Matthew's 2nd Birthday Celebration - The Finale

Our Fellowship group is a special group of 6 families that all live in Balcones Woods. We get together every other Friday for food and fellowship. It is a great way to connect with others. We have been going through the book, "The Treasure Principle" which has led to some good discussions. So it only made sense that we would have one final celebration with this group for Matthew's birthday. The kids were thrilled to have cupcakes one more time!

Micah and baby Augie

The Dugans

The hosts getttin' some grub

The birthday boy

Julia Dugan

Beau Knox

Celebration time!

Katherine and Alivia

Matthew's 2nd Birthday (cont.)

I am sure I have mentioned how much I love Matthew's preschool - Covenant United Methodist Preschool. It is just so sweet. There are only 4 kids total in Matthew's little class and they celebrate each child's birthday with gusto. All the kids and I were able to come to the class to share some Blue Bell ice cream. Miss Kelly puts a cute birthday "cake" puzzle in front of each child to make them feel special. Matthew seemed to really like it all.

The puzzle cake

Love this shot with my precious boy!

If only John had been looking. . .grrrr. . . .

Blair Mezger is in Matthew's class

Matthew's 2nd Birthday

We celebrated Matthew's birthday over several days since we never could manage getting everyone together. Matthew seemed to relish the attention. The first celebration was at family dinner at Mimi and Grandpa's house. My mom got him a cute cake and all the cousins had a fun time celebrating him.

The funniest gift was a little horn that Mimi gave him. It makes the funniest sound - like a duck all - and he LOVED it. He would not let anyone take it out of his hand from the moment he opened it. So funny. So every shot afterwards has him clutching that toy.

His favorite gift

We tried to take the bugle away for the shot and he was having no part of that!

Sunday Dinners at Mimi and Grandpa's

To my Precious Daughter on her 8th Birthday

My sweet Alivia:

You make my heart melt. I just cannot believe the kindness and loving spirit that God has given you. You bring a sense of peace and calm to our family and handle your younger brothers with grace (most of the time!) You easily share your things, and often can read what others need without being asked. You are a wonderful Mother's helper.

You have amazing perseverance. You try so hard in school and put forth your best effort and stay on task. Your teacher, Mrs. Williams, sends me emails about what a joy you are to teach at ACS. Being diagnosed with dyslexia has not dampened your positive attitude and you have handled going to therapy three times a week with grace. You never complain about the extra work.

Here is an e-mail I got from Mrs. Williams just a few weeks ago:
You will be happy to know that Alivia scored a 100 on her history test and a 92 on her math test!  I also want to let you know how impressed I am with the paragraphs she has been writing.  The effort she gives is amazing!  I am so proud of your sweet little girl!

Thanks for sharing her with me,

Dana

You love listening to audio books and would spend hours in your room working on your rainbow loom listening to audio books. Right now you love the "Magic Tree House" series. You struggle most with Math, but have an amazing ability to memorize and understand text that is read to you. Your cursive handwriting is beautiful. Your reading has come so far and you are on grade level, if not above right now. Spelling will always be a challenge, but I look at your Dad, and see how he struggles with spelling and how little it has gotten in his way. There will always be spell check!

I am so proud of you. Your quiet, gentle spirit blesses others around you. I am blessed to be your mother and am so glad we get to spend special time together during the week while we homeschool. I will forever be grateful for that shared experience.

I love you sweet girl,
Mommy

I just love this picture 

Your sweet smile and beautiful eyes light up the room!

She got a birthday haircut with this adorable silver hairpiece. It was so cute! Sadly it only stayed in about 2 days. 

Alivia's BFF

Alivia has a best friend! Her name is Anna Kinslow and she is in second grade with Alivia at Austin Classical School. I would not be happier about her friendship with Anna. I prayed for about a year that Alivia would meet a special friend. Anna's mom just happens to be the Head of School at ACS and we dream about them being lifelong friends and going away to college together and being roommates. I pray this will be true! The Risingers love the Kinslows which makes their friendship even more fun because it gives us an excuse to see the entire family more.

Anna and Alivia are both the oldest girls in a family with several siblings. They are both sweet, kind, conscientious, rule followers! The cutest thing they do is write letters back and forth in the mail. It is precious. I had a BFF named Anna growing up so it is fun to talk about my best friend while Alivia talks about hers. She just bought a BFF bracelet to give to Anna.

They had a sleepover for Alivia's birthday at our house and we tried to do some special things. . .

They painted nails and toenails

We all walked over to the Domain for dinner at CPK

Gave each other matching glitter tattoos with "Diva" on them

Alivia's Birthday

Alivia wanted to take Avery and Paige with her to the American Girl Doll Store in Dallas for her birthday. We have done it twice before but Alivia just loves it. We stay in the Westin Galleria while we are there and the girls just have a blast being together and dreaming about all the AG loot in the store. We shopped for about 3 hours and Alivia never did seem to tire of looking at everything. It was a special overnight for her (and me!). Thank you Mimi for giving us such a special treat.

We stopped at IHOP (Alivia's choice) on our way there for lunch

This birthday crown is so sweet - Alivia and Mimi made it together and Mimi carefully brought it all the way from Austin

Cake pops!

AND a root beer float - she was in heaven

Me and the birthday girl - with her Bitty Baby and Saige

Precious cousins

Matching PJ set!