Maya's 3rd birthday party

My dearest Maya,

what can I say, life for the past few months has been .. eventful.. but we have taken care to continue enjoying every moment of you!  This year we chose to celebrate your birthday a few weeks early, because we really wanted it to be all about you.   Thanks to Uncle Hayden and Uncle Mario for taking these pictures to help us preserve the memories.

Swinging in the back with Noelle, Yazzie, Maria's granddaughter, and your beloved Avery.

Two Bajan Yankees liming

Helping mummy put candles on the cake

A beautiful Peppa Pig scene cake by Maria

Singing "Happy Birthday" Steel Pan style

Special thanks to Rony Perry for two hours of heavenly music

One of my favorite pics of you:

Huffing and puffing with all your might

Team effort:

 Having lots of fun with your friends:

 Auntie Keitha and the twins made it

 Some of your old classmates, like Hannah made it:

The real reason to have a birthday party..it's all about the icing

And why you might wonder, did we have your birthday party a month early this year?? Wellll, you are about to have a very special gift.  There might be some delayed gratification involved, but we hope you'll enjoy it (them) in a few years.  We took this picture in a mirror afterwards to remember that we survived your party of 70 people and ended it smiling.

And while I'm blogging, here are just a few other special moments with you from the last few months:

Home school ballet:

A trip to Moody Gardens during the summer:

A science class on bubbles!

Aunt Jenni's special hat

A really special trip to Boston - April 2015

Dear Maya,

last spring we took you to meet your Boston family for the first time.  Back then we never imagined we'd have a reunion again so soon.  

But, a conference came up and voila! we had a short and very sweet repeat visit to our Boston family

We were so lucky to spend not one but two nights with the Liam and Junyi and Elie..oh yes and CC and Marty :) 

and no visit would be complete without hugs and tickles from Nana Burns

And hugs and kisses from Auntie Oneeka!

Although it wasn't the longest visit, seeing each of you for as long as we could was infinitely worth it!

Winter 2014-2015

Dear Maya,

what do people do in winter in Houston anyway?

Well for starters there is "Frostival" - which is a Winter 101 course for families who will likely never (and perhaps don't want to) see snow!

There are donkey carriage rides..

And a truck load of snow for you to feel (note daddy is in a t-shirt)

Of course all that slipping and sliding led to a new favorite game at home:

And last but not least, a promenade walk with Aiden:

A little later in "Winter", there is the Rodeo!!
Where instead of a carousel with fake horses, you get to ride the real thing!
There was also a pretend farm for milking cows and collecting chicken eggs, a petting zoo.. yea winter!

Back on the homefront, you learnt to skateboard:

Bake cookies:

And use the potty!

Just growing by leaps and bounds..

Grammy's visit January 2015

Dear Maya,

We are so fortunate that Grammy can come to visit us, all the way from Alaska, every year.

As always, she comes with lots of great toys and educational ideas (and homework for Daddy) to help us engage that growing mind of yours.. at this rate you're going to be smarter than mummy and daddy much earlier than expected!

So for starters, you now have many ways to learn your numbers and counting.  Look at the two of you go!

And ipad tutorials.. although you may each have taught the other a little here..

And art projects..

And thank you Grammy for my most favourite gift of all.. my train set which all of my neighbourhood friends also love to play with me.

Oh yes, and Grammy continues to build your Adventure fund, but I'm not sure when I'll tell you those details.. hmmmm..

Although we appreciate Grammy's gifts, it is really the time that she takes to spend with us and complete our family that means the most.  Until next time.

Daddy's landmark birthday 2014

Dear Maya, 

where oh where has the time gone?!

Well, we've taken lots of good photos and videos along the way, it's just to find the time to put them all on your blog.  You are a very busy big-little-girl at this point.  

So let's begin with how we spent Daddy's special 2014 birthday.  We went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and had ourselves a really fun time.

Ok the water wasn't exactly warm, but we still enjoyed it.

Although you were shy at first..

It wasn't long before you had to be restrained!

And the two Turners were off for a swim in the sea..

Back at the resort, (thankfully) there was a nice warm pool!  And lots of families making a similar getaway..

So all in all it was a really fun time.

A very Happy *0th Birthday to the most wonderful and loving husband and daddy!

Just another fun day in my neighborhood

Dear Maya,

this is just a quickie to capture the beauty of what we have here on Dryden Rd.

BFFs forever: Maya and Logan

Maya's 2nd Birthday Party

Dear Maya,

Today is your second birthday!
Happy birthday to you, my sweet child! Well.. sometimes :) You know we love you anyway.

This past Saturday we celebrated your birthday with your many friends, and from the looks of it, everybody really enjoyed it.. especially you!

Special thanks to Mr. Samuel Dinkins of Dinky Drums company for bringing a wonderful community-building ensemble to our home.  Not every two year old has a sooo many friends and of such a wide age-range, and so we are grateful that we could bring them all to celebrate with you.

Here you are with Dada really getting down!

And Maya everybody got into it.. not just you:

And here is the community we've wanted for you, right here in our own back yard.. and jammin together to boot!

Well our session ended with a Happy Birthday tribute to you and you got your very own Sound Shape! That was the only time you were a little shy...

Both your current and past nannies love you so much.  Maria baked you this lovely Elmo cake, and Yenely came early and left late and really allowed all of us to enjoy the party with you.  Thanks to Jeffrey for showcasing:

I know I have to stop somewhere but here you are opening your first gift.. how does Uncle Binoy know the desires of a 2 yo girl's heart??

Now I've saved my best commentary till the end.  I believe that only your mother truly knows the desires of your heart  (the good, the bad and the ugly).  I know that my mother would not want anybody to know this, but we thank her dearly for being the sponsor of our celebration.  You wore her alligator bargain shirt as a tribute, and we know that she was there in spirit.  We thank BOTH of your grandmothers for raising you from a distance.