Let's Get This Party Started

We celebrate the ones we love in a big way around here. We're talking week long celebrations. So far Audrey's had a shopping spree, (Yes I know it's dangerous to let a 4 year old pick out their own clothes but she did really well even if I couldn't talk her into some really cute navy Sperry's.) opened a ton of gifts, went to see Brave, and had two birthday parties thrown by our very thoughtful friends. Whew. I'm exhausted and we're not even to her real party yet. We've still got that, our annual Chuck E Cheese lunch with Daddy, and two movies left to see. Busy bees.

Audrey letting brother play with her new Peppa Pig toys. 

She's obsessed with Peppa Pig so I tracked down every single Peppa toy in Dallas and had the others shipped to us. She's even kind enough to let Hudson play with them, too. Peppa Pig is an English cartoon and it is no easy task to find those toys in The States. But I'm her Mommy. Making the near impossible happen is all in a day's work. And the look on her face made it all worth it.

We opened gifts the night before her birthday because Daddy had to work all day and night on the 30th.

 Can you tell she was excited over the Easy Bake oven? 

 She loves to help us cook.

 And she tried so hard to be patient as she waited on her cookies.

The night before her birthday, after she went to bed, Barker and I hung streamers and threw some paper lanterns in front of her door so she'd wake up to a birthday surprise!

 Hudson woke up just a few minutes before she did so I camped out in front of her door with Hud and a bottle in one hand and the ready camera in the other.

Then we headed to her first day of celebration at my friend Rene's.

 The kids all swam, ate, and then sang to Audrey. 

Every day when someone asks her how old she is she says "I'm still 3." But today Jo asked her how old she is and with out missing a beat she squealed with delight "I'm four!" She didn't have to think about it like I do when someone asks me my age.

 party people

And I know this is wrong......

 But I totally let Hudson have three pinches of her cupcake. 

I know, I know. Not my best parenting moment but he wanted some so badly so I caved and let him have just a bit. He was sooo happy. I honestly think he could have taken down an entire cupcake had I let him. Luckily, I'm not that crazy. My poor second child.

Then the Bakers took us to lunch.

 Audrey and the twins shared a sopapilla the waiter brought out for her birthday.

Later that afternoon Jo had a pizza party at her house.

 Hudson still loving on Mieke. 

Hope he got his Mieke fix cause she's headed for Belgium for a month.

 After pizza and a pizza craft the kids sang to Audrey while she sat in the 'Queen's chair' Jo brought in from the dining room.

 I love how serious she looks blowing out the candles and how happy Ella looks for her!

 party people showing off their pizza craft

 Audrey sharing with her brother.

And no, I did NOT let him have pizza. Three pinches of icing free cake is one thing, greasy pizza would have been a recipe for disaster. So I stuck with organic carrots instead. Sorry Huddie.

 Both kids passed out at 7 on the way home, despite the cake and cupcakes. I carried them both upstairs to their beds. At 4 Audrey is 34 pounds and fairly heavy for my weak little arms but as long as I can carry her up those stairs, I will. I love it every single time I get the chance to do it. 

She never opened her eyes but I whispered to her as I tucked her in "I hope you really enjoyed your birthday." and she replied "I really did Mom. It was great." Cue the water works, again.

4 Years Old

Audrey is four years old.

Oh how it breaks my heart to accept this. 

She is the greatest joy in my life, and while watching her grow up to be such a kind and generous soul is immensely rewarding, the thought that every day she's one step closer to leaving me is outrageously painful. 

Cones

Barker has these soccer cones he and Audrey run drills with in the yard. But when he's at work Audrey uses them for everything else. They've been bracelets, bowls of porridge, Frisbees and tents for her Little People to go camping. Our house usually looks like a construction zone due to all of the cones.

 She puts them on Hudson as hats.

He doesn't mind.

This was her using one as a megaphone when we got out of the pool. Yes, she took it in the pool as well.

Baby Blayne

Last week we went to visit my cousin Mindy so the kids could meet their cousin Blayne. He was born in April on his Uncle Brent's birthday so he's just a few months younger than Hudson! But you wouldn't know it judging by their size. Blayne is already almost as big as Hudson. And not only does he take after his uncle Brent birthday and height wise but what little hair he has is red, just like his uncle. If he also gets that sense of humor we'll all have six packs from laughing so much. Good luck Mindy ; )

I forgot my camera so this is the best I could get with my phone. Hudson is in the light from the window, Audrey is making the 'I'm in a sorority duck face', but Blayne was looking like a big boy sitting up in his Bumbo. It was a nice visit and likely to be the most quiet we'll ever have once both boys are up running around.

