Five Years Old!

This week we've had a celebration at our house.  My big girl turned FIVE years old on Wednesday!  I'm still in shock, I think! :-)  I cannot believe I have a five-year-old.  Turning five brings changes, some of which we've already experienced--like teeth falling out.  But we also start kindergarten this year.  Wow!  

All that to say, it's been a party all week.  We like to make the celebration thing linger, so we started last weekend with a small birthday party.  We haven't had a real party for her since she turned one, so this was a big deal for Emma.  We told her she could invite just a few people, and she chose the guest list.  We also let her pick the theme, and she picked princess, of course!  It wasn't necessarily Disney, just royal in theme.  Robby and I even joined in and dressed appropriately as the King and Queen. :-)  (We tell our children often that we are the King and Queen, and they better not forget it!  haha!)

My wonderful sister helped make the castle cake, and we partied in royal fashion.  Here are a few pictures from the day.

 She did a good job, yes?!

 The Royal Family

That little one usually fills the role of court jester, 
but we let her be a princess for the day! :-)

 My beautiful birthday girl!

 My other pretty princess!

Just a couple of her cool presents!

Emma's celebration week continued when her Grandmama picked her up from school on Tuesday.  She took Emma shopping and let her pick out her birthday gift.  Then she and Papa took Emma out to supper, and she got to spend the night with them--on a school night! :-)  

On Wednesday, I was able to take treats to Emma's class during snack time, and we all sang Happy Birthday.  She got to blow out candles again, and you would have thought it was the greatest birthday ever.  

We wrapped it up with supper at her favorite pizza place before church on Wednesday.  I think she had a pretty great fifth birthday.  How thankful I am for my sweet girl!  I'm looking forward to what this year holds. 

The Tooth Fairy is Coming... Again!

OK, so as parents we always think our children are growing up too quickly. But this time, it's true! Emma is two weeks shy of her fifth birthday and just lost her second tooth. How is this possible?! :-)

Last time she wiggled it out by accident but this time it was a much slower process. The accidental pulling made her shy away from messing with it, so it's just been hang out--literally sideways--for weeks. About to drive me nuts, actually. She would only eat out of the side of her mouth and end up with food smeared on her cheek half way to her ear.

I was so fed up with the tooth that last night I told her I would tell the tooth fairy to bring her $10 if she would pull it right then. No deal. $20 if she would let me pull it right then. Again, no deal.

Tonight her daddy got a hold of her. He was very patient and gentle, and it FINALLY came out!!

But then I looked at my sweet baby girl with one big tooth half way in and a second baby tooth missing, and I wanted to put it back in her mouth.

I just hope we get a break from the loose teeth for a while. She doesn't need to lose any more before she starts kindergarten this fall! :-)

Here's my girl with her tooth under her pillow, ready for the tooth fairy's visit. 

A New Year!

How in the world did it get to be 2012?!  Last year was probably the fastest year of my life.  And I'm afraid they're only going to get faster!

I'm not usually one to make New Year's resolutions, but this year I've had some things on my mind, and I decided to make a few.  I figure if I put them here, I'll have a little more accountability than if I just make a mental list and file it away in my brain that is still suffering the after effects of "baby brain" (three times over!).  So, in no particular order, here they are:

1. Exercise more.  I got a bike and double trailer for Christmas, so I'm planning for this to be my main exercise outlet.
2. Blog more, but spend less time online overall. Can you say, "Pinterest addiction?"
3. Sew more. This is one area that has been greatly neglected since I became a mother of three!
4. Pray more.  If you haven't read The Yada Yada Prayer Group series, you should.  It's fiction, but will challenge your prayer life!
5. Memorize more scripture.  I want to know God's word so deeply that it is automatically the first thing that comes to mind or comes out of my mouth in every situation, whether good or bad, happy or sad.

So far, I'm doing OK.  I haven't touched my sewing machine yet, but I did take my children on a bike ride.  I was surprised how easy it was to pull Abby and Will.  I figured I would pass out about 4 houses down from ours, but we made it to the end of the road and back, no problem!  And it was a blast.  I can't wait to ride it a lot more!!  

I haven't memorized a new scripture yet, but I have spent a lot more time reading the Word, especially Psalm and Isaiah.  If you need help memorizing scripture and you have children, teach it to them and you will learn it too.  Before Thanksgiving, I taught Emma Psalm 100.  We worked on it when we were in the car, mostly on our way to drop her off at school (literally only a 5 minute ride).  One line at a time, and after a few weeks, she could say the whole thing.  Still can.  And I can too.  It was the best way I've found to learn verses.  So she and I will be learning a lot more in the year to come!

If you've made resolutions this year, I hope you will find a way to keep yourself accountable.  I hope I will too!  I feel like I always have the best of intentions and then fail to follow through so often--not just with resolutions, but with things in every area of my life.  

Happy New Year!