Birthday Girl

Ashlyn has been talking about her Birthday "party" since before the summer even started. She kept planning different ideas and things she wanted to do. Drawing pictures of various themes and who to invite. Thing is, and I told her this MULTIPLE times, that I am trying very hard to stick to a family rule of not having a BIG party every year. So, when the time finally started to get close, say July, I buckled down and told her she could invite TWO friends over and we'd do something fun with them and her sister. She decided on her two friends, but we still couldn't decide what to do. Then I got a flyer in the mail. The musical "Annie" was going to be playing close by us. Ashlyn was SO excited. How could she not be? It's about a little girl with curly red hair. RIGHT up her alley.

She sat right down to make up invitations and wanted SO badly for this to be a surprise for her friends. And it was...for one of them. But the other....not so much. I need to work with Leah on how to keep a "secret". I felt so bad for Ashlyn because she was SO excited for it to be a surprise and it got spoiled. Ah...oh well. Ashlyn got over it, and with only a few hundred times of her asking me how long before her birthday party, the blessed day arrived. Her friends came over and we headed out for the musical. It's so funny to listen to little girls in the car. They all chatter non stop about what they have and what they're getting and what grade they're going into and how many teeth they've lost, etc. It's pretty darn funny. I guess it's their "pre" gossip.

Anyway, we got to the musical, had a quick snack before the show started and then went to get our seats. The show was super cute, a bit long, but the girls didn't really seem to mind. Afterwards, we headed back home for some dinner (mac and cheese, chips and applesauce with root beer to drink, by request of the birthday girl), let the girls play for a short time, then had cake and ice cream, and opened presents.

I think she had a really great day! I can't believe she is 7 (well on Friday she will be). She's such a sweet, wonderful and obedient little girl. I'm so grateful to have her as my daughter. She may have been one hard/sick little baby, but she has more than made up for it over the years. I honestly didn't even understand what the "terrible two's" were with her. Happy Birthday sweetie! I'm so proud of the girl you are growing up to be, and I love you so much!