Day of Celebration!

Who is this adorable baby girl you ask? It's Sammi, Brett's little sister. Sidney Kate was sooo excited (see facial expression) that she got to hold her. That's all she ever wants to do-hold a baby! Her time is coming soon!
 
A fun shot to end the big girls' birthday celebration.
We met up with Daddy to head to the big city to build a bear for "Jetta," among other exhausting things. I noted this to be my last trip down the road-getting too far along. :)
So excited to make a bear for her baby sister, with heartbeat in the bear's arm!
Even as the lady was stuffing her bear she was talking about giving it a bath. She's going to be a huge help come "Jetta's" arrival!
 

Another Bench Picture

We took this at Riley's party.

26 months
and
16 months

Riley Turns 4-Part 2

So after the eating, cake, present festivities everyone headed to the playground for some old fashioned sweaty fun! The slides were huge and the kids were having a big time.

Cousin Derek and Sidney Kate coming down!

I dare say this was the playground highlight! Kevin stationed himself at the top (after sliding down some himself) and quizzed the kids. They had to answer him before he let them through. I'm pretty sure they just giggled the whole time. At one point, Riley came down and said, "What's he saying?" Kevin was using a pirate voice I believe...it was quite entertaining!

This isn't all the kiddos but they were the sweaty ones left when we thought to take a picture.

Riley Turns...4!!

Our sweet friend, Riley, turned four recently! This was the first party we've been able to make (family reunion conflict) and boy did we have fun! The storms threatened to rain on us but they came and went pretty quickly. Riley came over to sit next to Sidney Kate and eat his pizza. (Sweetheart!)

Here he is with his mommy, blowing out his birthday candles! Time flies!

Might be the first time she's worn a birthday hat...she's still hesitant about wearing new things.

Look What We Found!

Sidney Kate got this from Aunt Ellen for her birthday...I told everyone it was closet bound until a later date.

After cleaning out that closet we decided it was play time.

Her new favorite playing activity!

Derek is Five!!

I can't believe but our little "Baby D" has turned 5! Saturday we went to his birthday party which included a Slip-n-Slide!
Sidney Kate wasn't a fan of the thought of flying down this strange contraption with water squirting her...she and Kevin attempted a warm up exercise.

Riley was going and going hard. He somehow managed to get down this thing a few times in a row before the others went...he was fast!


Rylan was all over the place too. It didn't take much for all these boys to land off of the slide into the grass...which quickly turned to mud.

Daddy and Sidney Kate's first and only attempt going down the slide. Maybe next year. :)

Mama V's 80th Birthday!

If you ask Sidney Kate, it's still her birthday. Nevertheless, we took Mama out for hers. We went to the BBQ place and waited waaaay too long (not sure what their deal was that night) but ate a good meal...and of course laughed at our entertainment. (SKV)

So...I have wanted to get a picture of Sidney Kate on a bench ever year, in the same spot, so we could watch her grow in pictures. I didn't find a bench until Mama's big birthday bash! Hopefully this bench will be there for years to come! The idea was emailed to me about a year go from my room mom...who is now my neighbor! What a great idea and I hate we missed her first year, but starting at age 2 isn't too bad. Click on this picture to see her funny face.

This is just a cheesin' face, as usual.

Random Cuteness

Birthday party night, Sidney Kate wore her "Pin-cess" pajamas.
The next morning she asked for her usual, "I want pancakes." (That is now an every morning request...EVERY morning-which stinks on weekdays because she doesn't get them.)

Sunday morning meal. How cute is that dress?

And she sat this long for me!!

Hammin' it up!

Happy 2nd BIrthday SKV!!! PARTY!

So birthday parties for babies should be a fun, happy affair. Well, we all plan for that-until you have a group of people that don't follow or understand rules. Long dramatic story short, we had the shelter reserved (and paid for) from 4:30-8:30. At 5:00 I kindly ask a group to leave. After their bad mouthing that we didn't have reservations and apparent refusal to leave, I had to approach them again. The lady continued her verbal rudeness, Kevin made a comment that our reservation was on the board and the girl went off. Next thing I know some guy is pushing Kevin, Uncle David approaches (to let his presence be known) the guy is yelling and cursing and I'm calling the cops.
Drama, geez, IT'S A 2 YEAR OLD'S BIRTHDAY PARTY! You don't have to go home but you can't stay here lady!

(not an actual picture of the day's events, but you get the idea)
So...after that, we have a birthday party. But, because of that, I don't have a lot of pictures. Sheez!

Here are the two cakes Kevin baked and I decorated. (Great team effort!)

Daddy did the opening of gifts with SKV...he didn't realize you're suppose to remember who gave what so Momma can write thank you cards. (That's why no one got a card!) The whole day was a mess right? (We love you Daddy!)

MY SWING!! Still trying to figure out how to hang it...we tried and she ended up being crooked with tree bark in her hair; we're pretty sure we had it wrong. :P

More Birthday Fun

Sidney Kate has a great aunt and uncle in Georgia (wow, they aren't old and adding "great" to their title sounds weird!) and they sent her a gift in the mail. She had to get all prepared to open it, which meant sitting in her chair.
Thanks Aunt Beth, Uncle Mike, Blake and Benjamin!

Pre-party look
Same style outfit as last year, initials and all!

This year she was able to have her hair braided; yes, she sits long enough for me to do it. I didn't realize she had grown up enough to sit that long until she came home from daycare with braided hair!

Smiles before the birthday party drama...

Sidney Kate's Birthday Afternoon

Yes, her morning started off with us introducing her to her Elmo and Cookie Monster (Sookie Monstah) cupcakes. You know the girl had to have one right then. So off she went to daycare, Elmo cupcake in hand!

We arrived home to "ELMO!" on the mailbox! (Thanks Uncle Tony and Susu!)
She saw him in the car and started yelling, "Elmo!!" What a great birthday suprise!

After daycare, she also got a visit from GG. Her first t-ball set! How fun! She holds the bat left handed...I guess she has sealed that one for me...(sigh)

Cheese!