Tag Archives: birthday

Brunch with “Barbie”

8 Mar

Glitter, jewelry, pink and purple decor, cupcakes, little girls dressed in their Barbie best and a teenager in a prom dress posing as the plastic doll come-to-life.  Brunch with Barbie was a blast!Our town’s little library was so nice to offer Barbie fans this free event and I think the ladies running the show were quite surprised by the turnout.  Several times, I heard them breathlessly say, “I hope we have enough for everyone.  We didn’t even have half this many people last year.”

It was so packed that they quickly ran out of foam crowns to decorate and the jewels to dress up those crowns were being rationed (three to a child although Nia had a few more because I struck gold when I glanced at the floor – it was covered in sparkles of dropped jewels), the chip bowls didn’t even have crumbs left and people crowded around to take a picture with “Barbie.” Nia got her turn and was a little shy – after all, she was sitting next to Barbie!

Nia and "Barbie"

I also had her pose with another girl who I thought could have been Barbie.  She was someone just attending the event but when I saw her (mini-dress, high-heels, make up and all), I felt compelled (and entertained) to ask her for a picture.  (I was cracking myself up.)

Nia and a Girl I Thought Could be Barbie

Nia and I had great time and I’m so thankful that our library hosted such a nice event.  Sure, there were a few (ungrateful) moms I heard complaining (“My little girl didn’t get to decorate a crown!”  “They really didn’t plan well for this.”) but, for the most part, people were positive and patient.  Nia and I wore smiles on our faces the whole time and I would make it a point to let the frantic ladies wearing “Friends of the Library” buttons know that we thought it was all wonderful.  It seems we were actually kind of rewarded for our praise too – at the end of the event, Nia’s name was pulled from a big bowl of raffle tickets.  She won the Barbie Grand Prize!

Nia Won the Big Barbie Prize!

The basket was filled with all sorts of goodies, including a Barbie. Tonight, that Barbie is being cuddled by Nia.  As I was tucking them both into bed Nia told me, “This Barbie had to spend a long time in that basket huh Momma?  But now, she gets to be with me.”  I told her that meant that Barbie was really lucky because being with her was the best place she could be.  In typical Barbie form, she closed her eyes, smiled, made a dramatic “that is so sweet” noise and said, “I love you Momma.”

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Happy Birthday Na-Nate

6 Jan

Our baby boy is now a little, big boy.  He (and we) successfully made it through his two’s and we are now beginning his three’s.  What an adventure.  He is hilarious.  He is angry.  He is sensitive.  He is tough.  He is crazy.  He is cuddly.  He is completely, totally all Na-Nate.

I'm 3!

I can’t wait to see what we get with a 3-year-old Nate.  Tons of emotions, I’m sure!

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She’s 60?!?!?!

9 May

Does that woman look 60 to you?  She’s awesome!  And not just on the outside! She is so wonderful and fun and I hope she doesn’t want to kick my butt for telling you her age!  I just couldn’t help it because I wanted to celebrate her birthday and, to me, age really is just a number.I mean, there are no guidelines/rules to tell you how you are supposed to act when you reach a certain age.  Oh, you’re 30, that means you can’t jump on a moonwalk anymore.  (Although it did have a sign that said “No adults allowed.”)  My mom laughs at the same jokes as I do (even the really stupid/obscene ones).  She enjoys the same movies and tv shows.  Heck, she even digs the same music and sometimes her taste is more hip than mine is!

She’s my mommy and always will be no matter what our ages are. I can always turn to her and tell her anything and she’ll be there to help.  She makes me feel better just by seeing her phone number on the caller ID.  She knows immediately if there’s something wrong with me and knows how to get it out me.  Laughter is never scarce when she’s around (especially if my sister and I are together with her – then the laughs are in stereo because they’re identical).

My mom shows me what it’s like to be young at heart.  No number will ever change that.

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Oh, Happy Day!

