Thanksgiving Week 2009

Thanksgiving week - it started with Ally's doctor appointment on the 23rd - see previous post ofr the details, then on Tuesday I got a call from preschool that Ally was running a fever and was acting "lethargic" never what you want to hear at 11AM. So I left work early for the day and went to get her and bring her home. She did indeed have a fever and of course I was freaking out that it had something to do with her shots from the doctor the say before. I called and demanded to speak to her doctor, who told me not to worry - it was probably just a reaction to the boosters and the fever would go away in about 24-48 hours. It did - but no school for Ally on Wednesday. Her babysitter came and spent the morning with her until Becky's half-day at school ended.

Then my parents came Wednesday afternoon and before we knew it Thanksgiving was in full swing.

Tuesday night Becky made her cranberry relish and sweet potato casserole. Ally and I made the napkin rings for the Thanksgiving table. Ally kept calling them bracelets - and since they were small enough for her to wear I couldn't correct her.

She was so proud of her stringing ability.

Intense concentration

Thanksgiving morning we went to the park down the street. Grandma Barbie and Grandpa Frank stayed home and watched the turkey and started the mashed potatoes.

Ally had a blast on the hopscotch course. It was fun to see some neighborhood friends at the park. It was a beautiful morning - the playground was pretty wet from the rain the day before, so we just ran around a lot and had fun that way.

Back inside Becky set the table. Please note the corn-like-handmade-napkin rings that Ally and I crafted. Becky slaved over her centerpiece and the candle and flower arrangements in the picture below. I thought they were very festive.

We had a great dinner with my parents and some dear friends, Paul and Charlo and their friend Dana. It was a nice day.

Friday morning my mom and I got up early and went to Target at 630 AM. No electronics purchases for us but I did get a few good deals. Later in the day my mom, Becky and I went to the mall and Grandpa stayed home with Ally to babysit. My mom scored with lots of new clothes and a pair of boots. Its always fun to shop with her - for her clothes, not mine.

Friday evening Ally wore a dress she got from Great Aunt Martha for Easter - since she is finally big enough for 2T! It was fun to have her all dressed up with my mom and dad around to compliment her.

Ally has been so into music lately and asked to play mama's "little guitar" so Becky got down her ukelele and Ally serenaded us for a while before bedtime.

Then it was book reading before bed.

Saturday morning we went swimming and Grandpa and Grandma's hotel before they drove back to NY.

I love this picture of Becky and my mom blowing bubbles.

After swimming Ally cuddled up with Grandpa Frank to dry off.

Saturday evening Ally said she wanted to make something - so I have her a magazine to look thru and she selected "cyclops"cookies - the peanut butter ones with hershey kisses on them. While I made the cookie dough she unwrapped all of the kisses - all 48 of them. It was amazing to watch her concentration.

This morning Ally decided it was mama's birthday and wrapped a gift for her.

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend together!

3 year old stats

Today Ally had her 3 year old check-up. All is well - Ally is a perfect - but we knew that already! Her doctor told us we are supposed to think our child is perfect and its her job to confirm it for us!

Ally weighed in at 26 pounds 8.5 ounces. Becky and I had a wager about Ally's weight - I thought she would be 26 pounds, Becky thought 27 pounds, leave it to Ally to weigh in smack dab in the middle! Her height is 35 1/2 inches - we think this is a little low - her neck was all scrunched up. Ally continues to grow at her own consistent rate - which is great. She moved up from the 5th to the 9th percentile, so Becky and I are thrilled.

The appointment lasted forever - literally - we were in the exam room for 90 minutes. Can I just say that an hour and half is way too long to have a healthy child at the doctor?

We did not wait long for the doctor - but she ran a strep test to check is Ally's rash was strep - its not - she thinks its just sensitive skin and recommended we keep up with lotion at least twice a day, eliminate fabric softener from our laundry routine, and switch to Cetaphil cleanser - we've been using Johnson's Baby Wash - turns out Cetaphil is even more gentle. Ally got 4 shots - it was supposed to be only 3, but the H1N1 had a malfunction and all the vaccine shot out on the exam table and not into Ally - the shot lady said it was bad needles and had been happening all day. I can't help thinking its a shame to waste such sought after vaccine because of poor quality needles. She also got the boosters she needed, and a finger tip blood test. Her hemoglobin was normal - does anyone know what that means? We'll get the lead results back from the blood test in a about a week.

She was such a trooper and we are so proud of her. We stopped on the way home for some ice cream - chocolate chip, Ally's favorite. I took these pictures of her eating her ice cream and watching Clifford.
In other fabulous news Ally has been wearing panties all day for several days now! We're hoping to be fully potty trained in a few weeks. Preschool is really helping with this.

More Birthday Fun

After the party and Ally's nap we decided to open family gifts.

Great Aunt Martha sent Ally a package with lots of goodies here Ally is opening up the game.

Of course there was a Toy Story book!

Card from Grandma Barbie & Grandpa Frank

A special book - Treasury for 3 year olds from Great Aunt Louise & GGma Florence.

