Belated Birthday Celebrations

Due to the fact that a handful my friends all had babe's in late January/early February, G's actual shindig was postponed til this past Sunday. For the last three weeks she has waited and waited through three other birthday parties and finally it was her turn! And it was a blast!

Here's a peek at what our day looked like.

Step one... help mama with errands around town. Picking up party treats and decorations! (Those eyes! They melt me!)

We decorated my shop, Tango, for the party. Since Gretchen & I are moving (news on that to come!) on April 1st, I knew I'd feel overwhelmed having our apartment as the venue, as we're already getting into the packing phase. Thanks to Iris, of Bossy Femme fame, for rocking the streamers and balloons while I ran off to pick up the catering!

Gretchen and Ezra (and the Chipmunks, of course). Recognize this little man? He's her bestie from this post, and this one, and this one. They absolutely adore each other.

Oh yes. And the cake had Winston's face on it. And it was DELICIOUS!

I can't get enough of this pic. Don't worry guys, I'm just standing on the Marilyn Monroe vent, with my cake. Nothing to fret. 

And on the way home? She fell asleep in the middle of her rant about how she wasn't at all tired and would absolutely NOT be having a nap when we got home. And when we got home? She asked me to snuggle her up to her bed. We both rested the afternoon away.

Goodnight, birthday girl. 

So, the "puppy" themed party was a success... I'm not HUGE on themes, and I didn't push it too much, but since Winston is G's little BFF, I knew I had to include him somehow. She was CRAZY about the cake... and it was delicious! Thank you to a favourite local bakery and cafe, Black Honey, for catering and making our amazing cake. I still have some in my fridge... it's taking all my will power not to eat it all IN ONE SITTING.

Thanks to all my locals lovelies who came out to celebrate with us! We had such a special day, and with the Family Day holiday just the next day, it was the perfect weekend to spend with my (ohmigosh) four year old!

Love!

Happy Fourth Birthday, My Love

My (not so) little Fawn turned four today & she has grown into the most wonderful human. I absolutely adore her and I'm thankful for the close relationship we have. She's my love, my life. My heart. She teaches me so much about life, about living. She's got a zest for learning and trying new things. Looking back over these last four years, I can hardly believe all those little changes actually happened.... from the day she was born, pulled up onto my belly. "Did you squeeze me tight?" she asked as I explained that she was laid on my stomach just after she emerged. "Oh yes, I squeezed you tight."

I love how curious she is about her world, and how she gets a thrill over learning new skills. She has recently mastered the "th" sound and is now quite specific, and will sometimes pause, in order to get it just right. (She has also added it to a few other words where it doesn't exist, which makes me smile a lot, as in "Whathhh are we having for dinner, mama?"

Today she wished me a happy birth day too. I think she understands how important it is to me to talk about her birth. She loves asking about it. We talked about her birth minute, 9.29pm and how that is the very moment she came into the world.

When I wished her a happy birthday this morning, she glanced down at her body, right down to her toes and gave me a puzzled look. "Am I four now?" she asked. "I'm not big enough to be four." I think her idea of four is what my idea of sixteen was. I think she was expecting a very noticeable change, but she doesn't see what I see. She's grows by the day, this one. I'm always noticing another aspect of her changing... growing... learning. Amazing me always.

You're definitely big enough to be four.

And four is going to be a big year, little one.

Our best year yet.

They'll Always Be Pals

Gretchen adores her pup. That first snapshot was taken just a few weeks after she was born, the second, about a month ago. And at her birthday party this weekend, she's going to be stunned when she sees the "Winston Cake" that a favourite local bakery is whipping up for her!

PS. Another super cute fact about that second photo? The stuffy G is holding belonged to my baby brother, who had it with him in his incubator when he was first born and had some respiratory issues. I brought it to the hospital over 15 years ago and at Christmastime, he gave it to Gretchen. The sweetest gift. My mom teared up a little. And now she never wants to sleep without it.

Birthday Cake Inspiration

In my head, I'm already planning Gretchen's 4th birthday shindig. Something small and mellow, with friends and yummy food. I also want to make her a carrot cake... a favourite at the House of Fawn. Recently I came across another beautiful recipe which I have to share with you guys, if only for the fabulous doily pattern. We all know I LOVE doilies, right? Well take a peek below...

Swooning along with me? Yum.

