Adaline's FIRST Birthday Celebration!

October was a whirlwind. A totally-nuts, jam-packed, weekends-full-of-fun month with birthdays out the wazoo, weddings, and Halloween.

Of course one of those birthdays was a little special someone's FIRST birthday.

And though Addie had one heck of a party - which included pumpkin painting, caramel apples, chili, and a bounce house - I admittedly did not put in the time that I would have liked into all the little details. Because I had no time. And I didn't take as many pictures as I normally would. Because I was too busy celebrating, having fun and loving on the birthday girl!

But of course our little Sweets had the time of her life eating her first cupcake, playing with her friends (who are really her big sister's friends), and getting a ridiculous amount of love and attention on her big day. I'm positive she didn't notice that I didn't cut out cupcake toppers or come up with special birthday dish names or pull an all nighter making birthday banners. #secondchildproblems

The morning of her birthday, Lyla couldn't contain her excitement. So, she barged right in and gave Addie a traditional Green birthday balloon celebration ceremony. And since Addie thinks Lyla walks on water, it was pretty much the best morning of her life. Because then we had PANCAKES, complete with a gold sparkly one candle. That I spray painted in the garage, and Gabe thought was ridiculous and toxic to our breakfast pancakes. But Addie loved that gold, sparkly one.

And she really loved all her new toys that she could climb on.

And then, birthday party day. You know how those are. So much running around, a laundry list of errands and things to pick up, prepping and making food, frosting cupcakes, last-minute vacuuming, adding some decor touches, telling children to stop touching the caramel apples and then the white couch.

It's pure madness.

However, with Addie's party this year, I truly did not have the time to go birthday party detail crazy like I normally do. Life handed us some heavy LIFE things to deal with this fall, and it just wasn't possible.

And you know something? Everyone still had a great time - especially Adaline. Which isn't that the point? She thought it was fantastic that so many people were in her house to play with. She loved watching the big kids jump in the bounce house, "learning to share" her new car with her friend Carson, the act of ripping into and opening presents, and she loved the happy birthday song (unlike her sister), and she LOVED the CAKE!

Oh, how she loved her homemade pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting - topped with an adorable birthday sparkler.

Never mind the fact that I forgot to have Addie paint a pumpkin at her pumpkin-painting party or to throw her gold and white birthday confetti that I was SO excited about. And I'm a bit bummed I didn't get more pictures of the going-ons at the birthday, but I'm just telling myself that's the sign of a really good party. Too busy having fun to remember to do anything else.

Addie, it was fun. Happy Birthday, Little One!

I like to call this "Accurate Portrayal of Marriage"  

Annual Trip to the Patch + Our Little Halloween Stinkers

Oh, this poor rusty little blog of mine.

Truth be told, I'm sad that it's taken the back burner for the last year. I wish I had the time and creative energy to write and create and document life with the littles. But I simply don't. Life has not paused for even one second since sweet Adaline was born and had my "third baby"/started a business shortly thereafter, and I don't see it slowing anytime soon.

But, my hope is to still share when I can (note to self : NO PRESSURE. Keep up when you are able!)

It has been a jam-packed fall, so crammed to the brim, that sometimes even the fun stuff has been overwhelming. But fun, nevertheless.

We made our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch with the girls, and it didn't go quite as planned. And actually, it never really does. Lyla is usually sick or not feeling up to all the incessant pictures I feel are necessary.

We were completely unprepared for the weather - it was the first really cold day this fall with some intense Kansas-style wind. I forgot blankets for the girls, no one had jackets, and we made the mistake of getting to the patch a bit too close to lunch and nap time. Oh, and I didn't remember a bow for Addie. HOW was I going to get some good pictures with no BOW at the pumpkin patch??

We ended up running out of time for a family photo anyway, the girls got really cranky and we forgot to pick a pumpkin. #reallife But, Lyla did get to pick out a "patch" pumpkin at the gift shop for both her an Addie. For her, she picked the smallest little green gourd and named him Gordon (and slept with him every night for a week) and a little white pumpkin for Addie.

But we made some great memories, and even got a few pics anyway (thanks to Lauren who let us borrow Baby Isla's bow!)

Oh, but the Halloween festivities this year! The kiddos had a BALL and loved every bit of dressing up in their little homemade skunk costumes, and they sure didn't complain about all the extra attention. They wore their costumes FOUR times this year between dance class, trunk-or-treat at church, a friend's birthdayween, and trick or treating.

I'm still catching up from the excitement (and still sneaking candy from Ly's Halloween stash).

photo via : sally cavanaugh photography

I've found that my "homemade" costumes get simpler and simpler every year. This year, I pieced together some outfits (and used Lyla's one year birthday party outfit for Addie), glued on some faux white fur to headbands and tails, and made Lyla a tutu. I made the mistake of putting fur on cat ears - everyone thought the girls were the cutest little black and white kitties. I corrected everyone before they could even finish their sentence. Skunk costume fail.

But it was so cute seeing how excited both girls got this year. Lyla rode the wagon with her little buddy Jack, and she proudly said "trick-or-treat" AFTER getting her candy in her trick or treat bag. And Addie jabbered and kicked and squealed and clapped her hands at every house we went to.

One of the craziest, but most FUN days of the year in the books!