Tuesday, November 29, 2011

.....party time.....

....there is nothing better than having 5 friends, plus your little sister join your for a mani/pedi party to celebrate the fabulous age of four......

....our spa belles are learning at a young age that being pampered is quite the treat......






....and that lounging and being waited on is also a luxury that calls for a good book, the right amount of appetizers, a soft chair and quality time to chat with best friends......





.....and Brody loves his time with the ladies.....all of my Momma friends took turns passing him around and he ate it up......



.....and with two older sisters, this will be a way of life for him for the next two decades.....

.....and he doesn't seem to mind it at all.....

.....I love that our home, our building, our hallways are constantly buzzing with friends and festivities.....it's the main thing I will miss on the sad day when we eventually move out of the city......the fall is a spectacular time for parties because Elsie is one of several neighbors who also celebrate their special day this time of year.....all of the children genuinely cheer on one another when it's their turn for recognition.....each of them delights in seeing their friends commemorate the ritual of celebrating the day they entered this world.....












....and when the kids get to celebrate, the Mommas get some time to catch up too.....



.....that's the thing about friendship regardless of age.....the children relish the parties and countdown days until the big events.....they thrive on figuring out the next time they will have their time together, what kind of cake it might be, what activity they may embark upon at the next party.....what they will talk about during their playtime.....and in our home, what we will wear is certainly a hot topic.......

.....but we Mommas.....we too also look forward to the get togethers.....because we love watching our children play together; but we also value our conversations, heed advice, exchange stories and appreciate the time we can chat while the kids have their own social time......

....good friends, special events and the the joy of anticipation are introduced and at a young age and I hope my children continue to place value on celebration as they grow older.....because no matter what the occasion, we get one chance at this life of ours and we need to toast, recognize, honor, acknowledge, and revel in the things that happen once a year, once in a lifetime or accomplishments that took hard work and focus.....

.....and celebration always bonds us to others and relationships are the core of everything......








....so Happy Birthday, Violet.....


.....Happy Birthday, William......


.....Happy Birthday, Madelyn.....


....Happy Birthday, Caitlin....


.....and Happy Birthday, Elsie.....





....I love documenting this time in your life.....and I love knowing we have so many celebrations to come....


.......cheers for four!......

Thursday, November 24, 2011

....our Thanksgiving baby.....

 .....I have loved the ripe old age of three......


.....our conversations have been interesting and meaningful this year, yet she still has remnants of being our baby.....dimples in her elbows, her special blanket for bedtime and the tantrums to express her anger or frustration that surface occasionally and remind me that she is still our little one.....

.....and I know as she embarks into the next year of her life, the reminders that she is my baby will vanish; as she will not only physically change, but will also begin new challenges and adventures.....she will be labeled preschooler, not toddler in schools, text books and by age range brackets......

.....but she will always be our baby.....

....12 days old....

.....the one who made me a Momma on that chilly November night four years ago......and my life, my heart, my everything changed the second they put her in my arms....

    .....4 months old.....

.....and I clearly remember the thoughts and conversations that Stefan and I had as we stared at our first newborn......what will she look like?....what will she be like?.....will she be athletic, studious, quiet, funny, inquisitive, soft spoken, meticulous?......we were so curious to know her and the unveiling of who she is has been better than I could have ever imagined......

                          .....16 months old.....

....her loving spirit and sweet disposition has been uplifting in our home.....since she was a small toddler, we knew she had a heart for others and she strives to serve, help, please and love......

     .....15 months.....

     ....2 years old.....

      ......two and a half year old......

    .....2 years old.....

.....she also has a passion for her friendships and she loves a good time.....

     ......two and a half years old......

     ....three and a half years old......

     ......two and a half years old.....


     .....three.....

     .....three and a half....

     ....three and a half.....

                              .....three and a half....

     .....three and a half.....

.....she's as girly as it gets, loves anything pink and can ham it up for the camera.....

     .....Elsie, 2.5 and Callie 9 months.....

                              .....two and a half....

.....and she can cook a mean pancake every Saturday morning with her Daddy......it's been their tradition since as long as I can remember......

                              .....two and a half.....

.....she loves to be with our family and has adjusted as we have grown.....

    ....2008....


     ....2010....

                              ....2011.....

.....we couldn't have been any luckier to have you, Elsie.....you are our blessing, our gift, and our joy.....and so today, on your first Thanksgiving birthday of many to come, we have so many things to be thankful for.....

....you, my sweet girl are one of them.....

                              ....11/18/11 4th birthday party.....

.....happy 4th birthday.....

.....we love you dearly.....