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Happy 4th B-day Katie Ru!

Friday, June 4, 2010

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You woke up on your 4th birthday came into our bedroom asking, "Am I four now?" We snuggled for a few minutes and I told you to get back in bed.

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I had snuck these balloons into your room while you were sleeping.

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Mommy brought you a pink doughnut for breakfast in bed.

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Daddy, Harry and I sat with you and sang Happy Birthday.
Will was still sleeping. He is almost a teenager now!

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You LOVED you pink doughnut and you kept telling me how much you LOVE breakfast in bed.


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I let you open one gift. It was an Ariel play set. A friend of yours has the singing shell necklace in this set and you have coveted it for months! You simply adore the singing shell necklace but it drives the rest of the family C-R-A-Z-Y!

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Happy as a clam wearing the singing shell necklace.

After breakfast, you went on a play-date at your friend Ava's house while her Mommy came to help me get ready for your party! When I picked you up, we went to a fancy cupcake place where you picked out this cupcake. You picked the one with the heart because you said, "Jesus is in my heart."

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After the dinner of your choice (pizza), we sang Happy Birthday to you and you had your cupcake.
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Then we opened presents. Lots of friends and family sent lovely gifts.

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It was a great day!

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We get you a charm every year for your birthday and when you are old enough we will put them all on a bracelet for you. Last year, we got you a cupcake. This year we got you a tiara since you love all things princess and this is your princess tea party year! We also gave you a little jewelry box and some dress up clothes.

Tomorrow is your party and I cannot wait to see you having fun with your friends. I will write your birthday letter after the party:)

I feel like my photos here are not good and are dark. I am so focused on being "present" with my kids at times like these that I don't pay attention to my camera and I end up disappointed. Any of you expert photo blog friends have any suggestions?

44 comments:

  1. I think your photos are fabulous! Sometimes when I need to do minor edits I use Picasa. It can be downloaded for free. I also love to play with Picnik. It too is free, though you can upgrade to premium. Beware as you will become addicted to photo editing!!

    I can't think of a more perfect 4 year old Birthday, from start to finish!

    How are you feeling? I hope you are seeing some improvement now.

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  2. Happy 4th Birthday Kate!

    Looks like you had a sweet birthday!
    Can't wait to see photos of your party today!
    Norah

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  3. Happy Birthday Miss Katie Ru. Looks like you had a special Birthday with your family. I know your party with your friends will be loads of fun.

    Loved the cupcake you picked. Keep Jesus in your heart :-)

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  4. Looks like it was a perfect beginning to a birthday celebration!

    I think the pictures are lovely.

    Birthday Blessings,
    Robin

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  5. Love the Birthday summary - too sweet. I only noticed Kate's joy and excitement so I would say the photos are perfect as they captured the moment perfectly!

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  6. Happy Birthday, cutie pie Kate! I think everyone should start their birthday with breakfast in bed! It looks like you had a great day! I can't wait to see your party pictures!

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  7. Set it on Auto - and move on...

    Also - where did you get the adorable crown she is wearing??

    Lovely !

    Carol in FL

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  8. oh kim, i love how you strive to make such beautiful memories for each of your children.
    you love well girl, you love well.

    the photos are perfect
    i LOVE her little crown
    & her gown ( my girls all had the same or at least similar)....she's beautiful kim!


    enjoy your weekend celebrating

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  9. What a beautiful post! She is beautiful and I love her eating her breakfast in bed! Enjoy her party!

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  10. sounds like the perfect day for a beautiful princess!

    Lea
    xo

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  11. Happy Birthday Kate! Looks like a perfect morning.

    Love you photos.

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  12. Wow, Kate. I can not believe that you are already 4!! (And I am still waiting for the same # of years that you are old!) I have been following your blog since before you came home. Happy Happy Birthday sweet girl! It looks like you had such a special and happy day. I am sure that your party will be more of the same. All good wishes for the year ahead. Love, Dale

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  13. Happy b-Day sweet Kate. Looks like you're off to a great start with lots of fun in store! Kim you're an awesome momma!

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  14. What a fun way to spend a birthday! Love your cute little bedhead and pretty crown. I hope you have fun today at your party!

    I wouldn't worry about the pics Kim, they're perfect. My indoor snapshots are always much less than technically perfect (horrific is probably a better description), but like you said, we can't miss these moments fiddling with our camera settings. :)

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  15. Happy Birthday Kate! It looks like you had a special day! I am having Myah's party next week, she kind of got jipped this week on hers, Dayton had surgery that day and she spent the day with the neighbors. I am frantically planning for her party and laughed because I am making bracelets and attempting pom poms too! Let me know how it goes! Love her cupcakes! I have loved pink doughnuts since I was a little girl too!

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  16. Happy, Happy Birthday to your sweet girl. What a perfect day she had!

    I shoot with a Nikon d700(I believe you do too). I agree with the previous comments that I think it's important to enjoy the moment and not worry about camera settings. You can switch to auto or program mode. But if you're in manual, increase your ISO a bit if you feel the pics are a little dark. Your camera can go way up on the ISO without showing much noise. (hope this makes sense).
    Your pictures are wonderful and you truly captured the fun moments of the day.

