Summer Fairs

It seems as though we've created a tradition in going to both the local Spiedie Fest (August 4th,) and up to the New York State Fair (Sept. 1st).  This gives Makenna an opportunity to get her "fill" of rides and adventures.  This year was no exception.

This was a big tube like thing that she could crawl in and it would spin around as she crawled (think hamster wheel) - and it was floating on a small pool of water.

This was like a reverse bungee jump.  She loved this but was willing to jump too high.  I was hoping to see her do flips, and possibly spark her interest in going back to gymnastics.

State Fair:

She loved this swing ride and went on it at least twice.  Of course I tried not to think of her flying across the park in some freak accident.

I enjoy the opportunity to go and enjoy the fairs that we have locally and have a great family day together.

Uncle Tom's Wedding

On June 9th, my Uncle Tom got married in Massachusetts.  It was a really nice day and I REALLY enjoyed playing with my camera.  Let's just say these pictures are only a tiny fraction of the pictures I took.

(If you look close (or click on the picture) you'll see Eli hiding behind Makenna)

 (Abbie with my brother Jared)

 (Jessica with Abbie)

I know my child loves to dance but this girl danced non-stop!  She danced with people she didn't know, to slow songs, to fast songs, to song she's never heard before.  She was definitely entertaining!

 

 

Here is a link to watch my tiny dancer in action:

http://youtu.be/076XPgcxCiY

 

I only hope that she grows up still loving to dance to things in life that she's never done before!

 

Makenna turns SIX!

My little angel (said loosely at times) turned six on October 27th.  I have so many emotions regarding every year she grows older.  Considering she's my only child, I hate to see her grow as I know she'll one day grow to not want anything to do with me during her teen years.  I know that she'll look upon me one day and wonder how I every got through life as I'll know nothing in her eyes.

I fear that she will go off and make mistakes that I have.  I fear that she'll make worse mistakes.  I fear that she'll do things that have consequences that are unchangeable. 

But I also love her dearly, deeply and unconditionally.  I love to watch her grow and learn new things.  I love to make her laugh and watch her try to make me laugh.  I love to see her get so excited over seeing things and doing things that she loves to do, or was not expecting to do.  I love seeing her grow and learn at school, in her extra-curricular activities and her understanding of things.

I love seeing how she's grown in her vocabulary (even though it comes back to bite me at times,) her empathy for things, her curiosity of things (this year was a strong pre-occupation about death and dying) and her ability to read and do math in first grade that I swear I never did until at least third grade.

I love watching her doing things with her dad and having a close relationship with him - even though at times he can send her to tears on a drop of a dime.  But that just shows me how strong her love is for him.

I love when she says, "Yes mommy" in a child-like innocence of wanting to please and do as I ask...who wouldn't love that!?  I love when she decides to help on her own...help me clean, help to do dishes or other chores. 

I love listening to her sing while she's on the toilet.  I laugh when she grunts on the toilet and talks about her "experience" of going with moans and groans and "phews"!  This is embarrassing to say the least when it happens in public but comical at the same time.

I love watching her get excited during a movie or show.  I love watching her dance and sing to shows.  I love watching her make faces.  I love that she loves going to bed.  I love her crawling into bed in the mornings even though I don't usually like the time.

I have a love/hate relationship with watching the videos of her as a little girl.  While it makes me smile and makes my heart melt, it also makes me cry a little for the little baby I used to have. 

I love being her mom and am so blessed to have had her.  I hope to have SO many more years to come, watch her grow, and cry some tears of watching her grow and become a beautiful woman.

Happy Birthday my bright, lovable six year old girl!

Birthday girl in the morning

These were at school from the day before her birthday

Her birthday fell on a Saturday so we could actually have her birthday party on her birthday at Jumping Jungle - same as last year - and another Hello Kitty Cake - like last year too.

 Cousin Eli taking a swing

 Can you see how sweaty she is in this picture?

 Here you can really see her sweat-soaked hair - at lesat she's having fun!

 Cousin Eli & Cousin Natalie

 WEEEeeee

 Even Uncle Jared had fun!

Halloween 2012

Well now that the costume is all sorted out, we need the Pumpkin Farm Trip and the carving and the actual Trick-or-Treating portion of the holiday.  Also, the Trunk-Or-Treat at the church - can't miss that.

First up, Pumpkin Farm at Iron Kettle Farm

 The Hay Ride

 The Obstacle Course

 The Train Ride through (around) the hay

 Hopefully we remember to do this each year and see how she's grown

 The Great Pumpkin Decision

 Wheeling the loot to the car

Next up was the Trunk Or Treat at the Church - I took a lot of pictures but this one is the one I like the most (Makenna and cousin Katie)

Then we had to make sure and carve the pumpkins before Halloween (like 3 days before but hey, they at least lasted!)

 Someone does NOT like taking out the guts to the pumpkin!

 Our Happy crew

The comes Halloween.  This year we just went around the neighborhood of where Chris's parents live and we went with our cousins Eli and Abbie (and of course Uncle Jared & Aunt Jessica and mommy & daddy)

 Eli is Godzilla and Abbie is Dora.  Makenna made sure we understood repeatedly that she was a princess fairy.  At one point she yelled out loud for everyone one to hear, "I am NOT a FAIRY!"  We got a giggle out of that.  She wanted it to be known she was a Princess Fair and there is a very BIG distinction!

 

Halloween Costume

This year I had the "GRAND" idea that I would actually be Suzie homemaker and actually make (yes that means sew and put together) Makenna's costume for Halloween.  I went and picked out a pattern, talked to mother-in-law, had her help me cut out the pattern, and pick out  material from all of her scraps.  I asked a few pertinent questions, and I was on my way to........no where. 

What happened?  Life, and a million other things I could find to do rather than work on this project.  It actually started when I found a website that had really cute things and I wasn't able to get a hold of the person who made these cute things (as it was a "shop" on facebook).

Then after waiting for a reply/response, I finally saw the lady putting up these things for sale and I quickly was able to get the one I was looking for that started this whole "Grand" idea.  So I spent the money, to buy what we wanted and saved myself the insanity cost of doing myself.

I still "put it together" myself in that it needed a little bit more - such as a snazzy shirt to go under it, a cute headpiece (which was from an old costume that my mother-in-law made for another one of her grandchildren years ago) and a cute wand - again, from a previous costume to a previous grandchild - made by my mother-in-law - Oh...and wings - ditto on how I got them.  So Ta-Daa - I made a Halloween costume this year - (snicker, giggle, giggle) - call my Lazy Suzy - I don't care - it looks cute and it was a whole lot better than what I probably would've made.  Not to mention, I tackled about 10 things off of my "million-things-to-do" list.

Here's the finished product: