Kaylee's new room!

For Kaylee's 6th birthday she decided she wanted her room done. Apparently her wall decor, which has pretty much been the same (there were some additions made as she got older) since she came home from the hospital was just not cool anymore! After all she is almost done with Kindergarten, so she told us:) So we agreed that she could pick out new things for her room and that would be her big birthday present from us (she did have a few "surprise" gifts on her actual birthday.). So for the past several months we have been picking out things for her room and the week of her birthday Daddy painted and we put it all together.

She LOVES it and keeps telling me she feels like she's at a hotel. It's still surreal to me as I walk in and out of a room that is a reminder my first baby is very much no longer a baby and instead a growing and changing girl. The first couple of days I almost felt as though I was in the Twilight Zone. It brought me back to the first few months of Kaylee's life when I would rock her to sleep and be teary eyed because I knew the little one I was holding in my arms would not be that way forever.

So with a new room a new chapter has started and I'm sure that this chapter will fly by as the others have so I will continue to savor each moment as best I can and enjoy Kaylee loving her new room!


From the doorway of the her room.
























From another angle of her room.























Kaylee being silly in front of her. She helped me bedazzle it!























Kaylee being silly on her bed.















































You can see her lava lamp on her dresser. On the wall, under the window, is her dry erase board. The one thing that has been in her room since she came home from the hospital. Now instead of toddler scribbles Kaylee and her friends write words on it.























Even Kaylee's American Girl Dolls, Kit and Emily, have their bed to enjoy the new room.























Apparently no 6 year old girls room is complete without a picture of Justin Bieber by their bed:)

Dear Kaylee McKenna,

Today you are 6 years-old. Not only were you born on this day but you made me a Mommy and Daddy a Daddy. Tonight while we were reading, and by we I mean you:), your Emily American Girl book tonight I layed in your bed listening to you while I stared at the above photo in the frame in your room. I remember this day like it was yesterday. You were a week late. I had to be induced and even when I was ready to push and I pushed and pushed and pushed you would only come via c-section because you were too big. I was so happy once I got to hold all 9lbs 2oz of you:). Yet here we are 6 years later, you are almost done with Kindergarten and you are reading me chapters from your chapter book.

I feel like I remember every moment of these past 6 years, so how can 6 years have gone so fast already? I am so proud of you, as is Daddy! You are our dramatic girl, you love art and science. Your memory is one like no other and I am amazed at the things you do and say. You are my challenger in a verbal way. You think like an adult and make logical arguments like one. Daddy and I are in trouble:)!

I have enjoyed every minute of the last 6 years, even when you were a colicky and boarder line acid reflux baby! You taught me so much. You taught me patience and love like I have never known.

We have done music class, discovery classes, dance classes, gymnastic classes, soccer, swim lessons, Daisy's and now baseball. I have so enjoyed watching you experience these both while doing it together and sitting on the sidelines. Although a little shy at times in the beginning you always give your all.

You are so much like me in good ways and bad. I do apologize for giving you the neurotic anxiety gene:)

Thank you, Kay-Kay for being you, for being my daughter and giving me a far greater purpose then I ever thought I could have. I know as you grow we may bump heads from time to time, especially because we are so much alike:). I also know I will always love you and love being your mom. And secretly I hope you and Ainsley always live with me, but don't tell Daddy;) HEHE!!!

I look forward to the next year and watching all the new experiences you'll have! You have had a phenomenal Kindergarten year. It's still surreal to watch you get off the school bus. I'm so happy you love school and your friends. I love that you still have a bit of that innocence in you and that sparkle that shines in your eyes. I hope no matter what life brings your sparkle always remains.

I love you, Kaylee McKenna!

Mommy

Family Photos 2011

We had our annual Family photos taken a couple weeks ago. In the past we have always gone to Portrait Innovations, but this year I wanted to mix things up a bit. I had Laura take our photos. She took some photos of my Mom, me and the girls last fall and I loved them. She is so sweet and so reasonable! Her fee includes your CD and the rights to the pictures. She gives you an hour of her time and will do them either indoor or outdoor. After her fee and ordering my pics I still spent less than what I have in the past at Portrait. I'm sure we will be back at Portrait sometime, but it was nice to do something different this year!

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Dear Mom

Dear Mom,

Happy Mother's Day 2011!! I've said this many times to many people, you are one of the strongest people I have ever known. While I have always known this I don't know that I truly understood my own words until I became a Mom too.

I am so blessed to be a Mom and even more so to have you as a my Mom and best friend. My children are so blessed to have you as their Mee-Maw. The amount of sacrifice you gave, in so many different ways, speaks volume of your love for me. The amount of time you spend with my children and they way you know them so well speaks volume of your love for them.

Becoming a Mom has given me a deeper appreciation for you then I ever thought possible. You have always stood by my side, you have never left me, you have been my advocate when no one else was, you survived the daily grind of being my Mom in my teenage years:), you have often times sacrificed things you truly wanted just for the betterment of my life. You have given my humor, sarcasm, love, kindness and compassion. How does one thank someone for that?

Thank you Mom for being an example to me. Thank you for loving me and my children. Thank you for always being there and holding my hand. Thank you for making me hair appointments when I couldn't find the time:) Thank you for knowing when I'm tired, for knowing when I'm stressed, for knowing when I need help, for knowing when I'm sick and mostly for always knowing what I need when I couldn't say the words.

You inspire me!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Big Love to you, Mama!!!

Stephanie

I'm so proud to be your daughter and so thankful your my mom!

Happy Birthday, Ainsley Isabella!

Dear Ainsley Isabella,

Today you are 4. Four-years old...seems surreal. It's so cliche to say but yet so true time has gone so fast. You were the piece that completed our family. As a baby Daddy would call you the "Happiest baby in America." That phrase has continued throughout your life but now you have become the "Happiest kid in America." While you have a little mischievous streak in you, you really are happy 95% of the time. You love to sing and dance, and of course let's not forget tell jokes. You make me smile everyday. You love to give hugs and tell me "I'm the best Mommy in the world." No matter how big or small of things we do you show appreciation, for example yesterday when I poured you a bowl of cereal you tell me I'm "the best cereal maker ever!" The sincerity behind your words warms my heart. Your big brown eyes light up a room. I love that you enjoy playing with your ponies and baby dolls inside, and love to go outside and look for bugs, or snakes, and run around and get dirty. I love how you have become my little shopping buddy. You are one of the most fun people to walk around a store with and talk about all the interesting things you see.

This world will truly be a better place because of you! You are the kind of person that makes someone feel happy just by having a conversation. It has been such a joy to watch you grow this past year at Montessori. You love going to school and seeing your friends. Your Daddy and I are so proud of you and we are so excited to watch you continue to grow and learn new things.

For Mommy a new year is always bittersweet, as I am excited for the things ahead a part of me is sad that another year is gone. I savored our bedtime routine last night. We read extra books, told some jokes, practiced our whistling and sang some songs, because tonight was the last night of bedtime with my 3 year old. You, however, were super excited for bedtime as you knew that when you woke-up today you'd be 4!!

Ainsley, you are my little sass, my small in stature but big in attitude and personality little girl! I am blessed to be your Mommy and thank God everyday he chose me for this special job!

Here's to another great year!!

With love and much pride,

Mommy