Emery Kayt is Eight! (And allll the other fun)

Oh my goodness. What a sweet little week we had celebrating Emery Kayt turning eight, celebrating 10 years of marriage and just celebrating our quickly passing summer together. 

Here is your warning....this is going to be a long one.

First of all happy, happy birthday to our oldest, our daughter, our Emery Kayt. For some reason I get more emotional when the boys turn a year older. I don't know if its because I am trying to hold on to having babies or the fact that I fall more in love and in awe of the little woman Em is becoming every year. Emery asked me the other night what I loved differently about her and the boys; as she (and they) grow, those distinct personalty traits become even easier to pick out. I love her slow-motion, go with the flow, upbeat attitude. I love her content, put others first heart. I love her mother hen senses, her love for a little adventure and the tiny touch of stubbornness we see from time to time. 

At eight she loves her family and would pick spending the day playing with girl friends over just about anything. She has never met a cheeseburger she didn't like and doesn't sit it down once she takes the first bite. She would live under water if she could, but at the same time would never take a shower or comb her hair if we allowed that. She loves tiny little toys and stuffed animals that have special meaning, she knows every word to every song, hates to be the center of attention and still has the absolute best laugh. 

Eight is old. I mean its almost 10! But at the same time she is still our little girl. 

We love you Sister. 

Going all the way back to last weekend, we have had extra bits of fun almost everyday. Theodore got his first haircut. The big kids thought it was weird that I kept a lock of his hair. I told them I had theirs too and when they asked why...I didn't have an answer. Why do we keep their baby hair? Anyway...he is as handsome and squishy as ever and makes life so easy. Last weekend we also enjoyed a laid back Friday night with friends, a day in Champaign where Bennett continuously questioned why Daddy knew everything about campus ("Daddy you just making this stuff up??") and a slow Sunday at home. 

Monday we kicked off Birthday Week with all Emery really ever wants, a playdate. Em gets invited to go to this cousin or that friends house often, but I guess because of my own circus at home I never think to invite friends here. I surprised Em with Anna and Clara and the smile never left her face. Aug of course was happy to tag along too. These girls are too sweet and it was an easy way to make Em's day (and my day a whole lot easier too). 

Because I know swimming and friends are Em's love languages right now I decided to join the two for our weekly pool day. Charlee and Paisley joined us for the perfect pool day. Have I mentioned that we love the Newton pool? The girls did their own thing for most of the day, Auggie searched for sinking toys and might have permeant marks on his face from his goggles and Bennett practiced with me....until he was swimming on his own! Bennett swimming on his own has been a goal of mine this summer because I do not trust the dang kid around water for nothing. He loves it too much and rules not enough. I knew it was close to clicking with him and by the end of the day he was jumping in and swimming back to the ladder all on his own. Whew! We will keep practicing and practicing but this momma is relieved for sure. 

Oh and this one swam and napped and swam some more. 

Friday was the actual day we had been waiting for. July 16th: one of my favorite days of the year! First thing first was birthday donuts. Yes those are candles in the box--you would have to ask their father why he does this. 

We told Em she could open our gifts to her first thing. First she opened some chapter books. Can't ever have enough books. Second she opened her "big" gift. Bennett's face is the absolute best because we wrapped her gift in an old fruit and grain bar box and he thought that was what she got...and was actually pretty pumped for them. His favorite haha. Really the box contained tickets to Em's first concert!!! Doug and I were a day away from buying her Lauren Daigle tickets when the whole world shut down due to Covid. We are so excited and so happy to be gifting them to her now; she is equally as excited and happy. 

If I were to zoom out on this picture you would see a beautiful bouquet of roses that I was surprised with Friday morning. I was also surprised with diamond earrings (the first diamonds he has ever bought me I might add haha) from Douglas. All of this because Friday was also Doug and I's 10th anniversary. My favorite quote from the morning came from Bennett. I was the last to wake up Friday morning. When I came out to the front room I saw the flowers and went over and gave Doug a thank you/happy anniversary/good morning kiss. A little later standing in the kitchen holding my new earrings I gave him another kiss. Bennett (typed in Bennett voice):"Ewww....why you duys teep tissing!?!" 

Because I am a lucky lady Bennett Lee.

Nana came over later that morning to see the birthday girl. I haven't mentioned yet that apparently when you turn 8 you really want to have a friend party instead of just family. So instead of one big party with all her presents, Em got to sprinkle them through out the weekend. It was a new way of doing things for us but really it made each gift and gift-giver more special. 

Okay Miss "I will go upstairs this year for school"....stop looking so grown up. Em got a new backpack, a few end of summer/start of school necessities and her first "girl" lego set. She has been in heaven tinkering with it ever since. Thank you for the gifts and fun throughout the week Nana!

Last year Em really wanted to do some sort of painting party with friends...but covid. We knew this year needed to be the year. She invited nine sweet little girls--five cousins and four close friends to Pins and Pines to make wooden signs. 

