Mermaid Tales (of a 6 year old's birthday party)
It all started about four months ago. Ellie began talking about her "birthday party." It's been awhile since she had an organized (otherwise known as Pinterest) birthday party, and she honestly doesn't even remember the ones she had. So it was inevitable. She needed a party. She was hot-to-trot to plan her own party, and I was expecting her to ask for a gymnastics party . . . which I was totally on board with . . . because that meant we'd just go somewhere and have someone else do all the work. But then she started talking about having a waterslide at her party. I told her we couldn't do both and that she would need to decide. And, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to just host her little party at home. And that's what we did.
About two months ago, the conversation went like this one afternoon:
Ellie: Well, Cali Grace is having her party at the Knock Knock Museum. And Carsyn is having her party at the dance studio. So I need a waterslide at my party.
Me: Seriously, Ellie? It's almost a year before Cali Grace's birthday! And Carsyn's birthday isn't until December. Why are y'all talking about birthday parties all the time? And do their moms know about these parties?!
I mean, talk about pressure! And THEN she comes to me one day with notebook in hand. She made a "list" of what she wanted at her party, complete with pizza, slushies and a popcorn machine. She must think I carry a carnival around in my back pocket. During the six weeks leading up to her party, that was all she talked about. And, honestly, it wasn't even planned! I hadn't yet committed to a party because it's always so overwhelming when you have two children with birthdays only three days apart in the same week as VBS. It happens that way every year. It wasn't until two weeks before her party that I even thought about invitations, decorations and food. This is definitely the quickest party I've ever put together.
She told her daddy a few days before her party that we were having Pizza Hut. I quickly told her she needed to leave the planning to me and that she would get everything she wanted, only the modified version. And then she asked me what modified meant. Well, we had bagel bites instead of Pizza Hut, "pirate popcorn" (as we call it, but it's really those aged white cheddar puff things) in a bag instead of a popcorn machine and Hawaiian punch juice boxes instead of slushies. I mean, the RaceTrac is at least twenty minutes down the interstate.
I can't even tell you how excited she was when the day of her party finally dawned. I have to say that she made planning this party so much fun simply because it meant so very much to her.
I didn't carve any sharks out of a watermelon ,
bake a pirate cake, plan an art project or a craft. I didn't make any themed cake balls. Instead I got someone else to do all of that, and it was totally worth it. Since we'd already celebrated with cake on her actual birthday, we had cupcakes at her party. But not just any cupcakes. These had mermaid tails swimming on top of them. They were gorgeous!
And I still can't figure out the secret to baking and icing perfect cookies, but I don't even care to try! I know who to call now! I was so disappointed that there weren't any left. But that's probably a good thing because I would've eaten every single one. Oh my, these cookies were as delicious as they were pretty!
She blew out another candle.
We invited Ellie's little girlfriends from her Sunday School class and her cousins. She was thrilled that everyone came to her party. Honestly, I think she just wanted to be the center of attention! (Of course, she's been the center of attention since the day she was born!)
I tried to adhere to my "no gifts but please make a donation to your favorite charity" policy, but that didn't exactly work. (And, yes, that's a big wad of bubble gum in her hand. I told her to take it out of her mouth so I could take her picture. This girl loves her some gum so, of course, we had a jar of gum balls at her party.)
Apparently Ellie had a gift wish list in addition to her menu ideas. She was quick to tell me she wanted an LOL doll when I asked her. What?! I mean, even Hannah Kate didn't know what that was. But, come to find out, Cali Grace and Carsyn supposedly have LOL dolls. And now Ellie does, too. What exactly is an LOL doll, you ask? Well, Cali Grace's mom calls them junk. I mean, they really shouldn't even be called "dolls." I'd say they are more like a bigger version of Polly Pocket. But Ellie is in love with this LOL doll.
Carsyn was so sweet to sit with Ellie and help her open her gifts. I think she was as excited about the gifts as Ellie was. I'll bet she already has her list ready for December!
We've established the fact that Ellie eats eggs every single morning for breakfast. And she can actually scramble and cook her own egg (with supervision, of course). But here's the thing. She's quite a snob when it comes to the actual egg itself. Seth's cousin has a lot of chickens, and they lay a lot of eggs. So they've been so generous to share their eggs with us for several months now. Usually I'll just run down the road to their outside bathroom and grab a dozen or so. I've run out on occasion, and it has not been pretty. And, not only that, but Ellie asks specifically for the "brown eggs, not the white ones." In other words, she refuses to eat store bought eggs! I'm over here just shaking my head. Anyway, she got a dozen BROWN eggs for her birthday, along with a hot pink spatula, chef's hat and hot pink apron.
Ellie got so many precious gifts!
Oh, and here's another one. Mrs. Ashley was her VBS teacher this year. Ellie came home the first day and said, "Mom, I told Mrs. Ashley I really wish I had curly hair." Oh really? I asked her what Mrs. Ashley said to that, and she said she didn't say anything. I didn't think much else about it. Well, I should've known better when it comes to Mrs. Ashley. She got Ellie a set of rollers so she can make her hair curly!
The waterslide was perfect! I loved watching the kids enjoy it so much, especially the birthday girl.
Hannah Kate and Presley had a great time!
And you can barely see Cali Grace, but all four girls - Hannah Kate, Cali Grace, Ellie and Presley - slid down together.
At the end of the day after everyone had gone home, and we'd cleaned up, I asked Ellie what she thought of her party. She was like, "Didn't you hear me on the waterslide, Mom?" Why no, Ellie, I did not. I asked her what she said, and she said, "I went down the waterslide and screamed BEST PARTY EVER!" Well, alrighty then. Apparently she wasn't too disappointed about Pizza Hut and the slushies!
Later that evening . . . you guessed it . . .
This girl is such a DIVA!
And remember that LOL doll I mentioned earlier? We had to soak this seashell thing to get the LOL doll out!
One thing I always do when I host a party is pull my silver and crystal serving platters out. I don't use them often enough to remember everything I have. I caught my breath when I saw this one. I had forgotten all about it. I've had it since we got married but had never used it before. It a silver bowl in the shape of a seashell. It used to be Grandmother's. She had given it to me right before we got married. It was very tarnished, but I quickly polished it and filled it with some grapes.
To hear Ellie talk, you would think she was a deprived little girl. She was actually telling people she'd never had a birthday party before! I quickly reminded her that, although she may not remember, she's had several birthday parties.
Her very first birthday party was in Georgia at Pop and Mimi's house.
She had a tutu cute party when she turned two.
And then, when she turned three, some of her cousins from Georgia made the trip all the way to Louisiana to celebrate her! Now if that's not a party, I don't know what is!
She's growing up quickly. But one thing hasn't changed. She's always the life of the party!
