Golden Birthday

We celebrated Taylee's big golden birthday (she turned 5 on the 5th) today at the Children's Museum. She had a huge bash (by my standards) with twenty-eight kids and uncounted number of adults coming to play. We started the day with Grandpa Jim and Grandma Carol coming over. They got her a very appropriate shirt which read, "I'm really in charge. The parents are just for show." Too appropriate.

I was veerrry nervous. This amount of children and adults I don't really know is way beyond my comfort level as a host. To compound the problem, Taylee was inviting people randomly (see above shirt quote). Her original birthday list was nearly forty kids and we had to whittle that down to twenty-one. I did have two phone calls from people who were not on the shortened list. Taylee's response? "Mooom, I made _________ an invitation and told her/him to come." Suffice it to say that I was very happy with only twenty-eight, although two very close friends were not able to make it. One due to illness and one due to a new baby brother born yesterday!

We started preparing for the party as soon as we got back from Oregon. We ordered a cake, got goodie bags and treats, candles, juice, napkins, plates....I placed all of these items together in bags and even included a knife and cake server in a ziploc bag and a lighter so I wouldn't forget anything, but....forgot the forks. Thankfully, Penny ran to the store and grabbed some before too many kids took matters into their own hands, literally. The party went really well.

The kids were wonderful; even running around crazy, they were all really well behaved and polite. Taylee of course, got several presents which was very exciting for her because she doesn't usually get presents from friends at her birthday (I'm not mean-her birthday is really close to Christmas, our house is tiny and under construction, and most importantly--she doesn't really NEED anything). Stan and I had some concerns about presents, but really, they were all wonderful. Taylee is really into My Little Pony, which is...little. she got a lot of those. She also got tights, which is something she wears every day (and I mean every day), Little Pet Shop (also little), little dress-up princess dolls (also little), stickers, nail polish, barrettes, bracelets, clothes, two Barbies...perfect.

Her party started at 3:00 and the museum closed at 5. We stayed until closing and walked out with a few friends. I don't want to do it again anytime soon, but Taylee had a great party. Happy Birthday, Little Bit!

Taylee on the..is that a protoceratops??


Waiting expectantly as I try to untie a knot

Oooh, My Little Pony

Home-made cards are beautiful

That's a big one...thanks Tarrah Anne

I'm writing as quickly as I can so we can write 'thank you' notes later

Penny, Adam, Layton

Ustin and Tate

Taylee Lady

Stella and Taylee


Tarrah Anne, Taylee, and Brooke

Aubrey, Brooke, and Taylee

Maret, Marlie, Mady, and Taylee (again quite the lady)

Claire

Taylee and Abbie

William Zach, Tarrah Anne, and Taylee