Birthday Girls

Happy March 7th Birthday to...

Miriam and Kristy

(yes, I had a baby on my 28th birthday)

Miriam is 7 years old (the 8th candle represents all my 35 years)

Our yummy dessert was Costco Cheesecake topped with blackberries, Yum!

But I should start earlier in the day... after my haircut. I came home to find the most thoughtful gift hanging from the ceiling fan in my bedroom. There were about 10 balloons which had thank you notes written all over them in marker. Michael had the kids list things they wanted to thank me for and they wrote them all over the balloons. I really felt appreciated.

After lunch, Miriam and I got to go shopping by ourselves for a much needed new pair of shoes, and a new Sunday dress for her. After many stores, and many trips to the dressing room, we finally found the perfect dress. Sorry, no picture yet. I'll try next Sunday.

When we got home, it was time to open presents.

I got to go first!

Michael got me a new camera for my birthday!

You can't tell by the picture, but I am so thrilled to get a new camera. I have been using a camera that is 8 1/2 YEARS old - with the same TINY memory card it came with. 12 pictures is my maximum. Just pitiful. My NEW camera also included a HUGE memory card that holds thousands of pictures! It even does videos! Watch out kids... they are already hiding from me.

I just love watching Miriam open presents. She gets so excited and makes the best faces. After opening each gift, she gave a bear hug to the giver.

Miriam has a new love of dinosaurs. She is doing a mini-research project at school on dinosaurs. This present is a T-Rex skull in a gypsum block she can hammer out herself.

Miriam begins to hammer and chisel away at the block.

She says she is going to be a paleontologist some day. I didn't even know she knew what a paleontologist is. ??

This last video is just me making fun of how Olivia eats. She loves solid foods now - even rice. It's hard for her to pick up, but when she does, she shoves it into her mouth making the cutest sucking sounds that pull her cheeks in. I couldn't pass up the mess she made.