Well, we got VBS all wrapped up, and the very next day (July 1st!) was Larkyn's 3rd birthday! During VBS week, we got Larkyn's 3 year pictures taken!
From day 1, Larkyn has always reminded me to slow down, stop, and enjoy the moment! Her smiles and giggles are captivating!
She is a TOTAL sparkplug at age 3! She knows how to push her siblings buttons, how to be a total charmer, and how to how to keep up with her siblings in both activity and wit, keeping us all laughing!
Larkyn has grown up so much this past year. She has learned more about Jesus, how to pray by herself, and how to memorize verses from the Bible. She has grown in her attention span for activities (although it is still relatively short!) and enjoys doing anything her big siblings are doing, yet is very independent and holds her own. She is so good at entertaining herself with very little, and is an excellent third kid going to all her siblings events and just hanging out! Larkyn loves dress-up, shoes, high heels, babies, dolls, and Barbies, playing Paw Patrol, singing, dancing, gymnastics, puzzles, duplos, and playing outside. She will eat just about anything, and puts away almost more food than her big siblings!
Larkyn often has a little twinkle in her eye, and is currently in the midst of testing to see if mommy really means she can't have dinner until her room is clean, if she really has to stay quiet and in her bed at bedtime when we are traveling, and if she really has to respect her siblings and their toys. ;) Along with these types of moments, she is learning how to apologize to both God and her siblings, and how to ask God to give her both an obedient and kind heart.
Despite being "all grown up" ;) Larkyn is still the best cuddler, loves
her pink heart blankie, and is still a two-finger sucker when she is
relaxing or falling asleep :) I love my "baby" so much and she truly completes our family! I am so grateful God "lent" her to us and every day I pray God would draw her to himself, help her to come to know him personally at an early age, have godly friends and spouse, stay true to him, give us lots of wisdom in parenting her ;), and I thank God for giving her to us. We love you, Larky-Loo!
On Friday, June 30th, Grandma and Grandpa T drove down to help celebrate our big 3 year old! We had dinner, cupcakes, and sang to Larkyn. I LOVE her expressions as we are singing! Here is a video:
On Saturday morning, her actual birthday, Larkyn got to have her first birthday breakfast in bed! She has been a part of this tradition since she was born celebrating her siblings and parents, but at age three, she excitedly got to have her first breakfast in bed! Grandma and Grandpa T (who started the tradition with Daddy) got to help bring her breakfast too!
First breakfast in bed!
I absolutely love this video of us bringing her breakfast in bed: her faces are priceless!
After breakfast, Larkyn got to open her presents from Grandma and Grandpa T!
Paw Patrol Puzzle!
A kitty and carrier!
Paw Patrol Bubbles!
Hugging her new Paw Patrol underwear ;)
One of the biggest exclamations of the gift opening over this one - Paw Patrol socks!
Paw Patrol Sunglasses!
Paw Patrol Matching Nightgowns for her and for dolly :)
A complete collection of Frog and Toad books!
Thank you Grandma and Grandpa T!!!
After gifts, the kids got busy playing with kitty and her Doc McStuffins care kit.
Ready for her birthday outing!
We headed to Como Zoo and Como Town (splash pad, park and amusement rides) for Larkyn's special birthday outing! Here Summer and Javonte are leading the pack as we walk in :)
Grandma T and Colton :)
Daddy and Larkyn :)
Family Pic!
Hugging a seal :)
Larkyn and Grandpa doing the traditional hat exchange ;)
Oh ya know, just chillin' with a gorilla ;)
Love this pic of the these three :)
My kiddos and me at lunch!
The group at lunch at Como
In the Butterfly area - they loved landing on Grandpa's hat and Grandma's shirt!
After the zoo, we walked over to Como Town for rides!
Larkyn loved these cars and rode in them multiple times! It was fun for me to watch as this was the first time I saw her wait in line, get into the ride and buckled, unbuckle, and exit the ride all by herself! I couldn't help but realize how she is growing up!
