Hagan Wagon

Only once in everyone's life they turn the age of their birthday. Everyone calls it something different, but we call it a "Golden Birthday". Our Cinco de Mayo baby had her Golden Birthday this year, and she is living it up! First, she got to go on a shopping spree with her Grampa and Gramma Kris. Then she got her ears pierced, and decided Quinn should have hers done, too. After that, supper with Grandad and Grandmom, complete with wonderful presents and a home-made cake. Finally, a big crazy indoor bounce party with her friends.

(Belle making a pizza)

Kenna and Belle were sooooo excited to go to ski-school together, and both did very well- no broken parts!!! Kenna was awesome- she even skiied 2 days with the adults!

(Kenna getting on the magic carpet)

(Alyssa and Nisha playing in the snow)

While we all agreed Quinn would have loved to speed downhill on her own skis, we couldn't imagine her stopping on her own, so we kept her off the slopes this year.

(JP and Quinn sledding)

The snow was great, and the girls got to meet their cousin, Nisha. They are still missing having all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and of course, grandparents around. Quinn especially misses everone, and displays this in the ever-so-endearing crying fits about anything. Lucky for her, she knows how to get back on my good side- lucky for me too, 'cause I hate being angry with her!

(Daddy and Belle skiing)

Yes, Christmas brought the first full-fledged attack and invasion of the Disney Princesses. We have been assimilated.
It was only a matter of time. After all, everyone knows resistance is futile.

When Belle was only about 2-3 months old, we got her a pet. Her first pet was a beta fish we called "Purple Fish". (It didn't seem right for us to really name her fish...) The theory was eventually she would call it something and that would be its name. Now, over 4 years later, I have to report that Belle's first pet "Purple Fish" has gone on to the great fish bowl in the sky... (Via the porcelain bowl next to the shower.) Belle asked me where her fish was, and upon examining the contents of his bubble bowl, I found him in rigor mortis under his plant. "Sorry, honey, your fishy died." I told Belle.
"Can I eat him?" she asked. (She asked a few more times, but considering his condition and not knowing how to cook a beta...) She ended up flushing him herself, and immediately after declared we needed to go to the pet store to get her a new fish. Then she started waxing poetic about what kind of fish she was going to get- can you guess? Nemo! So I told her she could pick her fish, but it had to be the same kind of fish that "Purple Fish" had been.
"I don't want to get that kind of fish- he was a dying fish. I don't want a dying fish." She told me.
Anyhow, her new beta is named "Belle" and I was told it is definitely a girl fish. Come on, a four-year old knows these things.
Later that day, Belle went to use the potty and forgot we removed the child potty seat for the fish flush.
"I fell in the potty!" She cried from the bathroom, "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

Oops.

Timing is everything, right? So if you're going to ingest something you shouldn't and have to go to the emergency room, just make sure you recover in time to go Trick-or-Treating.

Our Halloween started scary and ended happy. Thank God.

So we already started Thanksgiving...

Wouldn't you?

(This was the 1st time we brought her home from the hospital.)

Wow- it's been awhile. Time for some serious catching up.
Let's start with the summer trip to Minnesota:

Yup, we are WAY out of order. However, the occasion and the fact there are fewer photographs to go through makes a "recess" necessary. This great adventure entails moving two small animate objects into a small space and the ensuing chaos that occurs. It's either a movie plot or a physics experiment. Yes, the girls now share a room. A room with bunkbeds. And a ladder. A ladder that must be removed any time Quinn is unsupervised in the room, or she uses the opportunity to seek and remove all items off the very high shelf- including the ones she can't reach while ON the bed. I think it's time to renew my CPR and emergency skills certificate... Note: Decor is... LADYBUGS! Try not to be surprised or shocked. Gramma Kris was in charge of bedding- the girls both love their ladybugs. Since the picture, we added a guard rail and shackles to Quinn's bed. (Okay, maybe not shackles.) SIDE NOTE! We added "Eggo" the Gecko to our circus family. To his own detriment, he entered our home and was discovered trespassing across my bedroom floor. He is carrying out a short-term sentence in a sandy-bottom plastic cell with a water feature and plant.