Anna's first party! (Easter playdate)

I have two friends in Tulsa who had girls 2 weeks after Anna was born.  We've gotten together several times so we can catch up and the girls can play.  As it turns out, I have met several other Holland Hall moms who have babies Anna's age.  Most of these moms are "friends of friends" and ladies I have met through my own friend, Amanda. 

For Easter, Amanda hosted a small informal Easter party for the moms and babies Anna's age.  There was a great turn out and it is always fun to meet new moms.  Especially moms who have a connection to Holland Hall where our kids go to school. 

Of course, I dressed Anna in her Easter dress and took a few pre-party pics.  She was awake the entire party and LOVED sitting up watching the action.  She liked playing with new toys and watching the other babies move around.

I also got a couple of cute pictures of all the babies lined up.  I am sure the kids will get a kick out of this picture when they are 16 (assuming all end up at HH). 

Thank you Amanda for a fun morning with sweet babies and new friends.

William's Easter party at school

Thursday afternoon was William's Easter party at school.  It was fun and quick.  At 1:30 the kids lined up on the edge of the playground with their Easter sacks.  Each child was to find 6 eggs, each one a different color.  William was so excited.  From the starting line, he could spot 3 eggs and he was on the edge of his seat to run after them! 

When his teacher gave the signal, William was off!  He raced around the playground and found his 6 eggs in record time.  He was delighted and it was fun to watch him help his buddies find their eggs too. 

The kids played a little before heading back inside for Easter donuts.  Right before I left, William asked if he could hold Anna on the rug and have me take a picture.  He told me he really wanted to Anna to have a picture of herself as a baby in Kindergarten.  So that is exactly what we did!

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY SWEET ADELINE!

On Thursday, March 21, 2013 my sweet little Adeline woke up to a birthday banner and 2 balloons.  As is tradition, I ran into her room to snap a picture of her as she awoke to our family singing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" in loud voices.  William was SO excited it was Adeline's birthday and he took great pride in making her the Minnie Mouse birthday banner that we taped to her crib.

Oh Adeline knew exactly what the day was about....HER.  She was all about her birthday.  I wasn't sure she'd really understand the whole concept of a birthday.  However, she could grasp the highlights - balloons, singing, extra hugs, loads of kisses, and most anything she wished for that day.  Throughout the day, she would stop what she was doing and say, "Mama, Adeline birthday today? HURRAY! I love it!"

 

 Since Adeline's birthday falls during spring break, I asked William what he wanted to do to celebrate Adeline on her special day.  Without hesitation, William told me, "Let's go get donuts for breakfast and then paint again like we did last year."  Great idea Bud!  So that is exactly what we did.  I got a babysitter for Anna and the three of us threw on some clothes and headed for the donut shop.  Adeline chose a sprinkle donut and just before we left, the nice owner brought her a small bag of free donut holes.  I think William was more excited about the donut holes than Adeline as he grabbed the bag and said, "thank you sir!  my sister is going to love these for her birthday."


Then we headed for Purple Glaze, a local paint your own pottery studio.  William remembered painting a tile with a butterfly on it for Adeline's first birthday.  He was eager to make her something else this year too.  But then while browsing the pottery selection, William locked eyes with R2D2 from Star Wars.  He was SO thrilled to see a Star Wars option to paint, but I could tell he knew he was there to make Adeline a special gift.  After staring for a few seconds, he looked up at me and said, "Mom, I know this is probably not a good decision, but I want to make R2D2 instead of a picture for Adeline.  Can I please? It won't hurt her feelings I know it."  How can I turn that down!  Of course!  So William snatched up R2D2 and I picked out a tray for Adeline. 

I had mentioned to Katie that we were going to paint pottery on Adeline and Ford's bday and to join us if they were looking for something to do. Sure enough, they showed up! We got a big table for all the kids and we watched them create!  Of course, Adeline found the suckers at the counter and so she painted and ate a sucker at the same time....such a multitasker. 

We had a really fun morning with our friends and headed home around noon.  Adeline was moving a million miles a hour and just would NOT settle down for a nap.  She called out to me crying and crying during naptime and I just didn't have heart to listen to her cry on her birthday.  So my girl went the distance!  She partied like a rockstar the rest of the day. 

Throughout the day I caught myself going back in my mind to the minute she was born.  I always say there are three days of my life that I would love to relive if God gave me the chance.  Those three days are the birth days of each of my children.  That day is wonderous. It's the absolute best miracle moment I have ever known.

Adeline's was different though.  She was high risk and for 6 months, my heart held on to several "unknowns" until the second she was born.  Every time I stop and think about it, I am thrown back into the moment of her arrival.  I can smell it, I can see it, I can hear it.  I want to relive her birth day over and over again just as I do William and Anna.   My heart aches just thinking about the day my sweet Adeline came into the world.  She was perfect and my prayers were answered.  As we drove to get donuts and then to paint pottery, I just kept going back to THAT MOMENT when I first met my daughter and held her in my arms.  And to see her now...2 years later.  I could never in a million years have predicted how perfectly fantastic she'd turn out to be.  Like a fly on the wall, I loved watching the joy of her simple celebration with William, the donut as big as her brown eyes and that sticky pink sucker she clutched in her hands while she painted.  The day was special.  The years are magic. 

