AR's 5th Birthday Party

My sweet baby girl is turning five this coming Thursday, I'll post about that later, but tonight we're focusing on her birthday party! We had it last Saturday at my work. It was really easy to put on, they ordered the cake, had the goodie bags, and we just showed up. My mom, the master storyteller, told a story to the kiddos where she told AR that she was a king of chickens, AR's reaction:

The chickens had to lay eggs for the king, here's Nanny trying to lay an egg. 

Nanny even asked the dads to come up and help lay eggs! Thanks, Dads, for being such a good sport!

AR and the other kids thought this was hilarious!

Then Rapunzel even came to the party!!!

She loved her cake and having everyone sing to her!

Happy birthday, sweet girl!

AR took Rapunzel around the room and introduced her to all of her friends! 

Matt and I celebrating our girl! 

After cake, story, and Rapunzel, we headed to the pool! My sister and H got AR a mermaid tail that she absolutely LOVES! She's been asking for one since we saw one in January!

Me and the birthday girl!

This picture cracks me up! Doesn't look like any of us were too thrilled about the dumping buckets of water! 

Unlike these two who loved it! Thank goodness H came to the party, it was great to have her help plus what five-year-old doesn't love being with her big cousin! 

More pics of the mermaid tail, it was a hit with all the kiddos!

I'll be carting this around to all the pools this summer!

Her aunt got her some new heels and she was super pumped about that!

We asked her friends to bring change to donate to the local humane society instead of gifts. We wound up with $246.50 to donate to the shelter. We're going to go on her birthday to give it to them.

A big thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us and who helped raise all this money for the humane society!!!

Mother's Day 2017

Today I celebrated my FIFTH Mother's Day with AR. Those five years have been a whirlwind of change, happiness, tears, love, fear, the unknown, and so much more, and you know what? I wouldn't change any of it for one minute. Every thing I've been through in the five years since I've had AR and all the years leading up to May 18, 2012 have made me the mother I am today. I'm not perfect, I'm not even close. I'm impatient. I'm demanding but I would do anything in the world for this girl. I love her and I love her hard. This little diva is my whole world, my best friend, my partner in crime, my biggest cheerleader, and she's stuck with me whether she likes it or not!

I started the day off feeling awful, allergies, sinuses, and all that other gunk but I'm a single mom and even though it was Mother's Day, there was things to get done. AR and I headed outside where I mowed the yard and I'll be honest, I was feeling a little down because it was Mother's Day and I had to do laundry, mow the yard, wash dishes, pack lunch, etc... After I finished mowing, I decided I was going to tackle putting together the trampoline I got AR for her birthday. My girl came to help me and all my sadness was gone. Sure, I wasn't "getting the day off" but I had the best helper ever right there beside me. We may not have gotten it all done but we worked together and she was cheering me along the whole time.

We were waiting around to see what Nanny wanted to do but she was having some people come over to help her unload the truck from Florida. So AR and I headed to Six Flags which I was still feeling pretty awful but we still had a good time. I introduced her to the Joker ride which she loves now. We didn't stay too long and then headed to Nanny's. After our showers, I remembered that we needed to take our annual Mother's Day photo which turned into an impromptu photoshoot.

AR asked to take some pictures of me and I have to say this is now my favorite picture of myself because it's through the eyes of my daughter. No make-up, no professional photographer, just a girl taking a picture of her momma.

Then our pictures from Mother's Day every year!

Mother's Day is always bittersweet. I will never forget the struggle and heartache we endured trying to get pregnant. I'm beyond grateful to be a mother but I hate that so many of my friends are struggling to get their miracle. I pray for them every day that they get their own blessing like I did with my AR. So, Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, women like moms, men like moms, moms-to-be, furbaby moms, moms to angels, waiting moms, and future moms, we all deserve to be celebrated!

P.S.

If you can't tell from how all over the place this post is, I'm suffering from a major headache and headed to bed now! Sorry for the rambling and randomness!