesday was Marley's actual birthday and for breakfast she requested that we make cookies, SO we did just that and she enjoyed butterfly shaped chocolate chip cookies with icing - the breakfast of champions!!!

When Papa got home that evening - with ALOT of GIANT princess balloons we went over to Magazine for an ice cream dinner at Sucre'!

While Marley enjoyed her nectar cream soda gelato, Kenzie got her first taste of an icy cold treat as Papa shared his blood orange sorbet!  Yummy but why so cold?!

After dinner her grandparents and some aunts and uncles came to visit - and they brought presents!  Before they got here we let Mars open a present from us and afterward she told me "MOM I got a PRESENT!!!"  Then she paused, lowered her voice and looked me in the eyes - "I want more!"  I guess she has finally figured out this whole birthday thing!

Friday was our good friend Lauren's 14th birthday and she had an awesome rock band party.  We all got dressed in our best 80's/rockstar gear and had a great time with Nanny who came in from Maine just for Lauren and Marley's birthdays!  Thanks Nan! and Happy Birthday Lauren!!!

Saturday was the party at The Monkey Room!

This is one of Marley's favorite places!  She played non-stop with all of her friends, we barely got her to stop long enough to blow out the candles.  As usual, Grammy made an amazing cake!  Aside from the butterflies and the sun, this is completely edible!  Thank you so much Grammy!!!

AND this morning we met the Lat Pack for breakfast and then they all came over so Nonnie and Poppie could give Marley her present - a shiny new wagon!  We are sure to have some great times with it!

Even Kenzie loved it!   Thanks Non and Pop! What a great week!!! Now I need a nap!

Three years ago today

my life was totally changed.  Marley made me a Mom and Tre' a Papa and our world would never be the same.  She is one of the greatest gifts that we could ever have hoped to receive. In these three short years, she has taught us so much.  It is amazing to me to think that just three short years ago she was a beautiful little helpless baby, who depended on us for every little thing. Today she is a remarkable little girl that we can depend on to always brighten our days.

She was an enchanting little baby.  Always laid back and easy going, she could always bring a smile to my face.  Her laugh was and still is completely infectious, and when she finds something truly hilarious her dimpley smile melts my heart!

At one she was curious and calm, patient to quietly explore the world around her.  She loved nothing more that to entertain herself with a few books or toys.  Almost always content, she was very friendly and could bring a smile to most any one's face, and she did indeed!

Two proved to be tenacious.  The tyrant was born and all of the parts of her personality that included impatience and hot temperedness developed so those are definitely in place now.  But it seems that her softer side is slowly prevailing.  At two and a half she became a big sister and all of the sweetness and tenderness has returned to the surface.  With her baby sister she is most always kind and patient, she has a genuine concern for her well being and is even pretty good at sharing - but only with her Kenzie Cake, she is still a toddler at heart!

We can't wait to see what this third year will bring, but one thing is for sure - we will feel blessed everyday that we get to be a part of this extraordinary girl's life!

Happy Birthday Gracie Girl!  We love you to the moon!

Junkin on Sunday

The girls and I spent Sunday garage sale hopping with Aunt Amanda.  The junking was mildly successful, but nothing exceptional.  Our second stop was a garage sale in a courtyard on Royal Street in the French Quarter, this sounded very promising, right. WRONG!  It was like someone picked a few items out of the trash and threw them on a table.  We spent so much time parking and walking that we decided to spend a little time meandering through the quarter.  Kenzie relished all of the sights, sounds, and smells of her first trip there.

As we were standing in front of St. Louis Cathedral to get this shot, Marley kept repeating "where is Cinderella", one of the fortune tellers was delighted when she realized that Mars thought that the cathedral was a castle!  So of course we had to go in to see if we could find her.  As a native of this fine city I am embarassed to say that not only was this the girls first time in this beautiful church, but it was mine as well.  And as many of you know, it did not disappoint!

The architecture is stunning and the frescos are breathtaking.  Truly a gem in our fair city!

The girls took it all in for a moment -

but then we continued on our search for Cinderella.  That princess is quite elusive - kind of like a fabulous garage sale!

Lou-way, Lou-way!

Louie loves to lay in the sunny patches of floor that dot our house in the morning.  Macks loves Louie.  She especially loves it when she can scoot up to him on the floor and he stays there.  But sometimes he kisses her and it is at that point that she can no longer contain her glee!

He also whispers really funny jokes in her ear and they chuckle about them together, never sharing the punchline with the rest of us!