Five!

Dear Camden,

Today you are five.

 1. 2. 3. 4. 5!

I think it must be hard to be the younger sibling, because although you were super excited for your birthday, and very happy to be five, you still really want to be 7, just like your sister.

Daddy woke you up this year, while I waited downstairs to catch your reaction to your birthday surprises.

Every year from the time you were two you have had something you were wholeheartedly obsessed with - Elmo, Planes, Thomas, Cars, and now Legos, but specifically Ninjago.


You dashed down the stairs through your streamers of Ninjago colors.


And beelined for your gifts on the table.   You were pretty pumped to add Rod Torque to your Cars collection.  You kept asking me where I found it.  God bless Amazon.

This is the point where I admit that I know you were disappointed with your big gift because of the look that registered on your face when you opened your Zane ninja hoodie that we thought you would just love.  However, even at the tender age of 5, you are the sweetest kid in the world and tamped that disappointment right down.  You never said an ungrateful word, just hugged us and said thank you.  That sweet moment of concern for our feelings made me want to give you everything you ever want in life.  I know that I can't, but man do I want to.

After you opened gifts you took some time to admire the rest of your decorations.   You are so sincere in your appreciation of everything we did for your day.  It's funny to observe because you are clearly very excited and simultaneously a bit overwhelmed.  

Then you asked for breakfast.  You usually have birthday donuts, but this year you wanted my special birthday pancakes aka pancakes with whip cream and sprinkles. Your amazing Daddy rushed out to the store first thing that morning when I realized I didn't have whip cream OR pancake mix.

You kept asking us when your friends were coming and it took a few explanations before you seemed to grasp the concept of your birthday on Tuesday and your party on Saturday.  Either that or us filling you in on our plan to visit the Lego Store and Disney store was enough to please you.

We picked up Gigi on our way to the Lego Store because she and Papa were in town for a few days while he worked.  In addition to the HUMONGOUS Ninjago City they bought you Gigi spoiled you and your sister with a few more gifts from the mall.

For lunch you asked for a Happy Meal which you enjoyed while the grown ups ate California Pizza Kitchen.  That is what we call a win-win.  You were pretty pumped to get the Optimus Prime toy in your box.

It was a beautiful day on your birthday, but all you wanted to do was come back to the house and open your big gift from Gigi and Papa.  Big as in 2200+ pieces that took your Daddy and I almost three hours of non stop working to assemble.  You waited as patiently as possible as we worked through 12 bags of pieces.  It was worth it to see how happy you were.

We finished assembly just before Papa's arrival for dinner time.  You requested the pepperoni pizza with no sauce that has become your recent favorite.

Of course for dessert we had chocolate cake that we decorated with all your new Ninjago figures.  I love your face in this picture because you still get a bit bashful from all the attention, even from just your family singing "Happy Birthday".


Camden,

I hope you always know how much you are loved, and how easy you make it for us to love you.  You have the biggest heart of anyone I know and you are so genuinely caring.  You have grown into this tough, but sensitive kid, who says things like "Ladies first!" as you give your girl friends the first turn on the playground.

You are always thinking of others and we are the lucky ones to have someone like you in our lives to care about us.  It's our privilege to love you and spend our lives helping you grow into whatever your little heart can dream of because I can guarantee you it's going to be amazing.

Happy, happy birthday little man.  We love you!

Oh, 7.

Dear Riley,

Today you are 7.

1.  2.  3.  4.  5.  6.

7!  Oh, 7.

Just a bit before midnight last night, I snuck into your room for the last - 6 year old - kiss good night. The time flies my love, because I can't believe it's already been a year since I gave you the last - 5 year old - kiss good night.


But a year since your - 5 year old - kiss, is nothing compared to this.
Your first birthday, also on a Saturday, SIX years ago.


I can't get over your sweet one year old self.

Back to 2015...

We all slept in a little bit today, after a busy Friday night party prepping.  I came into your room, hugged you tight, kissed your beautiful face and sang Happy Birthday to you before we went downstairs.

You were surprised to find presents waiting for you at your seat at the table.  We had told you that your American Girl of the Year, Grace, (that we helped you buy after Christmas) was your gift.  You were okay with that idea, though you did casually mention a few times that maybe a surprise would be waiting for you on your birthday.

I couldn't help myself.  You were so thankful - you even complimented my wrapping job.


We got you a new brush for Grace, the second Grace book for us to read together, and BONBON!
I loved the look on your face when you saw her.


I'm glad you are perfectly happy with a stuffed dog.

You were ready for your pancakes with "special surprise things, please Mom?" after you opened your gifts.  Buttermilk pancakes, whip cream and chocolate sprinkles and then some of my scrambled eggs is the breakfast of 7 year old princesses.  You ate while enjoying "Happy Birthday!" phone calls from your Gammy + Gampy and your Tutu.


