I typically don’t consider myself a sappy person. I chronicle everything via photographs and writing, and embrace the new phases of our life and our children. But I have to say that my baby girl turning five on Easter is really hitting me hard. Needless to say, house projects have come to a screeching halt and I am all about appreciating this upcoming milestone. Our almost five year old happens to be our miracle baby so each time I think about it, I am overwhelmed with the joy she brings us. With Easter and her birthday falling on the same day, I am trying hard to make sure she still feels special. The color pink will begin showing up everywhere around here! I have started with some flowers and picked up some cute lanterns from The Dollar Tree which I will begin hanging this week. I also plan to make one of those cute pennant banners you see all over blog land. We are celebrating with family and keeping it cozy. 
I thought it would be fun to start pulling photos of her from the last five years and placing them around the house. She loves seeing them pop up all over the place. I even stumbled upon her first bathing suit {so tiny} and have hung it on her wall in her room. I love it so much it just might stay there. Oh, and that cute white vase is the pencil holder from The Container Store! 
Our sweet Riley has always had a smile on her face and has been a lover of the beach and water since day one. It’s so fun to look back at photos from her first birthday. She seemed so big back then. 
{age 3} 
{Almost age 5! We have started the birthday party circuit with all of her little friends. This was just yesterday while riding ponies at a local zoo} Thank you for letting me walk down memory lane a bit as we prepare to celebrate Riley’s fifth birthday! Hope you all had wonderful weekend. Is anyone else reaching a major milestone with their kiddos? Please tell me I am not the only sappy one around right now. 
She's a doll! Happy 5th birthday, Riley. 5 is so fun, I remember it from a year or 20 ago.
Courtney, she is just precious. What a beautiful little girl. She looks a lot like you! How special that she shares her birthday with the resurrection of Christ. It's truly a celebration of life!
I'm really excited to meet Riley one day when I'm down in Southern California for school. She reminds me a lot of me when I was little from few things I know about her.
Happy birthday to your sweet girlie girl!
xoxo
She is too cute. Enjoy celebrating her birthday and Easter together.
Too precious! Enjoy each minute of it, it goes by quickly. We will soon enter a very exciting time in our lives as both girls become SENIORS (one high school, one college). We look forward to celebrating all of their accomplishments with them next year. Seems like just yesterday dad was bringing them home their giant FAO Schwartz bears for THEIR 5th birthdays!!
Happy Birthday little lady! Lovely photos 🙂 I won't be surprised if I feel the same way when my little girl turns 5 later this year.
Oh Courtney she is beautiful!!! She looks like such a sweetheart- I'm sure she gets it from her mommy!! : ) And she is my kind of girl with those hairbows- I used to refuse to leave the house without a big one slapped on the top of my head!
Have so much fun celebrating her birthday this week! I can't wait to hear about it! Happy early birthday to Riley!
And I'm catching up on your blog- hello, can you please come organize my basement? We don't have a garage but I could definitely use your mad skills in the hubby's "workshop area" AKA big pile of junk!! 🙂
Happy Monday, hon!!
My oldest turned 5 last August so I totally know what you are feeling! She's so precious…thanks for sharing pics with use 🙂
Paula
I don't even know her, or do I have children (yet), but I got a little teary eyed reading this. Happy early birthday to her and congrats to you. She is a beautiful little girl. Congrats!
I definitely meant "I don't even know her, nor do I have children….." Sorry for the bad grammar–haha…ill finish my coffee now. : )
I get super sentimental over my kids birthdays every year. Everyone says it, but it's just crazy how quickly they grow up! The pics are so cute! What a sweetheart!
So sweet — she is simply adorable! I'm totally sappy too when it comes to my kids. It's a catch 22 for me…Sloan turning 5 means kindergarten…public school…no more preschool bill! But she's also my baby and I panic at how fast it's flying by now! My firstborn baby is almost 10!?!?!?!?!
Enjoy your week with your little precious!
Such a sweet post, and she's gorgeous! I don't htink I knew she is a miracle baby? Story?
Aww happy birthday Riley! Love that sweet face.
Happy Birthday Riley, she is adorable and 5 is such a fun age!
What a sweet post, I really enjoyed reading about your Riley 🙂 And, she's such a beauty!!! Mine turned 2 in Feb., and I'm still having a hard time believing she's that grown up!
Happy 5th Birthday Riley!!!
She is soooo darling Courtney! I can only imagine the mix of emotions you are going through right now. She will always be your baby- even when she's all grown up!
Such a sweet post! She is the cutest "almost" 5 year old girl ever! I hope she has a great birthday this Sunday. 🙂
The sappiness is 100% OK!!! I love remembering special milestones in my own life, especially the ones that I celebrate since meeting my boyfriend, Zachary! It is great to recognize & appreciate those special times :o)
I just can't get enough of seeing her. I have her picture beside my bed so I can see her happy face as I wake up….of course the 3 of you are in it too.
Aunt Mary
What a sweet post, Courtney…I love it when everyone just keeps it real and how adorable is Riley??? (c: My oldest is four and it is just going by all too quickly! I'm pretty sure you are going to make the day phenominal (I mean c'mon, she already got to ride a pony!) for your little princess, hope we get to see pictures! (c:
My oldest daughter will celebrate her 30th birthday this year and I still remember being the only Mom at the school bus crying when I sent her off to school when she was 5! We're celebrating in a big way and taking a trip together to New York! For us Canadians New York is a big deal and we can hardly wait. It's good to be sentimental, it means your heart has really loved.
You are too sweet! Happy Birthday to Riley!! She's so lucky to have such a cool, fun, sassy, and creative mom! Miss you!
xoxox
C
My daughter turned five in October, and it's so bittersweet watching them grow up! My boys are 12 and 10 and just today I was looking at pictures I found of them when they were probably 4 and 2 – oh, such sweet little boys – I miss that. Although I know that time makes my mind forget that they were definitely a lot of WORK at that age, but I would love to just go back in time for a few days… 🙂
So precious! My baby girl is turning 5 in July. She's headed to kindergarten too! I can't believe how fast time flies! Have fun celebrating!
Mine are 2 1/2 and 1 and I try to stay aware of the upcoming milestones in the day to day grind. I absolutely got a lump in my throat thinking about your milestone and how time goes so fast with babies. Great post!
What a beauty! I catch myself getting emotional pretty much every day. I'll look at my boy and his smile and am flooded with gratefulness. 🙂 Happy birthday to your sweet girl!
Aww, too sweet. She is so precious! Have a wonderful time celebrating Easter and her birthday on Sunday!
Courtney, this is the sweetest post. It was fun to see the photos of Riley as a baby and up until now. She is such a sweetie and what a pretty smile. Happy Birthday to Riley. I bet she is helping you plan her special day and I can't wait to see photos!
What a precious little girl!! Happy 5th birthday to her – and what a special birthday it is. We are moving my oldest son into his big boy room and I already wonder where all the time has gone…and the time just seems to fly by faster and faster!
She's just adorable. Happy Birthday Riley!
Happy birthday to your sweet daughter!
OMG, she is the sweetest! happy birthday to your princess!!