Lauren turns 10

On Thursday, April 16th, I took Lauren to the orthodontist for her first 'work-up'... poor thing :) I remember those molds and models ... suuuper fun, said no one ever! But worth it, b/c afterwards, we went to a pre-birthday-celebration lunch ... at Panera of course! It was so nice out we got to eat outside, and were greeted by this funny duck :)

He was so funny!

It really started to hit me at this point in time that it was 10-yrs-ago that I was nearing the end of my first pregnancy and my start into parenthood... and here she is. 10-yrs later...

With Aunt Jody ... look at that soft, strawberry-blonde hair...people couldn't get over how gorgeous your hair was, Lauren :)

Put this in here for LeaAnn... she saw this picture and said, "is that Warn in the frog hat?"

I wish I could reach into this picture and pick her up... kiss her cheeks. She was so teeny (and didn't realize it) 7lbs when we brought her home.. {insert big sigh...}

And here's what I did on the night of the 22nd, 10-yrs-later...

Here is the birthday girl in the morning opening up some presents...

the chair!

Happy birthday Lauren!

I unfortunately had P/T conferences that night and Lindsay had soccer practice (rode the bus home w/Laynee) so after school Lauren & Lydia laid on a blanket outside and read books and played with the cats ... sweet, sweet girls...

I picked up Lindsay after practice, picked up the birthday girl's request for dinner (cheese stuffed crust pizza from Pizza Hut) and we came home. These cupcakes were quite the ordeal! Came from a local shop in Independence called, Vanilla Iced Bake Shop and what happened to the 1/2 dozen gorgeous cupcakes when I carried them out to the van? Why I flipped the box right over on it's top! :( (wish I were making it up)... so I carried the sad box into the school and found Marcia Kreutner (consumer science teacher) and her reaction was priceless... "WHAT happened?!?" she said :) I asked her if she thought it was worth trying to 'fix' and she said, "absolutely! bring them to my room... we'll fix them right up." So as we chatted she mixed up icing, squeezed into tubes and redecorated them for me (effortlessly of course) and at the same time said, "So Lauren is 8 this year?" And I smiled and said, "nope... 10." And Marcia dropped her hands and stopped dead in her tracks and said, "NO... It can't possibly be 10-years!" I couldn't agree more Marcia... And Marcia is pictured here in the middle! This was my last baby shower hosted by Tracy Steger from school... wow! Is all I can say :)

April 1st, 2005

ADORE all their facial expressions... wish I would have moved LeaAnn in closer :)

Lindsay is singing, "cha, cha, cha!"

I was taking pictures and videoing at the same time... so sorry if the video is shaky ;)

Pictures courtesy of my up and coming photographer, Lindsay Rae!

We had 4 different kinds and they were all SO GOOD...

Thank you Marcia!

Melt. my. heart.

I get way to carried away with this... but I just can't help myself! Love, love, love...

This is actually August, 2006... you were 16-months old w/Michelle Monaghan! :) You have this picture above your desk on your bulletin board :)

April 2007 when you turned 2 (this was actually on Easter)

 April 2008 - turning 3

April 2009 - turning 4

You were reading to Lindsay on the couch :)

April 2010 - turning 5

April 2011 - turning 6

 April 2012 - turning 7

 April 2013 - turning 8

April 2014 - turning 9... amazing.

Now look at all of you!

Opening presents after dinner

She loved all of her desk accessories Mimi! :D

First things first, signing her notebooks with her new gel pens!

And b/c I had so much fun looking at old pics :) I threw these in here too... this was your/our first 'outing' :)

Why, why, why... I was so scared Lauren :) I had never cared for a newborn, had no idea. I'd give anything to go back to this little you and pick you up again... and take you out of those clothes and put you in a cute, comfy, cozy PINK outfit ;) {Go to the store mom (Jayme) and purchase girl clothes!! Why didn't someone smack me?!?}

And the outing was to Maggie & Fred's couple shower at Wolfkule's :) Take a look at this Freddy! 10-yrs-ago ;)))

My oh my... Sean is holding Frankie :)

you & Frankie...

Ahh... back to the present... a favorite thing to do. Sorry w/King dad... was just trying to capture the 'jabber' that goes on during these games ;)

Happy, happy birthday to our genuine, sweet, caring, responsible, giving, and loving darling daughter Lauren Dorothy. We love you so much.

Threw these in just b/c :) at the Coggon park w/Lydia & LeaAnn... as I did many, many years ago with Lauren & Lindsay