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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Kensington ·

Happy Birthday, Kensington!


On Sunday, September 15th, this sweet girl right here turns ELEVEN YEARS OLD.

I don’t know how that happened because friends, I feel like I just had her yesterday.  I remember the day we went into the hospital so well!!  Andrew and I woke up and were too anxious to go to church (we were being induced later that day), so we cleaned the house and got it all ready to bring home our baby.  We didn’t know if it was a girl or a boy, but we were SO anxious to meet him/her.

Here I am…getting ready to walk out the door and head to the hospital to have my baby 🙂 .

And here we are, a family of three, a lot of hours later (geez!), meeting face to face for the very first time.

It went by in a blink.

Our family might be twice as big now, but this girl still holds that same special place in our hearts.  She is truly unique, and I cannot imagine our world without her in it.

In honor of her 11th birthday, I thought I’d share 11 things about Kensington Kate…

#1: We always joke that if Kensington had it her way, I’d still be pregnant with her.  This girl loves being near her mama (and her mama loves it too!).  She’s really shy until you get to know her and then, she’s a little fireball.  She is the life of the party and the one with all the spunk and energy if she feels comfortable in the room.  I love it when her big personality comes out to shine!  We also joke about this because…I went into the hospital on September 14th to be induced.  They broke my water and started all the meds and by 1:30 PM the next day (yeah, like 18 hours later), I still wasn’t even dilated to a one and my doctor said “this baby does not want to come out; it’s like he/she crawled even further up”…so, I had a c-section and she arrived at 2:34 PM on September 15th  🙂 .

#2: She’s super loyal.  Kensington loves her people hard.  She loves her family and friends, she’s so fantastic about always making sure everyone is included, she writes people cards and notes, she prays for them at dinner/bedtime…she LOVES big.  She is often an example to me about how important it is to show people love every chance you get.

#3: Kensington has never had a surgery, but she has had stitches.  She fell off her bed a few summers ago and landed on…the Eiffel Tower.  Yeah.  She has an Eiffel Tower decoration in her room and for some reason that day, she had placed it on the floor, so she landed right on it and now has a lovely scar on the back of her thigh that she proudly tells people came from being gouged by the Eiffel Tower 😉 .

#4: Kensington is allergic to gold.  Gold?  Yup, gold.  Another random little fact about our girl.  She has the heart of gold…and is allergic to gold.

#5: Kensington loves watching movies on the Hallmark channel.  When a new movie starts, she’ll be quick to say in the first 60 seconds “oh that girl will end up with that guy”, but it doesn’t stop her from watching the whole thing.  One of our favorite things to do on a Sunday afternoon is cuddle up together on the couch and take in a cheesy holiday inspired Hallmark movie.  She loves to drink Earl Grey Tea while she watches too with a splash of milk.

#6: Kensington is very into Marie Curie right now.  She reads so many books about her, can tell you endless facts about her life (and the lives of her family members), and can give you all the details about her work.  We are Marie Curie people over here now!

#7: For Kensington’s 9th birthday, she got a puppy (after years of asking for one), and I was nervous at first about how that would go down, but oh my word, they love each other so much!  Kensington and Frenchie are inseparable.  They sleep together, they play together, when K is at school, that dog sleeps under her desk up in her room and waits out the school day…it is the sweetest relationship.

#8: Kensington found “her thing” about 18 months ago and it has transformed her little personality.  Kensington (who tried soccer one season, basketball one season, gymnastics for three years and has been in dance for 8 years) has fallen madly in love with volleyball.  I don’t know if it’s a love that will last a lifetime, but it’s her love right now and it has given her the most amazing boost of confidence, brought her out of her shell, and genuinely made her so happy.  I didn’t know how much she needed “a thing” until she got one and now, I’m so thankful for it.  She has grown so much over the last 18 months.

#9: Kensington would eat a ground beef meal every day for the rest of her life if she could.  She’s not a huge breakfast person, but would eat a Sloppy Joe if you offered her one.

#10: Kensington’s favorite subject is science and says she wants to be a doctor when she grows up.  That’s after she plays volleyball at Kansas State University 😉 .

#11: Kensington has been the very best big sister to her three siblings.  She is our most independent kiddo and loves doing things by herself, but will stop what she’s doing to play with one of the younger kids.  She is creative, she is sincere, she is so bright, so funny, so sweet and such a Godly daughter who we just love so much!

This weekend, she gets to do some of her very favorite things for her birthday: she gets to eat dinner and hang out with Ebby Lee, she gets to play volleyball, she gets to see her family and she gets a creative/artsy birthday party on Sunday.  A special weekend for a special girl.  Happy birthday, Kensington Kate!!

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Comments

  2. Dana says

    Happy birthday, sweet Kensington! We had a little outfit from that last Gymboree sleeper. Those little patterns they used to do were so sweet!!

