{just for fun}

I think Meredith is looking so much older these days, so I thought it would be fun to find pictures from her past birthdays {or near there...some of our pictures still aren't transferred over to this computer...shame on me!}.  She's definitely grown up a lot this year.    

{celebrating meredith}

Yesterday was Meredith's 7th birthday.  It truly was a fabulous day.  Two years ago, we celebrated Meredith's birthday in the hospital.  Claire was in for one of her fever spikes.  I was so sad for Meredith that year.  Then, last year, I was sooooo sick on Meredith's birthday.  When your mom is 8 months pregnant and sick with the flu and pneumonia, it doesn't make for a very fun birthday either.  

Needless to say, I was really looking forward to Meredith's birthday this year!!  I was praying that we could just have a normal day at home to celebrate!  And, thankfully, we did just that.  

Here's my birthday girl!

Close up of the cake {thank you pinterest}.  Seriously, I think I should go to "making castle cakes" school.  This is my third variation.  I'm wondering how many more will be requested. :)

For Christmas, a friend from church generously gifted her American Girl doll, Josefina {from Mexico/New Mexico}, to us for Meredith.  Meredith was so excited on Christmas morning.  What she has wanted more than anything since getting Josefina is a "Josefina outfit".  So, I sewed her a skirt and a rebozo.  She LOVED it...that's putting it lightly.  

Blowing out the candles!  My mad decorating skills reveal the leaning towers.  This makes for a great photo op, though, as it appears Meredith is blowing so hard that the towers are being blown off the cake! Fabulous.

We ate cake with some of our good friends who have 5 girls {and 1 boy}.  Needless to say, there were a lot of girls running around our house last night!!  So much fun.

I'll end my post with my status update from facebook yesterday:

Happy 7th birthday to my Meredith Ann!  You are the emotional version of me {only magnified...which is both lovely and crazy at the same time}.  Your sweetness is almost unmatched.  And that mean-streak that we experience?  Well, I'm hoping that will continue to work it's way out.

I love your passion for this life.  You wear your heart on your sleeve.  I find the creativity in your artwork absolutely beautiful.  You truly impress me with your designs.

You have taught us about choosing our battles.  You have taught us that some children HATE socks {and that's putting it lightly}.  You are oozing with quirkiness.  Your fashion sense is lovely.  We love you oh so much and can't wait to see where you take this sweet life of yours.

{happy birthday meredith}

{b.i.f. five}

Claire:  Mom, I have an announcement to make.  Amelia is gluing sticky notes to your desk.

{someday}

Someday, Olivia, you will get to sit at the big girl table with everyone else.  Someday.  

But for now, she just watches.

Can I just say that I love everything about this picture?  I love how Olivia is right there with the girls.  It truly is one of her favorite places to be.  She loves to just sit and watch them.  She just watches and takes it all in.  

Claire is sitting on her foot...a favorite position of hers.  I'm certain she's appointed herself "Craft Director".  

Meredith is sitting on the table {not necessarily typical of her}.  What is typical of her, however, is that she's wearing one of Claire's shirts.  Do you remember when your older sister had all the BEST clothes? Well, of course, Claire has all the best shirts, and Meredith's are just soooo boring.  Oh, the woes of being a little sister.

Amelia.  The table sitting is absolutely perfect.  She perches herself on tables {when she can get away with it}.  I allow it on the school table from time to time.  The counter and our dinner table...ummmm no. She has a hard time processing this.  

On the table is the infamous Santa Box: full of Christmas cards, thank you cards, interesting pieces of mail, magazine cut outs, and all things random.  These girls can create quite the plethora of masterpieces from one little box.  Bring the Santa Box out once every other week, and I've just bought myself a good 45 minute pass to read blog posts and pin to my Pinterest account put the laundry away and clean the toilets.  

I love this little family of mine.

{little helper}

Warning: ridiculously cute baby photo ahead.

Oh my goodness...I totally warned you.  I could eat her up!!  She has finally learned how to pull herself up to a stand on just about anything.  The dishwasher is a fav for the 10 month old crowd.  

{b.i.f. four}

Yet one more reason to love my hubby.  Thanks for being such a great daddy.