The Fourth Celebrates Freedom

Well, I was all set to write a cutesy little ditty about our trip to CC for the fourth of July, but after spending 5 minutes alone on the first stanza I thought, "ain't no body got time for that!" So let the boring post ensue...

Although, I must say our trip was anything less than boring and my attempt at photog-ing this time around was valiant... truly! At 204 pictures snapped with a camera that does not also act as a communication device, I am proud of what I came home with and was even more inspired to remove the lens cap, pop up the flash and take a turn with the zoom more often. It's only right!

Before we left for the CC, Kaki got some new hair accessories! Justin or my mom, someone... suggested getting her some headbands for when we're just hanging around the house... girlfriend can't see through the curly mop-o-hair she's got without it... she is totally rockin' the 80s sweatband look!

We decided to make an extra long trip of it to CC because Josh, Emily and our two favorite niece/nephew pooches were coming for their final road trip before Baby Whit arrives. SO... we all got lots of time to sit around and hang! It was lovely! And hard to think that the next time we'll all be back in CC together we'll have another little booger to chase around... :) Okay so we may not be chasing him... but rocking him, snuggling with him, diapering him, etc.! CANNOT. WAIT!!!

We pretty much hung out in the pool the entire time... 

Floatin...

Loungin...

Cheesin...

Floatin some more...

Cheesin... 

Playin...

Dozin...

Relaxin...

Hoverin... oh wait... I mean, playin...

Lookin good-in... (?)

Dozin again...

I could publish a full length novel of pictures just like this one!!!

Kaki found this lounge chair to be the perfect pool chariot for her and all of her toys!

We did lots of eatin too... naturally. Kaki and Albi are TOO cool for school! One of my favorite pictures ever!! Truly fantastic!

Cute KK!

Oh wait... It's me...

And the Chackster!

Kaki loungin with sleeping beauty!

CHEESE!!

Sunny cheese!!

TOYS!

Sweet girl!

Caden trying to do some tricks Uncle Josh was showing him!

Sweet boy!

A boy (in his sister's shades, ahem) and his Mama... 

Aren't they cute?!!

Kaki got to celebrate her birthday with Aunt Emily and Uncle Josh while we were in CC... it was super fun to watch Kaki open their present in particular...

What did she get???

A MIRROR!!!

It might seem a bit random, but in truth, it was Aunt Emily's favorite toy as a child and after knowing Aunt Emily for almost 7 years now, we are assured that this in fact is quite believable... and we LOVE her for it and enjoy her stories of the things she and her beloved mirror used to do! Oh if only that mirror could talk to us... right??!!

They also gave her a bedazzled glitter frame. It came with a picture of a kitty cat inside which she loves! Every time she sees it  she says, "Kaki's kitty cat!" Dream on, sister, we's allergic!

Sadie girl wanted to see what Kaki got!

Kaki and Caden love their canine cousins so very much! I am afraid Whit won't be all that exciting for a while when they have Griff and Sadie to compare him too! Kaki got in on the Evans' family snuggle fest one afternoon... she was loving it!

We all have a soft spot for Griff... he is more human than dog and he has found his way into each of our hearts in the most endearing way!

We love Sadie too, but she truly is just a dog! :) And in the best way possible, I might add! :) It's okay to just be a dog... somebody's got to do it! Kaki and Sadie are both one of a kind chick-a-dees! Spunky, sweet and with a some serious HAIR!

Kaki and Uncle Josh have a thing... it's cute!

Real cute...

And she likes her Daddy too!!

And her bro does too!

Griffers...

Sade-ster!

Kk indulged (semi-indulged) my wishes for us all to have matching shirts to wear! I wanted tie-dye, but beggars can't be choosers, amen?! The Wal-Marts came through with some matching attire!! 

And so did our photo timer... YAY!! Always love a group shot!

Later in the evening we did some sparklers to celebrate our freedom!!

It was fun and festive and of course seriously patriotic!

One day we were there KK and Emily were twinkies... I thought they were too cute not to snap a pic! 

One evening we decided to head out to the beach for a bit and grill some s'mores!! S'more what?

Kaki obviously thought this idea was one of our best!

And Josh and Emily were excited to take their "kids" to the beach for the first time! It was a tender moment!

And this one was too...

Look at those proud parents... 

We did a bit of sandcastle building...

And wave running...

And picture taking...

Love this one of Griff and Em!

He was a bit timid... but was okay with his mama by his side!

The entire fam...

Da boyz...

Da girlz...

The last night of our trip Kk and Albi treated us to a fancy dinner on top of one of the downtown hotels... it was a fun way to end a GREAT trip!

Aren't they cute??!!

We tried...

Oh Caden...

The parents-to-be... 

So much to be thankful for the fourth of July! We cannot wait to add another member to our fun!! And even more excited that it's a two-legged friend and not a four-legged one!! We were starting to believe we were destined to be Dog Aunts and Uncles! :)

Thanks for hosting us KK and Albi! As always, it was super fun!! 

