Last Minute Birthday Party

This past Tuesday Charlotte turned nine.
Nine.
My kid's Birthdays normally really kinda depress me but we have had so much going on lately that there was no time to really feel too bad about it or lament how old I must be by now.
Anyway, we threw together a last minute party for her on Sunday and she invited three friends.
With the kid's Birthdays being just ten day apart, we usually celebrate them together with a family party but this year they wanted their own parties and I was happy to oblige.
Months earlier we saw this the tiny mushroom pinata along with Woodland-themed napkins, plates and garland at Target and snatched them up.

We saw so many cute ideas online and ooohed and ahhhed over all the cute things we saw on Pinterest that we didn't have time for(luckily). Charlotte she definitely wanted to make the acorns above and she wanted a bowl of chocolate covered raisins that she saw someone had labeled "bear poop"... I didn't think it was funny, she did, and I have long since learned to pick my battles.

Just the day before we were at my parent's and my mom came up with that little tiny deer sitting on her cake, it used to sit on a dresser in my bedroom when I was a kid. The little banner that says "Happy" on the cake I made in 5 minutes, using tiny tags, string and chopsticks. We scrounged up found real acorns outside and cut some leaves off of our tree in the backyard for a few jars and we were ready for a party.

One idea that did not come from Pinterest but I thought up all by my big-girl self, was for them to make terrariums to take home.
This was fun and took the place of sending them home with little bags full of candy or junk-and also, they look so cute. They are super easy and not expensive and I love how they all turned out.

Had I planned ahead, I would have been watching for these little things that we used to put in the terrariums on sale at Hobby Lobby, Michael's or wherever. I hate paying full price for things that regularly go on sale but this time I had no choice.
I got the dinosaurs at the dollar store and Wyatt hand over some army men of his own, there were two boys there(Wyatt included and I wanted some fun "Boyish" options, too)so I wanted more than just the mushrooms and deer. The tiny deer were found at Hobby Lobby near the dollhouse accessories and the mushrooms near the floral/garden/fairy garden area.
If you were one to plan ahead, I think after Christmas time you could stock up on deer, little trees, fences, houses, etc. at some seriously bargain prices.

I didn't get ant good pictures of the table- and I know you can see baskets of shoes and all of our every day junk in the background but this is real life. And it's messy and filled with dust, dog hair and baskets of shoes.
The napkins and plates were my favorite, along with the pinata, so sweet.
This little girl had a great time, she loved having her "very own Birthday party" and it was a special little day for her indeed.

////////////////////

It's Friday again and another busy weekend ahead....Hoping for some more beautiful Fall weather like we have had lately here in the Midwest. Fingers crossed.
Have a great weekend!

Miss Charlotte Is Eight

Oh, my heart.

My baby girl turned eight years old yesterday.
Eight feels like a big number... but not as big as ten felt last week.
I love 8 though...  I can honestly say that.
It's funny because I hate the fact that they even have to get older in the first place, because it's just dumb,
but then again I love seeing the people they are growing into at the same time.
I love who they were, who they are right at this moment, and who they are growing into.
Something I don't think I quite "got" completely when I first became a parent, is that it truly is a gift to get to do so -
and by that I mean every stage, every issue, every rough time, every time you feel like you are failing as a parent--
all of it.
This is a gift.

Oh, but this girl.
This girl is a writer, a storyteller already at such a young age.
She is an animal lover with a funny sense of humor.
She is a little girl that is wise beyond her years that loves to draw.
And paint.
She is brave and loves adventures.
She likes trying new things and will often encourage her brother when he is unsure.
She will say things like; "I wish mommy was here to see this sunset..."
She writes me letters and tells me what a great mommy I am.

She loves school and her family and walks around with a book in her hand most of the time.
She always has a new favorite doll or stuffed animal and she hopes to go to Paris one day.
She loves "cute things" and is a tomboy at the same time.
She loves reading about The Titanic and American history.

I love this sweet + funny little girl of mine so much.
Charlotte is named after my grandma, Elizabeth Charlotte.
They never got to meet but oh,  this little girl of mine inherited not only a name but some of my grandma's sweetness as well, I just
know in my heart she did.
I am so very lucky to have her and her brother in my life.


Happy 8th Birthday, Miss Charlotte Rose.

