flashback...4 April 2011

When I was the hospital with my sister, I couldn't help but think of the arrival of my last little one!

I'm sure y'all all remember how it played out...but did y'all know that I was supposed to have a birth photographer?! Well, I was. If I still lived in New Orleans, I might be tempted to have a "do-over!" :)

Nicole Rome was kind enough to meet us up there when we got to the hospital that morning--she waited around for hours until they brought us the baby, and then she came back that afternoon when the kids got to visit with him the first time! These are quite possible my favorite set of pictures EVER!

The white socks and dress shoes were the result of sacrificing his shoelace for the cord. Don't worry...I made him change his socks when he went back for the kids that afternoon :)

The pictures above are when we FINALLY got the baby back from the nursery. They literally had him for almost three hours. I don't know what was going on. I was told that they were waiting for a room for me, but when I got there only a few other patients were on the floor. There were plenty of empty rooms.

The pictures below are when the kids came to meet him after school. I remember demanding that they remove the IV port before the kids came. I may or may not have told the nurse, if you aren't able to take it out, then I will do it when you leave the room. She removed it. :) Not to mention it was done by a paramedic in worst spot half-way up my arm.  I don't mean to be a demanding patient, but really???  I had been worried about Elijah being traumatized by the events that morning, and I wanted everything to seem normal. I was relieved when I saw that huge smile on his face when he walked through the door! They were all so excited and couldn't have enough turns holding the baby!!

And there we are--a family of 6. Kind of crazy...

Baby Landon

Last week, my sister had her first baby! I am glad that the hosptial is close to my house, because I could sneak away at night to go visit. Isn't he cute!? He loves me already. In fact, he cried for a while the night they went home because he wanted me to put him to sleep. Not to mention install his car seat for the ride home :)

Cafe Young

Renée got this little table and chairs for her birthday. The kids now play resturant almost daily...the menu includes goldfish and juice boxes. William thinks he is big stuff in that little chair!

Renée & Elijah's Carnival Birthday!

I am happy to report that the party DID happen, and that I did survive! Just barely :)

It seems like I should have had PLENTY of time to pull this off. We did start planning it last year.

But this required a lot of unexpected work...like cutting down trees, laying sod, raking, LOTS of raking, and watering, and more sod! Then it rained, and we postponed it for two weeks--although recital took over one of those two. There may or may not have been a drop cloth and a spray paint project for the party right by this sign when the guests started arriving...

I had this table set up for the gifts and the cute tray held the official party favors.

The concession area complete with a 

 hot dog stand {red cart on the left}

popcorn stand {round one on the left}

drink cart {the yellow one on the right}

snow cone stand {blue cart on the right}

and there were lots of yummy treats--

cotton candy in the cones {which quickly melted--sadness}

pretzel rods with chocolate & sprinkles

marshmallow pops with sprinkles

rainbow chocolate covered oreos

bananan split bites

trix-krispies

animal crackers

I was loving the ruffle tablecloth with the pom poms!! 

Thank you last minute pins!

{except I sewed and pinned my ruffle to the tablecloth and then added the pom poms}

Our awesome cake!! 

AND it was "tie-dyed" inside!!

It did not like the sun.

and a ticket roll pedestal!!

It's so nice to have a party at home were my mom lives! I mean she did always come down and help, but this time I had her for the weeks leading up to it too :) She helped tie on all the ribbons and tickets, and wrap the drinks, and do balloons, and set up and clean up and hold the baby for most of the party--and probably 5,000 other things! And my grandparents too! When my mom didn't have the baby, they did. And they helped get all the chairs, tables, and balloons!! 

There were balloons everywhere!

sweet girls in their balloon hats! {above}

a little boy obsessed with the dart balloons {below}

This little girl had a grand old time with the duckies!

We even had a magician! {Bec-O}

The kids absolutely L-O-V-E-D him!!! 

{more balloon hats...}

This was my favorite!! He pulled his scarf out of Elijah's mouth!

Elijah was so shocked!! He still says that he didn't eat it :)

I don't know what we were thinking. We should have videoed this! I mean look at his face!!!

And then he handed the ring to Bryce. Bryce kept turning it into a square. He had to go sit in time out. In a springy seat--that he fell out of. Elijah says that was his favorite part of the party! Little boys :)

Renée and Lunden got to help with a rope trick, but my sd card was full.

 {I took a dead camera to graduation the week before. I've got to get it together!}

The balloons animals/hats were also a hit!! She let the kids help make their things, which they thought was awesome!! She and Renée are making a mermaid.

Hazel had a butterfly. I am pretty sure she did not help, or it would have been popped!

The prize board! I started out with a system. Each color was a different value, and each group was separated into the matching color bin. The kids had so many tickets by the end, they just got to shop away. I certainly didn't was to count out 200+ tickets per child!

 And they thought it was awesome to just get everything! 

mimi and renée

the little one...always "helping!"

Finally time for the cake!! 

They were SO glad that the party FINALLY happened! They have not stopped talking about it! There have been many "that was the best party ever," "it was so awesome," and "thank you's" the past couple of days! I am just so glad that they loved it...there won't be another party of this magnitude for a loooooooooooooooooooong time! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!