Buggy's Big Day

I've attempted to finish this post several times and for some reason just can't get it done. I'm pretty sure it's because I can't wrap my head around the fact that my baby girl is three. If I bury my head in the sand long enough, obviously she'll still be a little bitty thing like I remember her being and won't really be so big. At some point I'll have to accept it, and maybe that time is now.

If I must, I must...

When the birthday girl arose from her slumber, we took her straight to the kitchen where we had a little surprise waiting for her...

She asked for a bagel, strawberries and marsh mellows for breakfast so that's just what she got.

The princess on her throne...

Time to sing to her and blow out the THREE candles...

She still thinks it's funny when we sing to her, and usually she sings right along with us...

All three candles out in one try...

I love how Bethany still gets into it and makes the girls feels so special...

Sweetness!

With her baby in hand, it was time to head to school...

She was dying to get there in a hurry for one reason alone...

Cupcakes and a party!!

Cate and Brock...

It was red day in her class, but when you're a girly girl like Cate Bug you don't have time for red on your birthday. Ha!
I always have a hard time sending the girls to school on their birthday. I've never told you this before, but I'm a tad bit sentimental. KIDDING! How many times have you heard that?! It kills me not to spend every minute of their big day with them, but I know how much they love being with their friends at school and having a party. So we baked some mini cupcakes and I let her party with her class.
After Grandparents Day was over, we immediately went to pick her up a little early.
Why, you ask?
The flag says it all...

We had lots of celebrating to do, Buggy style.
Which meant two things...
1. Ballet attire

2. Babies and more babies

The weather was perfect and it was way too gorgeous not to be outside. So we parked it on the porch until it was time for Bebby's pep rally.
Afterwards, we played and played some more. And just about the time the birthday girl could have crashed, the genius parents that we are (insert sarcasm) announced that a trip to Chuck E. Cheese would be a fabulous way to round out Cate's big day...

Who could pass that up?! We loaded up on tokens just to be able to win a few Tootsie Rolls from the prize counter, but that's the name of the game. Whatever makes her happy! :)
Thankfully, all the action and sugar didn't keep her up too late that night. Her birthday party was the next day and she needed her beauty rest!
To be continued...

Grandparents Day

Last Friday was a big day at our house - Cate's 3rd birthday and Grandparents Day! We had literally been doing a countdown for over two weeks and the day lived up to all of our expectations. There's so much to cover on the birthday front which might take me forever to recap, so I better get the grandparents taken care of first!

Let me preface this by saying this: Towns rarely ever spills the beans when it comes to secrets. Every day for the past couple of weeks I beg her to tell me what she did at school that day and she gives me nothing. I was ever so surprised when Grandparents Day rolled around and learned what all she's been keeping to herself. Obviously the kids were supposed to keep the plans to themselves as not to ruin the surprise. And a surprise, it was!
The whole gang on stage ready to begin their program...

Here's where the surprises started...

Towns picked up the American flag, asked everyone to "please stand", and then led us all in the Pledge. I was floored. She wasn't the least bit nervous about talking in front of a room full of adults. That was followed by the Pledge to the Christian Flag and the Pledge to the Bible - which is something they do every day at school.
Next was the poem about grandparents where they spelled out the word and had a cute little saying for each letter. Towns and Emma shared the letter D...

"D is for the delicious cookies you bake!"
Ok, so I'll be honest. By this point I was mush. Tears flowing freely. Things like this make me so thankful that she's in such a fantastic kindergarten program. I was so impressed that they'd learned so much in so little time, got on stage and pulled it off without a hitch, and that her teachers put so much thought into making it such a special day. Unbelievable!
They did a cute little poem next...

Then a song to the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" but instead it was about grandparents...

One last song about how much they love their grandparents...

After it was over, we all clapped until we couldn't clap any more. Have I mentioned that I was blown away?! I was.
The kindergartners served their grandparents lunch after the program...

