When I was pregnant with Helen, I worked at a daycare and I was the teacher for 11 2 and 3 year olds. I was very anti-disney princess for Helen when we found out she was a girl. The girls at the daycare had and wore EVERYTHING princess and I was sick of it. So I told everyone to get nothing princess. Well, one girl turned into two and turned into 3 girls. So we have a houseful of girls and of course, they love the princesses! And I'm okay with it now, it's not so sickening anymore, haha! So when we went to Disney, of course we had to see the princesses. And that is about all we did!

First up was Rapunzel, we waited about an hour to see her. They let groups go in this little area and each group took about 30 minutes. So when you got in there, they had a coloring station, which I thought was a great idea! The kids got to color while the parents stood in line and could keep an eye on them! Here is Aubree's picture.

About to meet Rapunzel!Here she is telling them that they MUST be best friends because they all had two favorite colors in common - pink and purple of course!I wasn't sure how much time we would have up there with each character, but I knew I wanted a group shot (Allisyn wouldn't go without me, so I was in them too!) and one of them individually. And I knew that would take alot of time. But they let us take as long as needed! Nobody was in a rush (except the people behind us, I'm sure), but I tried to go as quickly as possible.

We were surprised Aubree went up to her, usually she doesn't like strangers! She went right up there with Helen and even took her own picture!We caught Princess Tiana right after the parade so we didn't wait but 10 minutes for her!She whispered in Helen's ear to say "Roll Tide!" (Chris had an Alabama hat on, of course) and I can't believe she did!! Helen is usually my Gator girl!Sleeping Beauty, Belle, and Cinderella were all in one room together which I thought was cool - knock 3 out with one line!! We waited about 45 minutes for them. All of the princesses were SO nice and patient. They all acted like my kids were the only ones they saw and talked to that day! You would never know they see thousands of little girls all day!!Belle is my favorite, I wish I would have thought to get a picture by MYself, haha!!Aubree was the most excited to see Cinderella. You can tell in her face in this pic! She was so excited, she kept squealing the closer we got!!Terrance (Tinkerbell's friend)

Allisyn finally sat in a picture without me!

Tinkerbell

I can't believe how old Helen looks in this picture! She stole my lip gloss in line. We waited about 45 minutes for Terrance and Tinkerbell, but they had a movie playing so it wasn't so bad!

Another picture without me!Both Helen and Aubree told us Tinkerbell was their favorite of all the princesses after meeting them. Her and Rapunzel. Tink was definetly the most animated and she got down on the floor with them and everything. I think she was my favorite too, as far as interaction goes. And Rapunzel, of course because they are best friends!!

The next post will be the non-princess parts of Disney. This was the most of it so I put it in it's own post!

Rainy Day...Not!!

Sunday, the chance for rain in Orlando was 80%. And we would only have half a day by the time we got done with church, lunch and nap. So we decided that would be our "off" day. We got up, went to church and were very surprised to see some friends from home there! Whenever you visit a church, you never expect to see someone you know! It was fun to see friendly faces. T.G.I.Friday's was for lunch. YUM!! We love it, wish we had one in Valdosta. We just got Olive Garden, maybe Friday's is next on the list? As we headed into the restaurant, it started to thunder and when we left, it was sprinkling. We weren't far from the hotel, so we hurried back to get naps, glad that is was going to rain like we had planned. I think we all took about a 3 hour nap! We had been up so late the 2 nights before and then up early both mornings also. We got up in search of Wal-Mart ( I needed new shoes, the ones I wore to Sea World killed my back!) and supper. We found Wal-Mart pretty easily, then Chris decided he wanted to get the girls ice cream. We searched everywhere for somewhere different. We like to go places we don't have at home. We FINALLY found a Ben & Jerry's (who knew they had an ice cream shop? Not me!). Not as good as Marble Slab, but just as expensive! We picked up a pizza and headed back to the hotel room. Besides the sprinkle after lunch, not a drop of rain! Oh well, it gave us a nice break and a chance to rest up. Had it not been supposed to rain, we would have tried to cram one more thing in there!

Sea World!!

We had been telling the girls for awhile that we were going on a trip but we wouldn't tell them where. Finally we told them we were going to a hotel. That was good enough for them - they were excited!! We went President's Day weekend, left Friday after Chris got off work. We got to our hotel pretty late. We tried to get them in without waking them up but it didn't work! They were wide awake so we went ahead and told them we were in Orlando. Helen and Aubree started screaming they were so excited and of course Allisyn didn't have a clue!

Since Saturday was supposed to be the warmest and had the least chance of rain of the days we were going to be there, we decided to go to Sea World first.