Her brothers got to tag along too. They wanted to make a "No Girls Allowed" sign, but I squashed those dreams. Instead "There is no buddy like a brother" is our new motto.

This brother came along too. He was passed around, entertained and even took a good nap on the floor. 

Grandpa surprised Em by stopping by with a card full of cash and a big hug. I will have to look in her card to see if he wrote that she is his favorite (because I know she reminds him of me). He might need to frame this one. 

The kids had so much fun picking out their projects, painting, eating cupcakes and painting some more. I was very impressed with all of them. 

And the finished products were all adorable. I can't even with this picture...these two battle between being best friends and arch-enemies. But at the end of the day there really is no buddy like a brother. 

This was Em's perfect party. Even today I asked her what her favorite part of her whole birthday week was and she said this. Thank you to all the girls, their moms, D, Nana and Grandma Susie for helping make Em's day!

When we got back home from painting Papa and Lilly were at the house. Papa gave Em a Gigi Bear as we now call them. Em is very sentimental (I wonder where she gets that from) and a part of me swears this little Boyds bear (that smells just like my grandparents house) is her favorite gift. I don't think she has left the house without it and for right now it has a special place in her bed along with her other Gigi Bear and what she calls her Gigi blanket. While her time spent with my Grandma was not near long enough, they have their own special bond that makes me feel watched over and loved from above. 

Friday evening we headed out to Pinky's for supper on the lake. Em's pick. There she got her very own duffle bag to use since she seems to be going places and doing more big girl stuff. She loves it. Thank you Grandpa and Grandma! 

As much as I loved Pins and Pines on Friday, I think supper was my favorite part of the day. First of all it started dumping buckets of rain while we were eating...it isn't often that you get to eat outside in a monsoon. It also isn't often that Nashville singer and local star Dakota Danielle along with the entire restaurant sings you "Happy Birthday". We had such a fun night requesting songs (Little Bitty for Aug and Sweet Caroline for B), eating pizza, getting wet and just enjoying one of our favorite days of the year. 

Adding this one just because I love these two. At bedtime we all agreed that it had been the best day. It was a full day of fun and yet felt relaxed and easy. Em got to see everyone on her love list and I know went to bed feeling all the love too. 

I would describe the rest of our weekend as full yet relaxed too. Saturday Em had a swim meet bright an early. This pic is actually from the weekend before; she looks like a true Olympian right? This girl has been putting in the work and has shaved so much time off of each of her strokes. She even brought home a blue ribbon from this past weekend meaning first place! Go Em Go! (which is also what I yell like a crazy person from the stands so she can hear me). 

After her meet Doug and I left the kids with D and Nana for the day and headed to Champaign. We ate a yummy lunch, did a quick Costco run (because when I think romantic date I think Costco), had a drink at one of our old stomping grounds, rode bikes around campus, then ate more yummy food before heading home. The highlight of the day was for sure riding bikes. If you are looking for something different to do, we highly recommend renting "electric assist" bikes on campus and cruising around. It was so fun and now I need one of those bikes ($$$$$). 

It is very rare that Doug and I sneak away, but we thought 10 years of marriage called for a little escape (we have more planned at the end of this month). I could write and write and write about what a blessing Doug is to me and how thankful I am for our marriage and the past 10 years (make that almost 16 years together), but really I should be constantly telling him these things. Here is to 10 more years of fun (and then some)!

Sunday was a girl day/boy day. Em and I took off for Jordon and Baby H's baby shower. Little Miss is going to be here in September and I am ready for her. I think we all hope she looks just like Paisley, gets Jordon's sweetness and Avery's sense of humor and big heart. At least we do know she is going to be spoiled. I enjoyed my with day with my girl (she even more a bow to appease me). I don't know what the boys did. Boy stuff I guess. 

When we got home Doug and I had a quick lapse in judgement and thought it would be a great idea to let the kids pop all the balloons from the balloon arch we made. Did I mention lots were filled with confetti? The joy on their faces as they danced around in their own little snow globe was worth it. The mess I still have to clean up was not. 

Sunday evening we decided to end the weekend with one more fun thing on our bucket list; playing at the new park at the lake. First we needed to run some ball equipment to some friends. All was fine...until our van quit in their drive way. The kids went off to play while the men jumped it. Once it was started we quickly piled back in...only to have it die again. Great. On the bright side (which is what I try to look on) the kids loved watching the tow truck take the van, they got to play with friends, and we got to have an impromptu supper date with Grandma and Grandpa (because they came to the rescue). Doug and I will worry about the not so bright side ($$$$) later. 

(Besides the van quitting) we had a wonderful week celebrating and doing all the happy things. We are truly blessed.

This week will feel slow and boring compared to last, but that actually sounds like what we need. 

Here's to slow and boring--we're gonna enjoy it!