July 1 - Larkyn's birthday!

Paul took the day off work on Friday, July 1st, because we were leaving to spend the weekend at my parents' cabin for the 4th of July.  It was fun to have Paul home on Larkyn's actual birthday so we could all wake up and sing to her in bed!  After snuggling and reading with her while the big kids got ready for the day, we opened presents.  Then, because we wouldn't be home for the evening meal, we had a special breakfast of french toast sticks, bacon, eggs, and strawberries (all Larkyn's favorites) and put a candle in her french toast sticks :).  We went outside and blew some bubbles and then Larkyn played her favorite, "doll house" with Summer (and even Colton joined in) while we packed up the car to head out of town for the weekend.  We had a great drive, and when we arrived Larkyn got to play at the beach all afternoon until dinner.  We had Larkyn's favorites - corn on the cob (big kid style), watermelon (big kid style), hotdogs, macaroni and cheese, and cupcakes for dinner.  Grandma and Grandpa K, Auntie Kristin, Uncle Eric, and Teddy helped sing to her that evening.  It was a perfect Larkyn-style birthday!  Here are a few pictures and videos to document the day:

Summer and Colton were so sweet to "start" the unwrapping when Larkyn asked them to...

and after getting a "tab" for Larkyn to pull on the present, they would give it back and let her finish opening it :)

Larkyn loved the necklaces and bracelets!

She put on almost all of them along with the stick on earrings she opened!

She opened a Larkyn size chair to sit on while she watches her siblings play soccer, at the parade, or just in the backyard :)

I love her face in this picture!

I honestly think her favorite gift was her Minnie Mouse sleeping bag.  She sees her siblings sleep in them and was SO excited to have her own!

She did a great job opening up each present!  (*More details on present opening in the video at the bottom of this post.)

Birthday candles in her french toast sticks (with powdered sugar and syrup for dipping), bacon, scrambled eggs and strawberries!

Larkyn did a great job sharing her new non-spill bubbles with her siblings!

Playing dollhouse in Summer's room while Mom and Dad got ready to leave for the cabin.  Larkyn usually plays dollhouse with Summer every day between waking up from her nap and dinner time - it is a current favorite activity and Summer is so sweet to share everything with Larkyn!

This little stinker didn't nap the whole ride to the cabin!  Too excited about her birthday I guess :)

Watching Thomas the Tank Engine with the big sibs.

Beach Time!

Dinner - big kid watermelon and big kid corn on the cob (the two main things she requested) along with favorites hotdogs and macaroni and cheese!

Larkyn had been talking about her birthday cupcakes ALL WEEK literally!

Here is the video of us singing to her:



Here is a collection of much of the video I took of her birthday morning - waking up, opening presents, etc.  It is probably longer than any of my readers would care to watch, but I am including it for me - for our memory of her morning and to hear her little voice and how she and her siblings interacted on her birthday morning.  I absolutely LOVE how sweet they were/are with each other.  :)