Happy Birthday Lizzie!!

Okay, I know it has been a while. Sorry about that. Aislin's birthday came and went and I didn't post a thing. She's one now and at a very difficult and clingy stage. Here's a little video of the day she just couldn't wait to take a bath.

Anyway, last week was Lizzie's 4th birthday. We threw a very special fairy birthday party for her and a few friends. They were so adorable! I made them each a pair of fairy wings and when they came in the door I put on their fairy wings and sprinkled them with pixie dust (glitter). Then they went into the living room and applied lip gloss, fingernail polish and more glitter to complete the fairy transformation. Then we did fairy freeze dancing.

Then they played pin the wings on the fairy, which they loved. We had to play it over and over and over. Ryan drew the picture for it.

Then we had a fairy tea party complete with pink mini cupcakes and strawberry lemonade. I don't have a picture of that, but they were pretty darn cute. After that Lizzie opened her presents and then they colored pictures with the stickers I gave out as prizes. Which included even more glitter, it was a very glittery party.

On Wednesday, her actual birthday, we just had a family party. Ryan, Lizzie and I decorated her cake for it. It was fun.

All in all it was a fun birthday for Lizzie.

Spring 2008

This is the quintessential Lizzie, all attitude.
This is the look of intense concentration Aislin wears everytime she eats.
This is Lizzie as a movie star.
This is Aislin in her most natural pose; grinning from ear to ear.

Just an update on the Salway clan.

Lizzie is growing like a weed. She can't wait for Summer so she can go swimming again. She hopes her parents find a house soon so she can have a backyard to play in.

Aislin is crawling and pulling herslef up. We wouldn't be surprised if she is walking in a month. She is also eating everything she can get her hands on. We call her "chubba". Probably need to drop that nickname when she gets older, but she has the cutest, little chubby legs.

Ryan and Sarah are both still working and go to school. Heaven help us. All this education had better be worth it someday.

We hope you are all well. We love you. :)

A professor is one who talks in someone else's sleep.

Well, it is back to the old grind for Ryan and I. For some nearly inexplicable reason, other than that we are crazy, we have both started full-time school again at the same time! (I know, we are nuts!)

Ryan began on the 22nd at the Art Center Design College working toward a degree in 3D modelling and animation. This semester he is taking Abnormal Psychology, Writing Composition, Art Philosophy and a class which teaches him to use an Adobe program (sorry, I can't remember the name.) So far, all of his teachers are nuts except the Abnormal Psychology professor. In spite of this, he is enjoying it and looking forward to the challenge. He is still working for T-mobile and has just added a very part-time job on top of that (more on that below).

I am enrolled in Baker College Online, which is a 100% online degree program from a regionally accredited college based in Michigan. I am studying Psychology, and am LOVING it. :) I am ecstatic to have something to challenge my brain again, and find psychology to be the most fascinating of all subjects. My goal is to eventually get a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling and work for LDS Social Services. I also just got myself and Ryan a part-time job testing video games for a rather new company called Novint. Ryan is ecstatic and I can't believe I actually found something that I can do at home! So far, it is a lot of fun.

Lizzie started primary this year, and thus far is loving it. We were a little worried that she would have a hard time with the transition, but she went right in and never looked back. :) She made a new friend and they are somewhat inseperable. The take each other to primary holding hands all the way.

Aislin is growing like crazy and has started pushing herself up on her hands and knees. It is only a matter of time before we will have to baby-proof again, which could be somewhat impossible in this apartment. Which is why we have been diligently been looking for a house to rent. There are several possibilities, but the endeavor is overwhelming. So many changes. But, with Aislin learning to crawl and Lizzie going nuts in this cramped space, we feel it is necessary.

Other things that have been going on are: we started recycling, we bought some reusable grocery bags, and Lizzie is now exclusively on hormone-free milk. We have noticed a dramatic change in her behavior just from this small dietary change! She is so much calmer and easier to reason with. We ran out one day and I gave her all of 3 oz. of normal milk, it was the most difficult day I have had in weeks. So, no more normal stuff for her, which is a bit of a bummer because we just started WIC again and we get our milk free now. Oh, well, such is life. :)

Anyway, we are all healthy and keeping very, very busy. The next few years are going to be crazy for us, but we are excited about the future. We love you all!

Ryan, Sarah, Lizzie and Aislin.