29 Apr

Blur of Excitement

Yep.  Nia’s face in that picture pretty much sums it all up.  Her 5th birthday bash was a blast!  There was plenty of jumping, screaming, prizes and junk food for everyone but there was also a significant amount of stressing on my part prior to all that.  The forecast of “isolated thunderstorms” really had all of the outdoor party plans up in the air.  The sun teased us throughout the afternoon but then finally came through for us as you can see!

Happy Birthday Jumping Bean

It’s actually kind of funny because in the end, I think the chance of rain helped make the party a success because we had to hurry to make sure everyone got to play the games and that kept the party from lasting forever and ever.  Although, I think that would have been just fine with Nia and her friends!

They couldn’t get enough of the fun and loot.  A few of them kept asking me, “How can I win more prizes?”  They each walked away with bags full of popcorn, candy and toys, plus cotton candy.  Andrew even let one family take a whole box of pizza home with them!  I bet you want to come to our next party right? We might have to charge admission  though!

The kids certainly weren’t the only ones who had a great time.  My mom (“Honey”) found some super cool clown gear during one of her party supply shopping sprees and we just couldn’t pass up the chance to be goofy too!

She definitely deserved to have as much fun as possible after creating Nia’s adorable and delicious cake.  She even made it two flavors and made the icing from scratch!  It was hilarious watching her ice it with the vultures, I mean kids, hovering.  Nia kept leaning over it and putting her fingers too close for comfort.  Every time Nia or Nate got near it, we would gasp.  When it was finally finished, Honey actually shed a few tears of relief and joy!

Nia’s party even had a little bit of Savannah at it.  Our good friend Paul’s arrival at the party brought huge smiles to Nia and Nate’s faces and it was so wonderful to have the Heidels celebrate all weekend long with us.  It means the world that they were here through all of it (thanks for not slapping me silly when I kept stressing about the rain) and I’m very happy that Miss Cami had a nice time.  (Minus the moonwalk though. Poor sweetie.  She just wasn’t having it.)

Soothing her sweetie's moonwalk stress

Now, it’s on to planning the next party.  I’m thinking I’d like to have it somewhere where I don’t have to worry about mother nature or decorating.  Then again, none of that stuff mattered to Nia so why should I let it worry me?  As long as Nia and Nate are happy, that’s all that’s important.

I think she had fun. What do you think?

 

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Ringing in 32

22 Mar

As I write this, in 2 minutes, you turn 32 years old.

There you are asleep on the couch, your glass of root beer still full.  Like always.

Just a few hours ago, we watched brainless television shows.  Like always.

We snacked on junk food when we really shouldn’t have.  Like always.

We talked about the sweet (or not so sweet) things the kids did today.  Like always.

The clock just struck 12.

Happy Birthday, sleepy boy. I can’t wait to spend your special day and many more together.

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Turning 30 with Family, Friends and Feces

12 Jan

Yum right?  I feel bad for even putting that word next to the other words.  Not just because it’s so yucky, but because I literally feel bad because of it.  Don’t worry, I won’t get all detailed or anything.  It’s just – I can’t talk about my 30th birthday without mentioning the disgusting distress Andrew and I are suffering through even now.

We’ve had this rumbly in our tumbly for the past week.  Remember when I wrote I was sick and then all better?  Well, I apparently was deceived by this blah that has taken over our bodies.  We are still able to function with it.  We even are still hungry.  But when we eat, we pay for it later.  Severely.

It all would have been a lot more tolerable if it had rudely entered our lives at a better time.  It happened to hit us right as we were getting ready to visit our family (Anna Marie, Marcus, Baby Ella and new Baby Maggie) – plus our buddies (Ginger, Lee and Baby Cami).  We called and warned them.  “We have a butt disease – still want to see us?”  They must really love us because they all said yes.  We’ll see if they still feel the same if they get it too! (Which I am praying they do not!)

