Lauren's Birthday Bash

Lauren's 6th Birthday started off with a BANG! She had clued me in on how she imagined her birthday morning would go, so we tried not to disappoint!

Good Morning, Birthday Girl!

We banged pots and pans to wake her up and she was all smiles from the minute she woke up and for the rest of the day!

In keeping with tradition (and Lauren's memory of birthdays past), we hung streamers (lots of orange, her favorite color) and made a birthday poster with lots of baby pictures. It's always a bit sad for me to be reminded of how much she's grown up!
The Birthday Girl with her presents
And one more surprise...A NEW BIKE!

A new dress from Grandma!

Birthday Dinner request: In N Out!
I made a Horse cake for the girl who loves horses so much. Too bad Lauren couldn't tell what it was at first (!)

Lauren made a special "All About Me" poster for her Kindergarten class. She got to have special privileges as the Star of the Week--what a treat!

The biggest treat of all for our Birthday Girl (and her family) was a surprise stay at the Embassy Suites Hotel. Besides horseback riding (which we had done a couple of weeks before), her greatest wish was to go swimming, so we thought a hotel pool would give her plenty of swimming time when it's still a little chilly for swimming outdoors. Our little fish swam for a couple of hours the night we checked in, and also in the morning. This birthday treat turned out to be a really fun family memory. Too bad we forgot the camera--thank goodness for our phones, at least we got one shot at the hotel! (The kids were so funny about the tv--we couldn't even turn it on or they turned into zombies with their eyes glued to the screen!) Here is our little sweetheart the day she came home from the hospital. I remember the day she was born so vividly. We should have known she'd have a spunky personality, since no matter how many long walks, or how much spicy food I ate, or how many other methods I tried, labor would not start. With a little help from the doctor, she finally decided to come almost a week late! We could not believe how big she was--8 lbs 5 oz!

6 Reasons Lauren is such a bright light in our home:

1. She is so loving. As Brad says, "she's a hugger!"

2. She is independent. She knows what she wants and goes for it.

3. She loves animals. Horses, dogs, and cats rank as favorites. Pet adoption and pet care are an almost daily topic of discussion.

4. She's a girly-girl. We have fun with hair-dos, nail polish, dresses and shoes.

5. She likes boy stuff too. She loves Star Wars, Pokemon, and playing sports with her dad and brothers. Two of her best friends are boys.

6. She is sensitive and looks for ways to please and help others. I love to see her act as Andrew's other mommy, especially on days when he needs extra love and attention.

We're so glad you came to our family six years ago, Lauren!