Grandma T captured this moment! <3 br="">
Bumper cars - Grandpa and Summer
Bumper cars - Larkyn and Daddy
Bumper cars - Javonte and Colton
Daddy and Larkyn in the tea cups :)
FOAM PARTY! They literally filled an area with foam up to 3 feet tall in parts for the kids to play in - it was a hoot to watch!
Foamy kids:)
Wahoo!
So fun!
Giggly girl!
After cleaning up in the splash park,
We rode a few more rides! Sisters!
Swings!
We said goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa T and Javonte, who left to get Javonte home for his marching band trip to Pennsylvania, and grilled out Larkyn's birthday dinner.
Hotdogs, watermelon and corn on the cob
And Lemonade :)
Larkyn with her birthday S'more :)
Present Time!
Aunt Nancy and Uncle Paul gave Larkyn an American Girl doll named
Camille! Larkyn was so excited to have a doll like Summer, and they
have been playing a lot of dolls since!
Summer and Colton saved up their summer chore* money for Larkyn's
birthday. Daddy took them to the dollar store when he got home from
work Friday night while I stayed home with Larkyn. Summer and Colton
were so generous and thoughtful with her! *Because the kids love being generous with people on their birthdays and always want to buy gifts with their own money, but have no income, Paul and I decided to give the older two summer jobs. In addition to their unpaid and expected chores of making their beds, cleaning their room daily before dinner, helping out when asked, etc, they each have two weekly paid chores including cleaning the hall bathroom (they divide up the tasks) and folding laundry for 20 minutes a piece. They practice tithing and saving for college, and then the remainder goes into their spending fund that they can use for whatever they wish, including buying gifts for people. It is currently planned that these extra chores will only be for the summer, as school, activities, piano practicing, and homework keep the kids very busy during the winter.
Summer bought Larkyn a balloon, a mini type of etch-a-sketch, fairy dress-up wings, and M&M's.
Colton chose a balloon, a Barbie size doll, an owl puzzle (her room is owl theme), and "hand candy" .... its a family joke now, but last Halloween Larkyn enjoyed a butterfinger, and on a different day requested more "hand candy" :)
Showing Larkyn the Etch-a-Sketch type toy.
Paul and I got Larkyn a dress up dress and 4 pairs of dress-up shoes, which she wore all 4 before bedtime, even changing them between gifts ;) Larkyn is our shoe girl. She LOVES shoes! She will wear a different pair each time we go out!
She wanted to put on her dress and shoes right away!
We also got her "button art", a game/puzzle where you place buttons of different colors inside patterns to make pictures.
It turned out to be exactly as hoped - the perfect activity for at home or on the go, that she can do all by herself!
We also got her a Cubbies book/CD, a Bible story/song CD, and a sticker book.
Time for a shoe change ;)
Cinderella slippers!
Trying on her fairy wings from Summer!
Sweet Larkyn in her element - all dressed up and with a doll :)
Larkyn's doll Camille and Summer's Kirsten (my old doll from growing up that I gave to Summer) became instant friends!
The girls and their dolls doing their Cubbies lesson together :)
Time to get puppy and Larkyn in their new matching Paw Patrol Jammies from Grandma T!
Happy Birthday big girl!
Birthday Video
*As always, I include a video of the the kids opening their family presents. I also often try to do a little interview with them at their current age to remember their mannerisms and voice. Somehow the videos got out of order when I uploaded them, so this video includes:
-Opening Colton and Summer's gifts
-Birthday Interview (taken at the end of a long and exciting day so a little goofy!)
-Opening Mommy and Daddy's presents
Kind of out of order but oh well! It's 15 minutes long, and is unedited, with its sole purpose being for me to remember the day, but feel free to watch it if it interests you. Here it is:
The birthday celebration is not over! We will celebrate again this weekend at Grandma and Grandpa K's cabin, and then again during a splash pad playdate with friends next week! We love birthdays at our house, and we love YOU, Larkyn Emery! Happy 3rd birthday, sweetheart!
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