Birthday post: Emily and Kate

Why do kids grow so fast? Can't we find a cure for this? I mean really.


This month, 3 of my babies had birthdays. I posted about Micah's, but this is the official birthday post for Emily and Kate. :)

We had a little party for Kate. My last first birthday. :( As always we celebrated with some friends, some family, and a whole lot of kids. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Here are some highlights and many many pictures :)


I had the idea to have a pinkalicious party and just had to act on it. So I made pink cupcakes that looked just like the ones in the book. And we had pink treats of every sort. Pink filled oreo's, pink wafer cookies, pink iced animal crackers, pink chocolate covered strawberries, pink Jones soda's... you get the picture.

I posted pictures of her first year in the shape of a huge "1" on our chalkboard wall. Truth be told, its still up right now. I'm having a hard time bringing myself to take it down.

At first, Kate didn't like her cake! That was a first for my kids!! She tasted the icing but kept pushing the cupcake off her high chair tray! Silly girl. After a bit of persuading and "Are you sure?"'s she finally ate it. Not that I want her to indulge in sugar, but c'mon. When it's your birthday... :)

We had a pinata, which we've never done before. And I think it was a big hit. Get it? Ok, sorry, I had to.

Yes, we let Micah take a turn with the baseball bat. I'm fearless like that.

All the kids got to take two turns. That was one serious pinata.

(This is all the kids minus Kate and the Collins twins)

She loved her party and enjoyed all the kids. She was her usual happy, kissable, lovable self. She just took it all in.

Lovin' her baby

I love that button nose and confused look. :)

Kisses from her big sister

Kisses from Uncle John

I told you she's kissable.

The dress she wore for the party was the same dress that Ashley wore for her first birthday party. If you know me at all, you know how much I love sentimental things like that. It makes my heart so happy. :)

Jake's parents were in town from the Dominican Republic so it was really sweet that they got to be here. But my mom got sick at the last minute and totally took one for the team by staying home so no one caught her bug. I love you Mom, we missed you!!

That's pretty much it for Kate's party. My BABY baby is one. *sigh*

And Emily is now 7. We had a big family party celebrating 7 spring/summer birthdays (Jake, Micah, Emily, Kate, Jake's sister Hannah, her husband Nathan, and their son Graham) with Jake's parents while they were in town. And it ended up being on the day of Emily's actual birthday, so that was cool too.

We were going to do a big "friend" party for Emily but a lot of her friends have been in and out of town on vacations. The down side of a summer birthday. So I think I'm just going to take her and a few friends to see Brave and get ice cream, if I can find a time when everyone is here.

Now Jake and Ashley's birthdays are just around the corner!