Birthday #8 for Samantha

It's been months and months since this happy event, but that doesn't make it any less important.
Our Samantha Anne turned 8! She was very excited for this special birthday. She and I decided to do a costume party because it's always fun to dress up, right? We found her a cute butterfly fairy outfit and had her friends party on her 8th b-day in June.

If only I'd gotten her reaction to this present on video. It's a Brittany (from Alvin and the Chipmunks) beanie baby and she was beyond excited. She screamed! The look on her face gives a hint of how thrilled she was.

Here's the party guests lined up and looking cute.

I found this cupcake holder and we went with the pink and brown look that seems to be so popular. I thought it turned out very cute!

The loot

Samantha and her friend Ashlynd

We took the family to Applebee's for dinner that night. Our kids love it when the waiters sing to them. Not to mention their own ice cream treat!



We gave Samantha a few more gifts that night. This is one of my favorites. It's eight episodes of the TV show "Punky Brewster". I L-O-V-E-D that show when I was eight years old and would wait every Sunday for it to come on, even enduring my big brothers giving me a hard time about it. It's been a kick to hear my kids talking about it and saying "Punky-isms" like "grossaroo". The best was when Samantha wasn't going to sleep one night when Grandma and Grandpa Wilkins were visiting. I told her to count sheep. She came back out a few minutes later and said, "Mom, sheep #9 just crashed into the fence!!!" I laughed and laughed while she told me that's what Punky said. :o)

Because her next b-day is only a few short months away, instead of a picture of her from every year of her life, I'm going to post some of my favorite baby pictures of her.


Brand new family


Blessing day. She's wearing my blessing dress. So sweet, isn't she?


Seriously. How cute is this picture?! She's about 3 months old here.


Fresh out of the bath. This is the only time my babies look like they have curly hair.


This pictures is not posed. She put her hands behind her head all the time! When she slept or relaxed or whatever. I guess it was comfy!


If you look closely you can see milk dribbling out of her mouth. Why do I find that so adorable?


How expressive is this face?


At least all was right with the world shortly thereafter. :o)
(This was about how old she was when people -- even strangers -- started telling me she looked like Boo from Monsters Inc.)


My baby is ONE!


Taking a bath in Grandma Lay's sink. I have a picture of myself at about the same age taking a bath in my Grandma Lay's kitchen sink.


Sweet girl on a summer day

Samantha is 10 months old and had been walking for about a week in this video. (Yes, Ross growls at me because I run into him. Silly man.)


See? I told you she slept with her little hands behind her head! Kids are so sweet when they wake up happy like this.


This is Samantha and her daddy on the day Ross graduated from BYU. He's playing the piano that was in my Grandma and Grandpa Lay's house for years.


She'll be nine in just a few months from now, so obviously it's taken me a long time to post all about these festivities. But more than a report on the fun, I have to write down a few things about my beautiful daughter.
She's gorgeous. I know I'm the mommy, but she just is. Even as a tiny baby she had these amazing long eyelashes that curl up perfectly.
She's got a good imagination and is constantly "doing stories" as she puts it.
She loves to read. That makes me happy because so do I. Some of her teachers have told me she reminds them of Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" because she's always walking around "with her nose stuck in a book".
She's very helpful when I need a "go-fer" kid. I love that she's so willing to get things for me when I ask. It helps to have the extra hands!

She is VIBRANT. Enough said.