Our Blythe-girl turned three yesterday. Which is just nuts to me because a) wasn't she
just born?? and b) I very clearly remember MY third birthday (my mama
made me an elephant cake-wish I had that picture! My mushroom hair was
amazing.) and it's a bit crazy to think my daughter is now that age. But
she is....Adam brought her into bed yesterday morning about 6 (he got her up
early for a daddy-daughter donut run) and she snuggled under the big
comforter with me, and I sang her Happy Birthday (she sang herself Happy
Birthday, too...), and then I told her again the story about the day she
was born, and she was SO excited. And THEN....
"Mama, can I see my doll?"
I
made her a doll cake this year per her request (anyone else remember
those??) and the cake wasn't "dressed" last night when she went to bed.
So I gathered her up and we tiptoed down the dark, quiet hall so as not
to wake up her brothers or Aunt C.C., who is staying with us this week.
I didn't turn on any lights until we got to the kitchen. Then-
"Ready?"
I whispered. A nod. I flipped the light on and pointed to were the doll
now stood in her yellow-frosting-splendor in the middle of our
island...and then just watched her face. She just looked and
looked...and finally got the sweetest little smile on her face and
sighed,
"Beautiful."
And all i could think was, "That's what your daddy and I think about you, little BB....beautiful. Inside and Out,"
After Adam and Blythe got back from their outing, we all got "fancy" (as
Pax puts it), loaded up the cake and a few other things, and headed to
the Lobmeyers to celebrate two special little buddies. Peyton is just 2
days older than B and although the two of them didn't ever really have a
choice about being friends, they also happen to love each other and have such
grand little girl adventures together that Nicole and I knew that they
would love celebrating their birthdays together. And we were right!
Between Nicole and I, we pulled off a pretty fun breakfast/birthday/princess party. And for two mamas that have never thrown a "theme"party before, I think we did pretty well!! 
We set up a little backdrop and had some fun with the camera.....well, Jade and Chloe and Peyton did anyways. Jade and Chloe were also my fabulous balloon-stringing assistants...
Peyton and her daddy, Jason....this is what our daughter was doing during the initial picture-wall time.
Taking her baby for a drive in her princess dress. And yes, that's a bridesmaids dress I wore once-upon-a-time and retrofitted for her :)
Adam and Blaise enjoying the sunshine. It was 70 degrees! Perfect!! And Blaise loved crawling everywhere in the yard exploring.
After cake, we had some fun with the birthday girls and the balloons (which by this time were disappearing quickly at the hands of the two brothers, a plastic bat, and a plastic golf club. I bet you can figure that one out on your own. They had fun, and they did it outside, so we didn't care! Although Blythe kept stopping her game with Peyton to pick up balloon pieces and put them neatly in a pile.
I think she takes after her Daddy and Grandaddy on that one...it's for sure not her Mama!)
I just have to say that this is what you get when you have Jason in the pictures. It's really almost a miracle their family session turned out as well as it did...
LOVE her. And this next one is really just to prove that the boys
were actually there. Although I know Pax is still MIA. They were busy! Wish I'd gotten a picture of the two of them in their vests, though...so cute!
Cake time!
This is actually the second
go-around with the candles and singing...Peyton's a pro candle-blower-outer and had all six blown out before the song ended the first time :)
I'm
always thankful for the friendships that are in our lives. Today, though, I'm extra-thankful for these tiny girl friends...for the fun they have together as well as the mischief they make. I pray that, as the years go by, their friendship would only strengthen, and that they would strengthen and encourage
each other to be the joyful, courageous, creative, beautiful women of God they were created to be-just as they are now. May they be blessed enough to celebrate
many many more birthday parties together.
Adam and I combined forces and made this (super simple but super cool) tent for Pax for Christmas. He's used it EVERY day since...including one Sunday afternoon when our friends came over impromptu after church, and these three buddies (Broden, Pax, and Baylor) did a little "camping" and movie watching......
It just doesn't get much better 
After Adam and Blythe got back from their outing, we all got "fancy" (as
Pax puts it), loaded up the cake and a few other things, and headed to
the Lobmeyers to celebrate two special little buddies. Peyton is just 2
days older than B and although the two of them didn't ever really have a
choice about being friends, they also happen to love each other and have such
grand little girl adventures together that Nicole and I knew that they
would love celebrating their birthdays together. And we were right! Between Nicole and I, we pulled off a pretty fun breakfast/birthday/princess party. And for two mamas that have never thrown a "theme"party before, I think we did pretty well!! 
