Dear Ella, In just a few days, you're going to be ten years old. Double digits. That's big time, Ella. How did it even happen? Your daddy and I talk all the time about how life is blazing by without any care for what we think. I swear we were just bringing you home from the hospital a few weeks ago. Your daddy and I prayed for you for so long. I know that other mommies wait longer and pray harder and we certainly didn't have it the worst, but we really wanted to be parents and we thought that day might not ever arrive. We had been waiting for almost eighteen months when I woke up feeling different. Your daddy was out of town, so I didn't tell him right away, but I raced to the doctor's office on my lunch break to confirm. Usually, it would have taken a few days to get the results back, ...
birthday
Birthday Flashback: Cowgirl Cookout
It's that time again -- we're only two weeks ago from Ella's tenth birthday and I'm sharing a few of my favorite parties from the past. For her sixth birthday, she requested a cowgirl themed cookout and boy did we deliver! Like many previous years, we celebrated at my parents' house, because they have a fabulous backyard where we regularly have a "campfire" in the fall. Ella told us she didn't want to help decorate or see anything ahead of time, so this party started the tradition of a party decor surprise. I always make other arrangements for the girls on party day and we do the entire set up outside of their presence. Seeing them look at everything and get excited in the moments before their guests arrive is one of my favorite things ever! I painted this chalkboard to welcome our ...
DIY Superhero Birthday Party
As much as I love being a mama to my girls, I know that many of you probably have little men in your life and hate never seeing any party content that you can actually use as inspiration. My sister always has the greatest ideas for Hudson's party and since I collaborated with her on paper products this year, I asked if I could share a few images from his party, here on the blog. Hudson is all boy and therefore, superhero obsessed. He has "saved the day" all summer long and has loved telling me all about his superhero party. I loved seeing how much he loved the paper products (even at three) -- it is always more fun to create for little people when they love what you are making for them! My sister hosted the party at my parents' house and we prayed for days that the rain would hold off. ...
Birthday Flashback: A Fancy Nancy Tea Party
We're one week closer to Ella's tenth birthday (WHAT?!) and I'm sharing another of my favorite birthdays ever. As cute as that first one was, it really required very little advanced planning and it was extremely economical. Her second birthday was a backyard barbeque and the only party we've ever throw where Kamin didn't photograph every little detail. It wasn't really until Ella's third birthday that I realized how much I enjoyed party planning and enjoying every little detail of the day. Part of my excitement that year was that I was pregnant with Sophie and no one in the world but us even know. We'd had a rough couple of years, with two early term losses, and getting pregnant wasn't easy. I had either been pregnant, recovering from pregnancy, recovering from a miscarriage or taking ...
DIY Unicorn Horn Party Hats
I told you yesterday that Sophie asked months before her birthday for some special party hats. I don't know what it is about playing dress up on your birthday, but Sophie is a huge fan. Once she decided on unicorns and rainbows as her theme, I knew we had to figure out how to make all of our little party goers a special unicorn horn of their own. After a few Pinterest fails, we figured out exactly what worked best. Although not the greatest quality (my vlog skills need improvement), I'm including a video tutorial and supply list below. Now whip out your glue gun for these DIY Unicorn Horn Party Hats! Warning: Affiliate links appear below. Although shopping the embedded links won’t cost you any additional dollars, it might contribute to an amazing party for one of my little ones. Your ...
DIY Unicorn Party
It's been over a month since Sophie's sixth birthday party, but I can't stop thinking about it. It wasn't the most elaborate (or the most expensive) party we've ever thrown, but it was certainly one of the most fun. Her only request this year besides unicorns and rainbows, was to have her party at home. We celebrated her first birthday in our dining room, but every party since then has been at Gran's house or at a local venue. Since our house is on the market, she was worried this might be her last opportunity. After a few minor snafus, we reserved a bounce house for the weekend, spent a month working in the yard and invited all of our favorite people over to celebrate! Enter Sophie's DIY Unicorn Party. When I found this t-shirt (sources below) on the web, I knew it was perfect for ...
Happy S-I-X
Six years ago yesterday, I got a really nice haircut. I had my fingernails and toenails painted. I spent a few hours puttering around your nursery and K came by to take the last photo of my big round belly. Six years ago this morning, I woke up hours early and cleaned house. We loaded the dishwasher, made the bed and ran by the bank. We walked into a darkened hospital corridor at five o'clock in the morning ready to meet your sweet face. Things were so different than they were will Ella. I had a plan and I knew how the day would go. I got to shower this time and was armed with plenty of chapstick. In true Sophie fashion, you made quite the entrance. Warm and cozy and wedged behind my hip (where you spent the prior six months), you refused to come out and had to be forcibly removed. You ...
Blogtember | Friday Night with My Girl
It's Friday night and we're staying in. Because it's this Belly's BIRTHDAY. You guys, how is she already nine years old? NINE. This is our last year before double-digits and I can't even begin to wrap my mind around that {Also, how am I old enough to have a 9 year old. I'm only 20... right?!}. We did all of our big celebrating a few weekends ago, so tonight it's just family night dinner with my three favorites. Of course, the birthday girl requested Zaxby's and mint chocolate chip ice cream, so it's looking like a picnic in mama's room.And because what's a birthday post without a letter to my biggest girl, I'm sharing some of my favorite words again. I wrote much of this post on a previous birthday, but it says all the things I need to share with my beautiful girl on her day. My ...