7 & 12 (Birthday Recaps…Again)

Before I dive into detailing Amon and Harper’s birthdays this year…for my own memories sake…I wanted to let you guys know that my “Contact Laura” button has been down for quite some time…years in fact.  I actually received 2 emails last week stating they had reached out prior through the contact form.  That dang form has been jacked for quite a long time.  Our life is full and busy, but I really do reply to emails as quickly as I can.  I will not not reply to an email.  Facebook is a different story because I do not have the app and I only hop on quickly to post blogs and then I’m off again.  FB got pretty toxic for me so I closed my personal account a while back and just manage my business page pretty lightly.  In general I could list quite the lengthy list of issues with my blog, but money is sparse for things of this nature and so I carry on documenting this wild life in a banged up wonky space.  Please know email is always the best method of communicating.  pitterpatterart at gmail dot com 

Alright, let’s get to it.  Amon and Harper’s birthday are just a few days apart at the end of March and we partied pretty hard this year.  We do not do parties every year and we actually didn’t do any parties for several years and just did a fun family activity with our little family.  This year Amon really wanted to have a party WITH Harper…a little joint party love.  Harper is a complete sucker for him…always has been…I imagine, always will be…so she kindly obliged to a Spiderman party with her 7-year-old brother.  They have had such a unique bond from the very beginning.  They are both smitten over one another.  The other day in the car Amon handed Harper a piece of candy and she smiled at him.  He smiled really big back and said, “Harper, I like when you smile.”  And that about wraps Harper & Amon up.

They each got their separate actual birthdays to pick and plan fun stuff.  For their birthday breakfasts Amon requested donuts and Harper requested waffles and sausage balls.  Sausage balls are seriously one of Harper’s most favorite foods.  One year I asked her what her favorite part of Christmas was and she replied with, “The sausage balls.”  Forget baby Jesus and presents and special time with family and give the girl some sausage.

There were morning surprise confetti cannons for each of them and I must say, Josh Kelley is getting quite good at the surprise factor.  He startled both of them and they never saw it coming even though they knew it was coming. 🙂  Amon asked for brownies to take to his classmates and Harper requested fun candy bags to share with her class.

Leo and I brought Amon McDonalds to school to surprise him on his birthday.  He was soooooooo excited and it was too fun eating lunch with him and his little friends.  He also requested Zabys’s for dinner and ice-cream sundaes for his birthday dessert and we 100% obliged.  Birthdays are their days when there’s seriously not much we’ll turn down…minus the requests for Disney World or a quick trip to Ethiopia. 🙂

Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the fact that Amon and Leo’s glasses are the most expensive headbands Josh Kelley and I have ever purchased.  EVER!!!!

Amon made random present requests for his birthday, but at the top of his list was a Miles Morales Spiderman suit.  Done & done.  Harper pulled her present card and asked for 12 presents on her 12th birthday.  I loved picking out all the fun little gifts and our leader girl felt so loved and seen.  So far Solomon and Harper are the only ones to cash this request in.  Amon said he’s waiting until he turns 32.  Smart boy.

Harper’s birthday fell on a Friday and their party was Saturday at lunch so Friday night cousins and two of Harper’s besties spent the night and then all just stayed for the party the next day.  There was a Chickfila dinner and ice-cream sundaes and all the treats and tween girl fun!!!!  A blast was had by all and we brought in the big 12 in true celebratory fashion.

And then we partied with family and friends.  Pizza and a candy bar and double cakes…funfetti with rainbow layers and a chocolate with cream cheese frosting.  I mean, we partied hard and it was a really sweet day.

(A funny family member turned Amon’s 7 and I never even noticed. Ha.)

My favorite part of the entire party was when we sang happy birthday to the both of them.  They beamed and after we finished Josh shot off another confetti cannon right behind them.  It was so funny and super sweet watching their reactions to the confetti and each other.  Just the literal BEST!!!

THESE TWO!!!!  All of our kids love each other really big and unique and they also fight really hard too and love to annoy one another.  We watch as certain special bonds are formed amongst them and it’s so interesting to watch those relationships grow and form.  Harper and Amon definitely have one of those special bonds.  It surprised us zero that Amon wanted a party with Harper and it surprised us zero that Harper was totally okay with it.  They love each other in a very unique-to-them way and it makes my heart melt into a puddle.

Happy birthday Amon & Harper.  The two of you are so special to our family.  You make us all better and you show us every day how to love and be loved.  We’re privileged to watch you both grow and change and we promise to always take this front row seat as such an honor and cheer you on forever.  We will always be on your team!  You two have made us the luckiest yet again.