Tiny Tot Tea

The day before Easter we had our Tiny Tot Tea party. We had Judy from work and her granddaughter Dylan (5 years old), as well as Pam and Andrew and their two girls Anna (almost 4 years old) and Molly (almost 2). It was just the right amount of kiddos. And a good helping hand from Becky, Michael, Teddy and Trevor who visited with us.


It was the frilliest girliest thing Lea and I have yet to endeavor and it still was too frilly. No fancy dresses, but hats... big fun hats with flowers. I cut foam flowers and the day before Lea glued the center onto flowers that we made for our fake garden in case of rain and pinned to her easter hat. Here is Dylan and Lea in their hats.


All the girls played so well together and had so much fun, but because Dylan was older she would take Lea by the hand and lead her around. They hid in the Elmo tent in the living room and played follow the leader in the back yard. It was so cute to see.

And what's a tea party without a mad hatter... Dan fit the bill thanks to the hat I made for him.


The hat did not fit Lea, but it didn't stop her from trying it on.


We set a long tea table so everyone could pour. The other girls were more interested in playing with Lea's toys, but Lea could have poured and poured for hours. In one of the videos at the end there is a discussion on camera about where such talents will lead her in life. She was very good about not spilling (much) and poured into tea cups and then back into the pots and back into the cups. She was thrilled when Judy asked for more tea. That is what she remembers from the party and she'll tell you, "Judy wanted more tea." Because Lea got to actually pour tea for someone instead of just into the cups that mommy drank to keep them from overflowing.







After the fun of pouring, spilling and a tiny bit of drinking tea, it was time for the egg hunt. 4 girls, 52 plastic eggs and endless amounts of fun. They were adorable with their bags and baskets, searching out the treasure of beads, animal crackers and stickers.



A gaggle of girls on the hunt. Here are Molly, Anna and Lea together. What a cute bunch!


After all the eggs had been found and cookies and candy munched, it was time to decorate eggs! We moved the table outside and prepared for rainbow eggs and rainbow kids.


Over a month or so I kept the eggs we used for breakfast, carefully broke the tips off and filled them with plaster. That way the kids had some eggs they could not break. In fact Lea tosses them around the kitchen crashing and banging and rolling like little rocks.
Here is one that turned out especially cool because the plaster spilled out onto the egg when I was making it. Other eggs just look like eggs, but they all ended up with flat bottoms so this one sits near my desk at work, perfectly preserved. (We also had 30 hard boiled eggs, and most survived. A few got broken and Judy's dog ended up eating one when she brought it home. But over all they turned into deviled eggs for Grandpa Dan's birthday party, but that's another post!)


We had several color cups and stickers. The girls (and some adults, Judy) like to put the eggs in color after color after color. We had some really unique eggs. Here is Lea trying to decide on what stickers to put on her eggs.


A few lovely shots of our guests, Pam & Andrew


Judy & Dylan


Here is our messy girl. I don't know if you can tell in the photo, but there is green color running down her leg. Both Lea and I had dye on our legs and all over our hands. We went to dinner with my mom who didn't know what to think of our almost black finger tips from all the dye. It washed off in that night's bath.


And finally it was time to say good bye. This was the aftermath of the tea party. I just thought this photo was funny. To me it says "A good time had by all!"

We really had so much fun and look forward to doing it next year. I loved coloring eggs with everyone! We'll get more creative as the kids get older!

And some good long videos of the day:
1. Discussion of Lea's future career
2. Anna & Lea pouring tea
3. The egg hunt is on
4. Coloring eggs: good messy fun!

That Silly (Scary) Ol' Bunny

We had a wonderful time decorating eggs, and that will be the next post, but Easter was a real treat this year. Lea really got involved in the egg hunt and was a joy to watch as she searched the house Easter morning for the plaster filled eggs the Bunny hid.

Just before bedtime on Saturday Dan rekindled a tradition used by his family, where the Easter basket is put out in Lea's room under her window, and like a Christmas stocking, the basket is filled during the night by the Easter Bunny who slips in through the window. Well, as we introduced this concept at bedtime, the idea of the Bunny coming in the window, even to leave toys and chocolate was not met with enthusiasm. Rather it scared the pants off of our overtired little one. Neither Dan nor I expected such a reaction because she has no problem with Santa and I kept explaining that they were friends, and any friend of Santa can't be bad, right? Grandma even told Lea earlier that day that she had seen a bunny at her house. Grandma left some carrots outside for the bunny and we could only assume it was THE Easter Bunny. The fact that Grandma had talked to the Easter Bunny earlier in the week didn't even do much to diffuse the situation.

So we came to a compromise and decided the Easter Bunny could bring his goodies and do his bidding if he didn't come past the kitchen into the hall to the bedrooms. The Easter Bunny came and was on his best behavior. We left the bunny 2 carrots and some pink lemonade that he seemed to like because he left a note with his paw print on it! Oh and a few other goodies in her basket...He only hid eggs in the living rooms and did leave quite a nice haul for Lea. Lots of toys and chocolate. In fact breakfast consisted of almost an entire chocolate bunny.

The Bunny brought lots of treats including a new ball! He hid 22 eggs around the house and was kind enough to leave a list of where he hid them so we could be sure that Lea found them all in the morning.

We went to church with Grandma. I love this photo of them holding hands. Lea did not wear her hat much past the car to church, but it was a nice effort.

And while Mom was doing a bit of cooking (for the big family dinner we had that afternoon — not only for Easter but Grandpa Dan's birthday... another post to come later) Grandma and Lea decorated our well cared for rosemary tree. Lea sat for a portrait by the pretty tree. They did a great job!


