M & E's first haircut(s)...

We, or shall we say Mama, finally felt she was ready for us to have our first haircut (really just a little trim) to even things up but still leave it long enough to fix. It truly was an enjoyable experience (as you can see below), much in part because we were able to have Auntie Laura do it for us.

A few shots of us both, all smiles as you can see...











HOWEVER...just one week following this, we felt experienced enough to try give ourselves another little trim. Papa and Mama were in the kitchen with Theodore, Eleanor came in from the dining room with Madelaine's hair in her hand and said "look at Madelaine's funny, messy hair"...only for there to be a little snip of her own hair on the table as well. We were very lucky, hardly noticeable. We also got some new rules for scissor usage.

M's hair left (definitely a snarly mess) and E's hair right...

Here is to only good hair days!

Love, ME

The big celebration for #3!!!

Because we had so much fun having a swimming party for our #2 celebration, we decided to do it again but with a few changes...at a different hotel with an overnight and with our favorite cartoon character theme.

Welcome to our Dora party!

Cousin Leela started our party off with a much needed present...our first pair of goggles!

The 4 wild swimmers!

Though Theodore took a quick dip with Papa, he mostly just kept the older ones in order from the sidelines...

We enjoyed our individual Dora cakes while guests got cupcakes with either a Dora or Boots ring...

Though our guests left after all of the festivities, our party continued into the next morning and we were all smiles when waking up...

One of the best parts of staying overnight was that we got to go swimming with Papa again before we left the next day...
This allowed us to perfect our sliding skills of following each other in-a-row. This would be M...
Followed by E...

Followed by the big kid himself, Papa...
Thank you to everyone who came and helped us celebrate, and for all of the wonderful presents (even though it was just Christmas). We are two very lucky little girls!

Love, ME

Happy 9-months to Teddy!

Hard to believe 3/4 of my first year of life has gone by already! My favorite game which I now like to play is throw and catch with a ball. I stay quite entertained if someone will sit with me. I like to toss the ball, clap my hands in excitement, and then trap the ball when it is rolled back to me.

I also like to throw things off of my highchair tray in hopes that someone will pick it up...the longest I've kept my sisters going with this fun activity is 5 minutes before they exclaimed "Theodore, that is enough"!

Still no teeth, though there is one on the bottom with the top slightly poking through. I continue to do quite a bit of drooling and love to chew on my fingers and other objects I can get my hands on.

I am learning a few signs and watch signing-times with my sisters on occasion as they try and teach me the ropes. I do a fair job of using "more" when eating and can very clearly sign "all done" when completed.

No creeping yet, but I can get up and down from sitting onto the floor and also enjoy some rocking on my hands and knees.

I am extremely vocal, and clearly pronounce "M" (for Mama of course, hehe), "B", and "G" which is the most consistently used of all. The Grandparents are likely wishing it is for them but we all think it is for "GIRLS" being I very excitedly reach my hand out towards my sisters when saying it and also assist Papa or Mama in calling them. If this ends up being my first word it will make perfect sense being it is likely the most commonly word said in our home, in varying tones of course!

My 9-mo MD stats will come in a separate post with Madelaine and Eleanor's 3-yr MD stats being Mama was extremely efficient, adventurous, crazy, or whatever you'd like to call it in scheduling all 3 of our appointments in-a-row one lovely morning.

Of most importance is that I continue to be adorable and such a wonderful little man in this household!

Love, Theodore

Our special day at the House of Bounce!

We decided to stay close to home on our special day and made our first trip to the House of Bounce in Rochester. Likely because we went on a weekday at 2:30 pm, we completely lucked out and basically had the whole place to ourselves. As you can guess, our first response to this place with these massive blow up jumping things was completely opposite....

One of us could not move fast enough to get inside the first one that caught her eye, a princess one...

One of us was a bit more hesitant...

Papa was able to join us on the larger ones, which included going down very large slides...
This would be E...
This would be M...

By the end, fun was had by all...

Including our little brother who enjoyed watching us giggle and squeal with excitement...

