"a portrait of one, two, or all three of my children - once each week - in 2019"
Jaden: Your first week of 6th grade football practice is in the books, and you've been named #1 QB again. You're also going to play some linebacker, wide receiver and running back... if time and situations allow. I love watching you out there on that field and in that uniform. It suits you!
Brandon: You learned how to do a back flip under water at the pool - and just learned how to dive backwards into the deep end. You're my adventurous one!
Kaitlyn: You recognize playgrounds now and get so excited when you see swings and slides. We enjoyed two park nights this past week, and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed ending our evenings like this when the boys were little. I think we decided on our favorite park though - right downtown Cedar Falls with equipment just the right size for you - and our beloved town's growing downtown skyline as our view. When park time is over, we walk the river and watch the sunset from under the bridge, and sometimes I think that life doesn't get much better than that.
We celebrated our sweetie's first birthday with all the flowery, pink trimmings - keeping with the theme of her entire first year of life. ;) I had high hopes of being able to throw her a party in our own backyard, but in true mid-July fashion, it was just too hot! So we moved the party indoors, invited all of our family members and filled everyone up after lunch with sweet treats, pink champagne and punch... and of course... cake.
Tim and Deanne have had this vintage high chair for quite some time, and my vision of using it for Kaitlyn's smash cake chair worked out perfectly. I took some flowery garland that I already had on hand from her bedroom decor, wrapped it around the side of the chair, threw on a banner, and we were good to go!
We timed her party for in between her morning and afternoon naps, and it worked out pretty well. She was mostly overwhelmed by the attention and the amount of people in our home, but was a good sport through it all. She watched as her brother's opened her presents for her, wore her dress like a princess, and eventually... dove right into that cake of hers. :)
Top gifts included this cute little car buggy from Papa Tim and Nana Deanne... (she loves strolling through the neighborhood in this - cup holders, front trunk storage and all!)...
...and this specially made Disney Princess book with her name on it from Papa Bob and Nana Nancy.
She wasn't so sure about the cake at first, but once she got it - she really got it! ;)
"a portrait of one, two, or all three of my children - once each week - in 2019"
Jaden: This pretty much sums up your summer - you've been one giant goof ball for the past two months. But - life is about to get super busy again, as you've started football practice as of this week and will be starting Outlaws season again in less than a month. You attended Cedar Falls High School Fit to Hit Camp last week and have Martin Brothers basketball workouts the next two weekends. I just keep telling myself that this season of life doesn't last forever, and we need to enjoy it while we have it!
Brandon: Talk about mama guilt. Last week after I came home with a surprise new board game for you - an anniversary edition of one of my favorites from when I was your age - you told me that you and I haven't had much time together for a long time now. Well, that's all I needed to hear to surrender my evening and have a game night with you outside under the stars!
Kaitlyn: You are slowly but surely gaining your confidence with walking - more intentionally taking steps on your own without our help. You still only make it a few steps before losing balance, but just this past weekend we noticed you really trying to be more independent about it. One of my favorite things about you right now is how whenever you say "Dada" - you always say it in a whisper! And your first "full" sentence has been spoken several times now: "Hi, Dada!" I'm not even upset that you don't say Mama more - it's so darn cute hearing you whisper your excitement for him when you see him. ;)
Our girl turned one on a Friday - the perfect day for Mommy to take a day off of work and extend our weekend, making sure we celebrated her all weekend long!
We kicked off her birthday by revealing one big present to her before Daddy had to leave for work but saved the rest of her wrapped gifts for that evening after Daddy returned home...
She seemed to know immediately that those presents were for her though. ;)
I was so excited to show her her new unicorn water table, and truth be told, I think I'm just eager and excited to buy girly gifts for a change that I'm going to have to work hard to hold myself back come Christmas. ;)
After breakfast, we immediately took her outside to try it out! There was road construction going on near our house so she was equally entertained by the water table and all the big trucks and machinery nearby.
And she was sure to wave at all the workers that would drive or walk by! I will say it forever and ever... her wave is the cutest I've ever seen.
After morning nap and lunch, the boys and I took her to the pool so she could spend part of her birthday doing one of her favorite activities - floating the lazy river! And then after her afternoon nap and after Daddy returned from work, little miss got to open the rest of her presents from us. Her first puzzle, a Nike outfit, a special Mother Goose book... and her first Disney princess toy!
We then headed out for the evening, picking up her favorite supper (pizza!) and picnicking by the lake. We let her splash her feet in the water, get good and dirty in the sand, and show off her sweetness to all the people out walking and floating by. She's a show stopper, our girl. :)
It was a sweet and special night for just the four of us before her big party the next day, and I think our girl enjoyed spending her day eating all of her favorite things and seeing all of her favorite places!
