The Noriega Family

We had another enjoyable Easter this year.  I love the girl's enthusiasm for holidays.  They have loved learning more about Jesus this week and His sacrifice for us.  They have been retelling the story of his resurrection and have enjoyed their church lessons leading up to it.  They were also really excited to hunt for Easter eggs.  

They decorated their Easter baskets the night before and had fun waking up in the morning to filled baskets and eggs to hunt for.  It was really fun.  We spent lunch time at Grandma and Grandpa's house for a little more egg hunting squished in between everyone's different church times.  The girls loved it of course and all of the kids were really cute.  By the time we got home from church at 6:30pm, the full affect of too much sugar was setting in.  Estelle just wanted to go bed.  No dinner, no story, she actually asked if she could just go to sleep.  Maybe we should give her too much candy more often.  Natalia and Sienna were bouncing off the walls.  They were so goofy.  They should never given that much candy at one time, but they were funny.  

Natalia had Spring Break this last week and we loaded up on the fun.  My friend Jodee was here in town (sadly we have no pictures with her), so she got to participate in all our fun activities.  Hector had most of the days off work, so that just added to the great time as well.  Since we had already done a vacation this year, we did a stay-cation for the break; we did fun daytime activities each day, but then came back home to our beds each night.  

We went to Busch Gardens again.  The girls remembered it from last summer and they had a blast riding their favorite rides.  Natalia continues to be brave; she decided she wanted to try the tall drop ride.  She did great!  It was fun having Jodee with us because it allowed 

Hector and I to ride some of the big rides while she watched the girls.  It was really fun.

We went to the farm one day and then to the Natural History Museum the next day.  We did the live butterfly exhibit at the museum and it was so neat being in the room with all the butterflies.  Natalia was great at spotting all the ones we had not seen yet.  Estelle was afraid of them and kept asking when we would leave.  

Hector took the girls kayaking and they all had a great time.  It was a great spring break and it was so fun spending time with family.  We loved having Jodee here and we were all surprised at how fast the week flew by when she had to leave us.  It was great having her here for Sienna's birthday, spring break and our Mardi Gras party.  Time flies when you are having fun.  

Sienna's birthday was so much fun!  My little girl is five now and she has been looking forward to her birthday for a long time.  She has been into Super Heroes for almost a year now.  I have learned so much more about Super Heroes than I ever thought necessary form her little obsession.  We read lots of books about super heroes and she is always telling me something new.  She loves to dress up and play pretend.  She has lots of action figures and she loves them all.  So of course we had to do a super hero party.  

We made Captain America shields and awesome arm bands.  They practiced their shooting skills and ninja kicks.  They played a game where they tried to give each other big muscles; it was very funny.  We played a hot potato kryptonite game and silly string (spider wed) shooting game.  It was all so much fun.  Sienna loved her gifts form everyone.  The little captain america was one of her favorites.  She loves her super hero Lego's and had a blast doing them with dad.  She got a Nerf crossbow; she loves it and thinks she is hot stuff.  

After the party we headed to the indoor water park with friends and then out to eat.  Sienna continued to have a great day and then crashed on the car ride home.  We were all exhausted, but it was well worth seeing one happy little super girl.  

Sienna is amazing.  I am so proud of her.  At five she can read and she works hard on expanding her abilities.  She likes to try new books and she feels so good when she finishes.  She can count to 100 and by 10's ( she learns so much from listening to Natalia).  She is a good big sister and loves to help out.  She loves to play with Natalia.  They are best buddies and have so much fun together.  

Sienna loves to pretend.  She almost always has some kind of costume on.  She loves to snuggle and be read too.  She is good a trying new things, but as the same time she is becoming a little more apprehensive than she used to be.  She loves church and is always good.  She loves to learn about Jesus and she cares deeply about being good.  She likes to follow the rules and she wants others to follow the rules.  Sometimes she looses patients when this does not happen.  

Sienna is funny.  She loves to be silly.  She tries to tell jokes.  She likes to laugh.  She likes sports and is so excited about soccer.  She loves to ride her bike and if the weather is nice, she is usually outside riding her bike.  Sometimes her helmet just stays on all day, regardless of the activity we are doing.  

Sienna is loving and kind and I am so happy being her mom.  I love her so much.  It is hard to believe she is five already.  I remember being pregnant with her and wondering about her personality.  Now she has been with us for five years and shines all around us.  Happy Birthday, Sienna.