Celebrate good times!

We've been busy, and have to catch up on our posting! While Nana Rose and G-Daddy were here for Thanksgiving we celebrated Rose's birthday. Clara wanted to make the cake all by herself (Nana's favorite carrot cake) and to our pride and astonishment she did do the whole thing, from scratch.  She got out every ingredient we told her, found the correct measurement for every ingredient, stirred it together, and voila - a cake!  Elena joined in on the fun by making the frosting by herself - so here is Nana with her granddaughter-made cake!

Thank you kisses and the opportunity to help blow out the candles made it all worthwhile!

G-Daddy got lots of attention, too - both girls really adored playing with him, sitting with him, and getting to hear their special song from him again.

We were bummed out the day Nana and G-Daddy had to leave, so we cheered ourselves up by going ice skating.  We had taken the girls once last year and Steve held them up around the rink (while Christina watched from the sidelines with her sprained ankle).  This year, though, all four of us took to the ice, and within an hour both girls asked us to let them go by themselves.  It was amazing to see them skate across the ice on their own!

 

It was so exciting, in fact, that we had to run right out and buy them (secondhand) skates.  Soon the free rink will open up and we plan to be up there all winter.  These last shots are of the girls and some of their favorite stuffed animals of the moment.  They have really gotten into role plays with them, and, happily, playing more with one another!