Mira's Rainbow Party

Wanted to get Mira's 1st birthday party up on the blog, finally.   I fell in love with a rainbow theme back when I was pregnant with Levi.  I was saving it up for a girl if I ever had one.  Then I had my beautiful rainbow baby.  (A rainbow baby is a baby born after losing a child to miscarriage.  A "rainbow after the storm.")  This was the perfect theme for her, and I started working on it way before her party.  She was such a trooper for this party, missing a nap but remaining happy.  We had so, so many people in our house!  While this was probably the prettiest party I have planned, it was also the least enjoyable for me.  It was rainy and cold outside.  I felt like I was not together.  I usually love the parties, but not this time.  Everyone else seemed to have a good time, and the 14 kids in my house were screaming and laughing, having the best time.  That is most important.  Everyone was super impressed by my surprise rainbow cake.  I had so much fun making it!   Levi, our neighbor, and I made rainbow finger paints, but it was so hectic we never got to those.  And the kids were having so much fun, they did not notice I didn't have any planned activities.

Now for the details.  I decorated mostly with crepe paper to make fringe streamers.  Also made paper flowers and filled glass bottles with water and food coloring to make rainbow bottles.  I served sandwiches, and made a rainbow sandwich topping platter.  Also made a fruit rainbow platter and made marshmallow clouds.  Of course made the rainbow cake, and a mini rainbow cake for Mira's smash cake, along with chocolate cupcakes covered with rainbow sprinkles.  I made large bead rainbow necklaces  and bought tiny rainbow unicorn erasers for favors.  Lastly, I bought that adorable unicorn from an Etsy shop for Mira to love forever. :)

Levi's Jenny Lind Bed and Big Boy Room

Apparently I have a handful of people that happen upon my blog every day looking for a Jenny Lind style bed redo that I posted about on this blog post two years ago.  So it only seems fair that I do a post showing the finished product!  It took a year to paint, since I was pregnant soon after snagging the bed. Then another year to get his room clean enough for photos.  I used about 5 cans of spray paint, but really was an easy job once I got started.  I love this bed every bit as much as I thought I would!  And the best news, I found another really chunky one on a local-to-my-Dad Facebook garage sale site for $30 (I think!).  It is still at his house, so no photos.  I cannot wait to paint it some fun color for Miss Mira in another year.  Maybe I love this style too much?

Here is a tour of Levi's big boy room in our current house, with special focus on the Jenny Lind bed, all nicely painted black.  (You can see his nursery in our first house here.)

Levi Harper Is Four

Today, my baby boy is four.  Here is the letter I wrote him for this year, and his twenty (two) questions that I started last year.  Notice any themes...haha.  (PS He was really into his Spiderman punching bag the day I asked these questions.)

1. What is your favorite color? Red
2. What is your favorite toy? Playdoh and Punching Bag 
3. What is your favorite food? Pizza
4. What is your favorite TV show or movie?  Lego Movie and Pokemon
5. What is your favorite outfit?  Hot Wheel Costume
7. What is your favorite game?  The Train Game (on smartphone)
8. Least favorite food:  Cheese Hamburgers
9. What is your favorite animal?  Giraffe
10. What is your favorite song?  Make Me Happy (aka Happy by Pharrell)
11. What is your favorite book?  Superhero Book

12. Who is your best friend?  Spiderman

13. Favorite place to go: McDonalds and Arbys
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Superheros
15. What is your favorite drink?   Milk and Juice and Water
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?   Animals
18. The thing you are best at is: Punching
19. If you could change your name, what would it be: Lev (pronounced Leave) or Steve
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? When I get 4, I will do chores. (What about when you are big like Mommy?)  Then I will do more chores. 

21. What do you want to do before your next birthday?  Practicing…punching Spiderman.

22. If you had $1000, what would you buy?  Minecraft

Dear Levi,

Today you are four.  This past week I have just been plain smitten with you.  Every word you say and expression you make.  You are just the most wonderful little boy and I love everything about you.  This year was fun.  You started out just loving on your baby sister.  Now you love on her and get really annoyed with her ALL. THE. TIME.  That is okay though…that is what siblings do.  You have started to throw more fits recently. That is okay too, I guess.  This year, you loved superheroes the best.  That is pretty much all you ever want to play.  Except after dinner, every night, you and Daddy play Minecraft (or MineRcraft as you call it) for 15 minutes.  Your vocabulary has skyrocketed which means you are starting to lose most of the cute things that you pronounced or connected wrong.  But right now, all your plural words still end with the –es sound. Examples: drinkes, shoes-es, giraffe-es.  I know that you will get it right soon.  You are currently enrolled in your first sport, soccer.  You like it because Daddy gets to play with you most of the time too.  Your favorite people are Daddy, Uncle Aaron, and cousin Neko.  They are all boys, and like video games and superheroes, so naturally.  You will be starting preschool this next year, and I know you will love it.  One of my favorite things you do is ninja or superhero moves.  You pretty much just flail and roll all over the floor in a very serious manner.  It is flipping hilarious.  I also love when you ask to cuddle with me at bedtime. And I really, really love the game we all play, where you say “Guess What?” I say “What?” You say “I love you.”  You are so smart and I love watching you develop into a fine boy.  I am so proud to be your Mommy.  You are my favorite boy, and I love you forever and ever.

Love, Mommy