Birthday party

Last night was Lukas and Laura's birthday party.

Cousin Emily arranged the kids for a cousins' picture.

From left to right: Laura, Kendra, Evan, Emily holding Owen, Kyle, and Lukas

 

The birthday kids! 

 

Laura and her unicorn Dream Lites unicorn. She spent ALL day today playing with it! 

 

Me and my brother! This picture makes me so happy. Up until I looked at it, I didn't think about how many years it's been since we were in a picture together. (And, yes, we each got a present at our kids' birthday party. My parents had bought a big knock-off-Lego set for each of our families but didn't know which kids to give them to, so they gave them to us last night.) 

 

The 5-year-old with her brownies and the 6-year-old with his smiley face cupcakes. 

School Christmas musical

Tonight was Evan and Kendra's school Christmas program. But, instead of singing a bunch of songs that no one knows nor can understand, they did a musical. And it was really good! Here are some pictures from our evening.

 

My cow, all spotted up, and ready to go on.

 

Laura and Daddy snuggling while waiting for the show to start. 

 

Laura with cousin Emily. 

 

Cousin Lukas in the choir, all smiles in the middle of the picture. 

 

My panther sitting in her spot, ready for the program to start.

 

My sullen cow on the far left and my so-tiny-compared-to-the-classmates-around-her panther in the middle. 

 

My panther and cow with their cousin Lukas after the program was over. 

 

My brother, Darrell, and their youngest, Owen.

 

Lukas and Laura, both five, both ready for their joint birthday party tomorrow night! 

Jonseph

Laura has long had it that, once she gets a word in her head, that word is going to come out regardless of if it's the right word or not. This doesn't happen in everyday conversation, but it happens when she's trying to give an answer to a question or the rhyming word to finish the verse in a story or when she's sounding out a word while reading. Tonight it was this:

Laura: Can we read more of my Bible study? [This is what she calls her Bible story book right now, and I love it.]
Mommy, looking at the clock: Yep, we have time for one more. Who do you think this story is about?
Laura: The one in the fish. The guy who gets swallowed by the fish.
Mommy: Yeah! Good job! What was his name, do you know?
Laura: Joseph?
Mommy: Nope, but you got the "Jo-" right. It was Jo--
Laura: Jo--
Mommy: Jon--
Laura: Jonseph!
Mommy: No, it was Jonah, but that was a good try! Wait, did you just say "Jonseph"?
Laura, giggling: Yes.

Laura's 5th birthday

A picture diary of Laura's 5th birthday.

 

Good morning, birthday girl!

 

Getting ready for preschool: 

 

Enjoying time at the park on a 69-degree birthday -- unheard of here for December 3! 

 

Happy about her birthday treat at lunch: 

 

Blowing out the candle: 

 

Digging in! 

 

Conked out for a birthday nap on the way home: 

 

Ready to open presents after Evan and Kendra got home from school: 

 

Holding the little box that Evan made for her (and still a little drowsy from her nap that I tried continually to wake her up from): 

 

Kendra sitting patiently and quietly while Laura opens presents: 

 

Evan, not so sitting, not so patient, not so quiet: 

 

Daddy ran home from the office for a little bit to watch Laura open presents! 

 

Laura very excited about the quarter Kendra gave to her ... and even more excited a few seconds later when I told her to look in the envelope again and she found a second quarter: 

(Note: Kendra is an amazingly thoughtful big sister. At the end of the summer, she spent all but a few cents of her money, that she had been saving up for years, on a DS. Yet, she gave 50¢ of what she has to Laura for her birthday. Just, wow!)

 

Checking out her new lunchbox to see if there's anything inside: 

(There is!)

 

Laying out her new underwear to see if they're all good ones: 

(They are!)

 

Excited about her new princess dress-up clothes: 

 

Laura in her new Snow White dress, holding Baby Cow who's wearing her new onesie: 

 

Zonked out with her new pillow case and under the blanket she got as an early birthday present from Chad's parents: 

(Yes, she is sleeping. Yes, she is squinting in her sleep. The pre-flash on my camera when I'm in a dark room is really bright ... bright enough to make you squint in your sleep.)

 

Happy birthday, Laura! I'm glad you had a great day, I'm glad you're my little girl, and I'm glad you're still snuggly and wonderful even after you turned five!

5 years ago tonight

Five years ago tonight, Josh and Suzanne were at our house and we were eating poffertjes and kielbasa. Then I tucked my 3- and 1-year-old and my big pregnant belly into bed, and a few short hours later I was awakened by a baby who was ready to be born.

Tonight, Josh and Suzanne were at our house for Bible study (along with Joel and Liz) and we were eating buffalo chicken dip and fudge. Then I tucked my oh-so-very-nearly-five little girl into bed, and a few hours later I will awake as the mother of an 8-, 6, and 5-year-old.

 

I remember after Laura was born, my father-in-law quickly added up that I'd have another three years at home with all three kids before anyone started school. And, at that point, that seemed forever long since my life had changed so dramatically in the three previous years. Now, here we are five years later with a couple of second graders and a preschooler. That little baby is now turning five, starting to read, ties her shoes like a pro, and is by far taller (accordingly) than her brother or sister.

 

How does that happen? And will the next five years go that quickly too?