Arriving at Sea World

This is where they got to pet the sting rays. I totally thought I got more pictures of this, but apparently I didn't :( Anyways, this was Helen's absolute favorite thing to do! We stayed there awhile. By the time we were done, they were soaking wet! We came back later and she was still not happy when we left. Needless to say, her souvinier from the whole trip was a stuffed stingray! Aubree MIGHT have touched one and every time Allisyn touched one, she squealed! It was too cute!

This is where you can watch the dolphins underwater. We spent quite a bit of time down here too.After one of the shows. We sat in the splash zone at every show because Helen wanted to get wet. We didn't get wet at this one. We brought our food in so we wouldn't have to spend a fortune on food. It worked out really good. To get a decent seat at a show, you need to get there about 30 minutes early, so that is when we ate lunch and snacks!

In the very right bottom corner of this pic, this girl had one of those little fish that you wind up and it moves it's tail and makes a really annoying sound. The dolphins could not get enough of it!! They would swim by, it would catch their eye and they would turn around and just stare at it! I reaped the benefits and got some pretty awesome pictures with Allisyn and the dolphins! This is my favorite.On I think the only ride they rode all day! Allisyn was asleep in the stroller so I stayed with her.

The Shamu Rocks show. This is the only thing I remember from the past times I have been to Sea World and I really wanted them to see it. Otherwise, we wouldn't have stayed. They were ready to go.Now, remember I told you Helen wanted to get wet at a show all day? We sat in the splash zone at every show (we went to 4 or 5) except for one and we never got wet. Well, it was getting late and there would be no sun to help them dry off and they were already getting cranky so Chris decided to sit at the top. Helen wasn't hearing it. She still wanted to get wet! So we went down front and center, 4th row. Then she got scared. Someone told her she would definetly get soaking wet and it would be cold. The more she thought about it, the more she changed her mind. But, the place was already filling up and, being the evil parents we are, we decided to stay where we were. The show went on and they kind of enjoyed it - Helen and Aubree were still not wanting to get wet so they were anticipating it. We thought had escaped it - the 2 shamus were showing off on the raised part of the pool for the end and I heard Chris say "Watch out!!" I turned my head to the right and saw two tails stickig out of the water and then we all felt ice cold HARD pelts of water. Of course, immediately all three girls started screaming just in time to get a mouthful of water . They got us again!! As mean as we are, Chris and I were laughing, the girls were screaming and we wanted a picture :) I know, we're mean, right? Haha! Here you go!I had thought ahead while we were waiting for the show to start and took the towel we bought and all their sweaters (except for Helen's, she insisted on wearing hers) and hid them to keep them as dry as possible. Aubree stayed the driest because she was sitting on the bench between Chris and I. Helen was on my lap, Allisyn was on Chris's. After the show (and after the picture), we stripped Helen and Allisyn down to their skimpies. Helen wore my sweater and got in the stroller, Alllisyn wore Aubree's sweater and we wrapped the towel around Aubree and that is how we got to the car. They were not happy campers!

I know, this sounds mean, but we did it for the memories. ALL. DAY. Helen had wanted to get wet and each time we didn't she was disappointed. Besides, how can you go to Sea World and not get splashed by a whale?!!?

And, for the record, when we talk about Sea World now, that is the first thing Aubree mentions. And they love it! It was a fun night for Chris and I - not so much for them, but they like it now. It's a story to tell!

Father/Daughter Banquet

I know I have kinda negelected the blog and now I have alot of catching up to do! Back in Febraury, our church hosted a father/daughter banquet. And since Chris is such a great (and brave!) daddy, he took all three girls!
One of the couples from our church offered to buy the girls new dresses for the banquet, so dress shopping we went. They had an absolute blast! Within a few minutes of being in the store, our hands were FULL of dresses for them to try on! They each got to pick out their own and they finally decided on one. Aubree, believe it or not, took the longest to decide. Helen didn't like any of the dresses until the very last one and that is the one she fell in love with.
I went with them to get a few pictures before it started then I went to dinner with a friend. Chris said they all had fun, but it was a little hard for Allisyn to sit quiet through all the door prizes. But they were all 3 excited to show off what they won!

This is her excited face :)Love this pic! This is the first time she saw herself all ready!

This is the best I could get of the three of them.

Questions for Helen

Age: 5 1/2
Favorite food: Spaghetti
Favorite dessert: doughnuts
Favorite color: purple
Favorite thing to do: Girl Scouts
Favorite TV show: Good Luck Charlie
Favorite movie: Dolphin Tale
Favorite thing to do at school: write
Best friend: Emma Jean Olbricht
Favorite place to go: Kayden's house
Favorite outfit: Black sweater dress with black tights

The Best Day!

