Look who's 3 (I mean 2)!

Vivien turned 2 on Wednesday but she tells everyone she is 3! She is in such a hurry to be just like her big sister.

She has a birthday #2 pancake in the morning. They sang to her at Chapel School. GG and KK came after nap. Then the Connells joined us for a pizza dinner and chocolate cake. She had fun opening cards from Nana, Aunt Ruth and Uncle Bill, Aunt Joyce, and
Aunt Rita and Uncle Bill.

She loved all of her new gifts and has a great birthday! We love you sweet girl and are so thankful for all of the fun you bring to our lives!

Sunday Afternoon Artists

You know it is a Sunday afternoon at the Grovers' when you see two little girls running around in just bloomers or tights. This particular afternoon was spent creating masterpieces at the easel. They can spend hours here! Amity was really into spelling out words that we would sound out for her slowly.

Scooterific

Amity is loving her scooter that Santa brought her and we are all loving a good reason to be outside when it is not too cold. Vivien loves to run behind or in front of the scooter or draw with the sidewalk chalk.

Someday...

whenever I'm a grown-up, I'll eat ice cream every day!

Amity, 3.5 years

So you think you can dance...

Well, Amity sure does! She went to her first ballet class this morning and loved it! She was a little hesitant to join in at first but she warmed up and enjoyed the special "dress up" clothes that Miss Janie let them wear. It was
also fun to see her friends Ella and Gracie!

The rest of the day has been spent teaching the rest of us all that she learned and putting on a "show" for
us after dinner.

Prayer Warriors

I am so behind on writing what is going on with these two little girls that are growing so fast.  Hopefully, I can carve out time to retro-post some key events in the past few months.  However, I don't want to forget a sweet little development in our quest to teach the girls to pray. 

As we have transitioned to their new room, our new night-time routine goes like this:  bathtime, get dressed in pajamas, brush teeth, put "No WAFTing" marbles in the jar, get into Vivien's bed for Bible story, hymns, and prayer.

We have returned to rereading the Ella Lindvall Bible Story books and I love their length and how well they communicate to this age.  At the end, it asks "What did you learn?"  Amity is now able to really explain what she learned and then she wants me to ask Vivien.  Vivien ALWAYS says that the story was about monkeys!  And then Amity and I look at each other and giggle! :)

Ever the creature of habit, Vivien always picks "Holy, Holy, Holy" as her hymn of choice.  Amity often picks "Amazing Grace" but also likes "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus". 

We have been wanting to encourage the girls to begin praying for others.  Last week, Eiley fell while she was at the park with us.  Vivien has taken up her cause in prayer.  At random times throughout the day, she closes her eyes and says "Thank you for Eiley fall."  I don't think she is truly thankful that Eiley fell but I think she hears us say "thank you" a lot when we pray and she has been very concerned about Eiley.

Since this summer, Amity has been praying for a baby brother.  Her prayers used to go, "Thank you for my baby brother" but they have evolved as she hears us rephrase her petitions.  One day, I suggested we pray for their future husbands.  Yesterday, Amity wanted me to pray for their future babies.  Tonight, she asked me to pray for "Sarah, Mary, and John Joseph" (our future grandchildren)!

My favorite part of having the new beds is that I get to climb in bed with them at bedtime and snuggle and read and pray.  I pray we have many, many more years of those moments and that someday, Amity gets to do the same thing with Sarah, Mary, and J.J.!

Phat lip

On Monday afternoon before nap, I told Amity to go pick out some books from our entryway "library". Somehow en route to the books, there was a mishap with a toy shopping cart and loud crying ensued. Falling and crying is not that rare for Amity but lots of
blood in her mouth is. I called our neighbor across the street and asked if I could bring Amity over for him to take a look. He very graciously looked at her teeth and prescribed Tylenol, ice cream, and Popsicles.

Her lip has gradually become less swollen but her front teeth still look a bit precarious. She doesn't seem too upset anymore and we discovered why...she is hoping for the tooth fairy!