Emery's Elmo Extravaganza (Brithday Celebration, Part 2)

Emery's birthday party was held at Herdklotz Park (Emery's favorite playground) Saturday evening. We had pizza, fruit salad and chocolate chip Elmo cake. Emery and her friends had a great time playing on all the spectacular playground equipment in between eating....and then Elmo himself showed up! Emery hugged and danced with her idol.....so precious. Happy birthday, baby girl!

Emery and her boyfriend, Davis, along with Bobbie Ann and Reggie

Some of the guests enjoying the food

Elmo sighting!

Emery and Harper dancing with their favorite Muppet

Family picture attempts

We really struggle with family pictures

Cake time! Emery is STILL making us light a candle and sing to her about ten times per day.

Yum!

Emery's Birthday Celebration, Part 1

What better way to celebrate my baby girl turning two than by treating her girlfriends to their first pedicures!?!?! Emery turned two Thursday, June 16th. I made appointments several weeks ago with the nice man who owns Lovely Nails on The Parkway for these precious little girls to all come in together and get their toenails painted on Emery's birthday. Honestly, I was a little nervous as to how this would unfold, but the girls were perfect little angels! Emery was so well behaved that she ended up getting a manicure as well. I am thrilled. I hope to make this a regular event with my baby girl. After nails, we headed to Chick fil A for lunch and play time. Emery ended the day by playing in the downtown fountain with Harper and Phinley while dancing to the band playing at Rhythm on the River. Emery, I hope you enjoyed your birthday as much as I did! What a wonderful day.

Phinley, Harper, Emery and Sterling....how cute are these princesses in their tutus?

Phinley and Harper being the perfect little customers

Phinley, Harper, Sterling and Emery. The other ladies in the salon were VERY sweet and did not mind their relaxing manicures/pedicures being interrupted by our little girls.

Emery chose a hot pink polish for her nails and toes and then her nail technician embellished them with white polka dots. Adorable!

Harper chose a pretty light pink color and Phinley opted for frog green. Hilarious.

Emery's toe separators made me laugh

Sassy!

The end result

Still behaving at the drying station....

Checking out the goody bags my mother-in-law helped me make for each of the girls. Inside each bag is a tube of lotion, a lip gloss, glittery nail clippers and nail polish. Thanks Phinley, Harper and Sterling for joining us and helping Emery celebrate! Phinley and her mommy, Debbie, came all the way from Florida to spend this special occasion with us. We're so honored!

Our new niece!

My sister delivered her baby girl on Tuesday, June 7th at 1:09 pm. Emery and I drove down to Atlanta that morning so that we could be at Northside Hospital with the rest of our family when Kelsey Claire Stephens made her debut. What a wonderful day! Kelsey weighed in at 6 lbs, 4 oz and 20.25" long. She looks almost exactly like Hayes as a newborn. Alison and Kelsey are both at home and doing fabulously! Hayes is adjusting well to having a sister and daddy Brian is smitten with his little princess. Hayes and Emery practiced with Emery's baby dolls while in the waiting room

There she is!

Brian, Hayes, Dad, Nanny and Mom (in all their pink splendor) see baby Kelsey for the first time

Emery is fascinated with Kelsey. I've never seen her so still as when she was allowed to "hold" Kelsey. Five days later she is still asking "where baby Kelsey?" I guess she's hoping for a brother or sister soon!

Hayes was much more nonchalant about Kelsey. However, now that Kelsey is home, Hayes is a big help! He enjoys pushing Kelsey in her swing. Yikes!

Ten Year Reunion--Getting Old!

I attended my ten year college reunion this past weekend at Notre Dame. Man, time flies! My college roommates (minus Alison who couldn't be there because she is delivering her baby June 7th) and I decided to make this reunion as authentic as possible and stayed in a dorm. What were we thinking!?!?!? Actually, it was pretty fun, but I don't know how I ever lived like that. Katie came from NY, Liz from Chicago and me from SC. We left our husbands and kids at home and had a wonderful girls' weekend reconnecting with our classmates and just being on campus. I wish I could see these girls more often!

A BIG thank you to my in-laws for coming all the way down to Greenville from MI to help Ben out with Emery so that I could enjoy my trip and know that Emery was being spoiled rotten!
Regis Philbin, an ND alum, hosted a round table with Ara Parseghian, Lou Holtz and Jerry Faust. These guys were a hoot! Some of the most captivating speakers I've ever witnessed, not to mention stand up comedians.

Katie, me and Liz in our room from senior year in Pangborn Hall.

Outside Pangborn

My dad is an alum from the class of 1971, so he was on hand with his former roommates as well for their 40th reunion. Didn't that work out well? I had fun meeting up with my parents and their friends for a few drinks. My dad's college buddies are a fantastic bunch of guys. The above picture is Gary (Phrogg), Dan (Mini), Jeff (I don't think he had a nickname) and my dad, Alan (Big) in the lobby of the Hammes bookstore.

The beer tent was set up with Touchdown Jesus (Hesburgh Library) as the backdrop. Nice!

No reunion would be complete without a trip to the hottest (literally, not figuratively) bar in the country, the Linebacker. I bet it was at least 96 degrees in that place....and it was always like that! Even during a blizzard, the Backer would be tropical. Liz and Katie enjoyed their oversized adult beverages.

3:30 am....stumbling back to campus. ;-) Not too shabby for a bunch of old farts. We spent the next day shopping and eating in Chicago, but I was super lame and did not take a single picture. Chicago is such a wonderful city in the summer. Thanks for an unforgettable weekend, girls! I can't wait for our next reunion, but I think we'll be crashing at the Marriott instead of Dillon Hall.

Another Gymnastics Graduation

Emery graduated from her spring session of gymnastics at The Little Gym this week. She continues to love gymnastics so I've signed her up for a summer session as well as the fall session. She's going to be quite the little gymnast by this time next year! The graduation at The Little Gym had a circus theme and Daddy, Bobbie Ann and Davis all came to watch Emery receive her medal.

Daddy and Davis--how sweet of Davis to come support his woman.

Bobbie Ann with her babies

Miss Lindy was the ringmaster

Harper and Emery. Of course Harper is in the same summer and fall sessions as Emery. These two are joined at the hip!

My little clown bouncing on the air track while my big clown looks on....hee hee!

Way to go, Emery!

In line with Zoe to receive her stamp--Emery's favorite part of class. She has David Beckham arms by the time we finally get out of there.