The years flash by faster and faster... I swear she was just 4. This is a milestone birthday now that she is old enough to be baptized, so she has been looking forward to it for a long time.
This year was her turn for a friend party, and her request was a smiley face party. I was happy to acquiesce because yellow is my favorite color this spring, so bright and cheerful! As usual she planned all the details, from smiley face fruit snacks to the game and craft.
As her friends arrived we danced to the Happy song. Then we sat down at the table for a smile snack made of apples, peanut butter, and marshmallows.
Maddie wanted to draw faces on all of the lemons, but the Sharpie didn't work very well on it.
She asked me to do her hair with two buns on top for eyes, and a braid across the back for a smile. It wasn't the best execution, but a few girls caught on without being told what it was!
The smiley face favors included the fruit snacks, a pencil and paper pad, a slap bracelet, and a sucker. The cake was decorated last minute but it turned out simple and cute.
To keep things somewhat orderly, we played a gift game where the giver had to hold the gift over Maddie's head and say "Heavy heavy hang over thy poor head, what do you get with a bump on your head?" and she had to guess what it felt like. Her friends were all so sweet and gave such cute gifts!
Then it was cake time. Look at all those smiley faces!
After cake the kids lined up for pin the smile on the face, which Maddie drew. There was only just a teeny bit of excitement and enthusiasm.
The craft was making smiley face emojies. It was a little crazy because I didn't prep enough, so I was helping everyone cut and shape and and share (my ears are still ringing), but they turned out so creative and cute! I love this age of kids--still sweet but definitely full of character.
Jake (above) and Ty (below) got little ones after all the girls left. It was a fun party and Maddie was so happy.
The next day was Maddie's real birthday. I love a good birthday morning picture.
Her birthday cereal request (since they don't get it otherwise) was Honeycombs.
The girls were little matchers on their way to school.
We got to visit Maddie's class after lunch to bring a birthday treat. She requested sugar cookies.
She came home from school to some birthday visitors!
Her dinner request (you can see that the birthday girl gets whatever she wishes, one day a year!) was spaghetti and meatballs. Grandma Osmond brought a delicious salad, and Auntie Dana made her famous breadsticks. What a meal!
Maddie COULD NOT wait to open her presents. And I was antsy too because there were some exciting items! She got the kendama she wanted from Dana and family and couldn't wait to take it to school to play with at recess like "all" the other kids. Also not pictured is a pretty CTR butterfly necklace from Grandma Osmond.
A very special gift was her first set of scriptures, a "quad" as she calls them, with her name engraved. This meant a lot to her. She also loved the red scripture case to carry them, and can't wait to take them to church.
Grandma & Grandpa Jensen gave her her baptism dress. Maddie and I have been looking at dresses online for months, and she liked the look of a colored sash. The white jacket and sweet shoes make it just perfect.
The last gift was also long awaited... her very own American Girl doll! I have been putting it off for years because the catalog says they are for 8+, so it was finally time. She was beyond thrilled.
Grandma outdid herself and surprised us by making the doll a matching baptism dress... and a whole wardrobe along with it. My mom has mad skills.
And a bike, and a dog?! This is one lucky girl. Ella got out her 18" doll too, and Maddie promised to share her clothes.
Since we already had cake the day before, we tried mint brownies. They were so rich we could only eat tiny squares! Happy Birthday to my growing, glowing girl.
This is a good time to mention a big goal Maddie has been working toward. She wanted a bike last fall because her's was getting too small. Ella asked for one from Santa, but Maddie wanted to earn money for her own. She picked out a $50 one at Walmart and started doing $1 chores to earn money, but quickly realized that would take a long time.
Around the same time we also decided it was time to kick the thumb sucking habit once and for all. We brainstormed (and have tried everything there is to try... and were about to resort to a dental appliance) when one night we realized the bike was a strong incentive. In fact, it was just strong enough. And there were almost the same amount of days till her birthday as dollars she needed to earn. So a goal was made.
It was hard. She was excited at first, then back tracked a little, then tried again. She had to wear band-aids on her thumbs for about a month to physically remind herself of the goal. We got the money in ones and handed her one every night that she was successful, which was a great tangible reward.
And guess what? She acheived her goal. She CAN do hard things, and we are so proud of her!!!
