Nephew Luke's 1st birthday party!

Perfect weather for a 1st birthday party Saturday afternoon! Our nephew, Lucas Cooper Grant, turned one on Thursday and we celebrated his big day on Saturday afternoon. It turned out to be a very mild August day and we had a lot of fun being outside playing and helping him celebrate. Here are some cute pic's from the event! Hard to pick just one! He is just so cute!!

We got him a Dale Earnhardt Jr. Cabbage Patch Doll! He seemed to like it!!
Awww.........likes his cousin, Beau!
Mmmm......cake.
Mmmm...........Luke really likes cake!

And here are some cute pic's of our kiddo's. Our hot mama, Bren.....

Kyle and Kate's niece Lauren pictured here with Beau. They first met each other at Kyle and Kate's wedding almost six years ago! My how time flies and babies change! :)

First day of School - Beau is in the 1st grade!

Well, another milestone was reached today by Beau. He rode the bus to first grade! It was a great and fun day for him and he was quite the big boy!!

We had already met the teacher and took his supplies to school last Tuesday, so it was nice to have that out of the way. So Sunday night we talked about his daily routine that his teacher had given us when we met her. After reading it to him, his comment was, "I really think I am going to like 1st grade more than Kindergarten. I really like this new routine." Well, he liked the 3 recess routine I think the most, but whatever gets him excited........

He woke up on his own this morning, bright and early. He was ready to start his day. We got around, snapped a few pictures outside and jumped in the car. His bus was planning on being at the school for the first pick up of the day at 7:40, so it was no day to be late!

We had a lot of stuff to take in because Brenley also moved up to a new room so she had her own school supplies to bring. We got Beau dropped off in his "staging" room, got Brenley settled into her new room, and then we waited for the glorious yellow school bus to arrive.

And sure enough.......right on time, here it came. To make sure they had the right kids on the right bus, one of our administrator's was there to read off the names and one by one they got on the bus. And a few got off the bus - oops, wrong bus. But Beau did so great. He marched right on. No tears, big smiles, and one wave good-bye as he was squished in the middle of his friends Ben and Reid.

Now, what I haven't talked about is my feelings about this whole thing. I have been quite a wreck. My stomach was churning last night, I was so anxious this morning, and I boo hoo'd after that bus drove off. I cried all the way to work. Just hard knowing that he isn't a little boy anymore. Mama can't do everything for him. It will be up to him to make a lot of his own (and hopefully good) choices. He is growing up and I'm trying to keep up. I know he is ready for this next step and I guess I am too (although I am kicking and dragging my feet a little bit). But as far as he is concerned, his parents couldn't be prouder of him.

So off we both went in the rain. Thankfully the rain didn't start until after he loaded the bus and then it stopped mid morning as all I kept thinking was.........oh no, he won't get his 3 recesses in with this rain!

Both Brian and I couldn't wait for our day to be over. In fact, we both left work early. Beau's school doesn't dismiss until 3:58, so we weren't sure what time that put him back at Northridge, but we got there around 4:45 and he was just finishing up snack with his new Latchkey friends. He was ready to go home with us. So we got sister and went home to hear all his new and fun stories......until the next milestone, I suppose. Sniff Sniff

No more Cheetos Mama, I am full.........

Night, night my sweet little cheeto lover...........

The Tooth Fairy arrived!!

And she is super generous and really quiet. Beau woke up this morning to count not just $1 but five single dollar bills! He is ready to lose more teeth at this rate!

It was a happy, happy morning!

Tooth Fairy comes tonight!!!

It's official!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beau Charles Grant, at the ripe ole age of 6 years and one week has lost his first tooth!!!!!!!!!!

Bottom center. It's been loose for a month, and his permanent tooth is kind of already in and very big. It came in behind the baby tooth, therefore, not really pushing the baby tooth out.

But finally tonight after a few wiggles from Dad, Mama pulled it right out! No scream, little blood, and one big grin! I'm talking about my grin, of course! ha ha But seriously, I am so excited for him. He was thrilled. We both did the happy dance.

I quickly got out my OSU tooth fairy pillow that I have lovingly stored in a drawer for over 2 years just waiting for this moment. The tooth is in the pocket and it will go under his pillow tonight as we wait for our fairy to arrive. Beau thinks $1.00 is fair, so we shall see what she grants our little prince! Sweet dreams, big boy! Sweet dreams.

Beau's 6th Birthday!!

