Happy 4th Birthday, Jorey. You're my sassy little turkey.

Well, Jorey, we've had quite an adventurous first 4 years and you finally got old enough to get that jumper at your birthday party!  (We got one for Macy for her 4th, so you've been planning this party for 2 years!).
At 4 years old, here are some noteworthy details about you:
-You always want to go first.  Dinner, take a bath, brush teeth, scratch back at bed time (and, you always need multiple smooches and going above your jammies will not do.  You require slow and right on your skin and there's no cutting it short), get dressed, and get in the car - everything!
-You love riding bike.  We get you on your little Dora bike with your helmet on and you just cruise.  You still have training wheels until we get Macy riding without them, but you like to show me how cool you are by standing and pedaling.  You go so fast!  I always have to tell you to stop.
-On that note, you never want to stop.  You always want to be outside, play in the pool, ride bikes, go for a walk, go to the park, etc.  We are constantly on the go because of your persistence...
- And finally, you are a nagger.  You will not stop until you have achieved your goal.  It is persistence and will serve you well later on in life, but sometimes I have to tell you "no more!"  Auntie Natalie says you'll be a lawyer because you just will not accept anything other than what you want.

I love you very much and can't wait to see what the next few years bring.  You're a great little sister and big sister and handle your role as the middle kiddo quite well.  You're our little boom boom!

Here are some photos of the Birthday Girl and her party.

We had all sorts of fun celebrating in Spidey style - jumper, gunny sack races, pinata, and a strange story game that Dad told where he was the monster and you had to run to the play-gym to be safe.  It was pretty crazy.

On your mark!

Let's race!

Go, Go, Go!

Your tiny party people

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jorey!

Well, the baby of the Fry family has officially turned 3! 

Happy Birthday, Jorey, you crazy little lady!  You make me laugh every day and always keep me on my toes.  I like to say you're my "spirited" child...because you're always on the go, you don't really believe I'm an authority figure, and you like to press the limits.  Even though you do like to offer up the challenge, there's not a day that goes by that I don't shake my head and giggle at something you said.  You have an amazing sense of humor and I love every minute of the days spent with you. 

In the morning, you love to stay snuggled into the covers until I tickle you enough to get you out of bed.  You love to pretend to fall back asleep just so I have to come and get you.  At night, you always need a series of drinks before you're ready and you need a back scratch, sometimes some arm and leg scratches and then you like to challenge me to give you a smooch on the lips, while you cover them up.  When I finally get you, you wrap your arms around my neck and hold on tight and tell me I can't get out.  While this turns bed time into a 20 minute ordeal, I do secretly love the whole thing.  I know some day, I'll miss being a part of the saga that is bed time.  You like me to make you "snug as a bug" and use those words.  The way you say it makes me smile every time because you usually say, "I want you to make me "snug as a buggity, bug in a wug..." 
When I take the camera out, you instantly say cheese and smile so big that it's all teeth.  You just went on your first big adventure to the dentist on June 7 and you were so brave when they determined that you have a dead tooth from your collision with a fellow student at daycare.  So, while we'll have one discolored tooth in all the pics until the tooth fairy gives you a new one, I know you'll still be beautiful.  I love you sweetheart!  Thanks for bringing so much joy to every day.

Happy 4th Birthday, Macy! You're my big girl!

Ah, Macy. My little turkey. I can't believe you're 4 years old! I've had so much fun watching you grow up and become the little lady you finally are. Now, I could do without some of the emotional meltdowns, but I am amazed at your level of kindness and maturity. Sometimes, I wonder how we raised such a nice little girl who likes everybody, listens, and is pretty darn respectful. Heck - you won an award at daycare for Kindness and Generosity! (I'm going to have to dig into my archives from when I was little to see if, in all of my naughty adventures, I mixed in any kindness and generosity... You're also great at trying to help Jorey (most of the time). Today, she was riding her bike in the street, arguing with me heavily about whether she should come up on the driveway or not, when you offered to let her play with one of your chopsticks that you got at daycare today. (by the way, let's not forget that she keeps calling them chapsticks;) When you offered that, I said 'Thank You' and winked at you. You winked back at me and nodded and just looked like such a big girl! I couldn't believe it. Sometimes at night, after I tuck you into bed, I just smile to myself and feel so lucky that you are awesome and fun. I hope you have a great birthday and enjoy your parties.


You'll always be my big girl and one of my favorite ladies in the whole world! I love you, Macy Girl!

Happy 2nd Birthday Jorey (yes, late...get used to it)

So, the turkey turned 2 on the 5th, while Ken and I were down in West Palm Beach, FL. It was one of those times where you make a decision and then feel terrible about it...even though she didn't know it was her birthday. While we were away (on our much needed trip), she told orange gramma (my mom) that she wanted her mom and dad and wanted to go home. Poor thing.

Once we were back, we finally settled in on a date for the party and we had all of her greatest fans over for some pizza and a party. Jorey got lots of books, baby apparrell and accessories, a hot wheels, and all sorts of other goodies. Thanks everyone for all the cool stuff...that makes its way from one end of our house to the other every week. :)

She really enjoyed her cupcake, having happy birthday sung to her, and taking some photos with auntie Amy.

When Jorey blew out the candles, she said the whole time..."My wanna blow out the candles...My wanna blow out the candles." Then, with just one quick blow, they were out! Here's a little video.

Friday after daycare, we picked up a "Wounded Knee". Macy had suffered a fall while running to the park. She was running hand-in-hand with her friend Logan when she fell and he kept running. "But, he said he was sorry and that it was an accident." --she smiles when she tells the story, which leads me to believe that her daycare boyfriend Liam had better keep a heads-up!

Due to her request that BOTH Ken and I pick them up from daycare together, we did. And, then we went out to eat at Carbone's. When we got home and I grabbed her out of the car, the wound on her elbow was oozing so badly that it dripped on my arm...that was pretty sweet considering my gag reflex to such things. Due to her reigning drama-queen status, though, there was no room for me to be feeling sorry for myself...not for the drip of oozing wound, nor for the fact that I was the chosen one to remove and replace the nasty bandages. Well, we had a lot of talk about how we have to be tough and how to be brave and that it does hurt, but there's no reason to scream in Mom's ear...things like that.

Saturday morning, when she woke up, she was still the queen of helplessness. She was asking Ken to do everything for her...including picking up her hippo. "Dad, can you please pick-up my hippo? I have an owie.". ha. She actually was walking without bending the right arm or the left leg when we got her and that has continued all day, every day with the exception of sprinting and jumping down the sidewalk at her dad's softball game on Saturday. I can only assume she forgot that she was going with that level of drama.

Following Saturday morning's back-and-forthe, though, we've really made some progress. She has been able to actually support ME while we're doing bandage change. When I have to pull the tape REALLY FAST so that she doesn't get her hairs pulled, she has told me the last two times..."Great job, Mommy. You're doing such a good job. That doesn't even hurt!". Ah, Macy...such a sweet girl.

One other funny thing...today, we attended a baby shower for a co-worker, Marie, who is having twin boys any day, now. When their dad got home, they asked where he was and I said he was in the shower. Jorey says, "Is he in a baby shower?" ha ha. How funny the things that make sense to us, that must completely baffle a two-year-old. Showers? Wet? Showers? Balloons and Cake? hmmm.