How about an opportunity to go hang out at the Zoo with your family AND see friends along the way? When Verizon hosted their Moto Zoo Event this month and asked me to tag along, I was pumped! My kids don't EVER pass down a chance to run around and see the animals, and the fact that we went after normal business hours made them feel all sorts of cool.

We started our evening with the train and Reese told everyone behind her, "It's my BIRTHDAY!" [It wasn't. Her birthday was still two weeks away...] Then my husband and I tried to keep up [we barely could] while they ran to see the new tiny penguins. We casually led the kids to the Gheens Room where the event was being hosted and we were welcomed with food, an open bar and some cute Verizon hosted games like a bean-bag-toss.

There were kids running around galore and any opportunity we can get to socialize our own children [who have been blessed with an in-home nanny their whole lives], we try to! I also ran in to a few friends I hadn't seen in years AND I got to meet my sweet blogging friend Danielle, who helped host the whole thing! [If you don't yet follow her, you need to. She's super stylish, hilarious AND both of us have a daughter named Reese! Oh, and my kids were instantly obsessed with her, so there's that.]

After the crowd enjoyed their food and drinks and mingling, the Zoo brought out a few animals and the room instantly quieted. There was a little chinchilla [adorable!] and a hedgehog. Pierson and Reese were amazed and it was a really sweet moment for me to watch Pierson [who I think is our current biggest animal lover, he takes after his mama], hold out his hands and follow directions really well.

A special thanks to Verizon for putting on this event! They had their new Motorola Z Force phone there for us to try, as well as speakers and an awesome projector. They used the projector to show the kids some cartoons and the quality was insanely clear. [The cartoon was also super helpful because for my very energetic and social children, they sat and ate for a solid five minutes, high five!]

**Thanks, Verizon, for sponsoring this post and event! It was a blast!**

How did this happen? How did three years fly by SO quickly? September 14, 2013 our daughter decided she was ready to be born and in five speedy hours, she graced us with her beautiful self. We were surrounded by so many friends and family, and most importantly for me, my sweet Mama [and Dad and brother Nathan] were here for the whole thing! They missed my son's birth just by minutes, so with Reese, they decided to be in Kentucky an entire week before she came! We missed them at her third birthday party, but my goodness how loved this little girl is!

For WEEKS she talked about having a "Princess" themed party but kept saying that she really wanted a "Frozen" cake. So I found a picture of the cake and she was so excited. Nords Bakery has been our go-to for our kids' birthday cakes, and they went out of this world with this one! It looked even better than I dreamed, and Reese LOVED it! I thought if we did simple pastel cupcakes, they would look elegant enough and they definitely DID, thanks Kroger!

Shari's Berries sent THE most delicious treats I think I've ever tasted, their cake pops being my absolute FAVORITE. Within seconds of Reese blowing out her candles and us cutting the cake, the hand-dipped strawberries and cake pops were GONE. [I actually told one of my nephews that I really needed the *last* cake pop because I wanted to save it and eat it later that night, ha!] They even sent Reese her very own mini cake, decorated so tastefully with sprinkles. [We enjoyed the treats so much and got SO full at the party, that we saved the mini cake for her actual birthday--photos to come since her birthday is two days away] ;)

I remember the second my sweet girl was set in my arms, staring down at her as she so easily nursed, and I thought, "She's done it... She's completed our little family, and I am so in love." For the first few months she was quite possibly the easiest baby in the world, which is saying something because her brother was textbook Babywise. She had some funky spurts, maybe a little colic or just tummy sensitivity, and I'll never forget our first Christmas with her... it was the first Christmas I didn't make it back home to Michigan because she was sleeping so terribly and I was way overly stressed out. But really, she fit so well in our family--she was the cuddly baby I had prayed so hard for, she slept perfectly in my tired arms, and I held so tightly to every single month of her babyhood.

Now here we are... three years later, and I'm holding perhaps even tighter to the toddler years. The LAST year we will have a toddler! As exhausting as some of those two-isms and threenager bouts are, how I love these stages!! Reese wore her Frozen Ana dress for her party this year and later that night I told my mom, "She was just SO happy the entire time." Everything about it really was just magical."

ProFlowers sent us some gorgeous bouquets for this special event and everyone complimented how gorgeous they were. They also lasted for an entire week after the party and there's probably nothing I love more in my house than fresh, beautiful flowers.

Some of my best friends and ALL of our local Kentucky family made it for the party, and I was just reminded of how incredibly blessed we are. Even my brother and sweet sis-in-law came from Nashville, which meant SO much to Reese (and ME!) The cousins all cheered her on as she opened gifts, and at the end, she opened her very special doll house that my parents sent her.

Reese Elisabeth. Our little firecracker, our adventurous spirit. She's beautiful and brave, curious and intelligent. And I thank every single one of you who help us love her!

Favorite Phrases:
"Mommy don't put your hair up!!!!!!" [okay this one is actually most despised phrase...but hush]
"I love you to the moon and back."
"Are you sweaty, Daddy?!"
"I like your shirt. I like your hair. You look SO pretty!"
"I poooooooped!"

Favorite Books:
Pinkalicious
Pat the Bunny
The Bible Storybook
Frozen Songbook

Favorite Songs:
Fight Song
Stand by You
Let it Go
Oh Holy Night
Silent Night
Sunshine
Moon Song [I don't want to live on the moon]