3 Years and 1 year!

It has been a very busy week, with Carmie turning 3 and Arley turning 1 on Wednesday.  I have been hanging out for this day, because everyone says the first year with two kids is the hardest, and we are through with it now so I feel like we're out of the woods (even if we really aren't, it is nice to have hope!).  We had a major wind storm on the Friday and Saturday before the kids' party (Sunday), and that did not bode well for setting up the trampoline that we bought the kids for their birthday.  Jeff was not very happy about the whole trampoline purchasing, and was even grumpier when he had to put it together in a windstorm.  But it got done, and Carmen was SO excited by it when she woke up on Sunday.  We did presents on Sunday too, and then we had the kids' party, which turned out really well.  Carmie had a blast.  We just had a couple of her friends over, and their parents, and the kids' Lolo and Dida and Uncle Sting.  Carmie spent the first part of her birthday asking me to put fire on her cake, so we had the cake early to make her happy.  It was a really nice day.

But then, the very next day Carmen came down with a stomach bug, and spent the day lying on the couch intermittently throwing up.  She was so sick, the poor thing.  So, she skipped school on Tuesday and went to the farm.  But, then there was Arley.  He never really got over his cold from a month ago (nor did I, as I am still hacking away).  On Tuesday he was grumpy and snotty, and then on Wednesday (his actual birthday) he was even worse.  He wouldn't sleep easily, and woke up in the middle of the night with a fever.  He was horribly snotty yesterday, but then today he seemed a little better.  When I gave him his bath tonight, I found a rash on his back and legs, which brings me to the conclusion that he has just had roseola.  Not a great birthday week as far as illnesses go!  However, I think both kids have had a lovely time with their new presents, and it can only get better from here, right?

Sunday morning

 New trampoline

 New sweaters from Lolo

 Birthday cake time

 Carmie's bestie, Cassie

 Three years old, one year old

 Arley's model pose