After Lea got her first basket Grandma revealed that the Easter bunny left some more present for Lea when he stopped by Grandma's house earlier in the week. "That Silly Ol' Bunny" Lea repeated after Grandma. I believe Lea totaled out at 4 Easter Baskets for the Day, from her house, Grandma's House, Wes & Jennifer's House and Aunt Bonny's House. That Bunny was busy and Lea was popular. Thanks so much to all our helper Bunnies! Very thoughtful.

Here is a video playlist from youtube that should play consecutively:
1) Finding the easter basket at 7am
2) more treats from the basket
3) small self blow up balloons from Grandma Jones. They did not poof up right away, but by the time we got back from church they were fully inflated and made a great addition to Dan V.'s Birthday party!
4) egg hunt around the house
5) Easter punching balloon
6)egg hunt around the house
7)the basket from Grandma's bunny.

I waved, they should throw beads!

 The Greenville Avenue St. Pat's Day parade was very fun this year. Last Saturday, March 15 we headed for the street. Lea was loaded down with beads half way through the parade. She would wave her little wave and people flocked to her. Most floats had people walking the streets along side the float and many of them would come put the beads on her themselves. She was just too cute.
Lea did her Mardi Gras frequenting Mama proud with her bead acumen. I mean Look at all those beads!

A few times Lea was frightened by the noise, either the horn of an 18-wheeler or REALLY loud music on a float. She'd come hug me and cuddle up to me, but as another float would pass, while her head was buried in my shoulder, her little hand would poke out and wave so as not to miss any bead retrieving opportunity.

I'm waving

I'm still waving

Beads, beads and more beads

Here she is getting into wearing the beads. I love this photo, how she's holding on to Daddy's beads, like "they all must be mine"! Really Lea just liked how they sounded when she shook them together. She'd shake and shimmy to hear the beads rattle. And I think here, she is rattling Dan's beads.

Then as I said, half way through, so many beads they were pulling Lea's coat off. Look at all those beads. Seriously, I was beaming, so proud!





The Parade was good. Dan thought it was much bigger this year, than past years. There were a lot of fun floats. This was probably our favorite...

Happy St. Hillbilly Day

There were 2 marching bands. The Fireman's Bagpipe Band and this, an all Asian marching band. It seemed so odd to me. It was accompanied by people handing out pamphlets explaining a Tai Chi looking religion/martial art and atrocities commit by China. It was very odd.

Other notable moments in the parade were the Hari Krishnas who gave out bags with cookies. Dan was surprised when I gave the cookie to Lea, after all it was home-made and unwrapped, unlike all the candy we got. I said the whole point of Crhishna-ism is they don't hurt anything, even bugs. I said "Here you go, sweetie, enjoy your vegan cookie." She didn't take more than a bite. Oh well no kalachandji in her future either. Good Girl!

Then there was the bead giver who said to Becky (who joined us and we had a great time with her!) ... he said to Becky, as he handed her beads "Here you go, Ma'm." "I'm not a Ma'm," shouted Becky. "I got carded last week, I'll have you know."

Maybe one too many screwdrivers at the parade for Becky, tee hee. I'm kidding of course. You can never have to many vodka drinks at the parade, in fact Becky passed up a jello shot give off one of the floats. I took it in the spirit of the holiday.

And with 4 beer trucks bringing up the rear, the parade was over. Our little family headed off to eat cajun seafood with Becky. Here we are at the end. Dan took all of Lea's beads.


We made it back to our car. Its always such a joy when your car is still where you parked it after a parade. We had a very difficult time parking last year and this year was similar, but we ended up at the Million Dollar Saloon, parking for free. Thanks so much to the family friendly strip club! Dan was so happy he did a little dance as we left.


And here are some pics from before the parade...
We got to the parade area a bit early and enjoyed the sunny day. Lea picked some clovers (no 4 leaf clover for us that day). We found a lady bug and rolled around in the clover. So these photos are less related to the parade, but cute and St. Patrick's Day-ish! Lots of GREEN!!

Here Lea is sitting in clover waiting for the parade

and laying in clover

big smiles

A Lady Bug on Daddy's Hand

Happy Birthday Mommy

I had a wonderful birthday, a birthday week, more like. That's how I like it!
Dan and I got to go to dinner on our own on Tuesday while Grandma babysat. We went to seafood dinner and then Trader Vic's where I had an original Mai Tai. Yummy and strong. Well more strong than yummy, but I was feeling warm and fuzzy as we left. Then Wednesday we all went to dinner, Grandma, Lea, Dan, me and Michael Hopens. We went to a Chinese restaurant I'd never been to, BoBo China. Very tasty. I got super presents from Lea, Dan and Grandma, as well as generous gifts from Grandma JoAnn, Grandpa Dan and Grampy. Everyone gave me super stuff. Thanks so much! On my actual Birthday the great people at work decorated my desk, treated me to lunch, gave me flowers and other super gifts.

It was a great day. Dan and Lea made grilled burgers for me.
Then Dan and I got to spend the weekend on our own. Lea stayed Saturday and Sunday night with Grandma. No special plans, just a short stint remembering what an sad empy life we had watching TV and eating on the couch before monkey. Its a nice quiet couple of days, but we miss the pitter patter of little feet at 7am. It would be awful to go back to sleeping until 11am on Sunday, like I did this morning, tee hee. Seriously, how did we fill all our time before Lea?

With all the decorations and presents, Lea had as much fun on Mommy's birthday as Mommy did. We invented a new game, rescue the balloon. Mommy or Daddy pretend to let go of the baloon and Lea rescues the balloon. A pretty fun little game that Lea does not tire of.