Build-A-Bear Evening

More from our Build A Bear evening. Penny was climbing the store, of course. Both girls got to stuff their bears. Jane loved doing the heart thing, and  you can see that she is making a wonderful wish before placing it inside the bear. Penny really liked the stuffing machine and kept going back to stare at it.  Jane got a magic noise, and Penny got a heartbeat placed inside.  The bathing area was also a hit, although Jane now thinks she needs a hairdryer for her bear! Jane looked at a number of different outfits for her bear, Daddy spied one up high that she ended up picking.  Super bright (to match the bear) with detachable fairy wings...that light up.  Full on awesomeness right there. Penny was a little overwhelmed at that point (there was a slumber party of older girls there and a good amount of people in general in the store).  It took awhile to figure out an outfit for the penguin, but she finally liked the pink dress.  She also got a fishing pole with some fish for hers and Jane got a pair of aviator sunglasses for hers.  Jane liked the shoes, but Mike and I both struggled to get them on the bear's feet (this style had big feet?), so we went with a different accessory.  It was a fun experience for the kids, and Jane is now looking forward to making or getting more clothes for her bear.  We found matching Minnie Mouse sister sized chairs on our way out of Sears for a little break--seriously cute...and two seriously tired little girls!  Thanks Uncle Baird, Aunt Amy, and Gram Sandee + Gramp Mike!

Build-A-Bear

We welcomed Penguin the penguin and Rosepetal the bear into our home after their creation last night.  Uncle Baird and Aunt Amy gave the girls gift certs for bears for Christmas, and Grandpa Mike & Grandma Sandee gave them some money for outfits. We drove down to Novi and had some Chinese to celebrate the Chinese New Year, and then headed over to the mall to make some animals.  Friday night was busier than I expected, but the girls had a great time playing with the animals and picking out their favorites.  Jane debated a bit between a couple of different color bears, and finally landed on the most colorful one she could find.  She is not exhibiting signs of her parents' interest in minimalist designs!  Penny pretty much saw the penguin and was done looking.  We did watch Happy Feet a week or so ago, but I think she also liked how big it was!  We also didn't realize that her bow lights up til we go home, so bonus! 

BAM

After reading Freeplaylife, I've decided to participating in her 52 weeks of self-portraits challenge...took my first one today.  Kind of weird, but really, how cool to make an effort to include myself in photos.  I've often thought about how much time I spend with the kids...and how infrequently I am recorded in photos of them growing up.  It will be good for me to make an effort to take more photos (or ask someone else to!) of me...even if they're not the most flattering or perfect shots, they're just life.  I'll probably look back some day at these days of early young childhood and want to remember how I was as well as how the girls were.  It will be good for the girls to be able to have photos of me with them and in our day to day life as well.  It's a challenge, but a good one.  Posting on flicker. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jesscarleton/6760082435/in/photostream

Art?

 I knew it was a little too quiet... Penny found a scrapbooking marker in Jane's room...and tattooed her face, hands, and feet.  She was especially proud of coloring in her finger and toenails.  Gave both girls some finger paint in the shower as something that is 'okay' to put on your body (vs markers, which are not!)...and I checked on them to find Jane painting Penny, so I also painted Jane's face for her...she was pretty excited to see it, even though she 'knew I was making her a cat, because I was making straight lines, which must be whiskers'.  Geez, can't get nothin' past that kid!  Most of the marker came off...at least it wasn't a sharpie.