For Sam. And Sebastien.

Several posts back, in "Letters for Sam," I told you about Sam and Sebastien.  I also told you about their Mommy's wish to get things in the mail for Sam.  So last week, Mommy and I talked about what I wanted to do for them.  

Mommy suggested we could draw and color some pictures for them.  But quickly I said, "No.  I need to paint things for them.  My Curious picture from my birthday party makes me happy.  If I paint something, they will feel better."  So painting it was!

Mommy knew we had to mail whatever I made, so she went to the store and got some flat canvases for me to work with.  We sat at our table, covered with old towels, and talked about what we wanted to paint for them.  

Green.  That was most important.  It's my favorite color.  I know it will make them happy!  Then Mommy asked me what I wanted to draw.  Of course first I said a GARBAGE TRUCK!!  And for the other one, I wanted to do a spaceship.

First, we painted the canvases solid colors.  Green for one, blue for the other.

After they dried (acrylic paint dries really fast!), Mommy used a piece of my chalk to draw the outline of a garbage truck onto the blue canvas.  She helped me to outline the sections with paint, then I filled in each area.

It needed wheels next, so Mommy outlined circles for me,
and I painted them black!

Then we outlined it together.  And I decided that the 'garbage' truck needed to be a 'recycling' truck.  So Mommy painted the recycle symbol on it for me.  Then I decided it needed a road, so we added some white paint to our black, and I painted on a gray road! 

Then we moved on to the space ship.  Mommy again outlined it in chalk, then helped me outline it with paint.  And I got to work!

I think they turned out really well!  I'm very proud of them,
and I really hope Sam and Sebastien like them!

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Once they were nice and dry (the next day), Mommy
added some ribbon trip and a loop to use for hanging them. 

Sam and Sebastien got these in the mail yesterday.  Mrs. Sandi was thrilled, and very proud of me for my great artwork!  I really hope Sam and Sebastien like them and feel a whole lot better soon!


(If you haven't had a chance to sent something to these special little miracles, please still do something for them!)

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Mommy's birthday was Friday.  Daddy and I have been planning how we were going to make her cake for a bunch of days.  Tuesday night we went to Target to get all the ingredients and supplies.  I chose everything!  Mommy was called in to document the process with photos while Daddy and I worked.  And as you'll see, Madeline sat around just being cute, as usual!  I have really been paying a lot of close attention when I'm in the kitchen with Mommy, because I was the one telling Daddy everything we were supposed to do (and how to do it)!

First, we needed to make the batter in Mommy's shiny red mixer.  Start with the eggs...

Then add some water.....

And because I wanted to make her cake pink (like she made my birthday cake green!),
we added some pink food coloring.....

It's a pretty pink!

See, I told you just sat around being cute!

Once the batter was made, I had to taste-test it for quality control:

We put the cakes in the oven, then started on making the icing!

We colored half the icing "girly green" (a.k.a. teal), because green is my favorite, and Mommy is a girl.  I loved this color!  I started to help spread it over the top!

Once Daddy and I (with a little help from Mommy) got the cake looking smooth, it was time to color the rest of the icing --  Purple!

Then we loaded all that pretty purple into a pastry bag.  Mommy's a genius -- she got out our chip clips and put one on the end of the pastry bag.  Voila - no mess!

Then I went to town making "dots" around the top and bottom!

Daddy traced out the letters to spell "MOM" with a toothpick,
then helped me pipe icing over it.

 

 

A few (okay, several) shakes of sprinkles later.... the finished product!

 

Grangie and Paw-Paw Mike were at Parin's for Mommy's birthday seeing his new house, so they gave Mommy her present early.  She got the ice cream maker attachment for her shiny red mixer!  So we made homemade ice cream to go with her cake!

 

 

We added green food coloring to the ice cream, since it's my favorite color!

 

 

Time to sing "Happy Birthday" to Mommy and blow out her candles!
(It was after dinner that evening, and Madeline had already gone to bed.)

Best cake ever.  Happy 30th Birthday, Mommy!

Helping My Baby!

Madeline is learning how to use a sippy cup, and I've been helping her a lot!

Memorial Day Weekend

Parin and Aunt Emily came to spend Memorial Day weekend in Baton Rouge.  We had a great time!  Oh, and they brought Franklin with them, too!!  I just love Franklin!  That Sunday afternoon, Tuckey Boy barbequed for us, so we all spent the day outside playing and having fun.

Madeline was her beautiful self in the sun!

 She was making pretty eyes at her Nanny!

Then Parin and I joined them for pictures!

After pictures, Parin wanted a ride, so I gave him one
('til the trailer capsized and I ended up in the air on my tractor!)

So, since I couldn't give him a ride, he decided to ride on my bike instead!

I made him wear a helmet for safety!

Daddy joined us, too!

While Madeline and I were napping, Mommy, Parin, and Aunt Emily

went to Target and bought us some swimming pools!

We had so much fun playing outside that evening!

Even Madeline enjoyed splashing around!

I joined Madeline for a while to check out her pool.

The sun was bright so she needed her shades!

I loved the sprayer on my pool!

My pool was pretty empty after Parin slid down the slide!

I think he enjoyed my pool as much as I did.

Madeline loved chilling in her little pool!

Parin taught me how to slid big!

Aunt Emily and Madeline joined us in my pool!  I was super excited!

Even Franklin took a little dip!

Madeline just smiled and smiled!

She's so cute!