Fun with the Finger's: Cohen Turns 7!

We have spent this weekend celebrating our sweet Cohen's 7th birthday. I am honestly in disbelief that she is 7 years old. I know I say this all the time, but time is really just going by way too fast and I really do not like it. I can say that the last 7 years have been the best. Cohen is my first baby and it is she that really teaches me what being a mom is all about. I learn everything with her because she goes through everything first. I know it is my job to teach her but she also teaches me in return and my life truly changed when I had her. While she teaches me daily, she also challenges me daily. To describe Cohen would take several words but a few that come to mind are incredibly smart, to the point of being almost too smart sometimes! She is extremely observant and is watching when you don't even think she is. She is definitely sassy! This little girl can hold her own for sure, but we can go rounds with each other! She is a perfectionist for sure. This is a struggle for me to deal with at times. On the plus side of this, she is determined at learning things and can usually catch on and do a good job. She can be the funniest and silliest little girl. She has really turned into a silly little girl especially around her friends. I like that she loves to have fun and hope she will stay that way...and it won't get her in trouble at school when sometimes being silly isn't the best! Some things Cohen is into right now:

She loves to read and is excellent at it. She has read so many books this year which I love. She has already met her first grade reading goal. We have always had reading time at bedtime and we still do that. She will read on her own a lot and I hope she always enjoys reading.
She is really into fixing her hair, or having me fix her hair I should say. And I am no hair dresser so we can butt heads sometimes. She likes to find fancy hair dos on You Tube and then wants me to do them. The days of a side pony tail being fancy are over! Bad news for me!
She loves her iPad and not only loves games but loves books on it too which is a plus. At least its not all game time, right!?
She loves to have her nails painted--toenails and fingernails!
Continues to love twirling her baton and will be starting her competitions in exactly 1 month!
Has started piano and really loves it so far. She changed from voice lessons to piano lessons in January and so far it is going well.

I could really go on all day on how special she is to our whole family. She is a great big sister to both Kate and Bryce. I love my girl with all my heart and feel privileged that God chose me to be her mom. I know He will equip me with all the right tools to handle her! haha!

Now on our birthday weekend celebration...it all started on Friday which was her birthday. She woke up so excited like every other 7 year old. It was a rare day where she hopped right up instead of trying to snooze away. I had bought her a flashing birthday crown so she was pretty excited to have that and even took off out the door to school with it on. I'm sure they loved me at school :) I was taking snack to her class for her birthday at 1:00. Kate, Bryce, and I headed to the school for a quick birthday snack of cookie cake, cupcakes, and cheese popcorn. It was a quick little visit but she seemed to be enjoying her day. I snapped these quick pictures, one of her and one of her and her friend Rylie. These 2 have been in school together since their first year as 2 year olds at First Friends. I could cry and cry just looking at it thinking about those 2 as little babies at the preschool! Another reminder of how time is flying by without my permission!

I was back at school to pick her up at 3:20. Josie came home with us and was spending the night with us too. We had Cohen's birthday party later that night and Cohen had informed me that it was a tradition that Josie spend the night with her on her birthday party night. I love that she calls this a tradition and honestly it has been going on for probably 3 years or more. I love these sweet girls and I hope this is a tradition they carry on for the next 15 years! We quickly jumped into party mode after school, getting everything packed up and ready to head to the bowling alley at Emmanuel College. Cohen had chose a bowling party this year and Emmanuel's small bowling alley was the perfect place. They also have a Papa John's pizza there which sealed the deal. We had a great turn out and all the kids seemed to have a great time bowling. I can't think everyone enough for coming out and making her party and birthday so special. I really have to thank Westley and Blake for helping with the kids bowling. I had not even thought of how all those details would work out but these 2 jumped right in and got everyone's name in and helped them bowl. That was such a big help!! I tried to snap a few pictures from the night.

The girls had to hold the balloons in the back with them...they were covered up for sure!

My favorite detail from the party was by far the cake! Anyone who knows me knows I am all about the birthday cake. Well this one was fabulous, both in taste and appearance. Shannon Dean from Toccoa made my cake and I highly recommend her to anyone needing a cake of any kind. She did a phenomenal job as you can tell from this cake!

Even Kate bowled and she is always quick to want to watch. Annie was helping her out.

My nanny came and joined the fun. She was definitely entertained and had a lot to watch with all these kids!

Bebe, Devin, & Auntie P! Bebe was fresh off of a 10 day Caribbean cruise!

Of course I have to attempt a group shot of everyone! They did really well considering this many kids needing to smile all at once. We have a few boys hiding in the back...you can see glimpses of them! haha! And in our funny picture Elliott decided to jump in for that one...loved that!

Kate had started asking for birthday cake the minute we got to the party and I took it out of the box. She would come to me with a plate and say, "please can i have cake." I had to keep putting her off until we sang and cut the cake. This little top layer was left and we had set it to the side. I happened to glance over and see her right there at it taking some little pieces for herself. I love this girl!

Wesley and Kate were so sweet! These two have become friends just like their big sisters!

a picture of all 3!!! woo hoo!

Cohen told me she loved her bowling party and I'm so glad she did! We got to celebrate one last time on Sunday afternoon after church. We had lunch at Sug and Pop's house and Cohen got to open gifts from them, Nana, and Uncle Davis. We decided that since everything was hectic on Friday night we would let them take their gifts back to their house and then she could open them Sunday. She got some money to shop with, a gift card, and the roller skates she wanted! Since Sunday turned out to be such a pretty day, she was able to get outside and try out these new skates. So far so good! It was one fabulous birthday weekend for a fabulous 7 year old!