CHUCK E. CHEESE!!!

We weren't sure what to do for a birthday party for Kaelyn this year.  Then Kevin suggested that a few of us get together and go up to Chuck E. Cheese for an [impromptu] party.  We hadn't been there in a few years and of course what kid wouldn't want to go there for their birthday?  :-)  We went the evening after her birthday.  We brought an ice cream cake and presents along and had a nice little party.  It was not busy since it was the middle of the week and kids were still in school for one more week which made it even nicer.

Chuck E. himself came out shortly after we had gotten there. He was walking around holding a sign that said, "Follow me for free tickets".  He got a whole line of kids following him around through the restaurant and then he stopped.  They danced and did "If you're happy and you know it" and then he threw a BUNCH of tickets into the air for kids to scoop up.

This picture isn't terribly clear as I snapped it quickly on my phone.  It cracks me up though.  Kaelyn was totally "getting down" with it here.

Somehow I didn't manage to get a good picture of Kaelyn with the cake or blowing out the candle.  I think maybe Rachel did though.

Even though we hadn't paid for or officially reserved a party through the restaurant, they still had Chuck E. Cheese come over to our table and sing to Kaelyn.

Andrea, Kaelyn, and Megan eating cake.

Kevin and Zach serving the cake.

Kay's first game she tried - the basketball game for kids.  She did quite well with it but once she tried the skee ball, that was her favorite and she pretty much played that over and over the rest of the time.

Andrea and Jess playing a game while Megan watches.

Kevin and John playing a shoot 'em up game.  I'm sure the game had a name other than "shoot 'em up" but you get the idea.  :-)

The "kids" having fun playing around with the video/green screen.  :-)

(I just happened to snap this picture at just the right second to catch Kevin's best robot dance.) 

 :-)

I love "look of excitement" gift pictures!  :-)

Coldstone gift card from Nana and Pawpaw.  Thanks to the fact that you can print off a buy one get one free coupon from Coldstone on your birthday, we were able to go a couple times and she still has a little bit left on the gift card.

GoGo dog that she can take for walks.

When I asked Kaelyn what she thought of her party, she answered quite enthusiastically, "It was GREAT!!!"  And that's all that her Mommy needed to hear.  :-)

Kaelyn's Birthday at School

This is the first time that Kaelyn has been at school on her birthday.  Last year her birthday was over the weekend and when she was still in pre-school, we were in Orlando for her birthday.  She realized a few weeks before her birthday that she would be at school on her birthday and she was quite excited.  She asked me WAY in advance about bringing cupcakes in for her class.

She wanted Hello Kitty cupcakes.  I went to the school over her lunch break and took her McDonald's and ate with her.  She was so happy.  She went on and on about it and just today I heard her talking again about me bringing her lunch on her birthday and eating with her. 

Two of her classmates were not in the classroom for the picture for some reason.  This is seven of the nine kids in her class.

Ross and Kaelyn

Kaelyn with her teacher, Ms. Diane.

Ms. Wendy (one of the aides) and Kay.

Ms. Tracey (classroom aide) and Kay.

Opening a few presents at home that night.

John was putting a new Hello Kitty watch on her wrist.

A book from Granma and Grandpa about Emerson the Elephant.  It came with and elephant "pal" and soccer ball.

I looked up while Kay was opening presents and saw Buster on the couch covered by elephant pals.

:-)

Happy Birthday Kaelyn!

Today is Kaelyn's seventh birthday and I have to say, the past seven years seem to have gone more quickly than any other "seven years" of my life.  I could go on and on about everything Kaelyn means to me but I feel like words couldn't adequately describe my feelings even if I did try.  So I'm just going to keep my emotions to myself and go in my bedroom and cry tonight after I look at all these pictures and realize that Kaelyn has grown/is growing up way too fast.  :-)

I really can't remember if I have done a post like this every year for Kaelyn's birthday or if I have chosen the same pictures to post every year, etc.  Hopefully not!

