Meet Rosie

This is "Rosie", Anna's new best friend, born (or stuffed) on January 22, 2008.  Every month Asher and Anna take turns having dates with Joel or me.  We started this after Jesse was born so that the kids could have positive one on one time with us.  The kids love this new tradition and both Joel and I truly enjoy our special time with the kids.  This month I had a wonderful date with Anna and her best friend Gracie to Build-A-Bear.  I had never been there before so it was a new experience for all of us.  The girls were in heaven.  Of course, Anna picked a pink bear.  However if there had been a purple bear, that probably would have been her top choice.   After choosing their bears, the girls got to help stuff them and put hearts inside before sewing them up.  Then the newly "alive" friends got baths and their hair brushed before trying on numerous clothes at the dressing areas.  That was hard because Anna was grabbing a purse, backpack, cell phone, stroller, and any other pink accessories to go with the ballerina outfit (yes, a pink one) to go with her bear.  Her reasoning - "But my bear wants it!".  Finally, they got to name their bears and get birth certificates printed out.  It was so special and now "Rosie" (after her middle name) is her new best friend.  She sleeps with her and takes her everywhere.  It was a great girls night out.

Anna and her friend Gracie giving their bears air baths.  Notice that they both have the same bear.  They also picked out the same clothes and named them both Rosie.  Gracie's mother and I had to initial the tags so we could tell them apart when the girls play together.

Here they are putting the hearts inside.

Heading home with our Rosies in their cub condos.