Get ready for picture overload. I couldn't help myself. She's just too darn cute, and sweet and full of life.
Layla really wanted to help plan her party this year and she is OBSESSED with the color purple. So we had a Purpilicious party and sorry for the fuzzy pics, our camera was lost so phone pics were all we had!
We decided to forgo the traditional cake and serve up individual lava cakes to each guest! Purple spoon and "buca bird" washi tape adorned the individual jars of deliciousness.
We customized the only purple pinata we could find, with more purple. The pinata is a must have tradition we started on her first birthday.
Kids stood in line awaiting their turn to whack the pinata. I made a custom birthday banner that ended up being less impressive than the picture I had in my mind.
Birthday girl taking a turn at the pinata
Every guest went home with a thank you gift bag that included: Purple Slime that we made, purple pencil, purple balloon, punching balloon, candy and a purple whistle.
After the party, we arranged for Kevin's mom to watch the brother bears so we could enjoy a little one on one date time with Layla bug. Our date included a little dancing with daddy while we waited to eat dinner. And the new Despicable Me movie, the original is one of Layla's favorites.
We can't believe she's so grown up!
Some fun facts about this darling little miss Layla:
*She loves to sing, sing, sing, all day long - constantly making up songs and singing about anything and everything
*Is turning into quite the little fishy in the water, despite her total resistance to put her face in the water. As long has she stays dry from the chin up, she loves to swim, swim, swim.
*Reading books is a "must" part of the day and she loves taking trips to the library where she picks out all sorts of fun new books each week.
*This girl doesn't miss a beat. So intelligent and can understand the most complicated of adult conversations (we have to be super careful about who and what we talk about around this little sponge!)
*Has a memory like an elephant. She'll ask me "Hey mom, do you remember when......?" And she'll refer to something that happened 9 months ago on a random day. Serious memory skills.
*Loves to color, but hates to color inside the lines.
*Oh the biting of the nails! Worst habit ever and I can't figure out how to get her to stop! She bites those nails day and night until there's nothing left!
*She still has her squeaky little voice that sounds like a mouse. And it never stops talking, asking questions, or giggling. Too cute.
*Can't ever seem to get enough of her bike (just like daddy)
*Beautiful, the most beautiful spirit that lights up the room. Always. People still stop us in the street to tell us how beautiful she is.
*Apple juice is ALWAYS her drink of choice. ALWAYS.
*10% in weight, and 50% height
*One of the BEST big sisters a mom could as for. She loves to climb in her brother's cribs and read them stories, sing them a song, or pretend to be the primary president and ask them to come to the front of the room to say the prayer. She helps them at the park and loves to great them in the morning and kiss them goodnight. So much love in this girlies heart.
*Loves to dance and is starting ballett in the fall! She'll be a natural for sure.
As for her 4th year of life... it was a pretty fantastic one. Here's a few pics to prove it.
| Lots of bike races last fall! This was her very first bike race at our favorite "Snowbasin Ski Resort." She was a little gun shy to push past the slower riders in front of her, but she's since learned. All winter she begged, "when can I race my bike at Snowbasin again mom?!" |
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| Game face. |
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| She loves her little brother's. And everyone thinks she and Rider look exactly alike. |
LOTS of family outings including jogging up the canyon in the "triple threat" stroller. We only use this gigantuan jogger when Kevin or I want to get out and exercise with all the kids in tow. They love it, Kashi isn't too sure about it.
Easter is always such a special holiday because it reminds us of meeting you for the first time and finding out we were going to be blessed with a baby girl!
Layla is a daddy's girl for sure. There's been lot's of camping trips filled with hiking and exploring. Layla thinks sleeping in a tent is the most exciting thing in the world!
Her cousin Chloe takes Layla for rides on her horse and we love to cheer for Chloe and Yankee at their western style horse shows.
Daddy daughter dates at Johnny Rockets are a monthly outing they both anticipate.
Summer days playing in the yard, drawing hopscotch on the sidewalk, digging in the sandbox, jumping on the trampoline with the sprinklers on, and finding "rollie pollie" bugs.
Early AM Bike races in the mountains. Riding on Daddy's "monster truck" Unimog around the race venue. Layla is the "Kuhl Kid" on the block.
Icecream trucks playing music circling the neighborhood and delivering a hello kitty popsicles. And it wouldn't be a summer day without Otter Pops on the trampoline.
Baby brother bear. Owen, in other words, layla's favorite baby to take care of. She LOVES to give him his bottle each morning, she sings him to sleep and when their not fighting over toys... they are usually scheming against mom.
Layla and her "anything" doll. It's really named Anything. Layla and Anything are inseparable, she is such a nurturer.
Although, come to think of it...Anything does seem to take a lot of naps these days :)
Parks, parks, and more parks. Layla loves to be outside and she loves to be a helper. She is the first one to offer to catch her brother bears at the bottom of the slides, or help them up the steps.
We are oh so lucky to have her.
But we know she is loved by so many others.
And we know our blessing was another's hardship.
We'll never forget how blessed we are to be her parents, and we'll never forget the angels who brought her to us.
May you feel our love for you also and know that as much as you think about her... we think about you.
Happy 4th birthday.
All our love.
Kevin
Shannon
Layla
Rider
Owen
&
Kashi
