I already mentioned my "20 Questions" interview with Ella, but I've yet to talk about our celebrations for her 4th birthday party. It's been the birthday that has lasted forever! With two parties, a visit from Grandma and Grandpa, and another birthday package arriving today, it seems to be going and going!
We first celebrated her birthday at our house on Saturday, January 14 with family. We are so glad that Mammaw, Tara, Daniel, Hannah, Laura, Tim, Charlie, Peyton and Mark were able to celebrate with us. Ella had told me a long time ago that she wanted a "Tangled" birthday party, so we got a few Tangled decorations and she fittingly wore her new Tangled dress for her party. I had planned to be really creative and make a Tangled tower out of rice krispy treats (since Ella doesn't like cake), but decided that was going to be too much on top of getting the house clean and getting other food prepared for the party. I ended up ordering a cake from Wal-Mart. (Yes, my Wal-Mart boycot has ended...though I still RARELY set foot in that store.) But I have to say, it was the best cake I've ever had, and everyone at the party agreed! The whipped icing they have is amazing! I usually get cake from Sam's Club, which is of course the same company, but I have to say that this was actually better. Ella didn't really care. She preferred to much on cucumbers and bell peppers (I long to be the healthy eater she is!). Ella racked up some pretty cool presents. The Rhea's gave her the gray Fur Real cat that she has been begging for since she saw it at Kohl's the week after Christmas. Tara made her an amazing Tangled braid for her hair. Mammaw gave her a set that includes a Barbie-sized Rapunzel, Flynn Rider and Maximus the horse (LOVE Maximus!). She also received what I can only describe as a pink Barbie blackberry (her first crackberry!!) from Mark and Kendall gave her a Cinderella doll. Ella gave Kendall the coordinating Belle doll for Christmas and they have been fighting over it ever since. Problem solved. :)
The morning of her birthday I had her present from me and Ronnie set up in the living room. It is a Melissa & Doug easel. One side is dry erase, the other side is chalkboard. She was excited when she saw it and she and Kendall instantly attacked it! Ella is doing a great job at writing letters, and she's been doing more of it since getting the easel. It's more fun to draw on an easel than on paper, right?! I cooked her pigs in a blanket for breakfast...healthy, right? I decided it was no worse than bacon or sausage with biscuits. She ate a ton of them at her birthday party, and she isn't much of a breakfast eater, so it was the best thing I could think of that she would actually enjoy. We went to the Y, then let her choose where to eat lunch. Of course, she chose Chick-Fil-A. By the time we got home it was nap time. Well, Ella was too excited to sleep, and we had to wake Kendall up early to head to Ella's birthday party with her friends at Kazoing! The kids had an hour to play in the massive room full of bouncies, and they had a blast! I think Ronnie had as much fun as anyone! Thanks Gavin, Graham, Reagan, Caroline, Laken, Jayleigh, Story, Heidi, Quinn, Colby, Avery and Rafe for celebrating with Ella! We had 30 minutes to eat pizza and cake, and unfortunately by the time we all finished eating it was time to go. I purchased another, bigger, Wal-Mart Tangled cake for the party, and everyone had the same reaction. It's delicious! Seriously. I do NOT encourage Wal-Mart shopping, but the cake with whipped icing is amazing! Then came the only negative part of the party. Ella was very disappointed that she had to open her presents at home, and many of her friends were disappointed that they didn't get to watch her open her presents. Once we got home Ella was ready to tear into them. Thanks for the gifts, everyone, she loved all of them!
Friday night we decided to go shopping at the mall. Mema had sent Ella some money for her birthday. Usually money gifts go straight into her savings account, but Ella literally grew out of all of her clothes overnight, and I had some GymBucks from Gymboree, so we decided to do a little shopping. We found her some cute stuff and hopefully we can get through winter now! Thanks, Mema! My dad had emergency gallbladder surgery three days before her family birthday party, so they weren't able to come up for the party. But they spent the day with us on Saturday and we had a great time celebrating once again! Ella was especially excited to get a new pink car for her Barbies, and a new Tinkerbell costume! If we've been at home, she's been Tinkerbell! Today Ella received what I believe will be her last birthday present in the mail. The 4th birthday is coming to an end. Thanks so much, Uncle Jimmie and Aunt Judy, for the Tangled nightgown! She loves it!
Thanks so much to all of our friends and family who made my sweet girl feel special on (and around!) her birthday. We are so thankful that God placed such a sweet girl in our care and enjoyed celebrating her birthday with each of you!
I'm sorry I don't have pics up yet...I will try to add them in the next day or two! :)
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