Seven

Last week my sweet Hattie Grace turned seven years old. I didn't get my usual birthday post out, because ... well ... it did not go as we had planned.

And ... well ... this mama was an emotional wreck over it all.

I don't know what it was about SEVEN that was so hard for me to take. I mean, it's a number, right? I expected five to be big. I mean, come on, that is a whole stinkin HAND!!! But, seven? What is so big about seven?

And, I think that that is EXACTLY what it was. Seven is big. Plain and simple. Seven is BIG. Which means that she is not a little girl anymore. She is a big girl.

See ... now, there I go again...

Anyway, this is how it went:

(I warn you, your eyeballs are about to be assailed with a whole slew of pictures. Continue at your own risk...)

She jumped in her bed a sweet six year old girl, pretending to be asleep.
But, when she realized that I had the camera out, she went into her Despicable Me, "look at me, I got the pyramid in my hands!!!" routine.

If you haven't seen this movie, you should! I had absolutely no desire to see it, but they got it for Christmas and we ALL love it!!!)
Then she shared a special bonding moment with Sophie. Although, I suspect it was more of a scheming moment, cause the next thing we knew they were doing this ...

... and we could not even get mad at em. They were having so much fun!!!

Once we calmed the party down and had our prayer time, she and daddy had some sweet time just snuggling. Well, snuggling and making shadow puppets on the wall.

Then, the Hubby and I began preparing for the big day. We decorated the place up right for our girl!!!


And I made cupcakes to take to school ...
... which overflowed and burned.

Lovely!

But then, when we went up to check on the girls before turning in, we found that Hattie had gotten sick in her bed.

On her birthday.

SO not fair.

This was all the celebrating that she had the energy to do on her day.

Break a mama's heart!
But She loved the flowers that Daddy brought her for her day.

And, on Sunday she was feeling well enough to party!!! So, I made her the requested Tangled cake!




She opened her gifts ...
... blew out her candles and had a GREAT day!!!!
And a good time was had by all.

Happy Birthday Hattie Grace!!! Enjoy seven, sweet girl, mama loves you!!!

Under Attack ... And LOVING It

Years ago, when Hubby and I were foster parenting two sweet boys (just before Hattie joined our world), we started a game with the oldest boy. "Nuggy" was just under two years old and loved all things wrestle. Physical touch was this boy's love language in a HUGE way. I can remember Hubby would come home and immediately lay down on the floor and Nuggy (and, eventually, all the children) would come running to climb on Mount Daddy! The game we started, way back then, was called Kiss Attack.

And it continues to this day.
A random family member is caught ...
... pinned down ...
... and attacked from both sides with kisses!!!
No family member is immune from these attacks ...
... or the rolling laughter that comes with them.
... Even hubby and I come under attack at times!
The girls will climb on chairs and assail US with their precious ammo.
And, as their mama, I pray that THESE ...
... are the moments that they will long remember.