It also came as I was turning 30 and Andrew had a very special surprise for me.  He had secretly invited Anna Marie and her girls plus Ginger, Lee and Cami to go to one of those Japanese restaurants where they cook in front of you.  He led me to believe we were going to an all you can eat buffet and never said anything about our friends being there!  It was so super sweet and wonderful – that is – except for our tummy troubles. Andrew and I didn’t even eat our main food. It also wasn’t such a good idea to take 4 small children to one of those restaurants. For the most part, the were entertained by the chef but Nia was not having any of the food and Nate was hysterical before the chef came (“Chicken!  French Fries!”), Ella was petrified of the fire and it was getting way late for Miss Cami. Poor Andrew.  He did such a sweet thing for me – I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as he hoped – I want him to know how much it all meant to me and that I love him bunches.

Well, despite it all – I’m 30 and I had a lot of happy memories to go along with the big day.  I got to spend my actual birthday with great friends.  Ginger and Lee sacrificed their master bedroom so the Valles Fam could crash ever so comfortably.  I got to enjoy 2 cakes – one that Andrew surprised me with and another that Ginger and I nibbled on secretly. She even made us super delicious daiquiris and a breakfast of champions the next day.

I may not be all that thrilled about turning 30 but then again – the older I get, the more time I get to spend with the people I love.  I just hope the next birthday comes without the party on the potty.

 

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Such a Big Boy

4 Jan

"OOO, Geor!"

I know he’s growing up but it didn’t really hit me until the other day when I took him to the child watch at the YMCA.  Because he’s 2-years-old now, he gets moved up to the big kid room for children ages 2 through 6.

It was so weird trying to explain to him that he wasn’t going to the first room anymore.  He was all ready to bust in that door and bully around those babies.  I told him, “No Nate, you get to play with big kids today!”  He reluctantly took my hand and let me lead him to the other door.  When we walked in, he didn’t look so sure about this whole “big kid” thing.  Then, he spotted all the cool toys. I couldn’t even kiss him goodbye fast enough!  When I went to get him after my workout, he was sitting at the little table and chairs, eating his fish crackers and drinking his juice.  I got tears in my eyes.  He looked so tiny and sweet but yet so grown up at the same time!

He’s been talking so much more now but still not all that much.  In fact, on the morning of his 2nd birthday, we woke Nia up and told her, “Today is Nate’s Birthday!”  Her response?  “Can he talk now?”

One of the cutest things he says is, “Yet go a me!”  Or, “Let go of me!” – said while he and Andrew are wrestling.  And when he says “mommy” now it makes my heart want to melt.  I even have to look over and make sure that it was him that just said “mommy” so perfectly. He also says a few lines to certain movies as he’s watching them.  He especially loves “Shrek.” Those movies even make him laugh out loud and he will even make his Shrek toys talk to each other like they do in the movies.  “Dada!”

Overall, his personality is just so hilarious. He goes from being off the wall crazy – climbing over the back of the couch, standing on his rocking horse – to the sweetest, calmest child – finds his blankie and immediately inserts thumb into mouth.   He’s also so polite.  Today, he kept telling me “Bead do” after I sneezed and at the doctor’s office, he was crying and so unhappy but kept telling the doctor, “Dank do.  BYE!”  (Thank you. Bye.)  She and I laughed and I told her “At least he’s a polite angry man.”  And he’s all ours!

Still a Little Shrimp!

Helmet Head

 

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My Antonia

11 Apr

She came into the world with her daddy a world away in Iraq.

Mommy Loves You

Now, almost four years later, her daddy is cuddling with her on the couch watching “Mulan” again.

Safe in Daddy's Arms

Our little Nia is only a few weeks away from becoming a four-year-old. Watching her grow up has been a blessing and blast.  Her birth made me feel love like I could never have imagined.  She spoiled me while she was in my belly (I LOVED being pregnant with her), she spoiled me by deciding to leave my belly on her due date (she must have known how much of a planner I am), she spoiled us by sleeping through the night, taking her naps and hardly ever making a fuss (I can totally brag about this now since her babyhood is over – she was such an easy baby! I know this especially after having Nate – I guess it’s what we get huh?!?!),  every day she amazes us with her intelligence and humor and touches our hearts with her super sweet personality.

