The Celebration

{A note about photos~ I feel like my posts are always too laden with photos.  My kids lovingly tease me that I take WAY too many photos. I know both statements are true. But you see, I don't have many photos from my childhood at all. My early childhood was very happy and lots of pictures were taken. We had lots of little family traditions and fun times to record. I don't have many (I think my sister has them).  But then my Dad left and my parents divorced when I was between Harry and Will's ages.  It was really difficult. And it still is in some ways. And not many photos were taken after about 6th or 7th grade.  I want my kids to know that I take all of these photos and document all of this out of pure love for them and for our family life.  So, that's the reason I am so snap happy. I know there are a TON of photos in this post but I cherish every single happy moment and smile:)}

It is officially summer break in the peanut house and I barely survived the first week.  We have a lot going on here hence my lack of posting.  But thank you very, very much for all the great book suggestions.  I had read some but many were new to me.

Now onto Kate's birthday celebration....

Dave and I make a concerted effort to try not to spoil our children materially.  And I think we are doing okay in that department thus far. The children only receive things for occasions (birthday, Christmas, Easter). We don't just buy them things when we go to Target or a toy store.  But I do like to make them feel REALLY special on their birthdays in other ways.  So, I make a big fuss over them for a day or two.

We always let the peanuts have a special treat for breakfast on their birthday.  Kate chose a pink doughnut with sprinkles and she LOVES breakfast in bed.  She started talking about it days before her birthday!

Look how excited her little face is!

I try to do a photo shoot with Kate each year on her birthday too so I have photos to compare as the years pass.  She was pretty cooperative but it was SO HOT (100 degrees) that morning and we were quickly drenched in sweat.  Also, (just so I remember when I look back at these) Kate ran into my desk about two weeks ago and gashed her eye and her cheek.  So, she has some scratches that are not the most photogenic right now.  The white patches around her eyes are lack of pigmentation that she gets every year due to eczema.  I have edited it out in some shots but not in all of them.  I really wish I had gotten some better shots of her.

She spent a lot of her time running around the park.....

and trying to cross the creek on the stones...



Which she succeeded at doing!!!

Then we had to pick up Harry from his last day of school.

Since Kate had a dancing ballerina party, she could not really invite her best boys buddies to the party.  But we did promise that we would take them out for a cupcake or ice cream so she could celebrate with them.  These two guys have really been her close buddies this year.

Kate's friend Josh arrived first.  They are so adorable together!!!

While they waited for Kate's other friend, she opened a gift from Josh...



She danced around (she dances ALL the time.  I love it!)

She also spent quite a bit of time eyeing up the sweets....

After they all picked out their cupcakes, we sang Happy Birthday...



And Kate and her buddies giggled a lot...

I love how her little buddy Devan is looking at her here:)

After the cupcakes, we went to our friend and neighbor's house for a swim.  We ended up ordering pizza and having wine and staying until 10 pm:)  In fact, Kate and Harry even spent the night there.

{I-phone snappy}

So, the next morning we let her open some gifts that friends and family sent.

Look at that face!!!  So cute!

Aunt Dooney, Uncle Moon and cousin Aston sent Kate this mermaid fin (that is what was in the box above.)

  She has asked for one for 3 years and while this one is still too big for her little feet, she loved it.

I give Kate a charm every year for her birthday and this year, I bought Kate ballet slippers.

In a few years, I will give her the bracelet with all the charms on them.

Then that night we went out for Mexican food...

{Iphone}

and they brought a little cake and sang to her

I felt bad though because the cake had pineapple in it and Kate is allergic to pineapple so she could not have any:(