After breakfast we measured you on the growth chart. You love that you are tall.  I'm in shock over the visual of how quickly you grow.  (Your six year old measurement was marked on the left underneath the '4')


We had a bit of downtime before we split up into "the girls" and "the boys" to run some errands. My favorite part of our morning was taking you to get your nails painted. You asked for hot pink on your left hand and purple on your right - with glitter of course. It was fairly empty in there this morning so everyone on the staff was just fawning over you, wishing you Happy Birthday, gushing over your fancy dress, and hugging you.  As we walked out to go meet Daddy and Cam for lunch at El Sol, you turned to me and said, "Whoa! I got the treatment in there!"  You are always full of surprise one liners like that to make us laugh and laugh.

Camden was a little bit jealous of all the attention and excitement for you today, but he did his 4 year old best to put a smile on. He is absolutely your biggest fan, and he thinks everything you do is pretty awesome.


This year you asked for a Patisserie party, just like the American Girl of the year has. I did my best to turn our home into the whimsical Parisian bakery of your dreams. You invited ten of your sweet friends over to your patisserie, including your best bud.

Ouvert pour les affaires!


It was a very busy afternoon in Riley's Patisserie "painting" sugar cookies.  (Seriously the coolest idea ever courtesy of Michelle from Sugar Cookie Creations)


And decorating mini two tier cakes.

With lots and lots of frosting and sprinkles.

We played a hilarious game of pin Grace on the Eiffel Tower before it was time to sing and blow out the candles. It was the first year that we shared your candle moment with this many people, but you were thrilled and that's what this day is all about.

We brought back the birthday chair this year - the incredible idea of twinnie.  There's something special about sitting with each friend while you open their gift and read their card out loud.  It acknowledges the thought they put into getting a present for you and it's the perfect lesson in gratefulness.

Your friends absolutely spoiled you with a bevy of arts and crafts things that are just perfect for you, our budding creative genius.

We bid each guest an enthusiastic "BON SOIR!" as they left and then met up with Daddy and Cam and our friends for dinner at the Wing Factory.  That wasn't your venue choice, but you didn't mind because you love hanging out with them anytime you can.

Then it was home for the first chapter of Grace Stirs It Up, before I gave you the very first 7 year old kiss good night.

Oh, 7.

You used to accept everything I said as fact, but as you've matured you question me more.  That's a good thing, part of you growing up and learning to apply reason and your own logic to everything you intake.

Today in the car, you said something so clever and funny and I told you, "You are one of a kind."  You were skeptical that in a world full of people there isn't anyone like you and you challenged my statement.  I had to convince you otherwise - because it's true - there is absolutely no one like you in this world.

Riley, you are the smartest, wittiest, most loving, beautiful, hilarious and loyal little person.  It's impossible to know you and not be completely charmed by you.  I can't believe your Daddy and I made someone so amazing and I'm thankful for every second of every day we get with you.

Happy, happy, happy 7th birthday my sweet, one of a kind, Riley girl.

I love you so, I always will.

Four.

Dear Camden,

Today you are four.

 1. 2. 3. 4!

Your very first request after we woke you up and sang Happy Birthday to you was to snuggle with Mama.  Four years full already, but I'll never get enough snuggles with you and I guess you still feel the same.


You have been eagerly, not patiently, waiting for your birthday to come.  I think we've been counting down to it since the day after Christmas and almost every day you reminded us that you wanted the pushing Dusty for your birthday.  Good thing I got it on sale at Christmas time and stowed it away until your big day.  All the days of you asking for it and I still don't think you knew we would actually get it for you. You were thrilled to find it waiting by your breakfast plate.


After snuggles and opening your gift we had your traditional birthday donut breakfast.  You kept exclaiming over the excitement of donuts and all the Disney planes decorations I put up for you the night before.  You are starting to learn that we do birthdays big in our house.


This year we knew what you really wanted for your birthday - "go to the store!" so we purposely only bought you one gift.  Then we headed to Toys R Us to let you shop for the rest of your gifts yourself.  I love this awkward smile - not only are you in a weird smile phase, but this was your "Okay take the picture so I can get back to all these toys" face.  We were in there a long time before you finally chose your four gifts.  It was an eclectic mix of a Toy Story play set, Hot Wheels tracks, and Planes toys.


By the time we finished shopping we were overdue for lunch.  When we asked you what you wanted, you replied, "the yummy chicken".  A little more questioning revealed that what you wanted was teriyaki chicken from Pei Wei.  We all love it there so everyone was happy with your choice!


