Mulu's big week

This week not only does Mulu turn 7 (oh yes - our little man will soon be 7) but he is also "Star of the Week" at school - which Mulu takes very seriously. He has been strategizing his "Star of the Week" poster for a while now - which pictures he wanted to put on it - whether he wanted it to say "Mulu" or "Mulugeta" - and what we could do that would be extra cool (and I have to admit I have been excited about this project too).

So we decided to make "multiple Mulus" to put on his poster - having him pick what would represent the different parts of him. After he picked 5 different things (he actually did pick them all - with just a little guidance from me) I used my"Cricut" (a cutting tool I got from Santa this year) to make the clothes. We had a lot of fun taking the silly pictures (there were 108 shots in the end) and finished them all today.

This is also a nice way do part of his birthday posts because it shows many parts of him right now.

Here is our end result.

Mulu has been all about Ethiopia lately - relearning words in Amharic - wearing his Ethiopian clothes to school - requesting Ethiopian food (I made a wicked pot of dorowot for dinner tonight) - and he even checked out a book on Ethiopia from the library - so I was kind of expecting (and happy) that it was his 1st request.



and baseball wasn't a surprise at all either - but to his father's chagrin - and his Uncle Dave's delight - he requested a St Louis Cardinal's uniform rather than Brewer's



and this is supposed to be a snowboarder - representing his love for sports, cold and speed. He has a basic snowboard that he uses when we go sledding and this year he got to go snowboarding at a ski hill with his Dad this year and loved it.


For a while now he has been wanting to be an astronaut when he grows up - being very curious about planets and stars and what its like in space.


and this one made me laugh out loud - twice. So at the end of our planning conversation he mentioned that along with being an astronaut he was thinking of being a weatherman too. Totally out of the blue - besides letting me know when it is going to rain and talking lots about tornadoes, we have never had a conversation about weather stuff. And then this morning I asked him what color suit he wanted to "wear" on his weather man guy - blue, black, or brown - and he said "I don't know - whatever the weather guy wears on NBC - that's where I want to work, you know" - what?!?!?! Too funny - so here is "weather man Mulu". . .




and here is the final poster - I know its hard to see - but I told him I would put it on here - he did all the coloring of the letters in his name, picked up the pictures, all the writing on the captions and placement of items. Don't mind my feet -

and while I am posting about my crazy little people - I thought I would share his birthday invitation - we are doing a Jungle Safari theme:

Just cuteness

here is a morning moment - look at all that cuteness




After Aaliyah's birthday party we took advantage of having all the cousins over and tried to set up a photo moment - from left to right - cousin Evie, Aaliyah, Aria, Mulu and cousin Charlie

Aria's 1st haircut

Yes, I am fully aware that Aria doesn't have much hair for being 17 months - but what she did have was pretty straggly and uneven - so after Aaliyah got her hair cut Cheyenne (who has been cutting Aaliyah's hair since she was a baby) gave Aria a little trim. The back is now straight and turns into a cute little bob - the bangs - well they still have a lot of growing in to do (she has a wicked receding hairline). We got a cute little award and some locks of her hair in a baggie as a keepsake.

We had already been at the salon for about 40 minutes - so I was worried she was going to be a bit squirmy - but she did great - actually holding really still - not moving her head - just her eyes and even holding her breath for parts of it. She didn't know what to make of it - but was a trooper.


Getting her bangs trimmed


Trimming the back - Cheyenne had Aria look at a book so her head was tipped down

Aaliyah's birthday part 2!

and here is Aaliyah's party. It was a nasty day outside - but the party was full of family and friends who love Aaliyah and we all had a great time

Aaliyah in her birthday dress (as well as her Cinderella gloves, crown, purse and Snow White shoes)


Aria looking all cute (I got no picts of Mulu that day - he was busy downstairs with all the kids)



Aaliyah, Aria and some of their friends checking out some of her gifts



Her cake - which was, of coarse, strawberry so that it was pink



blowing out her candles



some of the party guests after singing Happy Birthday.

Aaliyah's birthday part 1!

As promised - here are the picts of Aaliyah's birthday festivities

On the day of her birthday we went to dinner with some of her grandparents, aunties, uncles and one of her cousins. She got to open some of her gifts and had a great time.

at the table



opening some gifts



Daddy and Aria posing for the camera


Uncle Dave and Cousin Charlie looking at some of the toys

Mulu - after enjoying a blue sucker


Here is the front of Aaliyah's birthday party invites - which, of coarse, had a princess theme.




and some decorations I made for the party

More fun in the snow

winter activities have been plentiful this year - as we have, yet another, never ending Wisconsin winter - but it does help us fill our lazy Saturdays with exciting things like . . . shoveling the driveway!!! Bundle everyone up - run around in the snow and an hour later we have a clear driveway and three tired Johnson kiddos.


Aaliyah - taking her turn at getting rid of the snow


here is Mulu - getting to use a real shovel - he loves being helpful




and, of coarse, Aria is right in there



taking a break with the sled - and without hills that means Mama running up and down the sidewalk


the girls - being their cute selves

Thursday funny - thanks to ears.

The other night Aaliyah is digging in her ears & mentions "I can feel fuzz in my ears".

well Aaliyah - how did that fuzz get in your ears?

she replies " sometimes I find fuzz in my toes . . . and I put it in my ear"

ahhhhhhhhhh

what?

yikes.

We got it checked out - and if she did put anything in her ears it has fallen out - but I did get Aria's ears nose and throat specialist to reiterate that we don't put things (especially things that come from our feet) in our ears.

Aaliyah is 4!!!

I say it on every birthday - but it is hard to believe that our little Aaliyah Konjit is 4 years old. Yesterday was her birthday and she is completely embracing the idea of being a year older. She has been explaining things all day today in terms of "when I was three . . . "

As for what Aaliyah is like right now - spunky - very spunky. She is always dancing, prancing, singing, performing and is ALWAYS talking - weather someone is there to listen, or not. She wears dresses or skirts daily and is a girl's girl. She loves everything princess and thinks the kids from High School Musical are the greatest. She has a spirited personality, but is not a risktaker - she would much rather float down the lazy river than go down water slides. She loves to swim, do gymnastics and dance to music. She is an amazing little girl, and I am super lucky to be her mama.

We are having her birthday party on Sunday - so I will be posting more birthday pictures towards the end of her birthday week . . . but here are some photos of her throughout this past year. . .



helping me with some baking - and maybe there was a nibble or two when i wasn't looking.


wearing her Auntie's glasses


just raw cuteness



green frosting . . . messy girls are too cute


sleeping - I thought it was just too cute the way she is cradling her face.