The Hodgepodges: Daddy's Birthday

Wow, it's only Saturday and it feels like Sunday. I always get thrown off like that when Charlie has a day off. We had a lot of fun the last couple of days though, so I'm glad to have the next two to take it easy!
Thursday Natalia helped me make cookies for her daddy for his birthday. We got this cool thing called the Learning Tower that puts her right at the counter and makes it so much easier on me.

And here is our finished product! My specialty; oatmeal, chocolate chip, and walnut cookies. DELISH!

And just because I love this photo:

Natalia has taken a special attachment to my own baby blanket. It's pretty awesome to see her with it. She just loves going outside and swinging with her daddy. I managed to get this cuteness on video. Singing to her daddy, then she drops the card which has a pirate on it and she says, "aye pirate, aarg" too funny.

BTW, so she's wearing a blanket around her arm. I don't want to mention names because the mama feels bad enough, but a little person bit Natalia. It broke skin and it was quite a shock because this little one has never done it before. Anyway, Natalia won't let me put a bandaid on it or touch it really. Funny how her fake owies require bandaids, but a real one she won't let me. She would rather have that blanket around her arm. And really for the most part she'll be playing and forget about it all together. But once and a while she'll see it and remember it's there and come up asking for me to wrap her arm again. It was kind of a teaching moment for us though. Natalia bit Charlie last Saturday (not quite as hard) and had to be put in time out, also a first and totally out of the blue. So all week when she talks about her arm being bit I remind her that that's why we don't bite people because it hurts and we don't want to hurt others. I hope it is actually sinking in.

Yesterday, Friday 3/30/12 was Charlie's 31st Birthday!! He took the day off to spend with us here at home. When the girls first woke up he took Natalia out to get donuts for all of us. We had lunch with Charlie's dad and family at Casa Mexico. (remember my post about our weekly lunches). Charlie got some money from his dad, a "down payment on BSU football tickets" WOO HOO! So something we've been wanting to do is get season tickets for football this fall. I'm so excited, it's kinda on my bucket list. ;) Anyway, they go on sale here soon so we'll be getting them and I'm super excited for fall football. After the girls naps we dropped them off with my mama. It was Lydia's first night away from me and I was so nervous. Of course as I expected she slept the whole night for my mom.... isn't that the way it ALWAYS IS?!?!?! GRR! He he he.

Miss Lydia having fun at my mom's in her Bumbo.

So then we met up with his sisters and their husbands for a sibling date night. First off Edwards for The Hunger Games! My second viewing and I loved it just as much. Teared up again when she volunteers as tribute and when Rue dies. (sorry for the spoiler if you didn't know he he he). Then it was off to Sakana for some sushi, a Charlie Birthday tradition!

Now, I normally am not a fan of sushi. Something about swallowing raw fish just doesn't float my boat. BUT, they have an excellent selection of non sushi food on their menu, not to mention some sushi that isn't raw. The one I get now is called Mamasan and it's tempura shrimp (meaning it's fried, normally I don't like shrimp but it really doesn't have a shrimpy taste) avocado, cream cheese, and cucumber rolled in rice. Dipped in some soy sauce with wasabi mixed in and it's pretty dang tasty!!And last but not least off to bowling! We had a blast and even though there were more gutter balls then strikes it turned out to be a pretty darn fun evening!

Our brother in law John bowling while holding Cypress, and Charlie doing his thing.

And here is the tube of beer that the boys split. Ridiculous if you ask me! ;)

Charlie and his girls on his birthday (I got these amazing shirts in the mail that day, a random order a couple of months ago on a deal sight... so cute!!!)