whew.

I thought that carrying and birthing a child was a lot of work.  I was mistaken in the definition of "a lot of work."  A lot of work is having a four year old in her self declared "birthday month."  We've had, and survived, the party.  And now I've survived the actual birthday.  I think the worst is behind us.

First, the party.  And first among the first - the party outfit.   Self selected.

 

I had to talk her into the tights (and more importantly, out of the sweat pants under the skirt under the dress).  But she was so proud of herself, and her outfit, that I couldn't offend her.  So this is what she wore to her party.  

The kids arrived on time and en masse - a literal herd of kids walked up our street bearing presents.  They all played in the basement together happily - and loudly.  12 four year olds plus a 2 yr old and an 18 month old can really put out a lot of decibles.  It was so loud that - get this - a few of the kids came upstairs to get away from the noise.  Ironically, these same few kids were the ones contributed the most to the raging noise downstairs.  That just made it loud upstairs and downstairs, so we sent the noisemakers back down to the basement.  Then we played red light/green light, musical cushions, Simon says, and pin the tail on the donkey.  

The grand finale was the pinata.  It is amazing how much better a 4 yr old boy swings a bat than a 4 yr old girl.  I swear, the Nats should sign a few of these kids.  Elisabeth is no pansy, though - she held her own.  And Little Miss Charlotte took a few good cuts herself.  But this was the pinata of steel.  It was not breaking apart.  We were torn between letting the adults go at it and just ripping it open.  Doug decided to stab the daylights out of it with some scissors, which weakened the structural integrity enough that we finally got some candy out of the thing.  I think that I'll never tire of seeing a bunch of kids diving for candy.

After playtime, we had pizza and cake and then as quickly as they arrived, the herd was gone.  We opened presents and then cleaned a bit, then all collapsed for the rest of the weekend.  

Today, on her actual birthday, she took cupcakes to school.  Each cupcake was decorated with the first initial of a kid in the class.  Blue icing with yellow letters of course.  She got a pink princess crown with glitter all over it (I hate glitter).  Then after preschool she and Doug and Charlotte met me at McDonalds for lunch.  When I came home from work, we opened presents.  For dinner we had a crepe fest and cake and then sent two kids on sugar highs to bed.  

I can't believe four years have gone by since we were in the hospital with a six pound, three ounce babe.  She's become an amazing little girl who gets every joy out of life and then some.  I'm especially proud at the joy she injects in the lives of others.