Appreciating Today

It’s so cliché yet so incredibly true… I blinked and my tiny bundle has turned into a beautiful little babe who talks, almost walks, hugs, kisses, plays, climbs, and dances.   She has completed our family and Braxton, Kaelyn, and I couldn’t imagine a world without her.     We celebrated Lana with what else but a little pumpkin birthday party… relishing in her day after Halloween birth date and our love for all things Fall. I love myself a good themed party… who are we kidding… themed anything makes me pretty giddy… and what else to throw my creative itches into but my Lana’s first birthday.   We snacked on pumpkin cheese balls, pumpkin rice krispie treats, chili, and pumpkin spice cupcakes.   The kids played pumpkin bowling and pumpkin beanbag toss and pulled apart a pumpkin piñata (who knew they made ribbon piñatas so you don’t have to beat one to death?!?).   Did I mention I go a little theme crazy? Girl loved her cake… made sure to get nice

This Halloween was Lana’s first… last year on October 31 st Braxton and I spent the majority of the day and evening in the hospital preparing for the arrival of our second child.  I have to say… I don’t think she enjoyed it so much.  She wasn’t digging the costume, or the pictures, or pretty much anything else that went with the holiday.  Her sister on the other hand… was beyond excited.  Kaelyn woke up Halloween asking… “ Time to go trick-or-treating with the girls?”   Clearly it was not time, but after a day spent cleaning house in preparation for a party, a grocery store visit, some lawn work (done by daddy), lunch with Nonnie, and the arrival of Grandma, Aunt Cassie, and the girls (which is where I stopped seeing Kaelyn for the weekend as she wanted nothing to with me and everything to do with Nev and Grace)… it was finally time to get that Minnie Mouse ready and out the door. Kaelyn was a big girl this year… walking up to the doors by herself (with th