kelby is 7!

yep.  she did it.  i tried to bribe her to stay 6 by offering her a giant stuffed penguin she's been eyeing, but she did it anyways.  she turned 7.

we kept both of the girls parties this year super simple.  both had sunday afternoon meetups at the park.  no going overboard with decorations or party favors.  in fact, everything was bought really quick at target.  my mother-in-law did however do amazing job with the cake.  kelby was a little leery of a party at the park (the bathrooms scare her) and my "go with the flow" attitude towards it, but later told me it was the best party ever.

this girl simultaneously makes me scared and excited to be her mom.  she is never short on energy or attitude.  she can weasel her way out of most situations and has perfected her manipulation techniques on her little sister.  she is also very kind and sensitive and still needs a bed full of babies to sleep with her at night (as well as "pink blankey").  and when she is not bossing encouraging her little sister and cousins on what they should be doing, she is really owning up to the big sister/cousin role she was born in to.

kelby asked to have a pinata.  i hesitated at first, but when she suggested to fill it with the abundance of halloween candy we acquired, i was sold.

uncle Darren's expression in this one kills me.

funny story, when i was getting her "7" candle out, i paused and was like "oh crap, i got the wrong number!  OH CRAP, i got the right number!  she's turning 7!"  i had a minor freak out moment.

prior to kelby's party, i had a moment where i got choked up about my sister not being there.  she wasn't able to make kevyn's party either, but it now felt different.  holly would always come to my girls parties early to help set up and always offered to take pictures for me.  

i didn't need help setting up and really didn't need help taking pictures either.  it all worked out.  

but i think my sister showed up just in case...  

for those of you who don't know, it was my sister's wish to be remembered as a ladybug.  wouldn't you know natalie found a ladybug to show me.