Presents!!

After we sang Happy Birthday and had cake and ice cream, it was present time. Sage got some really fun things.

I don't have a picture since she started opening gifts before I got in there, but Sage got bananagrams from Lydia, which I've never played. I'm thinking it's famous? But I've never played scrabble either, so either way, I'm out of the loop. She also got one of those bottle cap necklaces with ballet toe shoes on it. Her dream is to have toe shoes one day and dance on pointe. New purse :)

New headbands

She got a sweet heart necklace from her grandmother.

This is totally out of focus, but I loved her face over "Fin Fin Friends." This is from my mom and definitely one of the most fun toys out there. They are cute interactive fish or marine life. Sage's is a turtle. The more you interact with them, the more they do. I've heard it singing and chattering away twice today, and it was Travis playing with it without either child around. Super cute.

This is from my grandmother, and it was definitely a hit. Mermaids are HUGE here.

New game for her explorer from Travis and I

And Penbo, an interactive penguin with a baby that interacts with the mom. This is a pretty detailed toy that you never need to throw the instructions away because it does a lot. It is really cute though. Both kids like it.

This needs a bit of explanation. Travis took this picture. He thought it was great. I was sitting on top of this PLASTIC (emphasis on plastic) table and...well I unassembled it some. In front of about 20 people. Some would say I broke it, but I didn't break it because it's completely secured again. I just won't be eating for a few days now. ;)

She had such a great time.

Meagan, Sage, Jaggar and Kylie. Jaggar is looking at the tv. He, for the first time in his life, likes a show. Not just ANY show: The Wiggles. They don't even come on TV anymore, but I have some dvds from when Sage was little because she loved them too. We have 3, but there is only one that he will watch. He brings me the movie regularly to watch it.

Sweet Suzanne and me

My mother-in-law and I

They each love it when the other gets something new for obvious reasons. We had such a fun, low key time! Great family party!

Birthday Dinner and Presents

After school and dance class, Sage's request for weeks had been to eat dinner at Fuji. I was happy to oblige that one. It is one of the two places that I would only eat out at for years, so it's obviously a favorite of mine. We had a nice meal out, and Sage, as usual, ordered a salad and salmon eggs. I love sushi, but those are too fishy for me. You know how when you eat something like chicken, you don't really think about it? You don't really visualize or think about the fact that you're eating a dead bird. But with these, it really tastes and feels like you're eating a fish egg. She was the birthday girl though.Daddy's girl

Sage and her salmon eggs

When we were finished, they brought her some chocolate ice cream, which she didn't like. Go figure.

When we got home, we let her open a few more gifts before her family party the next night.

She got a train, Rosie from Thomas the Train, that's pink for her train table.

And she also got a teapot mouse house from Pottery Barn Kids.

A few things from Nonni that she picked out at Target (clearly) that afternoon while Sage was in school.

Sequined heart shirt.

And that top, which Sage LOVES because it's see through. Like mother, like daughter. :)

Her mouse house

Sage's Birthday: Take One

When Sage woke up this morning, she came flying down the hall towards me and said, "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! I'M SIX!" School takes up most of her day, but I was going to let her in on her "surprise" for her birthday with a few gifts before she got ready for the day. First things first though: have to have a doughnut with a candle and sing happy birthday.

I've been telling Sage for a while that I had a surprise for her birthday, and these gifts were going to let her in on that surprise. In this picture, she had already opened up a doll bathing suit, and she liked that. Then she had this outfit for herself. Nice. She liked it. :)

This face is over the next gift that she opened: an outfit for the doll that matches the one she'd just opened. Then we told her to read the tags on them. "A-mer-i....I can't do it," she said. But you WERE doing it. So we helped her again, and she screamed, "AMERICAN GIRL DOLL!" Yes, on Saturday, me, Mom, Sage, Chrissie and Isacah are going to American Girl in Atlanta. She cannot wait!

Ready for school. Such a big girl.

Since the birthday girl was in school, Mom, Jaggar and I went there to eat lunch with her. She was thrilled. I looked at the menu before we went, and "luck" would have it that "cheeseburgers" were the option for the day. Since you'd see a pig fly by before I'd eat that, we stopped at Subway and brought lunch in for us and Sage. It was a treat for her.

Jaggar had a great time entertaining the kids around us who were fascinated with him.

Before we left, she took us back to her class where she had her special birthday hat stored. :)

Sage Through the Years

I was uploading pictures from Sage's birthday today (day one of the three day celebration), and I started looking back through my blog. I've been doing this since mid-2007, so I have her birthdays from ages 3-6 on here. It made me feel happy and sad all at the same time looking back on them. I remember everything about each of those days. Certain smells. Sounds. Things she said. Things we did. And I can see how she has changed. And I can literally SEE how time flies. Sigh...wish it would slow down. Here's a few of my favorite birthday pictures since 2008 through today.

3 years old in 2008...she had a Magenta cake or "Bajetta," as she called her. And oooh, dark hair for me. Definitely a good choice to stay away from that mess. This was her party and the Larkins came in for it. She had such a great time playing with Harrison and Isacah.Her 3rd Birthday on the actual day. January 20, 2008...so little

January 20, 2009. 4 years old. Still such a baby, but I thought she looked so BIG here.

My favorite cake that she's had: Her Rudolph and Clarice cake. For her 4th birthday, we had her first "rent-a-place-for-big-bucks" party at the YMCA. Swim Party. It was a lot of fun, and I was pregnant with Jaggar.

5 years old. January 20, 2010. What are the odds she'd wear the same thing on her birthday for her 4th and 5th birthdays? I miss the days of preschool. She can STILL wear this dress, by the way. Gotta love that. We had ANOTHER swim party this year at Truman Gym. Very fun.

And today: January 20, 2011. 6 years old. A big kindergartner. But still my baby.

6

Happy 6th Birthday, Sage!!! You are so loved and wanted in this family! I can't believe that you are SIX. I love how you came bounding out of your room to me this morning, half naked, to say, "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!! I'M SIX!" I remember going to the hospital to have you, and when you were finally born and the way that I felt when they put you in my arms. There isn't another feeling like it in the entire world. Heaven will feel something like that, I think. You are my best achievement, even though you're not really "mine." Keep your tender heart, your innocence and even your shyness. Stay silly. Always hug, love and be proud of your brother the way that you are now. Don't let anyone bring you down with their negative and pessimistic views disguised with a label as "realistic" or "practical." Always dream the way you do now. And always know your mommy is your #1 fan. Daddy is a close 2nd. :)

My (Other) Little Dancer

Jaggar loves a good beat even when he's strapped in his car seat. This is what he does every time that he hears a song that he likes in the car.

Welcoming Baby

Chrissie is about to welcome baby number four in just a few short weeks, so we had her baby shower on Saturday. It was really pretty with so much yummy food. I should really STOP eating like food is going out of style, but it is difficult when the food is like this. We had fun celebrating Chrissie and the beautiful baby girl that we are all anxious to meet.

Those "baby bites" in the bottom right corner of this picture were disappearing quickly for a reason. They are amazing.

Opening gifts.

At the end of a very, VERY long day. :)

Love this girl. I'd be lost without her.