Fletcher is THREE!

For a while I've been trying to figure out a good time to capture some new photos of Fletcher to mark his third birthday.  He doesn't like the camera and is generally sticky or dirty - or in some form of undress (usually from the sticky dirtiness).  And then it hit me!  Catch him in his element. (duh).

We recently had a large pile of topsoil delivered for yard work.  But while we procrastinate and it sits, Fletcher has made it his personal playground.  So here you go folks… THREE!

Some of his other birthday celebrations (aside from the big zoo party) back in October included a whole family party at Mamie and Papa's (Daddy, Fletcher and my birthdays all fall within 10 days of each other!).  That's a lot of cake.

A tremendous birthday present surprise!

And the best birthday present/surprise - Fletcher caught the biggest fish of the day all by himself!  Although he's clearly not a fan of fish fishy-ness.  Eewww.

Oh, and the new tradition of a balloon drop on your big day!!!

It's a Zoo around here!

We combined the kids birthdays this year for one big (BIG) party with our very own petting zoo (courtesy of the awesome folks at Zoo-2-U).

We took full advantage of our nice, big backyard and invited both of the kids classmates, a few friends and neighbors.  And while I've been Pinter-pressured into birthday party madness before, I kept it all nice and simple this time.  We provided the place, entertainment, some snacks and cake.  Done.  Ahhh, so nice!

Seriously, I think we could have just provided the petting zoo and been done with it.  They all loved the animals!

These goats were cracking us up… apparently they didn't like the damp grass and kept standing on the turtle to stay dry.

 We already have the bounce house...

The only downside of a party so large (in my opinion) is way too many gifts.  And it doesn't work to ask guests to not bring a gift.  I've tried it.  I probably wouldn't follow those rules either.  But really - the spread was ridiculous.  So I made the kids select a few at random to give away at Christmas time.  Surprisingly they were very open to the idea.

But trust me, they are not suffering.  They're making great use out of a lot of awesome gifts.

Although this one might have gone to someones head a little.  The teacher is in!

Sydney is Four!

Hard to believe this precious thing is four years old!  I remember so well that first night we brought her home.  The one when we thought, "oh my goodness, what have we done!!!"   Thankfully we didn't send her back because she has been a treasure ever since.  And I'm thinking four just might be my favorite age - so far.  She's not a baby anymore - or even an unruly toddler.  

She's a little person with whom we can do a lot with, share great conversation, play games and have good laughs.  She is smart and funny and inquisitive.  She's a leader and a helper.  She loves a party and defines it as one anytime more than 3 friends (of any age) are present (must have something to do with those Louisiana roots).  Equal parts girl and tomboy, she's just as likely to be racing boys on the playground as playing princess with the girls.

I was away on business for her actual birthday but her amazing daddy set up a grand surprise that might just have to become tradition in our house.  All she really kept asking for were balloons and cake.  So the morning of her birthday, she opened her bedroom door and got her own personal Balloon Drop!  We'll do it again for Fletcher's birthday next week and I'll take pictures to show you, but really, it was the Best. Thing. Ever. in the mind of a four year old!

I finally pulled out my good camera to take a few official birthday pictures.  I haven't really been using my big Nikon lately.  Relying, rather, on the ease and portability of my iphone.  I still love the idea of taking great pictures and think about all the fun shots I'd like to get but those things take time that I just haven't had lately.  And I'm ok with that.

And while I did pull it out for this little shoot, time again has not allowed me to do much editing (which I stink at anyway).  So here they are straight out of the camera.

She is LIGHT YEARS more cooperative about having her photo taken.  But she sometimes has her own idea about what would look good.  She kept doing some crazy dance move which gave me a lot of shots like this...

 And don't dare ask her to smile or look happy.  We are in the fake smile phase for sure.

 And then sometimes the REAL Sydney comes out just to aggravate mommy.