    P.S. love the cupcake! :)

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  17. Hi Kim,

    I just wanted to chime in on the photos. I too am always frustrated with my indoor shots and have come to the conclusion that unless you have a huge window with fantastic natural light it's really challenging. (My highly unqualified opinion). I agree that being in the moment is so much more important. The memory is captured...if you want a lovely picture to remember the day by I suggest you take Kate outside and take one portrait that you'll LOVE from the day then have the snapshots of the indoor events and call it good. (By the way I enjoyed the photos and never once thought about them being dark or otherwise imperfect).

    I can't believe that Kate is 4 and I've been following your blog this long. What a lovely day for a little princess.

    Enjoy the party!
    Kathy

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  18. Much easier to do a quick fix for underexposure than if they were overexposed. I think they are great, but if it bugs you just expose them a little more in an editing software.

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  19. OMW.. what an AMAZING day..
    LOVE IT.
    I love the photos.. have no suggestions as I am learning my new camera..
    Can't wait to see the princess party.
    Hugs..

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  20. Happy Birthday Miss Katie!! It seems like just yesterday you were having a fancy cupcake party for your 3rd birthday. Hoping you had a wonderful day, a wonderful party and year ahead!!

    I want to order one of those crowns from Kate Landers for Hayden! So CUTE!!! Love the charm idea, think I will have to consider doing that as well.

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  21. Happy, Happy Birthday Kate!!! I am so glad your special day was filled with all of the people and things you love. You are so loved sweet girl! I hope your tea party is so much fun!!!

    Kim, I think your pics are perfect. Who wants to mess with camera settings when enjoying these special moments. You captured them perfectly!

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  22. Happy Birthday Kate! I can't wait to see party pictures.

    Kim, where did you find the Ariel set? Landree's friend has one they got on clearance somewhere so now I can't find them anywhere and she loves the necklace!

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  23. Happy 4th Birthday to your darling girl! I look forward to her party pictures ~ hope it's a great day :)

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  24. So sweet Kim! I love all of the traditions you have... What a special bracelet she will have one day!

    I am sure today was perfect!

    Happy Birthday Kate!

    Love.
    Diana

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  25. Happy Birthday sweet little princess!!! What a very special day for a very special little girl:)

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  26. Happy Birthday Kate - I love you and pizza is my favorite food too! - Aunt Staci

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  27. Happy Happy 4th Birthday Princess Kate!!! xoxo

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  28. Your photos are awesome!

    What a lucky girl. Happy birthday Kate.

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  29. I love your photos! Especially your close ups... I tend to edit mine all the time if I know I will print them.

    Happy birthday to sweet Kate!

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  30. Happy birthday Kate! Looks like it was precious day. We also give our girls James Avery charms... love them! Hope the party goes well too!
    Blessings!

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  31. Happy Happy Birthday to You Ms. Kate! Beautiful photos, Kim - hope you are feeling better!

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  32. Happy Birthday! Great pictures, really capture all the love and fun!

    Alyzabeth's Mommy

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  33. What a wonderful birthday!! She looks so sweet! Have a great party!

    Janet

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  34. What a sweet post!
    Happy Birthday Kate!!

    I can't wait to hear all about the party!

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  35. Happy Birthday Miss Kate!!! It looks like you had a fabulous day.....I cannot wait to see and hear all about your tea party!!

    As everyone has said....these are snapshots of everyday life and they capture the moment....they are perfect as is. If I am feeling stressed about the lighting conditions, I usually do one of two things. Stay in manual and pop my speedlite on the camera with a diffuser, but I point it up to the ceiling so it is not that bright, in your face kind of flash......or I skip the speedlight and go with the auto or program mode:)

    Sounds like you ad a fun filled weekend!! Looking forward to your posts this week.....

    Lisa

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  36. Happy fourth birthday, Miss Katie Ru! And the photos are perfect... the best photos capture the story, the moment, not the lighting. *grin*

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  37. Happy Birthday to Kate!
    I love the breakfast in bed and the singing shell necklace. NOthing better than a happy girl on her birthday!

    I hope the party went well and am looking forward to reading about all the lovely things you planned.

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  38. Happy 4th Birthday, Kate! Love from All of Us!

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  39. Happy 4th Birthday Kate Emerson!! Of course, I went to FLIKR and saw all the fantastic pictures!! *Okay...I'm a picture fanatic* I thought the pictures were ALL gorgeous! All the little girls were just precious, but the little girl in the black tutu was a hoot!! I loved her expressions on the "sofa shot"!!

    I also noticed on several frames, they were all sitting down while one little girl was in the middle dancing/twirling, was that the PRINCESS DANCE or was that a "SHOW my dress" presentation!!* I also saw a LITTLE PRINCE cutting the rug too!! LOL!!! I thought it was cute!!

    Harry was just an adorable waiter!! I love the way he got totally involved, even dressing in his SUNDAY BEST!!

    One more note: I also loved all the decorations and the cake was to die for!!! While I'm rambling, I gotta throw in... the lady w/the multi-color dress w/tri-color heels....OMG!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVED HER TOTAL outfit!!! I'm totally a shoe person as you can see!

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  40. Happy 4th Birthday sweet Kate! Everyone loves you so much!! xoxo Shana & Sophie Lu

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  41. Happy Birthday Miss Kate love the pic and you were beautiful!
    Looks like so much fun at the Party! Love it ALL Know you did too!

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  42. so lovely- of course! You created a slice of heaven for that princess of yours! well done!!!!

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