Birthday Weekend Fit for a Princess

Kennedy's birthday weekend was an absolute BLAST. And she has the "hangover" to prove it. Who am I kidding? I am exhausted, too. The festivities began on Birthday Eve when she lost her first tooth! It was quite the milestone in the LaPierre house because so many of her friends have lost teeth, but she hadn't lost any yet. I asked Chris to work on it a bit and loosen it a little more while I gave Brady a bath. When I walked into the office where Chris and Kennedy were, I nearly fell out. He had PLIERS in her mouth! Yes people... only in the movies OR the LaPierre house will you see pliers in a child's mouth to get loose tooth out. We ended up gently pulling it out the old fashioned way - by hand with a paper towel.


The tooth fairy brought $5 and some fun bath fizzies. The next morning on her actual birthday, pancakes were a must. And a "K" was the perfect shape for the birthday girl.

She got to open ONE present in the morning before we went to work. Can you tell how much she loves nail polish?

After work, the birthday girl picked her favorite restaurant for dinner. Her first choice was Sonic.... well, mommy politely asked if we could go somewhere where we could sit down to eat. So Chick-fil-A it was. And you can't have a birthday dinner without a sweet treat! So the birthday girl chose a scoop of mint chocolate chip on a cone.... and we sang Happy Birthday to her right in the middle of the ice cream store.

On Saturday morning before her party, Aunt Susie took Kennedy for a special shopping trip. Kennedy was allowed to pick one thing in this super-hip tween store. If it weren't for Aunt Susie, Kennedy would never be able to appreciate the value in sequins. She is decked out now. Shoes. Purses. Awesome.

With the birthday outfit officially complete (new shoes and handbag perfectly coordinated by the little fashionista herself)....

....it was time to head to the birthday party at Glo Puttz! Glow in the dark putt putt, snazzy hot pink and green cupcakes, party favors, and arcade games. It was air conditioned, dark, and surprisingly quiet. Perfect.

Aunt Susie and Uncle Ford joined in the festivities, too!

The party moved to Nina and Papa's house where Kennedy opened presents from the family. Do you see this adorable little Caboodle? I had one of these when I was younger and STUFFED it with fun make up, nail polish, brushes, hair accessories, and on and on and on. Good thing Kennedy got this small one from her Aunt Tracy.

Oh ... and she has already put make up on twice! I'm thinking this was the perfect gift.

6 years old

I don't know what it is about this birthday that is really doing a number on me. Maybe it's because she's going to first GRADE. She's going to be in an actual grade and not "kindergarten."

Maybe it's because she's losing interest in her dolls and gravitating towards lip gloss and hair accessories.

I'm certainly not sad about it. I'm actually very happy to celebrate her sixth birthday. I am just realizing how fast these past six years has flown by. This past year, she has changed SO MUCH. Watching her blossom into this little (big) girl is so much fun.

Happy 6th birthday sweet baby girl!

I could reeeeeeeeally go for this right now.

When we were in Maine, we went to this amazing road-side ice cream stand. When I say amazing, I mean uhhh-maz-ing.


My fav? Mint... I love mint chocolate chip. Actually, I REALLY love mint cookie ice cream. There is a huge difference. As in chunks of mint chocolate cookies (like Girl Scout's thin mints) versus tiny flecks of chocolate in green ice cream.

Anyway.. now that we have that settled... I could use some ice cream. However I am at work, so I must excuse myself to wipe the drool from my keyboard......................

First movie for Brady

No other show on television has captivated my sweet Brady quite like Toy Story. Right before Toy Story 3 came out, Disney was showing the first and second movies on TV. Chris flipped it on and Brady sat still for the entire movie.

Yes, that is a HUGE deal for a two year old boy.

So before the movie came out, I KNEW this would be Brady's first movie experience.

Folks - he was ENTHRALLED. He sat in his movie booster, snacked on gummy bears and mini M & M's, and literally stared at the screen! I kept leaning over to ask him who was on the screen because he loves to say "Woodeeeee" and "Buzzth!" But he was so sucked into the movie that he couldn't answer me.

I just laughed and laughed. I think I might have watched Brady more than I watched the movie.

We were joined by our fabulous Hardy friends: Maddie and Ellie, Mama Deanna... and of course, Kennedy.

Oh - and I thought I was being clever and quite cost effective by bringing packaged snacks from home. Score for mom! However the theater got one up on me after I ordered two SMALL icees for the kids (at $4 each!? OUCH!) and Brady had one sip and made this awful, disgusted face. Kennedy drank about half of her's. Darn.

Amazed

If you don't have a family photographer, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the fine talents of DeAnn Arnold. She's awesome. OF COURSE, when she has playful, never-camera-shy subjects like the talented Kennedy - it's easy to get good shots, right?

