Reese: 2 Years Big

With Reese's 2nd birthday, birthday season has officially begun at the Wieber home. Actually, if you really want to get technical, it started in July with Brian and my birthdays. There is a birthday in our family each month from July to October.

And that is why it is called Birthday Season (if you must know).

:o)

We couldn't have Reese's party until the day after her real birthday, and I'm such a sucker for birthdays, that Reese got real good and spoiled both days. :o)

Our family has a birthday tradition of crepes for breakfast. Here is Reese in all her morning glory, complete with sleep eyes, sheet marks, bed head, and birthday wonderment:


She opened her present: a new baby. And immediately wanted the diaper on. Good thing we have daddy for that. Remember last year when Brian showed Reese how to love her new friend? :o)






Reese's good friend Mary came to have lunch with her.


And Reesie loved finger painting the afternoon away.


And the sprinkler makes a nice pairing for finger painting afternoons.


But still, a birthday bath is needed. With her new baby, of course.


Nanette and Papa Snail treat Reese to a birthday dinner at Spaghetti Factory. Reese's favorite part was having the serving staff sing jovially to her.


Reese has two main loves in her life: toast and friends. I think friends are number one, but toast does follow a close second. In fact, the other day while Reese said her prayers, she thanked God first for her friends, Trevor, Joel, Scott and Keri, and followed immediately with Toast, butter, and eggs. (yes, toast is meant to be capitalized here, as it is a proper noun in our house.)








A Summer evening at our favorite park with Reese's special friends = birthday success. Happy Birthday sweet baby. And thank you, dear friends, for your special place in her life.

She Is

She Is--
By Jen Wieber

Who is this fair child, gifted to me?

She is

carefree, she is lovely
like fresh rain from heaven.

silly girl, so wily
like pillow fight parties

a mountain-high ice cream
commanding and winsome

She is beautiful to me.

She is

a summer thunderstorm
so warm and consuming

like cold raging waters
naturally refreshing

A thousand buttercups
to gather and adore

And she is daughter to me.

She is

indulgent caretaker
sure and compassionate

a bright moonflower
giver of words and rune

like grandma's old hymnal
full of worship and praise
She is a blessing to me.

(My youngest little gal, Reesie, turns 2 today! Happy Birthday, Honey Pie! )

Reese

She changed my life one day. I don't remember the calendar page, or what I had for breakfast that morning. But I'll never forget the words that suddenly spewed from my heart, through my hand, and onto paper. She was only a faint stir within my womb.

A joyful baby, I wrote of her and because of her. Paper and pen by my pillow and scribbles in the middle of the night. She is the giver of words and the encourager of heart thoughts.

She--with her exact ideas and her arms full of dollies and a whole list of foods she wants--now.

She--with her second birthday in two night's sleep and her notion that the world is full of friends just for her.

She--who doesn't miss a beat and loves riding in the grocery cart fashioned as a speed-car.

She is my beloved daughter.

Happy Birthday, sweet Reese.

Fourth of July 2011

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the 13 colonies from Great Britain occurred, and really, the month of July has never been the same. In fact, the day before the Declaration of Independence was signed, John Adams wrote this letter to his wife, Abigail, approving and encouraging all our silly, fun and ridiculous antics that go on July 4th:

...The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

The second day of July, instead came to be the 4th of July, and so aligned itself with the date shown on the Declaration of Independence.

Thank you, John Adams, for making way for celebration. He must have been a fun guy, don't you think? Strangely, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson--signers of the declaration and past Presidents of the United States of America, died on the same day: July 4th, 1826. This was the 50th anniversary of the signage.

Now that the trivia has been dealt out and we are a whole lot smarter, we can put all our focus on the pomp and games that went on during the amazing block party we were blessed to attend. A big thank you to the BEST friends and neighbors a family could ever ask for. Literally, this is a whole block of fun-ness. So without further adieu:

THE fourth of July party:


Before the party began. (read: non-sweaty, very excited, unpainted, pre-dunked kids)

Friends that play together, stay together. Isn't that how it goes? No?

A little friendly competition never killed anybody, though, I'm pretty sure Caycee said: "Elicia's going DOWN!"





Don't let them fool you.

See? Here they say, "No matter what happens, let's promise to be friends, K?"

Getting their marshmallows ready on the paper plates. The broomstick falling on the plate is designed (or so we are told) to catapult the marshmallow into the player's mouth.

I would show you action shots of Caycee and Elicia attempting the rare feat of actually catching the marshmallows, but I'd really like to remain friends, and so I'll not post them until I get the okay. I mean, IF, I get the okay. :o)

Jake apparently takes after his dad at Tug 'O War fierceness.



And no 4th of July party is complete without a cookie-eating contest. No hands were allowed to help get the cookie from the forehead to the mouth!

















Victorious!

You decide: Hospitable host, or not?


Liv in the dunk tank:


Luke, being dunked and loving it!


It was just a matter of time before Reese found the face paint:



Friends make the 4th complete!






Things that don't surprise us:

Wieber girls are always, always silly.




Reese loved the fireworks. (Here she is saying, "Whoo Hoo!")


Blue frosting make blue teeth and lips.


Reese is eating. Again.


The fireworks were spectacular--more amazing than a picture can tell.







Thank you, friends, for a happy, fun, blessed day!
Happy Birthday, America! (OH, and Happy Birthday, Dad!!!)