    • Liz says

      Happy happy birthday Kensington!! You are so special! She reminds me of my Grace. People think she’s quiet but once she’s comfortable, she’s the life of the party. Loyal and artistic. I love how kids are all so different and we get to be their mom.

  5. Erika Slaughter says

    Happy Happy BIRTHDAY to one of my FAVORITE people in the world! I always say that if I’m invited to a party, I hope K gets the invite too. She celebrates her people so well! Side note…Tab is so glad she grew out of screaming every time she saw his face. ??????‍♀️

  9. Mary Ashleigh says

    I had wanted to be a doctor since I was 6. Now I’m in my second year of internal medicine residency. Your girl can do anything she’s puts her mind to and I hope she’s sticks with her dream of medicine! It’s the best job ever! Happy Birthday Kensington!!

  12. Melissa Terry says

    Happy birthday to your sweet girl! I loved seeing all those old pictures of her…do you remember where you got the headband in #4? I LOVE it and would love to get one for our baby girl we are in the process of bringing home this fall.

  13. Jenny Cole says

    Happy Birthday to my birthday buddy! I noticed last year that we are both Sept 15 babies. As is Prince Harry ?

  16. Holly Allen says

    Happy Birthday to Kensington! I daughter discovered volleyball two years ago in 6th grade. After trying so many other sports, she fell in LOVE switch volleyball! She wants to play ALL the time! She’s 13 and 5’10 1/2” (?), so I think she landed on the “right “ sport?

  18. Gail says

    Our first babies share a birthday; I had my son on Sept 15 last year. 🙂 Happy birthday to Kensington!

  19. Lindsay D says

    Some of my girls love Marie Curie too – has K seen the Who Was show on Netflix? They’re a series of books about peoples/places/things from history and now there’s this show too. My kids love it and there’s a great one on Marie Curie 🙂

  20. Susan says

    Happy Birthday to such a beautiful girl! She is really starting to look more grown up I can tell she is such a sweet hearted girl. What a beautiful family you have.

  21. DONELLA G DULWORTH says

    Happy Birthday, Kensington! Your grandma Cheryl is my special cousin, and you remind me so much of her when she was a little girl! I hope you have an awesome week-end!

  22. Janie Reinert says

    Happy Birthday to Kensington ! She’s beautiful on the outside & inside ! Your daughter is learning from the best !!

  24. Kendra mccamey says

    Oh Shay I just loved reading this! Your daughter is the sweetest! Sending her a happy birthday hug!

  27. Mary says

    Gosh, K is the spitting image of Andrew. A beautiful girl. And that means she’ll probably be tall which will definitely be a plus in volleyball!

  28. Kara says

    I loved this post. K is so pretty-I think all the middle school girls are going to be jealous if how beautiful she is inside and out

  29. MelanieL says

    Happy birthday to Kensington! Growing up so fast. I love that she’s into Marie Curie…I was able to see her and her husband’s burial site in the Pantheon in Paris this summer! 🙂

  32. Yley Allen says

    Aww hope she has a wonderful birthday! She looks so grown up in those recent pictures! My son turns 8 this month and my heart can hardly handle how big my only baby is getting! But it sure is fun watching him grow- I’m sure you feel the same ? Happy Birthday!

  33. Carly says

    Happy Birthday Kensington! You are growing into such a lovely little lady. Do either you or K have some favorite Fall Hallmark movies?

  34. Michelle O says

    Happy Birthday Kensington!! Such a beautiful girl inside and out! Hope you have a wonderful birthday weekend.

  35. Andrea McAnally says

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Kensington! For me she will always be that teeny tiny little newborn OR the toddler with the goggle imprints on her face 🙂 Love her so much!

  36. Liz Thorson says

    What a lovely post about your dear, precious Kensington! How wonderful it must be to parent such a gem of a girl! Happy 11th Birthday to Kensington!?????????

  37. Mary E Feagley says

    I don’t know if you can find one, but my daughter had a really cute Marie Curie shirt from Target a couple of years ago. I’ll bet if not, there are others out there! If she hasn’t discovered the “Who Is” “Who Was” series (there is a Marie Curie one), I’ll be she’d love it! Just some recs from a HS English teacher (and girl mom)!

  39. Lauren says

    Happy Birthday Kensington! A movie is being made about Marie Curie starring Rosamund Pike! The trailer just came out

  44. Robin OSBORNE says

    When I was her age I was very into Eleanor Roosevelt. I would read everything I could about her. She is still one of my heroes.

  46. Angela Ellingson says

    So sweet! Great list! Such a little dolly, especially in those pictures when she’s really little. Adorable!!!

  47. Kathy Martens says

    Happy birthday Kensington! I loved Marie Curie too when I was about your age! I found her life and work fascinating!

  48. DANIELLE K RIGG says

    Happy Birthday! I hope she has a wonderful day. Must be a first born thing. My daughter is the same way…shy until comfortable and then people can not believe it is the same girl!
    Love that she dreams big! I think she will be an amazing doc!

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