Our little bit is FOUR!

Sitting here on the eve of Lucy's birthday & remembering so vividly this night four years ago. 

FOUR. 

Didn't Abel just turn four???!

I've said this a million times, but it still rings so true. Lucy is one of my greatest prayers that came to fruition just as I'd specifically prayed for. She is literally all that I asked for & more. Kind, gentle, loving & fierce. Brave & adventurous, soft & sweet. Beautiful. Bonus features that I didn't know to hope for are that she's one of the most nurturing humans on the planet, she's wildy hilarious, the snuggliest of them all, tough as nails, and has a little more moxie than I was prepared for, but that too feels like a quality that will help her move mountains. There are truly no words for the way I love her, she is my favorite little brown haired girl.

 My first daughter, my sunshine girl, and my sweetest treasure. I couldn't be more proud of you & am so thankful to be your mama. Happy birthday little bit, I love you!
Last years birthday post HERE

Isla's 2nd Birthday Breakfast!

Isla's "birpay" breakfast was sweet & simple.

Doing something special for our kids on their birthday morning is always always my very favorite part of their birthday celebration as a whole. The early part of the day is the sweetest at our house, and having their little faces light up when they wake to balloons or flowers or whatever it is, is the cherry on top. I just love making them feel special & celebrated, and i hope they remember it as they grow. 

Can't believe our girl is two. My very favorite two year old in the world.

Two Years of Sweet Isla Jane

I really cannot believe Isla has been ours for two years. My third, my BABY. The last two years have personally been some of my most emotionally challenging thus far, and Isla was my sweetest sunshine throughout. Something about her special soul is healing & comforting, and as strange as it may sound, even at a few months old it was like she already possessed the gift of empathy. 

She is bright & beautiful, and special in a million ways... and I couldn't string enough words together to truly express just how much we love her. Happy Birthday Isla Jane! We love you forever!

Some of my favorite pics from her second year of life below, and a link to last year's birthday post HERE, and when she was born HERE!

the third birthday that lasted a week!

Lucy's third birthday literally lasted a week. We celebrated with Chris' family the weekend before, on her actual day + again on the weekend for a sweet little party. She didn't mind at all + was happy to sit in her "birthday chair" all week long. I feel like I am finally getting parties down for my kids + what is fitting to their personalities and not, so for Lu this year we kept it suuper small + invited only family + a few close friends who had kids her age. I think she was happy with it. I love the sweet picture above, it's a framer for sure (where am i going to put all these "framers" + will I ever have enough frames?!) and the picture below is becoming a tradition I guess! I love to decorate a cake! See last year's HERE. I hope my kids remember us making them feel extra special on their birthdays + holidays. My parents always went above and beyond + though some may think it's overkill, I believe it shaped me into a celebrator of life! A celebrator of big things + small things, things for myself and things for others! I'll never forget coming home to homemade Rice Krispies Treats because it was May 1st, HAPPY MAY DAY! Thanks mama! I hope we can instill that in our kiddos too :) 

^^^May have been checking my settings here when I accidentally snapped this sweet blurry picture of her opening the rapunzel barbie.... favorite gift, can you tell?

^^^this is my niece whistling... it's seriously the best.

Lucy's Birthday Morning!

We had panCAKES for breakfast + celebrated this little sweetie the best we know how, with love + flowers + food! Chris and I stayed up entirely too late the night before building this little neighborhood for her gift + it was a sweet sweet morning. 

Thankful that God orchestrates life so perfectly. Yesterday was also Abel's first day of school. I've cried actual tears (not in front of him) over its approach since January when we signed up, and he had been very apprehensive the past few weeks about it. The fact that the first day was on Lucy's birthday makes so much sense to me. I wasn't able to spend the morning anxiously thinking about it, and we honestly didn't put too much focus on it, as not to stir up his mixed (or not so mixed- mostly not thrilled) emotions about it. So an hour before it was time to go, he let me know he changed his mind and was excited about school + was ready to go. He picked his own clothes + we were on our way. Drop off went seamlessly + he came home having loved it. All of this, and I got some special time with Lucy on her birthday while he was gone and Isla slept. Thank you Jesus for your loving care + precision. 

Sweetest little gift for our girl. All the pretend play that will happen here makes me so happy.

And Abel's first day of school pictures below!