I am IN LOVE with this photo. She's about to turn 6.... going on 16.

Half way through the year!

I started buying uniforms and school supplies for Kennedy - FIRST GRADE! Where has the year gone already?

And I read somewhere in bloggy land that it's about 150 days UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

As Charlie Brown would say, good grief.

Things I love...

I just know I have written a Things I Love post before... but I don't remember what I put on it or when I wrote it. BUT... here are some MORE things I love.. at this moment.

Coming home every other Tuesday.
Why every other Tuesday? Cause that's when my sweet housekeeper comes. Please don't judge me for having a house keeper. We would live in a dusty, moldy, toothpaste-crusted house if we didn't have our sweet Adella. She does an AMAZING job. I love her.

A fresh book/notebook with crisp pages.
I LOVE the smell of books, how they feel in my hand, how the look sitting on my end tables. I am such a predictable book store shopper. I buy a book for me, a book for each of the kids, and a fresh new mini notebeook to keep all my lists.

The smell of my sweet son's hair right behind his ears.
When he lays his head on my shoulder, it's the perfect place for me to give him a little kiss. Kennedy still has that sweet smell at her temple, but she's lost all her baby hair - so it's not the same.

Fluffing my couch cushions.
This may sound strange, but every night before we turn out the lights in the living room - I turn and fluff the cushions so they don't look squished. I'm a little nuts about it. But it's probably why the couch has lasted this long (at least 7 years) with kids and dogs around.

Still Grieving

It was two weeks ago today that we learned that my sweet Roscoe died in his sleep. I am still grieving.

I don't cry everyday, but when I see pictures or pass by his doggie bed or his food/water bowls, my heart aches. My sweet BFF Susie, who has knew Roscoe just as long as I did, went with me on Monday to pick up his ashes at my vet's office. On the drive there, I was totally cool and calm about it... but the minute they handed me the beautiful urn with his ashes, I bawled. The company who took care of him for me did an amazing job. They sent me a sympathy card that said they were taking care of him for me and would be available for questions. Heavenly Acres for Pets treated my sweet pup with respect and for that, I am extremely grateful.


For now, I cannot throw away his old dog food or his fluffy bed. I have left his food and water bowls where they were. I am keeping his leash and collar on the hooks near the front door, hanging right next to Zoe's. I'm just not ready yet.

Even Kennedy, while certainly not sad or a teary mess like her mama, said her prayers last night and thanked God for her family: Mommy, Daddy, Brady, Roscoe and Zoe. My heart sank and then I thought.... That's okay. We can still pray for him.

Maine Vacation 2010

My approach to this blog post will be slightly different. Rather than recall all the things we did, all the wonderful conversations, and amazing time spent with family - I'm going to share the things we learned while on our trip. Because we learned soooooo much, or at least I did, about my family. (I took 500 photos to prove it!) Yes, Chris' family is MY family, too. You've heard the saying.. "When you marry someone, you also marry the family." Well for some reason this trip made me more proud of that than ever before. We love spending time with our Maine family... if only Maine were a little closer to Louisiana.

So here, in no particular order, is what we learned on our Maine Vacation 2010.

1. Chris and I learned that our children are amazing on airplanes. They had moments of restlessness, but honestly - I even got restless. We had to fly from Shreveport to Dallas (40 minutes) and then Dallas to Boston (3 HOURS!). The LaPierre kids will be flying a lot in childhood, so we're relieved that they get the hang of it early on.

2. We learned that our children can sleep anywhere when they're THIS tired. Shorter naps for Brady and NO naps for Kennedy meant they were exhausted. They played so hard that when it was time to go to bed, there were no arguments. They slept together in the hotel room bed.....

.....and they slept next to each other in sleeping bags at Memere's house. Who knew they would cooperate like this??

3. Kennedy and Brady learned that they LOVE the beach. Kennedy loved riding her boogy board in the ice-cold water with her cousin, Kadence. (Kadence could be a surfer when she grows up!). Brady loved playing in the sand and chasing seagulls.

4. I learned that my sis-in-law Kelly is a force to be reckoned with. Actually, I KNEW this already. But I was reminded when she took her two shots like a man! So proud to call her my sis. :)

5. One of THE most amazing things we all learned is that my daughter is a closet daredevil. Yes, those of you who know her might be shocked. Believe me, we ALL were! When we spent one afternoon at Funtown, an amusement park in Saco, she rode ALL the rides she was tall enough to be on! When I was screaming with fear, she was throwing her hands in the air and laughing! She gets THAT spunk from her Uncle Matt....