Cue the tears again. Here comes the slide show to really sweet music...

We missed Grandmommy and Pop being there, but I knew Towns had them in mind when I saw this...






Towns showed everyone around her classroom, and then it was time for a few pictures with grandparents outside...


And of course this one because I just can't get enough pictures...

After all the fun, the spotlight shifted back to this little princess...

Because we had lots of celebrating left to do!

Hick Chicks

Thursday after Bethany got done with cheer practice we reached panic mode - she had to have a pair of overalls for the "pepper rally" as Cate calls it for the next day. They were going with a Hartselle Hicks theme, and B had to be as countrified as possible. We don't own the first pair of overalls. So we hit every spot we could think of between 4 and 5 o'clock desperately searching. B went into Wiley's - our last stop - and had no luck, but they told her to check out a store a few doors down. We went in for overalls and came out with these...

Honestly, could you say no to that?
I think not.
In high country fashion, we set out for the Japanese restaurant to kick off Cate's birthday celebration. Despite very little sleep the night before and no naps that day, I'd say we fared exceptionally well. Everyone very much enjoyed themselves, including the almost-birthday girl who sat straight up in her seat watching every move the chef made...


We never found overalls, but B managed to pull a cute Hartselle Hick outfit together like I knew she would...

And since I love it so much and have watched it umpteen times, I've got to share this video. It's B's squad doing a dance they learned just for this pep rally (she's near the center - and I apologize for the quality - it's a lot better on my camera than it is here)...

That song has been stuck in my head since Friday afternoon, but that's perfectly ok. I've been doing what moves I remember along with it and am sure to have burned a few calories! Ha!

THREE

Happy birthday to the most fabulous person I know! Computer troubles are plaguing us and blogging from my phone is rough, so this is nothing like I hoped it would be. But when we're back up and running I'll do it up right! We love you a million times all the birthday cakes and tutus in the world Cate-Cate!!

Arranged Marriage?

Did I get your attention with that title?!

This is Parker:
(took this one last night at church)

Parker's mother Amanda and I have decided that we're gunning for an arranged marriage. They're pretty smitten with each other. It's really kind of funny, and even though we definitely don't push this kind of thing it makes me laugh. The other day Amanda told me that Parker was on the verge of getting in trouble. What did his younger brother Brock have to say about it? "Oooohhh, Parker I'm telling Towns you got in trouble" and that's all it took. Parker's dad told me that he's never seen him straighten up that quick. I told him he had our permission to use that whenever need be.
Amanda and I have already gotten these two matched up as well...

That's Brock there with Cate. They've been in the same class since they were babies and absolutely adore each other. It was meant to be...all the way around!
You know I'm kidding about all of this. The girls aren't allowed to even talk to boys until they're 45. Maybe 40 if they're lucky.

The other morning Cate and I accompanied Towns to school to help get things ready for their Grandparents Day celebration. On the way in, Towns asked me to take a picture of her and automatically hit this pose...

Where do they learn this stuff?
This was the next one...

They don't get it from me. I promise I don't walk around the house posing. Very much, at least.
{Hope y'all can take a joke or two today!}
Towns was in heaven getting these cookie jars ready for the grandparents...

While she did that, I was in charge of hand prints for all the kindergartners.
Washable red paint (that's not at all washable) + white jeans = DISASTER!
It's all good, though. Anything for those precious kiddos!
Cate kept herself busy pulling all of Mrs. Lindsay's wipes out of the package and dumping all of her crayons out in the floor. Hey, at least it kept her out of my red paint!
We had to cut it short to get to dancing and Bible study on time, and Cate had to leave her baby in the nursery. Seriously.
We had to book it downstairs to drop her off so we could get to where we were going on time...

She put sweet Mrs. Joyce (the faithful nursery worker) in charge of Ella Bella and off to dance she went. Thankfully Mrs. Joyce knows Cate and how she is with her babies. So she ever so kindly agreed to make sure Ella Bella was well taken care of...