Reese's birthday - part 2: it's official

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

TO YOU

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

TO YOU

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

DEAR REESE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO YOU

Oh Reesey, I can't believe you are three! You are so full of life, it's contagious. You've reminded me that's it's about the little things. You sense and react to everything around you in a magnified way. In other words, you're dramatic! But that's part of what makes you you. You have so quickly developed into this little princess who makes me a better person every day. I'm so proud you are my daughter.

Reese's birthday - part 1: the party (warning: lots of pics!)

Thank you Grandpa for my awesome banner!

Uniqua, I mean Reese, was ready to party first thing this morning.

The younger crowd - Carter, Carter, Reese, and Mallory (Sorry for it being blurry and off-centered, Cru bumped my hand just as I clicked the picture). You think they'd stand still for another one....

they had better things to do!

Look, Pablo and Uniqua! (Carter and Reese)

Look, there they are again! (Carter and Mallory)

Ready for presents!

Ooo la la, a new tu-tu from Aunty Chancey

along with a purse full of girly goodies!

I think Mallory liked this one (the American Girl Bitty twins!)

Pablo takin' a peek

Reese was definitely ready for cake after all those presents.
Mommy's attempt at a Uniqua cake. As long as it tastes good, it doesn't matter how silly it looks, right?

She wanted to get her fingers on one of those cupcakes so bad!

She was so anxious to blow out her candle while everyone was singing (I think she made it about half way through the song).

Reese with Kellsie and Cassidy

Thanks for coming Christian....too sweet

With Grandpa and Grandma Reese

With Grandma and Grandpa Buchman and her aunties

who she loves so much (Casyn, Cheyna, and Chancey)


All the guests left, but Reese was still partying.
She danced in her new tu-tu

She wanted to make cupcakes

She bathed with Du-du-du-du-du-Dora

And finally, we had a little balloon fun

making a wish

letting it go

watching it go "up to God."

Reese was excited to go to bed....she had all kinds of new toys to take with her.

Our family is so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. Thank you to all of you who helped Reese celebrate turning 3! She had an absolute blast!

More celebrations

4 years! We say it all the time, our day was perfect.

We laughed

We cried

We were surrounded by the very best friends and family

We danced the night away

or at least your dad and I did :)

This day marked the beginning of the most wonderful, memorable, best days of my life. Thank you, Chet for being my best friend, my rock. You have provided a life for me and our family that I could have only dreamed of.

I love you!

1/2 a year!

So Cru's 6 month post is coming late in the day, but at least it's on his big day! Our family has been in Beloit all day taking family pictures :) Cru did so much better this session than he did in his newborn session....thank goodness!

So is it just me or has the month of August flown by? It seems like I just posted about Cru turning 5 months, now my little boy is 6 months!!!! And a little boy he is....squirmy, eats a ton, stuffs whatever he can in his mouth, and loves the ladies. He's also so sweet, babbles all the time, and full of priceless smiles. Here's a little more about our little man.

1. Everyday is a different schedule, which drives me insane. It's like as soon as we have a good couple days of the same routine, a certain someone (REESE) disrupts nap time or Cru thinks he needs to eat an hour earlier than he really needs to. We do have a good bedtime routine down....he's early to bed and early to rise :(
2. I swore I was taking Cru's pacifier away by 6 months if he didn't learn to suck on it. Well, he must have understood because he started sucking on it a few weeks ago....it's a good thing now, but probably a bad thing for the future.
3. Almost every night, he wakes up somewhere between 1-2am. I don't get it! If he's not asleep by the time I get to his room, it usually only takes turning on his mobile and giving him his pacifier to get him back to sleep.
4. It makes me feel like a failure, but he's on all formula now. (6 oz. 5 times a day!)
5. He LOVES playing peek-a-boo with Reese!
6. He LOVES his toys, however, he gets really mad when he drops one, when they won't make noise, or when that same certain someone (who wakes him up early from naps) takes one away.
7. One of the cutest things ever is hearing/watching him lay in his bed and "talk" to his animals hanging from his mobile.
8. He LOVES to be outside! He's even getting better in his stroller, kinda.
9. He just moved up to stage 3 diapers!
10. He sat up ALL BY HIMSELF for the first time today while taking pictures!

And lastly, although I've already rambled enough, I'll never forget when I was pregnant with you. We didn't know yet if you were a boy or a girl, and I remember thinking that I was scared to death to have a little boy. I was so use to Reese and all her girly things, how would I raise a boy? When the doctor said, "It's a boy!" I was overcome with joy; you were the best surprise ever! You have been the perfect addition to our family; a true blessing that I couldn't imagine being any different. I love you!