Eyes and Ice Cream

Elayna had her first eye appointment back in September.  I know it's almost December, just roll with it.  At my appointment this past summer, the doctor noticed the girls (how could he not, really?) and went on to tell me how children between the ages of 3 and 4 need to have their eyes checked.  He explained how they can easily go cross-eyed or gain a lazy eye when one eye works harder than the other.  Enough said, appointment made.  

No worries, Elayna received the "all clear" and won't need to go back for at least another year.  She absolutely loved all parts of the appointment.  EVEN the dreaded air puff to the eyeball part.  Weirdo.  With Halloween coming up coupled with her fascination of ghosts (she really is a weirdo), I led her to believe there was a ghost waiting in the machine to try and scare her and make her laugh.  And laugh she did both times he got her.  Then she passed every test with flying colors.  She had so much fun.

 

After the appointment, just like any other doctor visit, we go get ice cream.  Don't judge, it's what we do and it's especially helpful when the girls get shots.

Gourds and Birthdays... for Diane

Blogger fail.  What else can I say?  Diane, your persistence has paid off.  Here you go.  :)

September is Gourd Festival month for Mayfield, Kentucky.  NO WAY we were going to miss that.  Here are the girls painting gourd pieces.  They made bracelets and rings and ... other things.  So..."tell me about it," right?

Aren't they cute?

For their birthdays, Ryan & I gave them a Power Wheels dune buggy.  Best and worst idea ever.  They love it.  But Cora is a little too vertically challenged and can't quite reach the pedals.  Elayna is more than happy to gas while Cora steers.  But they both still fight over it.  Problem almost solved.

The birthday theme this year was PIRATES.  Several folks dressed the part and we had a lot of fun.  (Yes, there are more candles than there are years of age on that awesome cake our friend Vana made.  That's what happens when you throw your husband the box of candles and tell him to light it up.  He pays attention to neither detail nor birthday cake etiquette.) 

The one thing Elayna begged for this year was a piñata.  I thought to myself, "Okay, where in the world am I gonna find a pirate piñata?"  One word: Walmart.

Cora even got in on the action, with the help of O'pa. 

None of the little kids could bust the thing open, even though they had a ton of fun trying.  So we brought out the big guns.  (It helps that she's a softball player.  Nice form, Alex.)

Here's our pirate chest full of booty.  Instead of spoiling our girls with more gifts than they could handle or appreciate, we decided to give to the Cap Haitien Children's Home in Haiti.  The children there needed school supplies and our friends and family were happy to help out.  In lieu of gifts, nearly everyone brought paper, pencils, highlighters, rulers, crayons, and other various school supplies, which we then sent on to the orphanage.  CHCH holds a special place in our hearts because this is where our good friends the Pirtles have gone on several mission trips and have fallen in love with the people there.  Not only do they devote their time, energy, and resources into assisting the family at CHCH, they are currently in the adoption process and eagerly await the arrival of two precious Haitian boys, Sam and Alto.