We topped our day off by going out for a favorite; pizza and special birthday sundaes. It is looking good to be 3!
Love, ME

Happy 3rd Birthday to ME!!!

Look who is 3...


Papa and Mama are looking at this over, and over, and over because it is way too hard to believe!

Eleanor...you continue to be our more sensitive one. You have moments of extreme silliness when you make the best faces and also have moments when you are really loud. You love to sing while looking at yourself in the mirror. You are extremely particular about everything and do not like to get dirty (envision your approach at eating a s'mores this summer at the cabin - you kept it on the plate on the edge of the table and then took small bites using only your mouth so your hands wouldn't get sticky). You prefer "regular milk" and always state this at meal time. Your favorite breakfast food is sausage. You still are the early morning bird with Papa. You also have recently gotten into a routine of coming into Papa and Mama's bed around 3 am when you snuggle-in close to Papa until he gets up, with your frequently getting up at the same time.



Madelaine...you continue to be our more aggressive one, or as we sometimes call it "passionate" one. You move fast, talk fast, are extremely dramatic and can turn your temper tantrums into hugs and kisses (and vice versa) without blinking an eye. You love to dance and are quite coordinated with your twirls and jumps. While you are particular about things, you do not mind getting dirty. In fact, you appear to enjoy it especially while eating. You prefer chocolate or strawberry milk. Your favorite food is ranch dressing, and while you use it for dipping vegetables, chicken strips, etc. you also have a tendency to wear it ear to ear when done. You still are the late night owl with Mama and when you are up late, you like to suggest Mama makes popcorn. You have recently been doing a great job of staying in your bed all night long!

You both have been wonderful big sisters to your little brother, Theodore. You both love all things Dora! You both love music and dancing. You both enjoy reading books, doing puzzles, coloring, using stickers and glue sticks, and as of late cutting with your scissors. You enjoy working on counting, singing your ABC's, and recently have started to enjoy drawing shapes. You also have vivid imaginations and we frequently hear you reference each other as Kayla and Kalle (not sure where these names come from), having campfires or picnics somewhere in the house, playing restaurant, etc. etc.

The above is only a short list. You keep us busy but in the best way ever and we love you to the moon and back!!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from M, E, and T!

We did cheese fondue again this year for dinner and even added a chocolate fondue for dessert! In addition to food, we played games and as always had FUN! Our New Year came early as it should for at least awhile, yes, and started at 8pm...bedtime!

The absolute best part of 2011...

So here are CHEERS...

With SMILES...
HUGS...

KISSES...

And WISHES for a wonderful 2012!

Love,

The Gore Family

Christmas 2011, Theodore's 1st!

As is typical, the holidays go by way too fast and each year brings more anticipation, excitement, and a wish from Papa and Mama that we could just hold on to these moments longer being they are so wonderful...even the chaos of having 4 celebrations in 2 days! Christmas Eve again took us to Great-Grandma Ollie's house with no travel difficulties due to absolutely no snow (we walked across yards when making the 1-block trip to church...crazy)! This year, being almost 3 yo, ME did a wonderful job during the church service (very much enjoying singing the songs) and got to participate in the candlelight singing of Silent Night...with Papa's watchful eye.

One could have called us Angels...

E not wanting to participate...

Mama and her favorite "little"man...
The girl cousins posing after they realized they each had polka dots on their Christmas pajamas when getting ready for the trip home...

Theodore's first Christmas was all things expected. Some interest in ripping the paper but content to let his older sisters help do the rest.
He did what he does best...just be cute!

ME wanted cameras from Santa, a pink request for M and a orange request for E to be specific, so that is what he delivered and we have been snapping away ever since...
Papa's favorite gift for you girls was ice skates and go figure they make pink hockey skates these days, so of course that is the color he had to get!

Again we were showered with gifts (thanks to everyone, we love them all and Mama is still trying to find space) and though we don't quite yet grasp it, the most important thing and best gift of all was the time spent with our family while celebrating the birth of Jesus!

Love, M E & T