I've been a little MIA from the blog this week. Balancing real life and blogging is a huge priority for me, albeit a difficult one. My family needed all of me this week, but I am glad to be back!
One of the highlights from the weekwas this baby girl turning four! I simply cannot get over the fact that she is four. When my oldest child turned four, I was certain she was leaving for college soon. Lainey, on the other hand, is very much still our "baby" at four.
As we do on all our birthdays around here, we started Lainey's birthday celebration with the tradition of the Hidden Cupcake!
The Hidden Cupcake appears at the breakfast table the morning of a birthday. During the day while the birthday boy or girl is away, the Hidden Cupcake is filled with a small "happie" and hidden somewhere in the house!
Then the search (the best part) begins!
Found it! Hiding in the china cabinet!
Princess stickers and a Cinderella bracelet!
You can find your own Hidden Cupcake at Hobby Lobby in the birthday supply section.
You can find your own Hidden Cupcake at Hobby Lobby in the birthday supply section.
I love this photo of Lainey's expression when she first saw her birthday present...pure delight.
Her first "big girl" bike!
I love this child!
Lainey's Cinderella cake. Many thanks to Keli and my sister, Katie, for walking me through baking and decorating her cake! (If you are in the Little Rock area, Keli sells amazing cakes and cupcakes. For any Nashville, TN readers, my sister makes the best petit fours and cakes you will ever put in your mouth!)
Are these dress cakes not the sweetest? A few years ago, I decided that if I could, I would make the kids' and David's birthday cakes myself. It hasn't been stress-free, but surprisingly, Cinderella was one of the easiest ones!
Daddy's little princess. As long as I live, Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "Cinderella," will bring me to tears. Right around the time of its release, Maddie was still dressing up routinely in her Cinderella costume and twirling around our house. How glad I am to have another Cinderella around here!
Make a wish!
Lainey's best friend and next door neighbor. We love this little princess, too! She has been such a blessing to Lainey!
This was really the first year Lainey truly "got" the whole birthday party thing. It was so fun seeing her so full of joy being celebrated!
I'd love to hear about your birthday traditions!
Looks like we may have an extended weekend here in Arkansas...snow and ice expected tomorrow. If you live in the South, you know that snow days can be a blast...or a bust. Here's to enough snow to sled...
