Ode to the 8 Year Old Birthday Girl

It's really that day. The day Cali turns 8 years old. I can hardly stand it and if I dwell on it, I'll cry.
This however brought a smile to my heart!
We all love Cali Bay...She is the blessing we didn't expect and couldn't live without!

A poem from her big sister...

Well lets just start with saying happy birthday Cal! 
I wanted to say how much I love you, and how much I love you being my pal :)

You're such a sweet girl, with a very kind heart. 
Your smile is like a key to a car, it makes everyone start!

Your laugh is irreplaceable, so high and cute! 
Just make sure you keep that up, cause what's not too cute is when you toot!

My oh my, where has time gone?!
You've become a amazing person, just keep growing along :)

I know you'll do great things, I know you'll have fun. 
You'll create something brighter than that big sun!

You'll make people happy, you'll share what you know. 
You'll do what you love. And never stop, just go, go, go!

I can't believe your already 8!
Man, oh man. I hope your birthdays great! 

Don't grow up too fast, I'll miss you too much!
You'll start wearing bras, dating boys, and such!

I hope you have a fabulous day!
Mwah! I love you more than words can say!

It's a Fairy Party

Well, technically we weren't having a party but I assure you, the fairies will be!

For the last 6 weeks, I have held a craft class after school one day a week.

We have made salt dough and hardened it in the microwave, we made some posters about our teachers based on information they shared about themselves, we made wire hearts, and we made stuffies out of sweater sleeves.

This is one of my favorites!

 

 These were a few that I made with my older girls at home to take in as examples.  

Cali and I made the caterpillar and Cali's friend Joe made the duck.

During the first class I brought a fairy house book for Cali to look at while she was waiting for the class to end. It turns out it was pretty popular with all of the kids. Our fourth week I asked the kids what they would like to make next and they were unanimous in wanting to make fairy houses, so we did!

Today ended our six weeks of class and also the culmination of fairy houses. We started them last week and finished them today. Here are the results.

This fairy house has a welcome sign and a wonderful path.

 

I know this picture is blurry but I wanted to show you all the jewels this little girl thought her fairy house needed!

Yes, that sign does read 'Casino'.  This fairy house was made by a couple 6th graders.

And every casino needs a toilet!

I must say all the color in the room was energizing. I am starting a 'energize yourself' project when we return from spring break and one of the things on the list is to wear bright colors. After today, there is no doubt in my mind it works. I know I left the class today feeling pretty peppy and I am certain is was the bright colors and thoughts of spring and summer.

This little girl wanted her little stuffie in the picture. :)   She layered her tent and don't you love the flower-pool of jewels?!

This is a fairy flower forest.

 And here is another one.

That is a flower chair and against the wall is the t.v.  Do you notice the armrests?

Evidently a mean fairy lives here!  :)

Here is Lucy's Garden. Look at the little acorn overhead. So sweet!

And this little girl finished early so she made a sweet little fairy with a darling acorn cap-adorned hat!


It's been a while but I'm hoping to do it more often. I'm joining in at the Magic Onions- Friday's Nature Table-you should too!

Happy Happy Birthday to my Sweet Baby

Today you are 6!

You were such a delightful surprise; you have a become the sweetest blessing.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl. I love you more than life!

A Party for Calani Bay

For the least two years we haven't really had what we call a friend-birthday party for Cali. Her birthday just so happens to fall at an extremely busy time of year, well they all do  these days. But also she just didn't know a lot of kids her age. So instead we had family-birthdays only. Most of the older kids she knows are like family so they just came to dinner with us and we called it good.

This year we were determined that she would have a proper over-the-top, obnoxiously hectic birthday party. And she did! :)


She decided she wanted a theme, which we used loosely at best. It was Candyland!

The party was held at the cheerleading gym she attends.  It's pretty much an hour or so of non-stop bouncing, jumping, flipping, throwing, etc.
Then the next our is in the party room having snacks, cake, opening presents, handing out goody bags and then your done.

With in the confines of our normal insanity**, she had a fabulous time and fun was had by all.

Several of the kids from her kindergarten showed up. Thank goodness they all didn't. I actually invited everyone not wanting to leave anyone out.  Several other friends were there as well too.

One of the favorite spots to play in the gym is the foam pit. The kids love to jump in it and we now know its fun to throw people in it too!

At least a half-hour was spent throwing kids in, and occasionally a Mom or Uncle. Some adults were happier about it than others. Just saying!

 The balls we picked up for the goody bags were a huge hit! There was a ball fort and a dodge ball battle going on for a  bit.

As you all know Daddy makes the cakes. And in the words of my amazed 6 year old. Hers was the best Candyland cake in the world!

She received many presents which she found quite fun. Especially when she realized the birthday fairy would still be visiting in 2 sleeps. :)

I have forgotten a bit what a birthday party is like with oodles of little people. The big girls have different types of celebrations these days. Little people are tiring. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I'd do it again. And I'm guessing I will- next year!

Until then, Cali has many happy, crazy, fun and over the top memories to carry her through!

And so do I!

Cake Daddy

Daddy makes the cakes! That's the rule in this house. And Cali would never be one to break the rules! ;)

I didn't feel like we were as prepared as we usually are. I think we have hit pandemonium with our schedules. (Of course, every year I think this!)

Regardless, Scott came through yet again.

Cali helped a little but mostly ate LOTS of candy in the cake making process. It is rather amazing she didn't toss all of her party-cookies by the end the day.

The final product was amazing and she LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!

 Isn't life a wonderful thing when you make magic happen for your babies!