Love you each and all! :)

A Birdie Birthday Party...Complete with Big Girl Dress

A long, long time ago... like 3 or 4 months-ish... Kaki became obsessed with Birdie and her fabulous series of books, Birdie's Big Girl Dress, Birdie's Big Girl Shoes and Birdie Plays Dress Up. After taking a HUGE liking to Birdie's Big Girl Dress we ordered Birdie's Big Girl Shoes and checked out Birdie Plays Dress Up from the library. Kaki literally destroyed the first copy of Birdie we had because she read it SO much. She would sit and read it over and over again in her room, in the car and she INSISTED that we read Birdie before her nap and before bed EACH AND EVERY day. So we all began to know and love Birdie just as much as Kaki. 

As the time came to start thinking about Kaki's birthday party I decided that we HAD to do a Birdie Birthday party. It was really the only "thing" she was in to. In the book Birdie is in the search for the perfect dress to wear to her birthday party, but alas... she cannot find one that will work even in the fanciest boutique, but when she gets home she heads up to the attic with her dog Monster and pieces together a fabulously fun party dress out of her grandparents old clothes and accessories. So, Birdie really does showcase her own sense of style and encourages her readers to do the same.

I decided it would be fun to duplicate Birdie dress for Kaki... she would become Birdie and we'd have a smashing party all for her!

Thanks to Kk and Aunt Emily who hit the jackpot at a re-sale shop in Nac, Kaki's outfit came together pretty easily... while it wasn't EXACTLY the same, we were pretty darn close. The hat was a project that Hobby Lobby made very easy and the rest was just the details... 

Kaki did end up looking like the curly-haired version of her friend Birdie... at least we think so! :)

My friend Gina, cake and cookie maker extraordinaire took one of our copies of the our favorite book home with her to begin dreaming up all of the wonderful things she would create for Kaki's party. I included the pictures of her friends, Coco, Charlie and Eve so that the comparison is fair... Gina's creations literally look like the illustrator of the book would have been the baker... it's just crazy how talented she is! I am so thankful to have her as a friend for SO many reason, but the fact that she is over the top talented in this department sure doesn't hurt our relationship ANY! :)

Before the birthday party got started we took Kaki's picture... ahem...Birdie's picture by the birthday sign that Kk brings to all of the grandkid birthday parties... such fun!

Kaki and I did a trial run the week before her party with her hat and outfit... just to be sure we were good... and she LOVED it... that hat... who would have thought she'd have worn it ALL day... BUT she did! :)

Then we took her picture with the set-up before the cake and the cookies arrived...

There was some serious Pinterest inspired crafting going on leading up to the big day! :)

And after the cake and cookies got there... it's complete! :)

TWO!!!

Monster... Birdie's dog... and his dapper, dapper top hat! :)

Another pic...

I have been WAITING for an excuse to make a DIY Marquee I pinned many months ago... and what could a girl love more than her name in lights???!!! :) 

It was super fun to make and it did require a little help form the birthday girl's sweet Daddy! :)

Drillin...

Getting closer...

I started off wanting to do a hot pink marquee but then thought that Kaki might want to use it in her room which is light blue and pink... so three spray paint cans later we got us a light blue "K" marquee!! :)

And the cutest girl in the world to pose beside it... :)

Cookie bouquet... see the friends? Monster? And Birdie's birthday cake with Kaki written on it instead... and of course we can't forget Birdie!

The cake...I don't even have words for how amazing it looked!

The Kaki sign... :)

We decided to keep it low key and just have a small party with family... it was perfect! And there is nothing that that girl would love more than all of her favorite people in ONE place! Of course, we did miss her aunts and uncles and her sweet cousin G-dawg! BUT... those grandparents, great-grandparents and special college cousin sure do trump most anyone! :)

Kaki and her main man, Bop!

Big bro...

KK and Caden watching Kaki open presents!!

You would think that with a small party and all sorts of time on our hands we would have snapped a few extra pictures... but once again I'm lame... and I missed Albi, Nana, Gran and Poppa... and shoot... I didn't even get a family shot! :)

Oh well, our Kaki girl had a super fun day and it was special to celebrate with her!!

After presents we had a big southern lunch, all of us sitting around the table together... it was lovely! :)

Kaki was READY to dig into her cookies... before we even cut the cake... :)

The girls... fuzzy, but at least we attempted! :)

After we finished up with our lunch we let Kaki-girl blow out her TWO candles on her special Birdie Birthday cake!! :) Thank you GINA... it was more than we could have ever hoped for!!

After stuffing ourselves with cake it was time to let it settle... and hang!

I thought I'd try my "head" at being Birdie... :) I think only Kaki-girl can pull off a Birdie Birthday Dress though... it takes a special girl!! :)

What a fun day celebrating our Kaki-Lou-Lou-Lou... 

We are so appreciative to everyone who was able to make it to our Birdie Birthday Bash!! We missed those of you who weren't here and are thankful that we had the opportunity to celebrate with everyone at some point... Kaki's birthday was two weeks long!! And how perfect for her second birthday!

We love you, Kaki-pants!! TWO!!!!