Silly Nia

I’m not going to say it’s been all happiness and joy – there have been plenty of times when she’s tested our patience and won but really when I think about it those times weren’t as bad as they could have been.  Whether she brought rough times or easy times, she is the most incredible adventure I have ever been a part of and I am so excited to begin the next part of our growing up journey.

So Much Fun

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Nice 29th

12 Jan

Yesterday, I turned 29 years old and it was great.  I spent the day just like I have been, me and the kids, only I took time to try and work out a little (you know in honor of getting older and all).

It was a riot.  Nate was sitting on the floor of the living room, calmly staring at his silly mother as she tried to do ab crunches – then it got really entertaining for him.  Justin Timberlake’s “My Love” came on the XM channel I had the TV tuned to and it just made me feel like breakin’ it down some.

There he was, eyes wide, holding his blankie, as his mother started leaping across the room, swinging her head around – hair flying – I even tried to do a few turns and kicks!  I know I had to be the most ridiculous sight but I didn’t care it was so much FUN to be so crazy stupid.  I was worried for just a second that I might pull something – but right after that second I pulled another spin move and threw my arms up in the air like the gymnasts do.  HE JUST SAT THERE!  (By the way, his sister was very nicely playing with her princess dolls in her room at this time so she did not witness the mommy dance out.)

Well, fast forward to today and I pull up JT’s “My Love” on the computer – Nate starts shakin’ his money maker!  It was so hilariously adorable – I actually got some of it on camera – please don’t miss it – I even tried to add some cheesy effects to it to make it all music video-ish.

I just didn’t want to forget how I felt right after turning 29.  I had a fun day with the kids and then their daddy bought me my favorite perfume and took us out to dinner with our new parent-friends, Monica and Steven.  I got to talk to my family and I thanked my mom and dad for having me (to that my dad grossly replied “it was my pleasure”).  HA!

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Turning One

26 Dec

Tomorrow our little angry man becomes a one-year-old angry man.  He is so hilarious – even when he’s doing something he totally should not be (pulling on the blinds, yanking the tablecloth off of the table, touching the night lights in the electrical sockets) it is hard not to laugh at him.

Andrew and I will yell “NO!” at him with the most mean face we can force to try and scare him away from the bad doing – that doesn’t work – he just smiles at us. We’ve even tried giving him a tap on the hand (because he could fry himself if he doesn’t stay away from that darn socket) – he LAUGHS at us and then tries to hit the object he shouldn’t be touching.  We are obviously doing something wrong with him.  We’ve tried moving him away from the object over and over again – NOTHING WORKS!

Last night at dinner Andrew tapped his hand to stop the boy from crashing our Christmas dinner on the floor – it was like a game to him then – Andrew and I had to cover our mouths and turn away from him so he wouldn’t see us laughing – it’s so funny because when he knows he’s in trouble he just looks at us with very wide baby blues and forms the teensy tiniest little circle with his lips – WHY DOES HE HAVE TO BE SO DARN CUTE?  I mean, he had spaghetti sauce all over his face and his eyes were huge and his mouth like Dr. Evil when he says “One Million Dollars.”  (An example of the face is in the picture below.)  It’s just so hard to be angry with him.  I’m sure that will change though…

Funny Face

I can’t wait to see the kind of little boy he’s going to become.  In his first 12 months I’ve already discovered that he is a major handful and a joy – a headache and a laugh – a terror and a sweetie – a screamer and a giggler –  and a 100% daddy’s boy.  I am so thankful for my precious little boy and all the moods/feelings he’s brought us and am anxious to experience what’s next.  Happy Birthday Nathaniel Robert – mommy and daddy (and big sister) love you so very much.

Busy Boy

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