Happy Birthday My Sweet Teenage Girl

I think back and it seems you were just a baby in my arms. A little girl holding your Daddy's ear drinking from you sippy cup. I'm not sure when it started happening but you are growing and changing daily, right before my eyes. You are bright and beautiful, sweet and fun, a peace-loving, naturally caring teenager and I am so very proud of you. 

Love that my girl still likes soft cuddly things!

Happy 13th Birthday Cori.

I Love you so much more than you will ever, ever know!

It was a busy Birth-Day

Cassi woke up early; I felt her stirring. She slept with me last night.  I did my best to talk her into going back to sleep.  I don't think it worked.  It seemed like only a minute later and she was saying to me, "Come on mom, get up, it's my birthday!"

Of course the Birthday Fairy made a midnight visit.  And she brought great gifts. Like earphones for all the girls and a soccer blanket for Cassi. And really cool mini travel pillows that are really, really soft.

Cassi also got her very own camera. She's been taking an after school photography class.  She shows a real eye for great photos. I think she is quite excited to have her own camera to take back to school when she returns from spring break. And of course, it's pink.

We had a rather low key day and stuck fairly close to home for most of it. It was a gorgeous day so the girls played outside a little bit, then Amber came by and we went to see the movie,  Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  It was super cute and I think the girls enjoyed it.

After the movie we had a little ice cream cake. It's been a strange birthday week for Cassi because we actually celebrated last week while her Dad was still home by going to Extreme Tubing. (It was a last minute decision and was only supposed to be a small family affair.  It turned into a bit more but not the friend party she had thought she'd have this weekend.

Long story short, all plans have changed and instead of having a party she has decided to go one more time to Extreme Tubing with a different friend on Sunday. Phew. While we usually have a rather big get together for birthdays, Cassi will instead have 3 different days to remember for year number 11.

I was wondering if she will ever remember this day. I remember my 11th year because I moved to Georgia that year. I don't recall my birthday however, in fact I remember very few of them. Maybe because we will have this blogging journal, she'll have a better chance.

Here she is, at the exact moment she turned 11. She was born at 10:16pm.  This is a big deal to her so I am glad she made it to the minute tonight.  She enjoyed the moment. She even sang to herself, "For she's a jolly good fellow..."  It made me giggle because really, she is!

My Birthday Baby- SHE'S 11

Not to worry, I know she isn't the youngest and I didn't forget the one who is. It's just that ALL of my girls will ALWAYS be my babies.  ALWAYS! And today, this one has turned 11!  *tear-drops*

Here is she is on her special day- looking like a little Ice-Birthday Fairy.  Seriously, this is everything she is.
She is all about the glitter and glitz. She carries herself like royalty, with all the class of a true princess.

~Happy Birthday My Baby~ 

~May this 11th Year~
~Bring you all the things dreams are made of~

The Birthday Fairy Flies Again

You knew it would happen, right?
Yeah, so did Cali!
That Birthday Fairy came through just like Cali knew she would.

Cali went to sleep with dreams of magical things happening in the night. What sweet dreams they were.

Cori woke her up at 7:00AM! I was tired and ready to kill her! And that my friends is putting it VERY kindly. I convinced Cali to come to bed with me BEFORE heading downstairs, thank goodness as I would have never got her back in the bed had she seen this.

When she woke up she to me, "Do you have something you would like to say to me?"
"Happy Birthday my sweet birthday girl", I said. :)

We headed downstairs to find her new bike that Scott and I picked out for her. Before you question our thinking, let me just say THIS IS ONE BEEFY TRICYCLE.


She can haul her sisters around, they can haul her and it has created so many opportunities for creative play. It has already been worth every penny.
Not to mention I am pretty certain there are grooves in my kitchen floor for the amount of times she has ridden the thing around the kitchen table.

We really did have a wonderful day. The birthday fairy brought this wonderful game called I SPY-Eagle Eye. I must say, if you have a preschooler or kindergartner, this game pretty much puts the kids on equal playing ground. We played a lot that day. And she won often which is so much better on your birthday!

She got to wear her birthday tiara which we have been patiently waiting for.
And that fairy found great clothes to go with it; including underclothes which are very important to Cali these days!

AND it all matches the tricycle. Can there be anything better than that for a princess girl?


Later in the day we went for her birthday dinner. It is always the choice of the birthday girl as to where we go. Guess where we were headed? Yep, McD's. Sadly, when we got there, parties were already going on so we took her to the next best thing, because they have a playground too, Carl's JR. Who Hoo!



Grandpa and GiGi came in to have dinner and cake with us. And of course, Cali just knew Grandpa was bringing a baby doll. And he did. Not the exact one she expected since they sold out but a baby just the same. She has slept with it every night since so it must have been a winner too!

Oh, and he gave her a magic wand to cast spells, you know like on Wizard's of Waverly Place. Yeah, she's been trying to turn me into a frog ever since!

I did make her a hat, as promised, since Cori got one for her big day.
The one bad thing about that, I forgot to finish it weeks ago when I started it so, I found myself up at midnight, with what I was sure was the dang SWINE FLU making a wonderfully soft hat that is just right for a birthday girl.

Oh, and then, I remembered I had promised a fairy wand. Swine flu or not, MOMMA COMES THROUGH, weak but still comes through!

All joking, body aches, fevers and chills aside, it was a beautiful day. I thank God often for the gifts in my life and Lord, there can't be much better of a gift than the sighs of a happy birthday child as she drifts off to sleep, spent from a day full of magical dreams and fairy kisses!