Sandy the SNOWMAN

After lunch this afternoon, Kelly and Brian went outside to build a snowman....which Kelly named Sandy! It was a little windy, but Kelly didn't mind! She loved playing in the snow and making her first snowman with Daddy!

Kelly and Sandy the Snowman
Rolling the snow into perfect balls....

....while Molly watched from inside!

(Kelly took a break from building the snowman for a minute to throw a snowball at Daddy.....look at the expression on Kelly's face in this picture!)

....adding arms....

....and putting on the carrot nose!

Kelly checking to make sure her snowman was perfect!

Daddy, Sandy, and Kelly!!!

Chuck-E-Cheese

Yesterday, the girls and I went to Chuck-E-Cheese in Cedar Rapids. We left Daddy at home for his networking party with some of his friends (this was part of his birthday present to be able to have a day to do what he loves to do). Grandma and Papa Murray were going to Cedar Rapids for the day because my mom had a doctor appointment, so I asked them if they wanted to meet us at Chuck-E-Cheese when they were finished. Kelly has been asking to go to Chuck-E-Cheese FOREVER. She says "I have never been there Mommy....I have only seen it on TV".....when I told her she went when she was one.....she didn't believe me.....so I had to show her pictures! She thought the pictures were of Molly being at Chuck-E-Cheese! Both girls had A LOT of fun!!!

Kelly meeting Chuck-E!!!!
Molly stealing her first taste of white pop.......while Kelly was off playing games!

She thought she was hot stuff!!!!

Kelly's favorite game....the dog pounder! You had to fill the dogs tummy with balls.

Molly loved watching her big sister!

She even wanted to play by herself....but she was too little!

Kelly riding the Chuck-E-Cheese photo ride.

Molly riding by herself....with big sister close by.

Molly enjoyed the rides all by herself! What a big girl!

Hugs for Chuck-E....after she rode the ride 4 times in a row!

Molly wanting to play the toddler whack!

Kelly riding the horse....

....and playing the egg game (her second favorite game!)

Both girls had a lot of fun......it was extremely busy and crazy at Chuck-E-Cheese....the rain brings out everyone as 20 minutes after I got there.....there was an hour and a half wait for a table! That is nuts!!!!! Kelly would live there.....but I think I have had my Chuck-E-Cheese fix for a good year or more!!!!!

I'm in trouble now....

Oh Kelly.....she is 3 and a half and DEFINATELY has a mind of her own! Yesterday she wanted to wear her Iowa cheerleader outfit......which is way too small as it shows her stomach. Anyway, we were staying home for the day, so she got to dance around in it all day. She couldn't wait to show Daddy when he got home! The reason I'm in trouble......she wants to wear dresses, jumpers, tights, etc. EVERY DAY! (She did not get this trait from me....as I hated dressing up and still do!) Anyway, she thinks she's a little princess and wants to dress up. The problem.....she doesn' t have that many dress up clothes! Sidenote....we were at Kohl's recently returning some duplicate stuff the girls got for Christmas and Kelly saw this sundress that she really wanted!!!! I said no.....but maybe she could get it for Easter or her birthday....so we put it back. I then saw this adorable Hello Kitty shirt (she LOVES Hello Kitty) and asked if she liked it....she said "No Mommy, I want the dress!!!!!) Oh, I'm in trouble!!!

A bruised, wild hair, 1 top tooth GIRL

Being ONE is hard work! Last Friday night (1/15), Molly fell while taking one step on her own.....she fell directly on her right cheek on the hardwood floor!!! Ouch! Brian and I both saw her do it! :( It's been almost a week and she STILL has a bruise on the side of her face! Molly is also in the stage of wild and crazy hair.....no matter what I do.....it's always all over the place! She has had 3 teeth for awhile now......but she looks silly sometimes with just one tooth on top! See for yourself.....

A brusied cheek!
Wild hair!

....and one top tooth!

(Yep.....Molly LOVES this cozy coupe, as all the pictures are taken while she is inside!)

Molly's Cozy Coupe

Molly just got a Cozy Coupe Ride-on toy (Brian put it together last night). We exchanged the rocking horse she got (since she was afraid of it and cried when she got near it) for Christmas. She loves the new cozy coupe! It will be great this summer....Molly will have her own riding toy to play with outside!

Molly in her new car!
She figured out how to get in all by herself!!!

She thought it was fun this morning when Kelly was pushing her all around the house!

She even brought in her baby and the babies bottle!

Grandma & Papa Murray visit

Yesterday, Grandma and Papa Murray came to Dyersville for the day....they wanted to see all the new toys the girls got for Christmas! Kelly and Molly loved having Grandma and Papa come play with them! Both girls even took a nap....a rare occasion for Kelly...and the adults got to play a WHOLE game of Domino's. It was a nice relaxing day!

