PHOEBE'S RAINBOW SPARKLE UNICORN PARTY

Hi friends! Happy summer! We celebrated Max and Phoebe this weekend as they turned 12 and 4 on Friday and Saturday. My July babies. It's always a bit of a whirlwind and I was thankful that Max just wanted to go play paint ball with friends this year. He's truly 12...dubstep music and cat videos and perfecting the art of wearing socks with sandals. He's such a light-hearted blessing of a guy and we're going to soak up this last year of him being just a kid. No teenagers yet!

Phoebe girl was all about birthdaying this year. She knew back in February that she wanted a Rainbow Sparkle Unicorn birthday and didn't budge until the day before her birthday when she decided she wanted to scrap the whole thing and just have a balloon party. We did both. Everyone came over Saturday and we ate food and listened to funny music and doted on our girl. And there were ponies. Ponies! It's one of those things I've always wanted to try for a party and it ended up being hilarious and awkward and totally making the kid's day.

Phoebe at 4 is sugar and spice with a disdain for underwear and a flair for the dramatic. She sings with conviction and wears heels and a purse before leaving the house. She's confident and funny with a preternatural love for horses and marshmallows and lemonade. She's kind and giving and tells me that we're best friends and I know it to be true.

I hope you all are having a nice and simple summer. My heart is heavy with the world right now. It's been good to hunker down with my family and show them love and take these moments to teach our little ones about hope and goodness and action. Everyday action.

xoxo

Most decorations were found at Sweet Lulu, Fawne Shoppe, boxes and tablecloth from IKEA, Unicorn head from Target, Phoebe's dress is from Alice and Ames. Unicorn birthday invitations at Bonjour Berry, organic cotton candy found here, the pink punch flavor is so good!!

TINY DANCER

Phoebe isn't a real "heart on your sleeve" type person...she's a little timid and guarded and shy with her emotions or with new experiences and people. It's a funny side of her that is made even more beautiful when you see her letting go and giving in and you know it's true joy. Yesterday was her first ballet class...and that girl was all in! Squeals and shrieks and dancing in the street with for real abandon and confidence and happiness.

We signed her up with the Dayton Ballet. It's a treat to get to be downtown and take the gold elevator up with the pro dancers...to be surrounded by so much history and costumes in such a beautiful building like the Victoria. The whole thing makes my heart zing zing! Not to mention little pink leotards and hair wrapped tight in buns. But the icing is our girl...stepping out of her comfort zone in tiny soft pink ballet shoes and finding what makes her heart zing zing on its own.

Phoebe's big girl room

Happy happy New Year, friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. We've been spending the last few weeks hunkering down together, soaking up the holidays and time with each other. The kids are back to school now and wheels are spinning trying to get back into the swing of things.

Sis got a big girl bed just after Christmas and a whole new sense of self along with it! Lots of shutting the door to be alone in her room...tucking everyone from babies to dada under her covers and tons of pretend sleeping (and not a whole lot of real sleeping). It's been funny and sweet to watch her take pride in a space for herself. Official big girl stuff around here!

Phoebe goes to school

Phoebe girl started the toddler program at Max's school this week! 3 half days away with friends...busy with projects and eating snacks and ready to give the most delicious hugs a mom could ever dream up when the day is said and done and I come to pick her up. Max is the best kind of brother, peeking out his classroom window at her, checking to make sure she's ok. It's a beautiful thing, watching your little ones find their footing together. So far so good!

10/2

max and bee had a birthday this week. we've been whooping and hollering and cheering and celebrating, with an extra side of cupcaking, everyday since their party sunday! i'm a firm believer in making a fuss over good people, and these two take the cake.

they are wild and funny and ornery as can be. they scrap and dance and nuzzle together like the truest of friends. max at 10 is witty and handsome--sensitive and stubborn and smart as a whip. he teaches me how to throw fast balls, has given his heart to a girl, dreams up all sorts of cockamamie hypotheticals on a daily, and still belly laughs at the best/worst kind of jokes. he has the best sense of humor in town. he's at that beautiful age where the world is your oyster and potential is boundless. being first baseman for the reds or becoming a youtube gamer celebrity is a possible as anything...and my goodness is it the best to remember what that feels like!

phoebe bee at 2 is funny and determined, independent and guarded and wise. she's still our old soul with the weirdest and best of quirks---like fake sneezing when she's excited...or asking to make eggs every 20 minutes (but never eating them). she's a true lady with her purses and her polish, but won't think twice about ripping your face off or rolling in the mud. she lives to nurture and care for her boys and her babies...to sing with eyes-closed-conviction into anything microphone-shaped...to go off adventuring on her own, but checking back every once in a while to see if "muk" is back yet (this gal is still on the boob...i'm officially the worst at weaning!). she is our darling and cherished girl...getting the hang of life and forging a bit of her own phoebe-shaped path.

together these two make life rich and full and hilarious. they are a gift through and through!

hoping your summer is going swimmingly, friends. birthday party pictures coming soon!

museum day

museum days to beat cabin fever. beautiful art and little feet echoing across big open rooms--fingers touching things they shouldn't. a new world for sis to appreciate and love...

1 1/2

i turned 31 last week...and the very same day phoebe sue woke up a new woman of one and a half. if ever there were a time to lament bygones and baby cheeks it would be now! sis is in full swing these days...wild and ornery and funny and beautiful and getting bigger and bigger for her tiniest britches every day. she loves thomas the train, peeling oranges, choking friends, sleeper-holding dolls, and doing the cupid shuffle. she goes bonkers for her brother, sticks treasures in her cheeks like a squirrel, hates brushing her teeth and feels water-boarded whenever i try to wash her hair. if the house is too quiet you can find her stealing away up in max's room, reading books or markering on the wood floors. her moods sway with the style of coat she has on...her red coat alter-ego: "rhoda"- sassy, confident, direct. her camel coat: "estelle"- sweet old-souled busy-body. 

we keep telling bee to stop and stay awhile as she is...but everyday is a new word, a funny discovery, a changing girl. life with a phoebe sue is a hoot...and a half.

once upon a time- bee has a 1st birthday party

sis's first birthday party was saturday! our house and hearts had never been fuller for that girl on her special day...so much family and friends there to celebrate. everyone brought books and books for bee and her library. so many amazing books to curl up and read to together! we had lots of sweets and fizzy things to drink...book character masks and a table set up to write a special note to bee in her books. (i'm a firm believer in writing notes in books!)
all in all the day was hot and hectic and funny and sweet...just like our phoebe! my oh my it's been a year...and i can't wait to see what happens next...


shopping list:  floral paper straws // bookplate stamp // alphabet plates // napkins from target // bee's dress-vintage // book props and character masks and garland and bee's party hat are homemade //