Verity's 3rd birthday at the happiest place

We celebrated Verity’s 3rd birthday at the happiest place on earth. She had been wishing for Disneyland for months and we had been saying, “Maybe someday.” That someday was some day! She kept saying, "It's my birthday!" It truly was a treat and feat for us all. 

Verity turns three

Verity turns three! Our littlest girl is spunky, silly, and endearing. She makes us all laugh and gives the best hugs. She just hit 25 lbs and is 33" tall. Though she may be little, she has a lot to say! She is a precious gift from the Lord who continues to sustain and grow her. He is kind to preserve her, especially since she endured two near-death experiences in her first two years of life. Her favorites include the color pink, pasta, specifically mac n' cheese, her sister Reverie, collecting toys in baskets/containers, her stuffie Fantine, Elsa from Frozen, and reminding us she's the big baby or the baby girl. We pray she grows in the grace and knowledge of Christ. We are so grateful to celebrate her today with a pink Elsa birthday per her request. We love her so!!!

Reverie turns three

Reverie turns three! Praising God for the gift she is to our family. She is bold, independent, free-spirited, silly, and so sweet. Her pigtails and thumb-sucking are our weakness. She loves singing to Frozen, dressing up, dancing like no one’s watching, feasting on pasta, being cuddled with plenty of hugs, keeping up with her big sister and brother, helping around the house, and caring for her baby sister.

She requested a Frozen II birthday, which we tried to make a little special with our traditional breakfast birthday cake and some art and science activities during our celebration at home in light of the quarantine. We painted watercolor resist snowflakes, and acquired Elsa’s powers to turn liquid water into solid ice. Reverie wore a handmade Anna cloak a friend got for her the whole day. Alex smoked beef ribs for dinner, which we feasted upon with pasta, salad, and ice cream cake. The kids watched Frozen II to end the night with much delight. It was a sweet and simple birthday celebrating our third baby.

Happiest of third birthdays, RevRev! We love you so much. I'm sad you're growing up so quickly. May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray you'd find the greatest love in Him.

Verity turns one

We herald in each of the kids' birthdays with a cake smash in the morning. This tradition has been going strong since Serene turned one. We were gifted a cake the day before Verity's birthday, which was perfect for her breakfast cake smash. Verity loved being sung "Happy Birthday" to, which her siblings executed time and time again to see her eyes light up and a gummy grin spread across her face. She was fascinated by the attention and cake in front of her, reaching to touch it a few times. When it came to tasting it, she wasn't a fan, preferring Os oat cereal instead. It was the funniest, most endearing sight. The big kids had been making cards and books for Verity all month in anticipation of her birthday, which is the sweetest. Verity gravitates towards books all the time, so Serene and Valor were on a mission to make as many of them as possible for their littlest sister. While looking through photos of the other kids at their first birthday cake smash, I was struck by how little Verity is compared to them. The middle of Verity's ears are at the tallest part of the high chair, whereas Reverie's neck is at the tallest part of the high chair, Valor's shoulders are at the tallest part of the high chair, and Serene's shoulders are also at the tallest part of the high chair. So thankful for our baby Heart. I can't believe our littlest babe is one!

P.S. the other kids' first birthday cake smashes: Reverie, Valor, Serene.

A heart-filled first birthday

We celebrated God's loving faithfulness in our littlest one's life over the weekend with a heart-themed party as a tribute to her name, Verity Heart. We held the small gathering at a local indoor playground, where the kids roamed freely to play to their heart's content. We catered fresh croissant, pastrami, and Italian sandwiches, assorted fruit, tasty pastries, and other brunch items from a local bakery.

For the focal decor, I envisioned a white heart superimposed on a white backdrop framed with seasonal, fresh flowers in whites and neutral pinks, the colors that pop into my head when I ponder upon truth and love. I cut out a heart out of a white foam board from the dollar store, attached a decal with Verity's name onto it, and hung it with fishing wire. A dear friend created lavish floral pieces for the party, which accentuated the minimal, modern environment well. Hearts were incorporated in various places, from the heart-bedecked cake pops, to the kid place settings (be still my heart with the blinking heart plates!), to the heart-centered favors, to the heart-shaped snacks for little ones. My friend's talented daughters baked an amazing lavender vanilla cake to go along with the cake pops and rock candy. I incorporated a pair of white candlesticks and floral centerpieces in pedestal vases to evoke a sweet, feminine vibe. A white and clear balloon garland ran down the kid's table as a centerpiece. It was so fun to have a long, communal table at which all the kids sat together.

It was a simple, small, love-filled celebration that many hands made happen. We're so thankful Verity made it to one year. It has been one year of God's overwhelming kindness. Alex read Psalm 103 before praying in thanksgiving to the Lord during the party. Verity had no idea what was going on the whole time, though she enjoyed being held and fed many a treat. Reverie gladly stepped into her little sister's role and blew out the birthday candle exuberantly. The big kids adore their baby sister so and celebrated with much enthusiasm. What a joy to celebrate Verity's first year of life together with dearly loved family and friends.

P.S. Serene's, Valor's, and Reverie's first birthday parties:
A birthday reverie
Valorous knights
Serene's woodsy one-derland

Valor turns four on the fourth

Today is Valor's golden birthday! I can't believe our littler love is four. Valor is zealous, sensitive, sweet, inquisitive, and cautious. He is perceptive, observing the world and taking everything in with quiet contemplation. He offers words and opinions when asked genuinely. His sensitive heart feels all the feelings, and he is learning to express his emotions well. He is introverted, preferring the company of those with whom he is most familiar - his family and his teachers in our church family. He cherishes quality time and words of affirmation, happiest when we give him one-on-one time. As our only son, he is constantly surrounded by his three sisters, whom he loves and is learning to love. He looks up to his older sister, his best friend. He aspires to do everything she does, especially when it comes to schoolwork. He wants so badly to be a big kid "in jie jie's ("big sister's) class. He loves letters and numbers, spending hours writing them. He enjoys puzzles, stringing beads, tinkering with and taking apart objects to see how they work, reading ABC and counting books, drawing, watercoloring, building with blocks and train tracks, dancing (we love his creative moves and choreography) to VBS songs and memory work, helping to cook in the kitchen, doing laundry, sorting silverware, being clean, and swimming. He can't resist sweet treats. He'd rather play than eat but will eat chicken nuggets, corn dogs, broccoli, cucumbers, seaweed, spinach, chicken drumsticks, fries, breakfast bars, fruit, and bread. His favorite things lately are the color blue, PJ Masks, gummies, and lollipops. He has a tender heart towards babies, particularly his newest baby sister. He tells her and us multiple times a day with sweet sincerity that he loves us, which melts our hearts for we love our BooBoo so! We pray he grows in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and one day be a mighty man of valor. May the Lord give us grace to shepherd his heart well.

The only thing Valor asked for was a "PJ Masks birthday." We set up a skyline backdrop using black washi tape for our breakfast cake smash tradition. We made a silhouette of his favorite PJ Masks character, Catboy, on construction paper for a cake topper. Valor had been asking the past month, "How come it's not my birthday yet? Why is it taking so long?" He was so happy to have a special day all to himself. We had so much fun celebrating him today with family. We'll continue celebrating him on Monday with a trip to Legoland with dear friends.