Milk and Cookies Party for Adeline! Happy 2nd Birthday

Happy 2nd birthday to the cutest cookie I know!

 

 

Adeline's 2nd birthday was a cookie and milk themed party.  I couldn't resist going with cookies because Adeline LOVES LOVES LOVES cookies of any kind.  She's a cookie conosuir just like her big brother and her mom!  Also, I had fun using the cookies and milk theme because it showcased one of her "loves" at age 2.

The theme was so easy and fun that it was hard to not get too carried away.  I used pink and brown as my launching point and went a little crazy from there.  I covered a wooden letter "A" with Cookie Crisp cereal for the table centerpiece.  Then I filled little jars with toddler sized cookies and gave the kids small glasses of milk.  The party favors were small mugs filled with animal cookies for the kids and I gave the moms jars of ready to mix dry cookie dough.   My little kids table and chairs is really cute, but I wanted to dress it up, so I added a pink sparkle dot tablecloth and striped seat covers.  Then I made Adeline a banner across the back of her chair.  This was my most favorite decoration and I love how it turned out. 

The day before Adeline's party, I decided to take her picture with the decorations.  This was the best decision and I plan on using this tactic every year from now on.  I had plenty of time to enjoy the moment instead of frantically trying to get a photo during the actual party.  Adeline's reaction to her birthday table full of cookies and treats was priceless.  She walked outside and gasped.  Her jaw dropped when she saw the table and she ran over to the cookies repeating over and over again, "THANK YOU MAMA!  THANK YOU! THANK YOU! WOW!!!"  It was as if she was in dessert heaven and I had randomly let her feast on a bottomless pit of cookies.  She was in awe of the entire moment.  I was SO thankful for our "dress rehearsal" in that I had time to revel in the joy of her 2nd birthday party.  That afternoon, she and I had our own little party on the front lawn.  I watched her stuff her face with cookies and stand up on her number 2 chair.  I loved watching her stare at the table with pure joy on her face and those big ol' pigtails blowing in the wind.  We laughed and shared a million giggles while I took a gazillion pictures.  We'd yell "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADELINE!" and then I would take a picture and afterwards, she would say, "Thank you Mama!  Adeline's birthday!"

After 30 minutes or so, I told her it was time to go inside and she just lost it.  Oh how I rained on her parade!  She wanted to stay out on the lawn with her milk and cookies until the sun went down!  But I reassured her that the cookies would be back the next day for her real party with her friends.  Once she understood, Adeline was fine going inside.  She told me, "Adeline birthday party tomorrow! HURRAY! Cookies!"

 

Before Anna was born, I found these cute matching party hat dresses on a super sale.  I knew they'd be perfect for Adeline's birthday and I had fun matching them in their first of many matching outfits! I took these pictures before the party started and Adeline was not really into it.....again, all the more reason why I am thankful I took other photos the day before the party.  But, I managed to squeeze out a few of the girls together.  As I was dressing Adeline, she insisted on wearing her pink plastic croc mary janes.  I didn't see any reason to get the birthday girl upset, and I crack up looking at these pics with her in those funny shoes.  It's just one more nod to her growing independence and gives a little sassyness to my 2 year old's personality.

 

 

On Monday, two of Adeline's best buddies came to the house for lunch and a birthday playdate. Ford Finley and Jack Souders are quite possible her most handsome suitors and potential prom dates. These boys are so sweet and lucky for her, Adeline's friends are mostly little men. Ford happens to share a birthday with Adeline too. We also invited Ford's siblings over to celebrate and they had a great time playing with William. 





We served Adeline's favorites for lunch - grilled cheese, apples and grapes.  I waited until after lunch to set up the party table because I didn't want the little ones grabbing for cookies before they had lunch.  I sent everyone off to play and after the table was ready, Adeline came downstairs while we all sang, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY."  This was by far the most hilarious part of her party. 



She heard the singing and knew it was all about her.  Like a teenager, she put her hand on her hip and roller her eyes up towards the ceiling as if to say, "oh how embarrassing."  I died laughing.  When we were done, she said, "Thank you!" and then all the kiddos rushed the cookie table and stuffed their faces.

When it was time for the kids to go home, Adeline was so sad.  She kept saying, "NO MAMA!  STAYYYYYYYY! STAAAAAYYYYYY!" Bless her heart.  She loved the whole day and enjoyed having her boyfriends over to play. 

Adeline's 2nd birthday was a sweet success.  I am so happy it was easy going and that Adeline really had a great time.  Happy Birthday Sissy!