Happy 4th Brithday NG!

Our little spitfire turned 4 on November 3rd! I cannot believe she is 4 because she seems so much older to me.  I think it is because we often treat her the same as GG.  They are the same size so we, and others forget she is 2 years younger. NG is full of spunk every second of everyday.  To say she keeps us on our toes is an understatement.  She is determined, funny, strong-willed, social, brazen, athletic, and a born leader.  There is no drama with NG.  She is who she is, like it or not.  She is a take charge kind of girl.  The one who gathers the children at the playground and creates the fun, and get this...they ALL listen to her?!?! 
When we met with her teacher the other day our one concern was her behavior in school.  (She can give us a run for our money at home.)  Her teacher's one concern was that she is the youngest in the class, but way beyond her age in so many ways.  They, like us, just try to keep her busy, and challenged.  I foresee many years of this with NG :)
So for her birthday NG asked for a Princess cake and spaghetti and meatballs. The top pic is of her with her new basketball coach clipboard.  It is dry erase, which she thinks is really cool.  We are planning to attend a NBA game as soon as the lockout is over...hopefully soon.

Happy Birthday to our Little Lady

GG turned 6 on Sunday, and I am not going to say I want to cry or get overly emotional.  GG has become a little lady and I am so very proud of her.  Watching her grow and seeing her develop into her own person has been such a treat.  It is one of the many things I love about motherhood, and it makes me smile, not cry.  Our 6 year old is a lady through and through.  She is sweet, sensitive, inquisitive, adventurous, silly, dramatic, loving, and sometimes bossy :) 
Happy Birthday GG!!

GG's rainbow birthday snack.  It was so easy and she loved it!  We will recreate for NG's birthday next month.

BB turns 3!!!

Our little spitfire turned 3 on Wednesday! She celebrated with her friends + teachers at school. Then the 5 of us had her favorite dinner (chicken w/ veggies) + cake together that night.

Thomas Cake

I made a deal with myself before BP was born that for as long as I possibly could, I would make all the birthday cakes for my children. I also thought I would make all their Halloween costumes and that did not turn out so well. Oh well, you win some and lose some. So BB asked for a Thomas cake and Thomas is what she got....Thanks Keri for your pics and guidance! I prayed so hard yesterday that in the end it would look like a train and hopefully be recognizable as Thomas. BB said she "wuved it!"

Happy Birthday BB!!!

Yesterday was The Barefoot Baby's 2nd Birthday! She is not so much a baby anymore and I seriously need to rethink her blog name. We gave her a drum set...insane, I know, but it just seemed like a perfect gift for her. And let me tell you it was. BB definitely has added some major spunk to our family in the last two years. Every little step she takes has a hop, skip, and jump in it. Her smile is beautiful, yet mischievous at the same time. She keeps up with the big girls all day and then snuggles like a baby all night. She pops up in the morning with a smile on her face ready to explore a new day with her easy going attitude and spread her happiness to all she meets. This is the best description of BB at 2. Happy Birthday BB, Daddy, BP, and I love you to pieces!

Happy 4th Birthday BP!

BP had school on her birthday again this year. This is so exciting when you are turning 4! On Friday she could not wait to celebrate with her teachers and friends. The day before we made applesauce together and banana muffins. The next morning we all took her to school for her special day. BB sang "Happy Birthday to You!" all day long and is still singing it. Afterschool she opened her presents from us. We stuck to horse theme this year with a bucket of grooming supplies, a lead rope, a horse game, and a Breyer horse. As you can see from the picture above she was thrilled!

Ice Cream Cake

That is for ME???


Wait, let me take off this silly crown mommy put on my head.

This is new...very sweet...I am not sure I like it.

You are going to leave that whole piece in front of me?

It's yummy!

I am going to lick the plate clean.

Uh oh! I made a big mess!

Happy Birthday Barefoot Baby

From Day one until now. A picture for each month in the last year of BB. She has gone from our peanut at a little over 6 lbs. to our big girl walking and talking. Scary how fast a year goes. She brings us so many smiles and laughs in a day. Multiply that by 365 and you can see why she is such a joy to us. We love you BB! Happy 1st Birthday!

BP's Birthday

BP's birthday was also a school day. How exciting when you are 3 and you get to celebrate at school. She brought muffins and apples for each of the children in her class. That night we had dinner and cake with Mama, Papa, Nana, and Pop-Pop. She was insanely ecstatic about her big day, all day to say the least. Her face says it all as we sang Happy Birthday to her. And check out how she entertained everyone with her new guitar. She was exhausted by the time her head hit the pillow.

Pink Guitar

We wanted just ONE very special gift to give BP on her birthday. We thought hard and finally my genius husband came up with the pink guitar. BP is obsessed with country singer Taylor Swift who plays a similar guitar. A perfect gift. She lit up when she opened it and had an enormous smile on her face. Once the guitar was out of the box she picked it up and immediately ran to the playroom. We looked at each other, wondering where she was going, and followed her. When we walked through the door we saw her perched on her piano singing and playing her "tar" as she calls it. She must have seen Taylor doing this in a music video.

One Giant Cupcake...

for one very special birthday girl! Thanks, Allison for letting us borrow your giant cupcake pan. It was a big hit! BP decorated her own birthday cake this year and shared it with all her grandparents.

BP is Three!!!

Happy Birthday to The Barefoot Princess! I cannot believe you are three, but then I look at these pictures and they reflect what a little lady you have become. I look at these pictures and I see my little friend. I look at these pictures and your personality shines through. Everyday you amaze me by just being you! You have the biggest blue eyes that do not miss a thing. Your ears hear everything and you are not afraid to ask questions or call us out on something we said. Your arms hug Daddy, BB, and I with such love and tenderness. The words that come out of your mouth everyday simultaneously bring a smile to our faces and warm our hearts. You live life with such spirit and have taught us to do the same. Your imagination is oscar-worthy. Your heart is so open and full of concern and kindness for those near and dear to you. So as I write all of this, I realize that you are no longer a baby and we are so proud of the little lady you have become. Happy three BP!!!

Welcome Kit

Meet Kit, she is an American Girl doll and a new member of our family. Kit was an early birthday present for BP. All the American Girl dolls represent a different time period. Kit is a clever girl from the 1930's who faces The Great Depression with spirit and determination. BP chose her because "she has short yellow hair" like hers and she looks like her friend Tilda at school. That is exactly what she will tell you. I think it is funny that she chose a doll from The Great Depression considering the state of our economy right now, but BP has no clue. Although when we were reading Kit's book today, and it told of the characters lining up for bread and cheese, BP was curious about this so I tried to explain the circumstances to her. So now BP cares for Kit and Bitty Baby and her other dolls everyday. Our family just keeps growing!

Happy Birthday Mama!

Today The Barefoot Family is wishing BP and BB's "Mama" or Grandma a very Happy Birthday. We hope you have a wonderful day!

Happy Birthday Gavin!!!

Happy Birthday to BP's friend Gavin. His big day was Saturday and we were away for the weekend, but we did not forget and we were thinking of him. Hope you enjoyed Thomas!

This shot was taken last year, but it is one of my favorites. These two have known each other since before they were even crawling. They have always strongly resembled one another. BP loves Gavin like a brother, a big brother since he is three weeks older. Gavin is a saint because he has always been the only boy amongst a group of 3 very strong-willed, rather dramatic girls. He puts up with a lot and holds his own well. Happy 3 Gavin!!! Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Happy Birthday Lillian!!!

We want to wish BP's very special friend Lillian a Happy Birthday. Have a wonderful day!