Since I need some cheering up tonight and Chris isn't home, I'm going to write about the day I had on Tuesday. :)
Helen's back has been hurting and she went to the school nurse on Monday. The nurse said she didn't know what was wrong but if it was still hurting Tuesday, to take her in. Helen woke up Tuesday morning and said it was still hurting so I went ahead and made an appointment with her doctor for 9:30. She had to go to the bathroom as soon as we got there. The dr checked everything and said she thinks it might be a urinary tract infection and she needed a urine sample. Of course. So we waited and waited. Helen drank and drank. And we waited and waited. Finally, Helen made a mad dash to the bathroom. Dr. tested it and said she has the VERY beginning of a UTI and sent a perscription to the pahrmacy. By now it was after 11. Her class goes to lunch at 10:45. Chris's sister April works at Pizza Hut right across the street from the dr office so we went there for lunch. We finished up there and went to pick up her medicine. The woman took forever then said they just got it and it would be 35 minutes. So now it is 12:15 and I decided Helen wasn't going to make it to school. By the time she would have gotten there, there would only be an hour or two left anyway so we went to Wal-Mart to get some stuff we needed. We stalled there for awhile, we were meeting someone at the mall at 3:30 and I didn't want to go all the way home to go all the way back so we headed to the mall and sat there for about an hour and a half so the girls could get a nap in.
We are having a Father/Daughter Banquet at the church this Saturday and one of the ladies graciously offered to buy the girls new dresses for it. So we met her at 3:30 at the mall and the girls were SO excited!!Helen espically. When we got in there, she went crazy! Within 5 minutes I think, my hands were full of dresses for them to try on! Aubree and Allisyn loved the first one they tried on and Helen like the very last one she tried on. They are all three beautiful dresses! When Helen was trying on dresses, she said "This is the most fun I have ever had!" They were having a ball!
After the mall, we met up with Chris for supper then headed home. I had no intention of staying out all day, by myself with all three girls, but that is how it happened and I had so much fun! They were so good and it was actually easy! We were gone from 9:15 that morning until 6:30 that night. needless to say I was completely exhausted!!

Number 4!!!

Back in at the beginning of December I had some suspicions. Every now and then I would have a flash of nasuea, I was very exhausted all the time and I was extremely stressed out about EVERYTHING - even tiny things I had no control over. (And I don't usually get stressed too easily). I took a test and it was negative. About a week before Christmas, I was very upset about everything. I was having a melt down and Chris was patiently hearing me out. Then he asked me if I was finished and I told him yes. He said "I want you to take a pregnancy test." Haha. Told you - I'm not usually highstrung. So I took another test and it came out negative again. Still too early.But by the fourth pregnancy, you just kinda know.

The day after Christmas, Chris told me to go ahead and take another test. Well, finally, it came out positive!! We decided we weren't going to tell anybody until I had been to the dr. It was pretty hard keeping the secret though, espically around the holidays. When we got back from our New Year's trip to my parents and Chris's family in Andalusia, I set up an appointment. By the time I had my appointment, I was 9 weeks.

I had found some cute ideas for announcing pregnancy on pintrest and I thought it would be fun to make the girls shirts and send pictures to all the family. I thought it would be a fun, different way to break the news, I was wrong. It didn't get the reaction I expected from the family. They didn't like it. Oh well, I had fun with it.Originally, I wanted to have the shirts and pictures ready to send as soon as I had my appointment,but I had been feeling SO bad, I didn't have the energy or will to get them done ahead of time. Eventually I finally got them done and got some cute pictures!

This is the worst I have felt with all of my pregnancies - the exhaustion, the nausea, I just feel awful most of the time. I have found that if I go to bed around 8 or 9, the next day isn't as bad as when I go to bed later. So I try to get to bed on time, lol. Chris has been absolutely amazing (but there is no surprise there!) He has been very understanding and patient. There have been some days when he gets home from work, I go to bed and he handles supper, girls, baths, pajamas and bed time like a pro. I'm 12 weeks tomorrow so maybe this yuckiness will go away soon!!

We are very excited and yes, it was planned. That is most people's first question. The next is "Are you wanting a boy?" Yes, we would like a boy, but would be just as happy with another girl! At least we know what to do with girls, haha!! The girls are SO excited, Helen asks me all the time how the baby is. Aubree says she wants every baby she sees. Still trying to get her to understand we are having our own baby! :) Allisyn pats by belly and says "baby!"

Here are some pictures from the photo shoot!