March Birthdays

It was time again for March birthdays at Aunt Susan's house, with Katie, Melissa, Jessica and Mom & Dad's birthdays being celebrated (sans Mom & Dad, though, who are still in FL).  Claire was just a newborn last year for the party, so she had a lot more fun this year.   

The only kid news of the week is that we have successfully transitioned Luke off of the bed rails.  His rail broke (because he was always climbing on it), and instead of replacing it we decided he was a big enough kid not to need it anymore.  Especially since we are about to go to FL, we think it is time he can sleep in a regular bed with no rails.  He actually was more attached to it than we were expecting.  I think he just liked to climb on it, but he kept asking for it long after I thought he would.  But he hasn't fallen out of bed once since it has been gone, so I think we're all good!

By the way, official Happy Birthday shout outs to Dad yesterday and Mom on Thursday!

Bryson being hands on with the kids - as always:)

Quality time with Grandma Della

Ian getting in on the fun

Lol!

Luke wanted to call Grandma and Grandpa on the phone to come over for dinner, so he did and they did!  Watching train videos on the computer.

Claire seems to prefer reading books upside down.  If we try to give them to her right side up, she turns them around!

New big girl headband

Sporty Spice

She's so into her dolls and stuffed animals now.  She tucks them into her little doll bed and pats them, or else puts them in her baby stroller and wheels them around town.  It is so cute.

Wedding Season

Apparently it is wedding season, although perhaps it is an usual time of year for it.  We had our second wedding in two weeks last weekend with Matt's friend Dana's wedding here in Chicago.  Dana has been a work friend of Matt's for a decade and we were so happy for her that she found such an amazing partner in her new husband Matt (great name, huh?).

The wedding was in a super cool loft space that they decorated with all hand-made elements.  Dana is beyond Martha-Stewart-like.

Dana & Matt, with Matt's daughter Emilia.  They are such a cute threesome:)

"Succulent plants" were the guests' favors.  

Other cute shots from the week:

Chuck E. Cheese

Claire's baby stroller - now you see her baby in the stroller….

...now you don't!  She whips the baby out of the stroller with no warning. 

Claire's been playing with the tool bench a ton - it is a great height for her.

Playdate with Joey and his brother Ryan.

One of the cute ones from Claire's 12 month chair photos, she barely stood still on that chair.

so many cute ones of her, can't pick which one to post!

Claire's 1 Year Photo Shoot

So many cute pictures from Claire's 1 year shoot!  This was the first time we had our favorite photographer, Steph from Shutterwinks, do a photo shoot indoors.  I thought they turned out fantastic, as usual with her work.  Somehow I  missed the memo on the "smash cake" idea with Luke, so was excited to be able to do one for Claire's one year pictures.  She was daintier than I thought she'd be, but she got a few good smashes in there and ate a ton of frosting.  She had purple frosting all over her feet and kept trying to walk off the backdrop onto our carpeting with those purple footprints.  Sweet birthday girl!

Ah ha ha!  Look at my big belly!