Lizard Princess turns FIVE!

When I first asked Cora about her ideas for her 5^th birthday party, she said she wanted a “big girl fairy princess ballerina party with ten friends and absolutely no boys, little sisters or mommies allowed”.   Check. 

What about food? No surprise that she wanted “Oysters from the Blue Fish, shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, pink meat and some calamari and some cheetohs on the side”.  (I immediately envisioned ten little girls running from our house gagging. )   

After much negotiating and explaining to her that most little girls did not have such a, well, sophisticated pallet as the Lizard Princess, we came up with plan B: Chocolate sandwiches and P,B and J on white bread, which is a special treat our house, fruit (so I can say we had something healthy on the table), cheetohs, pixie sticks (a la the fairy theme) and juju flowers. 

Cora demanded that they all go lizard hunting after they got dressed up, but I convinced her to go with more traditional party activities and promised that Daddy would take her on an after party date where she could lizard hunt until her little heart was content.  

After undergoing a fairy transformation complete with homemade skirts by my mom, butterfly headbands, sparkly wings and earrings, the ballerina fairy princesses did crafts, decorated wands, and played pin the wand on the fairy.  They were all well-behaved little ladies and Cora enjoyed holding court which is a nice way of saying pleasantly bossing everyone around.  

After the party, Colin surprised Cora with a special date to smoothie king where he told her she could have whatever she wanted.  It was no surprise to me that our little fairy ballerina princess selected an orange smoothie and…. A piece of ostrich jerky.  Followed by a trip to Boone Park, which is known for having bountiful lizards.  It is safe to say that not one lizard felt safe when the Lizard Princess and her proud papa arrived.

Cora, I love your fierce hugs, love of nature, endless curiosity, bountiful enthusiasm and independent spirit.  With you, every day is truly a wild adventure full of extraordinary surprises, lizards, unexpected challenges and your generous love of all things bright and beautiful and great and small.  Your Daddy and I are so proud that you are ours!!  

Can’t wait to see what your 5^th year will bring.  We Love You!!!

Summer love!

Allen playing "daddy" one afternoon (with my nursing cover as the baby carrier!).  Such a good, hands-on dad, just like Colin!

Now he is pretending to be Mama, managing two kids plus whoever is over here for a playdate haha.  This is the best impersonation of me ever.

Wen to see Monsters University with Allen's BFF Tuggy.  They shared a chair, popcorn and many laughs.  Tug's mama and I survived the whole experience and were thankful for post-movie beers at Pizza Palace.

On our way to grill out with our neighbors.  Cora loves getting all dressed up for her nights out in the 'hood.

Allen took this picture. Fitting.

Allen channeling Austin Powers.

This will be a good one for their rehearsal dinner slideshow someday.

Allen wore this shark costume around the whole time we were at Hammock Beach.  He got so much attention it was like being with a celebrity.

Entertained himself while Poppy and Daddy fished.

What could be more fun than digging a really big hole?  He said it was his dinosaur house and he played in it for an hour!

Allen Moore Thakkar fishing with his namesake, Terry Allen Moore, my wonderful dad.

Back to the hole for more fun!

Since we have no snow in FL, we make sand angels instead! 

hole in the wall in Flagler beach.  Colin, want to take me to lunch here soon?!

my favorite fruit of summer at the Flagler Beach farmers market.  yum!!!!

Allen was mesmerized by this dude that makes musical instruments out of driftwood.

Fresh pineapple juice, served in the pineapple. 

My beautiful and talented Mama with the kids and the squeaky dolphin and shark I let them pick out at the market.

My mom the artist giving the kids and impromptu art lesson on the chalkboard by the pier.

Flagler Beach is pretty cool.

back in town today.  Tried to get over my post-vacation blues by taking pics of the kids are the playground.

awe.

loves swinging!

Allen blowing me a kiss!

devastatingly handsome little guy

caught a snail and it came out of its shell.  Cora named it "Zelda" and exclaimed "Oh Mama! I have always wanted to see a snail come out of its shell.  It's a real Miracle! Now the snail is in her bug box and she is drawing a picture of it.

my miracle with her miracle

fitting Cora asked to check this out from the library today.