6. Kennedy and Kadence learned that the BEST people to ride the scary rides with is their uncles.

7. I learned that at 32 years old, I can still have fun like a kid.


8. We learned that playing on a slip and slide is MUCH more fun (and FAST) when you squirt some Dawn on it. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!


9. We learned that even if it's not cold enough for a camp fire, you MUST light one on the Fourth of July. It's a LaPierre tradition.....

10. Kennedy learned what it would be like to have a sister... and I think Aunt Kelly would like to have a sister for Kadence. Maybe one day. :)


11. Kennedy learned that having a Memere is SO...MUCH....FUN. This Memere in particular goes swimming, lays in the kidding pool with the grandkids, makes all their favorite foods, and gives amazing hugs and kisses.

12. Brady learned that his Uncle Matt and Uncle Vik are truly kids at heart. They love to play with their nieces and nephew.


13. We all learned that celebrating the birthdays of the LaPierre grandkids is such a fun idea. Brady's birthday is June 12, Kadence's is June 28, and Kennedy's is July 30. What better way to celebrate than with an ice cream cake and presents?

14. I learned that our son is the most go-with-the-flow little boy and we are so blessed that he has Chris' demeanor! Because if we had two kids with my sporadic personality (Kennedy has enough for ALL of us), then we'd be in trouble.


15. Finally, I was reminded that God truly has a plan for me. He brought me to Maine to meet the most amazing man and my true soul mate. We have two amazing children and the most welcoming Maine family who loves us so much... even from 1500 miles away. How blessed are we?

Sweet Roscoe

Never could I have anticipated the phone call we received while on our Maine vacation last week. (More on the vacation later...)

Almost exactly one year ago, we decided to bring Roscoe inside partially because I knew he was getting older and needed to be comfortable. And partially because I wanted Kennedy to warm up to dogs. He had his annual visit to the vet, a good bath and shave, and inside he came. He was soooo happy inside. We were happy to have him. At that visit, the vet said Roscoe would probably live another year. That was June 25, 2009.

On July 8, Dr. Hughes called us while we were in Maine to tell us that Roscoe died peacefully after he gave him something for pain. It was the most difficult news I'd received in quite some time. We were on the beach, the kids were playing and I was crying behind my sunglasses. I am crying even know as I write this post. I was not prepared to lose him and I didn't get to say goodbye. As I dropped him and his little sister Zoe off at the vet for boarding, I rubbed his ears and said "See ya next week, buddy!" Everyone says he knew how much I loved him. I truly hope so.

I was most worried about how to tell Kennedy. We opted to wait until we got home from vacation and I did the best I could concealing my tears while we were in Maine. My sis-in-law suggested that I tell her that Roscoe went to be with someone.... that night, after not sleeping well, it came to me. The only person Kennedy knew who has died was Amber. So, I told Kennedy that Roscoe got sick just like our friend, Miss Amber, and he went to be in heaven with her. And just like we were watching over her sweet Zoe here on earth, she would be watching over Roscoe for us in heaven. The explanation made perfect sense to her because while I sobbed through every word, she didn't shed a tear. She understood perfectly and said to me, "Don't worry mama. You'll see him again in heaven one day."

Roscoe has been through EVERYTHING with me. I mean it. Everything. I adopted him from the pound when he was just a puppy. I was a junior at Tech and really wanted a dog. At the time, it was really ridiculous to adopt a dog - but I'm known for spur of the moment decisions like that. He was abandoned with his mama dog behind a dumpster... at least that's what the pound in Ruston told me. Either way, I distinctly remember him being pounced on as the other puppies tried to get to me while I looked and decided which one to take home. I fell in love with him immediately. Thus began our 13-year adventure together.

He and I lived in many places together: a townhouse in Ruston, 902 Dogwood with Aunt Shelley and Aunt Susie, a few places in Maine, several places in Dallas, and then here in Shreveport. He lived with my sister for a while when we weren't allowed to have pets in a temporary apartment. He was truly a well-traveled dog.

What makes this so unbelievably difficult is that he was with me when I grew out of my college phase and into my adult phase. He was my companion when I had no one in Maine and we spent many nights in my dinky apartment together. He was with me when I met and married Chris and he helped us welcome our two amazing children into our family.

I truly consider Roscoe my first child. I raised him just as much as he raised me. When Chris would get annoyed with him for dripping his water from his water bowl or for pooping in the house, he would say "I can't take this anymore!".... my half-joking response was: "I've had Roscoe longer than I've had you. He stays."

Even Zoe misses her big brother. She sits at the back door and puts her head down... she paces around the house as if she's looking for him. We ALL miss him so much, but not more than his heartbroken mama. I love you!