Scissor Sisters

I put Hudson in his Johnny Jumper while I took clothes out of the dryer. Audrey took that opportunity to 'decorate' her baby.... Scissor Sisters style. 

She inflicts all kinds of torture on him and he still just grins from ear to ear when she walks in the room.

7 Months Old

Baby Love is 7 months old already. 

I don't like this growing up business one bit.

I think I need to see that birth certificate...

Barker apparently turned 31 this weekend. Ouch. But you'd never know by how he celebrated it. 

Friday we grabbed snow cones, sno balls, shaved ice, whatever you call it. The birthday boy chose Bob the Builder, I had Tiger's Blood and Audrey got Birthday Cake, but ate both mine and hers. 

Then some of Barker's friends came over to grill. I always make him celebrate his birthday. Even before we were dating I threw together a party for him since he didn't have anyone to do it. Some times we do something like Dave and Buster's but most of the time we just have people over. This year we just decided on a small Friday night dinner here. (Half of our friends were lucky enough to be at the beach.) Audrey made brownies. 

Yes, I know I shouldn't let her lick the spatula, raw eggs and all, but I caved. And she did a great job. They were yummy. 

Saturday morning he went to his soccer game and then we ran a ton of errands. We were in bed by nine. He rolled over, looked at me and said "Saturday night and in bed by 9 by my own choice. This is quite different than how I spent my 21st birthday." I'm sure that's a huge understatement considering we don't have casinos in Prosper.

Sunday he got up at 5am to run a 15K in Dallas. Yeah, that's now how he chooses to spend his birthdays. Running. Yuck. But we got him super light race shoes for his birthday so he got to break them in with a 15K time of 1 hour 25 minutes. Not bad considering he ran like maybe 3 times to train for this race.

He got home with all of ten minutes to jump in the shower and dress for church. We couldn't be late because we had to sign our updated wills. 

After church the race was on again as we sped to Addison to pick up some Johnny's pizza to take to the Cefalu family. They welcomed sweet baby Elizabeth on Thursday. She is super duper cute!

Barker, Hudson, Cefalu, and Miss Elizabeth

I just love how happy and relaxed Chris looks. 

After we ate lunch and it was time for baby Elizabeth to eat we took off for Barker's game. That's right, after a 15K he had a soccer game. Against a team of 19/20 year olds, no less. Do you see why I'm not so sure he's 31? Maybe he should stay home with these kids. He obviously has more energy than I do. 

Sweet Summertime

This summer we've been really busy. This is just a random collection of photos taken recently of the kids and their friends.

 Hudson borrowing Audrey's shades

 H and A getting dry after being in the pool

 Cam Cam and Grayden loving on my little meat pie

 the triplets

 sleep over at Audrey's

At VBS they raised money for mosquito nets in Africa. So now she thinks I put this canopy up to protect her from mosquitos. 

 annual pool party at D's

Last year Angie and I were pregnant and now this year our little guys got to join in on the party.

Hudson loving on Mieke. 

Lets see what his options were. 

One: being held in the pool by mom. 

Two: being held in the pool by a tall, gorgeous European lady in a bikini. 

Hhhmmm. Not that shocking that he went with option number two.

 random pic of Hudson in his golfing duds, looking like a little blond Barker

4th of July

This year for the 4th of July we visited the homes of two friends that happen to live just a few miles apart. Since we're not over in their neck of the woods often I decided to make the most of it. I didn't take many pictures since the 2nd party was a pool party but here are the few I did manage to snap.

First off we went to lunch at the Wallace's home. Yum. Will and Cara are basically the only people from high school he cares to talk to which works out well for me because I like them quite a bit, too.

Topher, Liam, Hudson and Audrey

This pic makes me laugh cause Hudson looks like I did as a baby, like a big old lumpy bag of pale baby fat with no neck and looking kinda lost. 

Then we went to the Whitt's for a pool party, more food, and more friends. Yay! More of my favorite things!

 Terri and Gage, Lacy and Riley and myself with Hudson

Terri and I had both of our kids just weeks apart but I had a girl the first go round and she had super cute boys each time.

 Audrey, Hudson, and Riley

 These three played well together on the floor.

Lacy supervising.

It was a full day of fun right smack dab in the middle of the week. I wish every Wednesday could be pool fun with friends day!