 I cannot end this post without sharing the story of this precious dress.  A friend posted pictures last spring of her gorgeous daughter wearing this same dress for Easter.  I became a little obsessed, asking where they bought it, looking up the designer, etc.  It had come from a cute kids boutique in Seaside, FL but we were in the throws of moving from Houston back to Louisiana, so this mission would have to wait.  The weekend of our move, in-between homes, staying at my in-laws in Gulf Shores, I got a call from this friend.  She was at the boutique, they had another dress, it was on sale and did I want it.  

This beautiful gown was the first package ever delivered to us in our new home.  

Chicken Report

In case anyone else shared my concern for those chickens that Fletcher chased, dunked and tortured earlier this summer...

We are pleased (and relieved) to report they have fully recovered from PFSD (Post-Fletcher-Stress-Disorder) and are laying eggs!

Sydney sure does love them!  Asks to visit them all the time.  And remarkably can tell them apart - named Molly and Jasmine after some of her favorite Houston babysitters, they only have a few distinctive markings but she knows exactly which one she's loving on.  

Notice Fletcher always lurking in the background?

Before we Fall

Someone said it's officially fall.  Really?  Cuz the sweat dripping down my back while I put out a few fall decorations didn't really scream fall to me!  But if it means candy corn - I'm all in!

They say southerners talk a little slow... well, I guess we  take the same approach to cooler weather.  We're always a few months behind.  I am beginning to see a few signs though.  Football for one.  One of the surest things in life... death, taxes and football.  And our grass is no longer growing 5 inches in one week.  Although those are good visual signs of fall, our temperature gauge tells a different story.  And that is just fine with me!  For the first time in the 15+ years I have lived in the gulf south, this mountain girl is not longing for true fall crisp air and sweater weather.  I have finally embraced my home, welcoming the heat to stay a little while longer.

BUT before we go getting all into fall, I still have some summer updating to do.  As usual, we've been busy.

Some of these I talked about in other blogs but never posted pictures... so it Never Really Happened.  Right???

There was Paris for the French Open!

Visits from best friends.  Sydney must have stayed at the window like this for half an hour waiting on their arrival.

Visits from the Fletcher family.

A reunion with the never-a-dull-moment Fraher family.

And last, but definitely not least, we took a short but satisfying trip to Disney World.  

Sydney loved it and regularly asks when we can go back.  The look of wonder and awe in her eyes as she saw for the first time and exclaimed "it's Cinderella's castle!!!!!" was priceless.    Yes, I might have shed a tear or two in the moment.  

She's always been a little scared of characters, and although still a bit shy, she was thrilled to meet the princesses!  You've never seen a 3yr old wait so patiently in long lines!

A day of princess meet and greets set us up perfectly for our breakfast the next morning with Mickey and Minnie and the gang.  Fear conquered!

The trip also provided us with a great opportunity to catch up with dear friends - and meet a new one too.  Every night, we had a sitter for all our combined kids while we went out for adult conversation.  The kids had a blast - a mini slumber party complete with incredible people watching and Epcot fireworks from their balcony.

Notice here that Fletcher outlasted all the other "big" kids.  We had a rule... we didn't return until all the kids were asleep.  This was a late night.

This one brought back memories from our trip here almost 4 years ago (2013 and 2009)...

It truly is a magical place.  Fletcher was still maybe a bit young... 

but I hope we get back again in the next few years before that pure Disney joy dims.

One of my favorite pics from that trip... we were there to catch up with some of my political colleagues from the Jeb Bush days in Florida.  Here we attempted to capture a picture of the next generation (this is only half... and consider, most of these precious babes might not exist if it weren't for the relationships developed during those many long hours on his campaigns and serving in his administration).  I certainly know a lot of people who would love an audience with Governor Jeb Bush.  Fletcher apparently is not one of them.

The fun never ends!  We're doing a combined birthday party for the kids this weekend (Fletcher's first real birthday party ever) so more to come on that!