/////////////

FORTY. 40. Forty?!

I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month.

I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month.

I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. 

I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month.

I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month.

I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month.

I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month.

I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month. I do not turn 40 this month.

Ahhhh.... *%$# crap.

Yes I do.

I do.

What?!

I thought I just turned, like...34?

Forty.

It sounds so old.

I'm too immature to be forty.

No more 30's?

Is this the end?

Unbelievable... like, I'm actually in denial...

How can this be?

No, really.

Full-on mid-life crisis, here I come...

Help me.

Forty?

::::::::::

Five.

Wow...five years old today, my little Friday the 13th surprise baby.

My very own little Lucky Number 13.

It is hard to believe that five years ago today I was going in for my 38-week appointment and

 I got the surprise I most certainly did not expect... that baby was breech and I was in labor.

Whattttttttt?

And it was Friday the 13th.

And one of my greatest pregnancy fears was about to be realized--

they were sending me for a c-section due to breech surprise baby.

I don't know if I have ever told the story about how Miss Charlotte came to be...

I don't think I have...that is a post for another day soon though.

{Breakfast this morning....}

1.Calico Critters Birthday Parade set up by Wyatt

2. The Birthday girl with her hair rag-rolled

3.Wyatt reading her the Little Critter Halloween book he made for her

4. Birthday present: elephant family at the Birthday Parade

{my girl's birthday card, bought at a local shop but check out more here}

Happy Birthday to my sweet Charlotte Rose.

Hope everyone has a great day today...it's Thursday...

tomorrow is already Friday. Wooohoooo.

{Four} Part 2

I thought I would share some more of the pictures from

 Miss Charlotte's Birthday photo shoot a few weeks ago.

 I took a bunch of pictures.  I mean, a bunch. 

I can't remember if I mentioned before that this baby doll bassinet was given to Charlotte 

by Eric's mom last Christmas. It was hers when she was little which puts it at around 60-years old, or so. 

Thank God for in-laws that kept these things for all these years, seriously.

And I love these pictures of her with the bassinet and her babies because this is what she is

 doing right now. She loves to gather up all of her tiny little pillows

 and blankets and make little beds for all of her "friends" then covers them all up.

 She loves the art of arranging.

I mentioned in Part 1 that we had this park to ourselves, completely empty.

Which is a very good thing because I drug along this bassinet, a baby doll and balloons 

among other things out there. So glad there was no one there to witness that 

or me wollering around on the ground taking pictures.

  Not pretty, folks.

I was happy to get just a few shots of Charlotte actually looking at the camera because even when 

she is okay with me taking her picture, I still have a hard time getting her to look at me.

So this was a small victory. 

And a pretty cute one,  I think.

*****

Now to actually get both of the kids' Birthday pictures printed.

Printed. 

What a novel idea.

Because really? In 30 years?

I want my kids to have actual photographs to hold in their hands 

and look at and share with their families.

So that is next on my list. I have gotten so bad about actually printing my photos. 

I am going to do that this week. I sware I am.

You can even quiz me on that next week.

{Four}

This weekend we got out to take pictures of my 

FOUR-year old.

I am still having a bit of a hard time believing she is four now...but she is.

And not a day has gone by since her birthday last Wednesday that she has not reminded us of that fact.

Here are just a few pictures from this little photo shoot, I will share more later. 

The weather was perfect Saturday, sunny and warm, but not too warm. 

The one problem was that it was a little windy at times and I
 had trouble keeping Charlotte's hair out of her face. 

And I probably don't need to tell you, there is a lot of hair there.

Overall I was pretty happy with them but there are always things I wish I would have done

 differently and things I could change. Oh well. It is all a learning process. 

And I still have a lot to learn. 

The park was empty and a great place for pictures and again, it was EMPTY.

So all the crap I drug along with me? No one saw it. 

And no one saw me wollering around on the ground either, 

which is definitely a good thing.

This sweet little apron was made by Eric's grandma, for Eric's mom, 

when she was a little girl. I have to think that it is about 60-years old or so.

The top part wouldn't stay up very well so I folded it over and made it a half apron.

I just love the bird and flowers...so cute.

