Each year with this girl keeps getting better and better. Four years old really flew by with Lily. I loved seeing all the milestones she reached, watching her learn how to read, add and subtract, learn how to swim and how she mastered new vocabulary (the Lilyisms will forever be one of my favorite parts of life). I look at her and see nothing but a beautiful and bright ray of sunshine that will make the world a better place.
As usual, my attempt to tone down the birthday hooplah was like me on a diet. It couldn't happen. I just love birthdays, and I want my Lily to know how much we love and appreciate her choosing to come into our family. I did limit it to no birthday party this year. None. Every other year we have been met with a snowstorm on the day of her birthday party. Every year. Then I conceded that she could invite one friend from church over. Then I allowed for two. Well, what was just one more?
She also was SUPER excited to have a pre-birthday bash accompanied by her first ever sleepover. Sleepovers are something I am uber careful about, but I trust my friend Beth and her family completely. I knew they were in good hands, so Keith and I made weekend plans, and Lily got to celebrate her birthday first with her great friends.
Beth gave her cupcakes, they sang, she wore a special hat (that she has been wearing almost daily since then), and she opened a special present. This girl was made to bask in the spotlight.
The night before her actual birthday Keith and I got busy decorating. Rainbows and unicorns were the theme for her "nonparty". I burst out laughing when I blew up the first balloon and saw "Happy 7th Birthday" written across it. There was no turning back. Up they went. Lily the next day declared that they were "hilarious."
She was so excited to see all the rainbow streamers, balloons, and presents when she woke up that she said, "I had to hug something! Everybody was asleep! So I hugged the couch, I hugged the chair, I hugged the fridge, but not the toilet, and then I HAD to come and wake you up to give you a hug!"
I was excited to make her birthday cake this year, and may have gone a little crazy with it, but I had fun. It was my first attempt to really decorate a cake, and I liked how it turned out.
When it was time to open gifts she saw that Sawyer was a little bummed he didn't have any presents. She quickly took her pile of gifts and handed them out to everybody. The kids loved helping her and would run over each time to share with her what treasure they found under the paper.
My brilliant mom thought to make a present for Sawyer too so he wouldn't feel left out, and he was surprised to have a very special pillowcase made by his Gramma.
Lily's reaction to seeing the cake for the first time. Success!
Could the cake get better? Yes! It was rainbow inside too!
Kids and adults played the Unicorn Horn game. The kids thought it hilarious that we wanted to play too.
We ended the night talking to "the kitty" (aka my mom in disguise) on Skype.