I'm absolutely in love with A Tale Of Two, a new-to-me blog that I've been just pouring over. Beautiful images, recipes, treats & more. You're going to love it.

PS. Gretchen will turn four on the 29th. Just wow. 
PPS. Did I ever tell you guys about the awesome numbers associated with Gretchen's birth? Born January 29th, 2009... at 9.29pm... after 19 minutes of pushing... weighing 9lbs 6oz. Neat.

{Wordless Wednesday} Growing Up

The Third Birthday

Sunday afternoon filled my house with friends and their little ones for a birthday celebration in honour of my newly (oh goodness) three-year-old girl. It's going to take a good long while getting used to that number -- it just sounds much more grown up than it oughta. Like when you turn 18 after 17? Or 25 after 24? There's something BIG about three to me.

Cute moments of the afternoon included Gretchen taking one bite of her cake, then asking if she could have the Vitamin C lollipop attached to one of her gifts. (Which she loved.) And before the party started, just after I did my makeup, she said "oh mama you look so pretty!" which basically melted me into a puddle. I swear I didn't even ask her to say that.

She also greeted her first guests by asking if they'd brought a present, but she DID hand out her loot bags all by herself. Including pulling a chair up to the counter to get them. Miss Independent.

The shindig was a success. Thank you to all the friends who made it amazing! She had a fantastic time, and -- sans nap -- was completely tuckered out and sound asleep about an hour before her usual bedtime.

Also... I can't get over these tights. Time to find some in mama's size!

Three. It's going to be amazing, little girl.

A peek back at previous birthday posts:

• The First Birthday Cake
• The First Birthday Party
• On Her Second Birthday

Another First For Gretchen Fawn

Yesterday I took Gretchen to Bloodline for her first professional haircut, aka her first haircut not shabbily done by mama & fixed by her daycare provider. She was so sweet and still while my hairdresser trimmed away at her bangs. 

Later on I snapped a smiley pic of her while we baked banana muffins for our La Leche League meeting. Such a sweetheart. Love those choppy bangs!

My Brown Eyed Girl

Oh goodness. Those soulful pools. I could just swim in them.

This weekend, Gretchen will be spending time with her daddio, and then with one of her grandmothers. This means I'll be missing her like crazy when she's not by my side. 

I'm addicted to this gal. She's my sidekick, my love, my everything. She's growing up so fast and I hate to miss a moment.

Off to bed now. I'll wake early in the morning to find she's crept under the covers with me for a snuggle & nurse, before the day begins. And I'll breathe her in; and we'll greet the sun.

Goodnight, dear hearts. Hug those babies, while they still are.

Small Style No. 14

This morning marked the third time that Gretchen rode her bike to daycare. To be fair, we only live a block away, but there was still something so grownup about watching her look both ways and cross the street next to me -- bump! -- into the curb across the way. She's so sweet, and so independent.

Some serious handlebar turning concentration going on here.

Pinafore: Made by mama (vintage sheet fabric!)
Shorts: Gap
Hat: Locally made
Shoes: When she takes her "Crocs" off, she always yells, "Lookit my mucky feets!"
Helmet: Lazer

And, as usual, we're linking our Small Style up over at Mama Loves Papa.

On Poppies & Time

 

They've since wilted and dropped their petals, but for a week or so, my yard was host to the yearly poppy-crop... and how delighted we were!







I think I'll make a tradition of photographing Gretchen in the poppies each year. Seems fitting -- a way to mark passage. It's just so beautiful.

Can you imagine... one year ago...





Oh goodness, dear friends. It'll never cease to amaze me how the time ticks away and the newness takes over. It's all a miracle and I hope I'm treating it as such. I do try.

Peace.


Bless.

Wishes for a wonderful weekend.

The Babes, Together Again

The other day we got the babies toddlers together for a quick trip to the Superstore. I hope they'll love looking back at these photos of each other together when they grow up. Maybe they'll think their mamas were a little nutso, but mostly I think they'll think it's sweet. Our little darlings. Just five months apart & so close in our hearts.

It's all a blur, a beautiful, wonderful, spectacular blur.

April 2009

March 2010

January 2011

I'll never get tired of watching these two grow up, side-by-side... look back over the years, seeing how much they've changed.

Don't worry... you're all invited to the wedding.

Soulmates

Gretchen & Ezra...

Ezra & Gretchen...

So much can change in just one year.