2005

Kaelyn Marie

Her official hospital picture.

A first of many, many family pictures.

Ready to go home from the hospital.

 Kaelyn was no bigger than the placemats on our table.  I remember one of the first days we had her home.  We layed her on the cloth placemat on the kitchen table when we went to give her a bottle and she was no bigger than the placemat.  :-)

2006

Kaelyn's first birthday.

She wasn't quite walking yet and she didn't talk either (but she sure was a cutie).

We had ordered her a Winnie the Pooh birthday cake and we had a Pooh and friends party.  When Kevin ran to Publix to pick up the cake on the Saturday morning of the party, they gave him a cake with a whole swimming pool scene on it.  The person taking the order had written down "pooh cake" and the person making the cake thought it said "pool cake".  The worker at the bakery told Kevin they thought it was a little bit strange to have a pool party cake for a first birthday!  When Kevin came home and told me, I was almost in a panic.  After all, this was the first time I had ever planned a birthday party.  The people in the bakery assured him that they would take care of it and they came through for us and had the correct cake ready within just a couple hours!  :-)

2007

For Kaelyn's second birthday, we didn't really do a party.  I was going through one of my "I'm paranoid of what people think of me" phases in my life (now a seemingly permanent phase) and didn't feel like I could pull off an acceptable party.

A nap together after Kaelyn had opened her presents.

I LOVE this picture!

2008

For Kaelyn's third birthday, we went to a park and had a cookout.  She loves looking at the pictures of this particular party and has asked several times if she could have another birthday party at this park.

This year's party was Mickey Mouse clubhouse themed.

2009

Before Kaelyn's fourth birthday party, we put her in her Cinderella outfit to get some pictures of her before people came for the party.  She looks so sweet and like the perfect princess in this picture.

This year was [minorly] princess themed as she loved ALL things princess at this point in her life.  She loved the princesses that came on top of the cake and every single birthday cake that anyone had for the next year or so had to have the princesses on top of it.

2010

Kaelyn's fifth birthday "party" was the most special thing that we have ever done for a birthday.  We were in Orlando for the week.  We had reservations for a princess character dinner for the evening that we were at Epcot.  Since it was for her birthday, they brought out an individual birthday cake in a little princess treasure chest.  Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Ariel all came around to our table and visited with us while we ate in a castle back in the Norway pavilion at Epcot.

Snow White was her favorite princess at this point and she got to show Snow White her little dwarf toys.  Snow White even chose one of the dwarfs to hold for one of the pictures.  Kaelyn has her favorite dwarf, Dopey.

It was late by the time we were finished but she was so happy.  Every time we walk by the place where they have the character dinner, Kaelyn says, "Do you remember when we had my birthday there when I was turning five?"

2011

When it came time for Kaelyn's birthday last year, she DESPERATELY wanted a Phineas and Ferb birthday party.  I wasn't sure I was going to do an acutal party but she had gone to a school friend's birthday party and was so excited about the idea of a party that I didn't have the heart to not do something.  I found the Phineas and Ferb party stuff online and she had her Phineas and Ferb party complete with a GIGANTIC Phineas helium balloon.

As I went through old "May photos" from each year of her life, it was really a walk down memory lane for me as I saw all the pictures from those times.  While I seriously do feel like I could cry as I see how fast time is flying by, I also feel so proud of who she is and who she is becoming even though she is still young.  I love all the things that make her who she is and I am reminded to cherish every current "phase" she's in and even current obssessions.  As I look through the pictures and remember how at times we have thought we would go crazy over her favorite things and watching certain movies/shows over and over again, each "obssession" or favorite has come and gone quickly when I actually think back on it.  This year it is Hello Kitty and it will very likely be something else next year, not that I'm anxious for next year.  The very thought of her being eight is distressing.  :-)

So happy birthday Kay-Kay.  I love you so much!!!