Miss A's Buckaroo Birthday Bash

Less than 2 weeks after Miss K turned 2, our little Miss A turned 5! She’s all about horses these days, so a Buckaroo Birthday Bash was fitting.

On the menu? All of her favorites: Cupcakes, Grapes, Goldfish Crackers, Chick-Fil-A Nuggets, Lemonade, Rootbeer, Cake and Ice Cream:

There were ponies to ride, a playset to climb on and a petting pen with bunnies, ducks, chickens and goats!

A highlight of the party was when Mr. B’s grandmother, Honey (who turns 93 next month!), climbed into the saddle. She is such an inspiration—fashionable, gracious, beautiful, elegant and fun! We are so blessed to have her in our lives!

Cupcake Cutie:

Mommy and the Birthday Girl:

My friend J and her little E:

Me and my sweet friend G:

We were thrilled that our friends D and J (from Are These Kids All Yours?) and their crew were able to join us! Here I am with D:

Happy Birthday to YOU, Sweet A!

Make a Wish!

Presents! The grandparents and our friends were so generous and thoughtful in their gifts. It was like Christmas morning! Miss A felt so special and has been having so much fun playing with all her neat stuff!

This cute shot was taken at the end of the party, as our guests were leaving and we were cleaning up. But it is SOOO Miss A!!! Had to include it.

And in honor of her 5th birthday, here’s a list of five (of the many, many) things Mommy loves about her Little Miss A.

1. The Lovey Dove. Miss A is such an affectionate, loving little girl. I love that she still likes to sit in my lap, ride on daddy’s shoulders and get carried around on my hip (she’s a tiny thing, too--only weighs 2 pounds more than Miss K). And she loves to get cozy and snuggle. She sleeps between me and Mr. B most nights. She asks her Daddy to tickle her back "like a spider" as she dozes off to sleep. And as she drifts off to dreamland, she'll put her leg or arm over my body and tell me she’s giving me “the lovey dove”. The “Lovey Dove” is right up there next to “The Life” (another cozy family snuggle, and the namesake of our blog :)) when it comes to snuggly bliss.

2. The Beat of Her Own Drum. Miss A is one creative and confident little outside-of-the-box thinker! She's always finding a more interesting way to get to a destination or achieve a result. Although she and Miss M participate in a lot of the same activities, she has a way of making things “her own”. She adds her own personal flair to everything she does, right down to the way she cruises into the kitchen on her red scooter for dinner. She’s going to leave her stamp on this world for sure!

3. Her Sense of Style. Miss A wore her “birthday hat” to preschool for a week (taking full advantage of the line leader privileges that cardstock birthday hats bestow on their wearers). And she certainly stood out among her private school uniformed classmates on the more than one occasion that she showed up wearing her Rastafarian-inspired knit “Ethiopia” hat. But her trademark look, and the one that I think suits her to an absolute tee--is wearing her hair in a single ponytail in the back, with one of her collection of sequined headbands (in a color that coordinates with her outfit) worn John McEnroe style across her forehead. Love it!

4. Her Sense of Humor. Some people are just born gifted with the ability to tell a joke or a funny story. Miss A is one of those people. She’s always saying the darndest things at the perfect moment. In her adorable little high-pitched voice. And not just little kid silliness either. Clever and witty, with a touch of mischief. This little stink-wink brings so much laughter and joy to our family!

5. Her Sense of Adventure. Miss A got her name, in part, as a result of my longtime fascination with Amelia Earhart. And many, many times over the past 5 years, we’ve remarked at how fitting the name of an adventurer is for her. She’s a little thrill-seeker that loves rollercoasters and adrenaline-pumping activities. Just last night she was outside getting Daddy to set up ramps, jumps and other obstacles so she could do stunts on her bicycle (which, incidently, still has training wheels). God’s got big things in store for this sweet girl, and she’s going to do them with originality, style and a smile. And hopefully she’ll never get too big to come home and give me the Lovey Dove at the end of the day.