Daly is 3!!

It is extremely strange to already be saying, "My three year old." This was the first year Daly was insistent on the theme for her birthday....she wanted a Pirate Party! While on our last trip to the states, she fell in love with a new Disney show...

...And after riding...

...at Disneyland, she was officially Captain Hooked.

So we went on the search for Pink Pirate Birthday themes. Here's what we found (and ordered everything in the US....where fun party things are in greater abundance and variety...and much much cheaper!!)

We spent the morning of her birthday hunting down some of our favorite pictures of her first three years. (Click on the picture for more detail.)

Daly's corner.

Perfect wrapping paper!

A friend of mine had just planned an awesome Trash Truck Party for her three year old, Brennan. He wore the cutest shirt the day of his party...with little trash trucks and a big '3' on it, which she had ordered from Etsy. So off I went on a treasure hunt...

Daly's shirt was handmade by Darcy Allen from ChewChewsCloset. Although she asked many times, Daly wasn't allowed to wear her pirate shirt until her party started. She ended up falling asleep an hour before guests arrived...so I went into her room to gently wake her up and the first thing she asked as she opened her eyes, "Where's my pirate shirt? I get to wear my pirate shirt!"

We all had such a blast getting into the pirate theme!

Cupcakes for the guests...BIG cupcake for the birthday girl!

Complete with Happy Birthday pirate candles.

Everyone sang a big "Happy Birthday to you!!!"

Reese just sang "HAPPY!!!"

Pirate wishes, I presume...

We all know about Reese's relationship with food. This was probably cupcake number two or three...but I'm sure she would have been just as happy with a spoonful of frosting.

Opening gifts.

Ryan and I are so proud of our Daly girl. She is growing up so much and getting smarter and smarter every day. (But I love that she is still so little and that things are so new for her!)

Happy 3rd Birthday, Beautiful!!

Shutterfly Card

Just created this card on Shutterfly. (they sent me an email for 10 free cards!) Then if you post it to your blog, they'll send you a $25 gift certificate! Can't wait to see how they turn out!!

Swirl Heart 5x7 folded card

Modern greeting cards and party invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas 2010...finally!

So I realize not everyone who checks the blog has Facebook. The network has become so widespread that when I post pictures of 'Reese-ent' events to my FB account, I often forget to also put them on the blog...assuming everyone is all caught up. What I'm trying to say is...my apologies to you non-Facebook users!! Here are some of our favorite photos from the Christmas season.

These pictures are from the Christmas tree lighting in our town. It was a little tough to tell that the tree had been lit because it was still so bright outside. During the summer, it doesn't get completely dark here until almost 9:30 at night! Not so helpful for putting the girls to bed, but it's really cool to have so much sunlight during the day!

This year was the first time we bought out very own Christmas tree! Trees here in New Zealand aren't the same as what we're used to, but they sure have lots of character! This is our perfectly shaggy Kiwi Christmas tree.

Reese helping decorate...

...to be honest, she was probably taking the ornaments off. By the time we took it down, there were very few decorations around the bottom part of the tree!

A couple days before Christmas, we got the girls all dressed up and let them run around outside. It was a beautifully sunny day, but was very windy (as we're starting to get used to around here...)

In our backyard.

'Look at the candy canes!!'

Yes, we bribed them with treats...

We also visited Santa's Cave this year. It's housed at our local museum, and we're told it has been a Christmas time staple in Palmerston North for over 90 years.

Of course, we went to see Santa. Daly had a great time telling the big guy what she wanted for Christmas.

Reese, on the other hand, was not so sure about this big man with the red suit and scary beard. She completely froze (I guess we're lucky she didn't have a major meltdown...but smiles on Santa's lap were not happening this year!)

On Christmas Eve, right before bed, the girls each got to open one of their gifts. Reese opened her little telephone. She LOVES pretending to talk on the phone, and we loved this throw back toy (which happens to be featured in one of the girls' favorite movies, Toy Story 3).

Daly opened her Mrs. Potato Head (also from the third Toy Story!) She went around asking everyone to 'please open Potato Head's butt!' for the next week...until she finally figured out how to open the storage door herself!

Christmas morning...before the girls woke up. Complete with gifts tucked under the tree, stockings hung, empty milk glass, half eaten cookies, and special letters from Santa.

We had a great Christmas...but we were counting down the days until our upcoming trip to California to see family and friends!!!

July to September...

Let's get caught up through mid-September...

We were blessed to celebrate Emily's 10th birthday with the entire family at the beach. It was such a gorgeous day...not only the beautiful weather, but incredible time to relax with some of the most important people in our lives.

Loving those blonde curls and yellow frills!

Reesie hanging with Uncle Pat...

...and Uncle Mike!

Emily blowing out her candles (on a delicious cake!)

Living far away from our family is so hard. But it has helped us truly understand how precious our time together is. I wanted to get a family picture (knowing this might be the last time in a long time we'd all be in one place at the same time)...so we planned ahead. I am so happy we did! This has become one of my most favorite pictures and memories.

Love and miss these faces...

The next birthday we got to celebrate was Reese's first! Wow...I know everyone says it, but truly...where did those three hundred and sixty five days go?

These are some of my favorites

from her one year old photo shoot.

I love how she's looking and smiling at Gidget.

For Reese's birthday lunch, we went to the same Claim Jumper in Monrovia where we took Daly for her first birthday. We ended up being seated in the exact same booth!

Still think they look alike?

Giving a super special 'Big Sister Smooch'.

'I'm one!'

Reese's birthday party was such a great time with family and friends!

Homemade cupcakes.

Reese's birthday cake...a bit blurry...

sort of like the first year of her life... :)

And to leave you with a big smile on your face...

Remember Daly's 'cute face'?

Reese has learned it too...