Molly showing Grandma how her piggy bank works...
....and her puzzle stool too!

Grandma Peggy even got in Molly's tent!

Kelly had fun playing LOTS of games of Hungry Hungry Hippos with Grandma & Papa!

Fridge Fun

Since our hardwood floors got laid, we still have about 12 rubbermaid bins full of stuff to unpack downstairs....lots of pictures, knick-knacks, etc. I have slowly been getting to them! Today, Kelly and I found all the leapfrog fridge magnets while Molly was napping. When Molly woke up, Kelly showed her them on the fridge.....they were a BIG hit! Molly played at the fridge for a long time!

Molly playing with the fridge farm after her nap!
Even after Molly took a bath tonight....she went right back to the fridge! :)

You might notice that Molly is ALWAYS in Carter's footie PJ's.....when we stay home I just change her from one pair of PJ's to another....it's so much easier....as she doesn't keep socks on without shoes....and I just think she is so much more comfy in her footie PJ's!!! I love PJ's....so I'm sure Molly does too!

Kelly's room

Since Christmas, we have had to keep Kelly's door to her room shut. Molly doesn't like that so much! Kelly got legos and a lego table for Christmas and the pieces are too small for Molly.....as she wants to put everything into her mouth! Before Christmas, Molly LOVED Kelly's room....Kelly would put a CD in and they would dance, they would play with the kitchen, sit at her table, play in the toybox, etc. We have now moved the kitchen out of Kelly's room and into our kitchen.....so the girls can "cook" while I make dinner.....that has made Kelly's room being off limits a little better for Molly. Anyway, this morning we all went in Kelly's room again....and Molly was a good girl and didn't go right for the legos......maybe she's learning! :) Kelly put in a CD and they danced for a long time! Then they decided to have a tea party together.....and then they both sat at separate tables and played for awhile on their own....we were in there over an hour and Molly never went for the legos once! Yeah Molly! Maybe we can play in big sister Kelly's room more often now!

Tea Party for TWO!
Molly sitting and playing with Kelly's dollhouse....

.....while Kelly played with her legos!

YEAH MOLLY!!!

YEAH MOLLY ANN!!!!

Molly stood by herself in the middle of the room tonight....for the first time without holding onto anything! She stood there for about 30 seconds at one time too!!!

Molly standing all by herself!
Molly standing....and concentraing!!!

We kept clapping for Molly....so she would clap for herself too!!!

Future piano players?

Kelly has always loved playing the piano. Lately, Molly has enjoyed sitting at the piano and playing....just like her sister!

Brian's birthday

Brian turned 40 this week....yes, you read that right.....FORTY! We were able to go out to eat on Tuesday night for his birthday....just the two of us! :) That doesn't happen very often!!! On Wednesday, we went out with his parents and our girls....and then came back to our house for cake and ice cream. It was past Molly's bedtime...so after the singing....she was fast asleep! Pat made Brian his favorite cake....german chocolate. Don't worry Brian....it's just another day!

Brian and his two girls....Kelly thought she needed to put A LOT of candles in the cake....she has the 4 & 0 plus 40 other candles too!
Singing happy birthday!

Kelly and Daddy blowing out ALL the candles!

Molly Ann - 1 year doctor appt.

Molly had her one year doctor appointment on Wednesday. She was actually a little over 13 months. The doctor said everything looked good!!! I do have to take her to the eye doctor to get her right eye checked out. She showed at her 6, 9, and 12 month appointment that she is far-sighted in her right eye....which means she can't see things close in that eye. We have an appointment in February to get her eye checked out. Other than that....she is a healthy TALL girl!!!

Weight - 23 pounds (75%)

Height - 31 inches (98%)

Head - 45 1/2 cm (70%)

(Kelly was 24 pounds & 29 1/4 inches....so she weighed more and was shorter too!)

New Years weekend

We spent part of the day on Saturday at my mom's and my dad's houses....since Brian, Katie, and the boys were home. We also got to see them on Monday too...before they headed back to Minnesota.

Daniel watching as Kelly and Ben are playing Elefun!
Kelly LOVES all games!!!

Daddy had lots of helpers as he was putting the LEGOS city bus together.

Ben & Daniel got these sitting scooters.....Kelly enjoyed them too!

Kelly riding at Grandma & Papa Mulgrew's

Daniel shared his scooter with Kelly......as he was more interested in her pink boots!

The Mulgrews were getting ready to leave....and we were getting ready for quiet time.....Ben is in the back with Racquel (2), Kelly (3), and Helena (3) all snuggled on the couch.