What a great few days we have had!! Beau turned 6 on Thursday, August 6th. Brenley also turned 18 months on that same day! Special day for both my kiddo's.

Brenley May is still ornery as ever. She is really talking a lot, although we don't know what she is saying most of the time. Her loves this past month: Still her stuffed puppy "Cheeto," reading books, and sausage! :) She will be moving up to another room at daycare on the 17th. My how time flies. Seems like she just got out of the baby room.

Beau Charles Grant.......what a year this has been for him! He is growing up so much. He weighs over 55 pounds. He is probably a little over 4 feet tall. He starts 1st grade in the Maize public schools a week from Monday and will be riding the bus!

Okay, so back to his birthday.........Brian and I took off work on Thursday to spend the day with Beau (sister went to daycare). And what a perfect day we had. Not only was it cloudy and overcast with the occasional shower, but it stayed in the high 70's, low 80's ALL DAY! Couldn't have prayed for a more glorious day. Here is a recap of our PERFECT day.

8:30 - Hit McD's for breakfast

9:30 - Home for Sponge Bob (Beau) and a little house cleaning (Mom and Dad)

11:00 - New living room furniture arrived AND they took our crappy stuff with them. Hallelujah!

12:15 - Went to the movies. Ate tons of popcorn, M&M's and drank a big soda. Saw a 3D movie in stadium seating..........ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE NEW DINOSAURS!

2:00 - Putt Putt golf. Beau beat his Mom AND got a hole in one.

3:00 - Picked up sister from daycare

4:00 - Got both kids pictures made at Portrait Innovations. Bought too many as usual. They were all so good!

5:30 - Home to rest

6:30 - Dinner at Old Chicago. They sang to Beau and he got a free dessert. Warm chocolate chip cookie and ice cream. Yum!

7:30 - Played at the Sedgwick County Park. So fun! Brenley got ALL dirty and loved every minute of it. The kids ran and ran and ran.

8:30 - Home and into baths. Beau returned a few Happy Birthday phone calls and then off to bed.

What a day!! It was so great. Not sure if Mom or Dad or Beau had more fun.

Friday morning the kids went off to school and Brian and I started on our errands. The day was a blur. Brian's family came over that evening for fajitas and cupcakes and gifts! Here is one of Beau's favorite gifts - a light saber - and he is having so much fun playing with his Uncle Seth.

Saturday brought another birthday party. This time with my side of the family and all his friends at Pump It Up. I think we had close to 20 kids if you count my nieces and nephews. It was a great time. Beau has wonderful friends. Then it was back here to our house for more play time with his cousins.

Whew! Now it is Sunday and we are wiped out. I think Beau might be a little tired too.

This week.....we are now turning our focus on to school. This is his last week before school starts. We meet his teacher and tour his school Tuesday night. Oh how my baby is growing up!

My BD

You know........ growing up I was the girl that started counting down to her birthday MONTHS in advance. I used to think life was so unfair that I never got to have a birthday during the school year, and I was younger than everyone else. But it never stopped me from not telling everyone I knew that I had a birthday coming up. I think I drove my Mom nuts. And even early in my adult life, I made sure I brought it up in conversation so everyone would know my birthday was impending. Not sure why I did those things.......I just loved my birthday. Everyone is nice to you, people sing to you (even strangers in restaurants), you eat what you want, have cake and ice cream, and are showered with gifts. I mean, who wouldn't like that?

But when I finally realized my birthday was just another day was when I was pregnant with Beau and I was admitted into the hospital - on my birthday. My holy day. It will forever remain a life long memory of mine and make me realize that my life wasn't all about me anymore. It was about something greater - someone greater. And that is when I surrendered to the birthday hoopla and just let it happen.

Don't get me wrong.......I still love my birthday and I like when friends and family remember and make a big deal out of it. But it brings me more joy when my kids open my presents for me, blow out my candles, get the piece of cake with the most frosting on it, and when they scribble their name in cards that play music - and then in turn, dance around the house to said music card.

I guess you could say not only are the numerical years of my age getting higher each year, but I think this time, I really have grown up.

Thanks to my Mom and Dad for coming to visit on Sunday. They always make me feel so special and just like the spoiled youngest and only girl that I am. And of course, thanks to my husband, kids and friends for spoiling me with attention and presents. I am so blessed.

Here are my babies enjoying Mom's birthday cupcakes..........and I'm enjoying watching them.