A game from Grandma Debbie & Poppi

Of course the game had to get opened right away. Poppi had his pocket knife handy.

(On a side note - Ally got some fun gifts from her cousins on Monday and she had to get her play keys to rip open the plastic - just like Poppi used his "keys". I think she thought he used his keys, but in fact it was his pocket knife on his key ring that he used. But I am always so amazed at the learning process and how much is absorbed so quickly. The Good Night Moon game has been a huge hit - thanks Kaitlin, Jackson & Meredith!)

Of course we had to play with the balancing game - its a clown that you place cylinders of wood in different sizes and colors to try and balance.

Ally was so excited to put pieces on

Then she would slide away on her tummy - in case it toppled over when mama or Grandma put their pieces on. It was hilarious.

The clown in action

I thought it was so funny to see the 4 of them - Becky, Beth, Dave and Debbie playing one of Ally's new games - without Ally.

Goofing around with Grandma Debbie

Reading the special new Toy Story book before bed.

Sunday morning, Aunt Beth played with Ally for a very long time, which gave Becky and I a chance to put the house back together and get organized for the week. Here is Beth reading Ally one of her new books. Ally is sporting a new outfit from Grandma Debbie.

Only a really dedicated and loving Aunt would let her 3 year old niece play wheel-barrel with her. And be tolerant of our blogging - she knew this would make the blog. The 2 of them were so cute playing together for so long.

All in all it was a wonderful birthday weekend. Thank-you to everyone for the wonderful gifts. Aunt Cindy - your package did come, and Ally and I exchanged the pajamas for a pair in her size. She was pretty funny at the store and kept saying - "we have those at home" I kept trying to explain that we had to get them in her size so she could wear them now!

3rd Birthday Party

Ally's birthday party was Saturday. Becky and I had been preparing for a while for the party. It was a Pinkalicious theme - lots of pink. Becky sewed dress up skirts for each of the girls and we bought a "princess party kit" that had a pink feather boa, tiara, ring and hair clippy for each girl. It was lots of fun. Aunt Beth and Grandma Debbie and Poppy came to help get ready and celebrate with us. I'll have another post of the rest of the weekend, but this one is just about the party and the prep.

Friday night we made the pink cupcakes - Aunt Beth helped Ally make some play dough to play with while I got the cupcakes in the oven.


Then it was time to frost the cupcakes. Ally had fun stirring the pink food coloring into the white frosting.

Then she and Aunt Beth piped the frosting on the cupcakes.

It was pretty neat to have Ally help with so much.

After cupcakes Aunt Beth became the tunnel monster. Ally wasn't so sure what to make of her.

Saturday morning Becky picked up 2 dozen balloons to decorate the house. Ally chose the balloon colors last weekend, so she was excited to see them all.

She got one balloon that will last for a while (the others deflate after 24 hours - this one should last a few weeks).

The table all decorated and the food laid out. We had bright pink triple berry mini muffins, chocolate chip muffins died light pink, strawberries and watermelon. Oh and of course the pink cupcakes had 2 shades of pink frosting and pink sprinkles on them. Ally is holding up her book that inspired the party.

Our Pinkalicious 3 year old! All day long Grandma Debbie kept asking her if her belly was pink yet, and Ally would pull up her shirt to check. In the book the girl eats so many pink cupcakes she turns pink!

The 3 of us

Debbie and Beth hung the tulle from the ceiling. When Ally saw it for the first time she laid down on the floor to look up at it.

Becky made this banner for Ally's 1st birthday - we hope to use it for each and every one. Growing up in my family there was a large clown candle that we blew out on our birthday, I hope this banner will be my family's "clown candle".

This is Becky's crafty-ness at its best - she secured balloons inside the hole in the picnic table.

Ally had fun opening her gifts and we've been playing with new toys all weekend.

Then it was time for singing and eating cupcakes.

Here Ally is with 3 of her 4 Guatemala girlfriends - we have 4 families we get together with on a regular basis, and we were very fortunate to have Rosa, Gabi & Roxie come to the party. Ally tells everyone "no Alice she is sick - she has a pink eye"

Last year we invited our neighborhood group and had a great party but 40 people was a lot in our house, and we thought now that Ally was older we should limit the # of guests. I have to say this was the perfect amount of people. (It would have been great with Alice too). The girls all seemed to have fun together, especially after cake.

blowing out her candle

Eating her cupcake - just the frosting off the top but she loved it!

After cake it was "ring around the rosie"

And we all fell down!

BTW Ally picked out her outfit of pink clothes pretty much on her own. We bought a hot pink tutu-skirt for her to wear but she insisted on this light pink cotton one and the leggings and the short sleeve shirt complete the outfit.

It isn't a party at our house without crib jumping. Gabi, Ally and Rosa all had a blast, while Roxie hammed it up in the living room trying on dress up clothes.

At the end of the party we read Pinkalicious and the guests took home a dress up outfit and a balloon. Then Ally went down for a nap. It was a great morning.

We are so happy that our friends could share it with us, and that Becky's family came to celebrate with us. Thank-you to them as well for all of their help, they made the whole event much more enjoyable for Becky and me.