When you finished your lunch, you requested Cold Stone and the playground which are in the same shopping center.  It's your birthday after all so we happily agreed.  You picked cotton candy, chocolate, and marshmallows.  I can't think of a mix that better sums you up at the age of four - sweet, wild and cuddly.

We let you guys play on the playground a bit before we headed back home for a nap.  You spent the rest of the day happily playing with all your new things.  Of course that night for dinner you had chicken nuggets, followed by chocolate cake.  This year you wanted to buy a chocolate cake for your birthday and you picked out this snazzy number.  We added some of your new Planes to it per your request.


We were being treated to a chorus of, "WE WANT CAKE!"


Then it's cake you shall have!  I have always loved the moment when TG rounds the corner out of the kitchen with their cakes.  Their faces are always full of such innocent joy over something as simple as a cake all aglow.  I can't ever quite capture it on film.


You wished to go to the moon.  It's an inside joke we have, but I think you might believe it's real.


MMMM CAKE!


We all love you so much Camden.  I don't think you have any way of knowing just how adored you are by everyone in our family.  You are the happiest, sweetest, funniest little guy.  You are the first to share your things, the first to console one of us if we're hurt or sad, and the one that can make all of us smile, no matter the circumstance.

I can't believe that when we moved into this home, you were just a tiny newborn, not even two months old.  4 years...don't they go by in a flash?   My heart clenches even now reflecting on the passage of time and how quickly you've grown and how much faster everyone says the next years go.  I am so thankful to be along for the ride.

I am so proud to be your Mom and I love you very much.  Happy, happy, happy birthday Camden.

She's 6!

Dear Riley,

You are 6.

What can I say?

It's been a roller coaster ride that I never want to get off of. Every year you reveal a new facet to your personality. You are funny, loving, witty, creative, passionate, stubborn, persistent - a list full of traits that are a little bit me and little bit Daddy all bundled up into a girl we love so much.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Six.

Six years with my first baby that turned my entire world upside down and completely captured my heart in the same instant. I will never, ever forget what it was like to see your face for the first time and just know at my core that I would do anything for you.

On January 23rd, after you were asleep, I snuck into your room for the last five year old kiss good night.


Daddy helped me decorate the house for you that night with lots of balloons, streamers, and a banner. We laid your presents at your seat at the table. We were so excited to be home as a family for your special day. Just you, me, Daddy and Camden.

I made you birthday pancakes with a candle, whip cream and sprinkles. We sang to you before you ate. It's a small thing really, but it makes you so very happy.

Then it was time for presents! You were all about Monster High this year. We got you the Scaris Cafe, Howleen Wolf and new rain boots.


We had surprise plans for you that day. You got all dressed up in your new six tee and the pink bow you picked out at the mall the night before.

You were so wanting Isabelle the new ballerina doll, but you had just gotten my vintage Kirsten doll as Caroline the year before. That morning I fixed her hair into a bun, pink chalked her hair, and snuck her into my purse before we left.  You had no idea where we were headed, but as soon as you saw the striped awning on the cafe you exclaimed, "ARE WE GOING TO AMERICAN DOLL!?!"

You were just as happy to be able to carry Kirsten with her new hairstyle around and choose an Isabelle outfit and snowy day outfit for her to wear as part of your birthday presents.

There was much excitement when you realized that the Isabelle display was up for you to take a picture with. I love your ballerina form.

American Girl was only the first stop of our day.  We visited the Disney store for some Frozen gear and a few other places (like Justice) that you wanted to go to.  You've always loved shopping, but you have really come into your own with the stores you want to visit and browse in.

You shopped til you dropped, literally. By the time we got home you were ready for a nap with me in my bed. You fell asleep clutching your doll who was still wearing her birthday sticker from the store.

After playing with your new things for most of that afternoon we had dinner and your favorite homemade chocolate cake. I love that you counted the candles to be sure there were six. Six is a serious age.

You love the birthday song.  You bask in our full attention of singing just to you.


I made sure to use plenty of frosting, just like you like it. That apple doesn't fall far from either tree.

I kept you up late that night because we had one more surprise for you. You went with me to the airport freshly washed, in your pjs, robe, and cat hat to pick up Gammy for the weekend. You love your family and were just so excited to see her and be able to stay up late for something so special.

You wasted no time in opening the presents from Gammy either! I have a series of photos where you are unwrapping this one and you go from eager anticipation to absolute joy as you realize it was your long awaited, much desired, Monster High storage locker.

And a Catty Noir doll to go with it! Gammy knows the way to your heart.

It was a long, but very happy birthday to you our sweet girl.  So many fun and exciting things happened in your life in the last year and I can't wait to see what the year of 6 brings to us.  We love you so, we always will.