I'm glad I thought to bring this along because I don't think

 this apron will fit her much longer at all.
********
I hope everyone had a great weekend.
We had a nice weekend.
Kind of busy but still a little bit relaxing and nice.
The weekends go so fast, don't they?
Happy Sunday!

{Six}

My boy turns six today.

SIX.

I seriously feel like these last few years have just flown by.

I know it is oh-so-cliche, but sometimes it truly does feel like you turn your back and they are older.

And bigger. And more grown up.

My little boy is just growing up right before my eyes.

He is smart and bright and outgoing. He is a comedian and a daddy's boy. 

He has a wonderful imagination, he loves making things and figuring things out.

  He is very curious, likes to make everyone laugh...he is caring and thoughtful 

and loves his role as "big brother". 

Oh, and he's really pretty cute, too.

He is everything we hoped for...

He really is.

If you are new around here or haven't heard me mention it before, 

 we really struggled to get pregnant the first time, 

it was a couple years in the making and Wyatt is just exactly what we wished for. 

{He is the egg that didn't "look very promising", that still makes me smile} 

He was worth the wait.

I am one proud mama to say that this is my little boy.

There has been lots of celebrating (and last minute shopping!) this weekend.

The birthday boy has requested bacon, cinnamon rolls and orange juice for breakfast.

He really hopes to wake up on his Birthday and see us at the table waiting

 for him with his presents sitting there.

He hopes to get an "army-man outfit", a ring-top spiral notebook 

(so he can keep his pens there),  and a Birthday card.

I don't think he'll be disappointed.

 We are looking forward to a great day spent with my family.

Happy Birthday Wyatt James!

We love you so much.

Looking Forward::

Today is a big day around here....it's Eric's birthday and it's kind of a big Birthday, too. The kids and I have been making decorations, cards and wrapping presents. This morning I had a chance to run a few quick errands while Wyatt was at school and my mom was watching Charlotte and as soon as I set out on my way I. got. a. flat. tire. Do these things only happen to me or is it everyone? Because I only had about an hour and a half, there was definitely no time for a 45-minute delay. Instead of crying right there in the auto shop parking lot I decided that it was okay if things didn't turn out exactly the way I planned today and got over myself. All is well. Tonight we are celebrating by going out for Mexican which is always Eric's first choice, the kids are excited and really, really hope they shove daddy's face in the fried ice cream...we'll see!

Happy Birthday to my sweet husband, looking forward to another great year with you!

Charlotte's Birthday Quilt

Just had to share a few pictures of the quilt Charlotte got for her 3rd Birthday, made by her Granny. We put our big Doll house Pillow project that we had started on hold--that is now going to be for Christmas, we hope. I talked about that pillow HERE if you want to go check out the one we are kind of using as a model for Charlotte's-it's so cool! Anyway, she just absolutely *LOVES* this little blanket--oh, and the back is totally pink. She loves dragging it downstairs and sitting in the big chair or on the couch with her blanket, stuffed animals and a pile of books.

 

The Pink Party In All It's Pink-ness....

 

The Pink Party. Since the kid's birthdays are just 10 days apart we had their "real" party together this year on Wyatt's birthday because it fell on a Saturday, it was a Superhero party. Oh and I just remembered that I never posted pictures of that party and it's because I was having camera problems that day and had my sister take the pictures. Anyway....Now, to try and give both of them (a little bit of) what they wanted, we celebrated her birthday on her real birthday as well and we went all out PINK just as she requested. And since it was a week night we just had both sets of grandparents over for cake and ice cream. It did cause a little confusion because she thought all of her cousins, friends and family would come to this party too, but it all worked out just fine. And  pink it was---pink balloons, pink streamers, pink Whoppers (who knew?), pink  lemonade, pink cake & cupcakes, pink plates and napkins, a pink party dress, pink lollipops, pink wrapping paper and tacky pink dress-up shoes.
Doesn't it almost give you a pink head ache?

eta: i'm having a lot of trouble with my pictures being wonky and text not looking right. grrrr.

I Have A Three-Year Old!

Yep, I do. Today was the big day, Charlotte is THREE now. It is so hard for me to believe that three years ago today, on Friday the 13th,  my little girl was born. Wow. Last night before she went to bed we were telling her that when she woke up today she would be three and she told us that she thought her voice was already bigger. I will be back soon to share  pictures from the Pink Party!