Sadie’s Birthday

*Beware: lots of pictures!!!

It’s become one of our family traditions to decorate the house the night before a birthday so when the birthday child wakes up there’s many visual reminders of the importance of the day.  It’s so fun to see the kids look around in amazement and explore the transformation of the house.  This year for Sadie we made a few balloon chandaliers, taped balloons to the wall, painted popsicle stick stars and put them on the wall, and had streamers.  Sadie woke up and said, “Oh Mom, I just love it!”

Sadie’s birthday fell on a Thursday so we had to quick get her ready and Ben took her to preschool.  We sent our smaller camera to school with her and asked her teachers if they would mind taking a few pictures.  At her school they make the child a birthday crown and the parents bring in some type of treat.  Sadie chose ice cream (of course) and we also bought mini cupcakes.  Nothin’ like a like a little cake and ice cream at 10:30 in the morning 🙂

The boys and I picked her up and then we went to Chick-fil-A for lunch.  We went there for the first time last week and Sadie had the time of her life playing on their play equipment.  So, I thought that would be a fun birthday lunch for her.  My mom also joined us at the end.  

After lunch my mom took Sadie shopping while the boys and I headed home for their naps.  My mom bought Sadie a shopping cart for her birthday.  She’s been so anxious to give it to her!  We both knew Sadie would love it, and boy does she!  My mom took them on a walk up and down our street so I could prep dinner.  I had to join them and snap a few pictures, though:

That evening we had a few friends come over.  Actually it ended up being more than a few.  I think we had around 30+ people.  Sadie shares a birthday with the Tickner’s youngest daughter so we had a combined party for them.

Sidenote: This was our first friends party.  I am a big fan of celebrating birthdays on the birth date for children.  I just feel like it’s so much more exciting on the actual day.  Usually we have a birthday playdate with two or three friends during the day and then a party with family in the evening.  I think we plan to let the kids have friends birthday parties on their 5th, 8th??, 12th??, 16th, and 18th birthdays.    

I never seem to get many good birthday pictures.  I’m too busy with food prep, socializing, and supervising. This was about all I got from that night:

On Saturday we did the family party at my parents’ house. My mom made her a coconut cake. Sadie nearly burned her hair on the candles and leaned her whole body into the cake smearing frosting all over the front of herself.  It was alarming and entertaining.

Another birthday come and gone! Many more still to come…..