I first learned what a golden birthday was last year when Emma turned 11 on the 11th. She informed me that it was her "Golden Birthday" and she needed an extra special birthday. I hope she felt like it was extra special, but as I recall she cried during her party. Oh well. So, Ellie has been waiting patiently for this April to roll around so that she could celebrate her big Golden Birthday! She really wanted a friend party, but I couldn't very well go against the family rule of friend birthdays being every other year. Not even on the GB year, especially since we've already missed Maddie's and Lauren's. So we tried to make our family party extra special.
Her big idea for a party was a "mall party." This is where we go shopping on her birthday and let her do all the things at the mall that we don't usually do, like paint pottery, go to Build-a-Bear, buy clothes and toys, etc. I tried to accomodate her as much as possible. But when we went to the Painted Penguin (in the mall) and saw how is compared to Color Me Mine (closer to our house anyway) I quickly used my powers of persuasion on the birthday girl. I think the end result turned out much better than anything they could have done at the other place. (I'll have to post pictures later).
Then we went to Khols to get a new outfit of her choice. She really just likes doing the shopping and doesn't care all that much about the clothes--so I let her shop off the clearance rack. It's never too early to teach frugality. :)
Then it was home for cake and unwrapping just a couple more things. Notice the pure excitement at opening the Peek-a-boo Petite. She has been wanting one for months. And then came the gift from her older siblings. A little birdie whispered in their ears something that Ellie might like for a gift. She was thrilled, shocked, and giddy with excitment about the gift certificate for the American Girl Doll--Just like Me!!! Getting the gift certificate was better than getting the real thing because that meant a trip into the city to the big American Girl Doll store that Jill and I had to drag Richard out of the week before. I honestly don't know who was more excited, the 6 year old or the 52 year old. Happy Birthday Ellie!
2 comments:
This year was Teia's golden birthday too. We didn't make too big of deal about that thought considering how Radley and Eden won't have GBs until they are 20 and 19.
Daren and I both had our GBs while we were married. We did try to make them special.
Cute cake. And I'm stealing the idea of only doing friend parties every other year. Very smart.
That Ellie. She is a little firecracker, ain't she?
I am glad the American Girl thing turned out ok. Hope all the girls are enjoying the doll vicariously.
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