Mumble, Magic and Maids

Ok, here is the full story on our weekend. A wanted to go to Build-a-Bear to buy herself a Happy Feet penguin. The first BaB she ever got was a birthday gift and since then she has wanted one for her birthday, but she also wanted a different present from us, so she buys one with her own money. Every year she has me help her be sure to save enough money for the BaB animal. So, on Saturday we headed downtown to one of the casino malls to get her her penguin. Of course, E wanted one too and thankfully she had enough money for it! A told me later that she really likes the workers there because they are so nice. The guy we had that day was especially enthusiastic, I thought he was embarrassing the girls, but I guess not! E named hers Rumble and A couldn't decide so she came home with a blank "birth certificate". Since then the name Freezy has been chosen.

After the penguins were stuffed, we had some dinner in the mall and then it was time for the big surprise of the day. I had gotten tickets for Lance Burton, Master Magician! A has wanted to see that show since we moved here. It was really cool and we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. My mind was swirling with "how did he do that?'s. E wants to be one of the "girls" of course. Not only was Lance a great magician, but he was a great guy, too. Lots of kids were called up on stage to help with tricks. A said before the show that she did not want to volunteer, but afterward, she was changing her tune. If we had not been in the balcony, she might have done it! It was a good night.

Sunday was the birthday proper and we had a party planned. But first gifts were opened. We got A a Pet Vet kit, which she has enjoyed a lot in the last few days, ministering to her extensive collection of stuffed animals. I also got her a necklace with a silver 'A' on it that she had wanted one day when we were shopping together. I went back and got it for her later. E basically did the same thing with her gift. In the grocery store, A had pointed out this huge stuffed zebra as something she would have wanted for her birthday if I had not already bought her her gift. E whispered to me that she wanted to come back to get the zebra for A. So, she and Daddy went out to get it. A was very surprised!

Daddy took the girls to church without me so that I could finish getting the house ready for the party. You never seem to have enough time to get it all in, do you? Two of her friends came home with them and the girls decorated with balloons and streamers before the rest of the girls arrived. A's grandparents and her Aunt called before the party began. A spent some time on the phone with her Aunt K; here she is pacing a path across the back of the couch, down to the coffee table and back to the couch!

A wanted a "girl" party, so 8 of her girlfriends were invited and we planned things like manicures and making homemade lip balm, with a flavor of their choice. We had sparkling lemonade in champagne flutes (plastic) and pizza. The girls all sat on the floor of the family room and toasted to A with their lemonade (birthday girl on the far left). It was so sweet! Near the end of the "official" party time, we did the cake thing. It was a zebra cake that I had fun making. A's friend S was on the phone with their friend M in Kansas during the candle blowing and M sang "Happy Birthday" to A over the phone when she was done blowing out the candles. It was a testament to the kind of friend A attracts. All the girls seemed to have fun and A was very happy with how her party turned out. She was just so pleased to be eight!

She is growing up so fast, it boggles my mind sometimes. Oh, a quick story to wrap up: One of her girlfriends gave her some cash as her present. I saw that she had given her sister one of the dollar bills and asked her how much she had. She counted it out. 12 dollars. She then proceeded to hand each of the girls sitting around her one of the bills. There was a huge smile on her face as she did this, and the girls were thrilled as well. Later, A told me as I tucked her in to bed how good that made her feel. She said "Now I understand the true spirit of Christmas!" My heart just about burst! If this is eight, I am gonna love it.