Gray's Art Party-details

Gray is 3!

This is the first year I hadn't taken the "monthly photo" so I decided to just print every photo I had taken of Gray in the last year on Instagram. These little photo's were just perfect. I ordered them on Printstagram.

Gray painted these while I was painting the "Starving Artists" sign. 

If you know Gray you know that his favorite thing in life are cupcakes. For his birthday however, he decided he wanted a cake. He picked out some elaborate three tier, fondant covered, crazy expensive cake he saw online. This was our version of the cake he saw and he loved it.

Every parents worst nightmare at a birthday party. Sorry, parents.

Hammond's Candies

Let me explain. My mom and I collected Beanie Babies back when it was the thing to do. She bought them and put them into their own zip-loc bags and stored them for a long time. When they were packing up their house to move here she donated most of them, but I told her to bring some for the kids at the party.

 I love planning parties. I enjoy the process of coming up with a theme and creating something fun around it. This year we decided to have an art party for Gray. I think we (Gray and I) started working on decorations in May, slowly. I started so early because I knew with Gray helping me and now having two kids to take care of, I was going to need a lot of time. It was perfect. Lou took lots of naps, keeping us home most of the time and Gray loves projects. So while she slept, Gray and I made garland, splatter painted, painted paint brush handles and utensils,  made washi tape flags, tried out the spin art machine and made lots and lots of chain garland. It was a lot of fun!

I'll have party people pictures up in the next few days.

I am 4 months.

"Read it and weep, Mom. "

First position.

Plié

Third position.

"Peace, Mom."

I wouldn't have added this picture, except it was hilarious because she kept swatting Pumpkin Girls side bun.

I couldn't get her to sit up because she was fascinated with her shirt and pants.

Even though Gray is under the weather, he wanted a picture with Lou.

Those arm rolls and cheeks are divine...

As is her infectious smile.

Lou Bear. 

 HAPPY 4 MONTH BIRTHDAY LOUISE!!!!!!

It is so hard for me to believe Lou is 4 months old. Things have gone so fast with her. I feel like she went through the newborn phase so much quicker than Gray. Maybe because of her hair and looking older from birth, maybe because of her amazing sleeping from the beginning, maybe because I focus on Gray so much and don't get to spend every second playing with, staring at and relaxing with Lou the way I did with Gray. So, pouf. Just like that Lou has become a 4 month old who loves to laugh, smile, roll over , grab onto toys, listen to Gray sing and stare at herself in the mirror. The happiest baby ever. We are blessed. 

Video.

 

Gray is really into flying his airplanes around our living room. This is pretty hilarious. He doesn't know I'm filming him or he wouldn't have been talking so much. 

 

Super sweet. 

*Please ignore the spots on the mirror. haha. 

Happy Birthday Grandma!

This is my all time favorite picture of my Grandma!

So beautiful!

My Grandma and her 3 brothers.

My Mom and Grandma at my mom's first communion.

Doesn't get much sweeter than this!

Ha.

So serious.

Bows and Ruffles.

Listening to Gray sing.

Big brother Gray.

He loves her.

My Grandma Louise would have been 101 today. I think about her a lot, but much more now that we have little Louise. I truly believe that some part of my Grandma visits me through her. There have been many occasions I think about my Grandma when looking at Lou and Lou will smile at me for no reason. One night when she was less than two months old I was saying to Lou "I wonder what your Great Grandma would think about you having her name ," and she smiled and started cooing at me. It sent chills up my spine and brought tears to my eyes.  It may be nothing, but I'd like to believe that she is with us, watching over us. 

Because it is my Grandma's birthday, I thought no better outfit than this little dress Drew's Aunts Patty and Susan sent to Lou. It is so adorable!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma Louise!!!

5 days of celebrating.

Gray's first time with a water gun. He was pretty excited!

Sneaking up on Greta.  (yes, we feed him.)

Driveway picnic.

Galen and Lou

Drew and Lou

Ellie turned 10 on July 4th.

Happy girl.

Brotherly love.

Love this kiddo.

"You want to play some golfing?" I must hear that 20 times a day.

Look at that form!

Little golfer.

We had a nice long weekend celebrating the 4th. We had a few friends over on the 3rd because our neighborhood has a great firework show on the 3rd. Gray's first experience seeing the fireworks (that he has been aware/awake.) The first firework that went off scared him and he wanted to go back inside. Drew told him that they were like rockets going into space and for some reason, that calmed him down and then he was THRILLED. 

The rest of the weekend we took it easy and had some nice relaxing family time.

Hope you all had a great 4th!