Birthday is coming

Little's birthday is coming up in 20 days! She will be four and she knows it. When she turns four she is going to stop sucking her thumb - she doesn't know what she's saying . . . at least the magnitude of what she is saying. Still, we are going to do it!

I have this commitment about my kids' birthdays. Birthdays are a big deal to me and I want them to be for my kids. That doesn't mean a big party, etc. it just means I want the day to be about them. I tend to get excited about an opportunity to be creative and I can get carried away. I had planned three different parties for this birthday before I remembered to stop, think about Little and what is best for her in the big picture. Party or no party? Multiple friends? One? Just family? Etc. For example: for Little's first birthday, all she liked was music and lights. She didn't like lots of people and noise. So we went and rode a 100 year old carousel - music and lights and just invited a couple (our friends) to go with us. (I can't seem to find a picture - I'll stress about that in a minute!)

Her second birthday fell during a fish obsessoin. She carried the same toy fish around for a solid year, so we fashioned her birthday around the fish. We went to Petsmart and looked at fish, we bought a gold fish, and there was a fish cake and tshirt. We invited Miss Shelley to come open gifts with us (Little's favorite babysitter/friend).

Third birthday was crayons. We had crayon cakes and friends actually came to a party where we wore our favorite color and traced our bodies and colored them. Good times. (Can you tell I have as much fun planning it as anything? I have an idea for a business called "Birthdays in a Box" or something where I can just plan different birthday partys, put together all you need to pull it off, and then hand it over for you to throw the party. Anywho, I digress. . . )

This year is the first time she can talk enough to potentially communicate her desires, and so I asked her what she wanted for her birthday. Now, I meant a princess cake, or books, or some theme but she looked at me and resolutely said, "Chocolate cupcakes". Since then she has added, "Chocolate cupcakes at school." So that is what we are doing - I am going to take chocolate cupcakes to school. But, because I have to throw in an element of excitement, I am going to take multiple types of sprinkles in containers for them to decorate their own cupcake (and the teachers get to clean it up - wicked laugh) (no mom, I don't mean that - I'll help clean up of course). I found these plates and napkins at Target and am so excited. I'll have to try and scan the napkin to make a tshirt!!!