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Happy 4th Birthday, Eleanore Sue!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

I don't remember my 4th birthday. My husband doesn't remember his. Do you remember yours? ...well, even though its not something I can look back on and think about, and I knew that Eleanore probably wouldn't remember hers when she gets older, I still wanted her to feel like the world was all hers, yesterday. I wanted her to feel like she was the most important little girl in the universe.


(Her, I'm-not-quite-awake-yet-but-totally-ready-to-party-like-I'm-four-years-old, face)

I woke up early to come downstairs and make her pancakes, so they'd be ready when she came away from her dreams. Rather than her normal goodmorning cup of soy milk that usually awaits her on the table, she had chocolate soy milk, that her Daddy had mixed up in the magic bullet. Instead of putting on a plain tank top and random mis-matching skirt, she put on a carefully selected new princess-kitty shirt, and fancy tutu (no matter that its the same one she wore last year).



After breakfast, it was time to open up presents. Presents from us, presents from her pen pal, from her Grammy, from her Nana- presents, presents, presents! Spoiled little girl, heeee.



She was really excited about the handmade card from her friend Sophia.



Months ago, I had set out on a journey to find her a complete set of Hundred Acre Wood friends. It wasn't until about two weeks ago, that Christopher and I finally got around to wrapping them (they were on my do-before-baby-comes list).

Eeyore, Owl, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Christopher Robin, Gopher, and of course Piglet... all wrapped up in brightly colored tissue papers, placed two at a time into cardboard boxes, and then wrapped again in red polka dot paper, blue paper, or plain brown paper accented with crayola markers.



The happiest little girl, ever.

Hundred Acre Wood friends, success!




A cute card to hang on her play room (previously known as the dining room) wall, and a new workbook for I'm-not-going-to-pre school-after-all learning. Both things that she went crazy for.



Do you remember how above-everything-else amazing, pop up books used to be?

Because they still are.



A handmade purse from Random Pretties.

This will be part of her outfit when we go on her big girl Mommy/Daughter shopping spree.

And these were just a few of the gifts that she got. A handmade dress and pillowcase from Grammy, books and books and books, a fun silicone baking pan with fun bug shapes (we'll make brownies and show you!), a handmade locket all the way from Washington state, a complete Hello Kitty bed set (Nana went all out), and did I mention books? Nothing makes our cute little nerd happier than books.

In between taking her baby sister downtown for her first well baby checkup (up to 6 pounds now, heart murmur sounding much better, things are looking up!), and watching Piglet's big movie- we still seemed to find some time to bake and eat that special banana cake that she wanted so badly...



This was the first time that Eleanore has had an actual cake. The past 3 years, we've done cupcakes. But this year, when I asked her what she wanted, she very specifically said- "CAKE".

And this is the first year we've done candles, too. I don't know where my mind has been before, but, whats a birthday cake without candles?

The cake turned out awful, by the way. Eleanore loved it, and thats all that matters, but I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow afternoon it finds its way into the garbage...

Start the countdown?

................



Its moments like this, that erase every memory of mom-guilt, and clear the airwaves, allowing me to take a deep enough breath to prepare for the hysteria of happiness that is soon to follow.

We ate cake.

None of us were able to finish an entire piece, though. Charlie and I hate frosting, but I don't know what excuse the other two had (other than the awful gluten free gummy texture, haha).

We finished the night with an outside romp with the hose, and then a very special birthday girl bubble bath.

It was perfect.

Happy 4th birthday, Miss Eleanore Sue.
We love you.

28 comments:

Rogue Wild August 18, 2010 at 3:26 PM  

you are such a good mama (and daddy too, not leavin C out) and you can see it in her sparkly eyes that she loved every minute of her special day!! Happy Birthday Eleanore!!!

Devon August 18, 2010 at 3:26 PM  

looks like it was a completely special day for her! i love all of the pictures... and especially the bottom pics where her hair is coming out of the pigtails. proof that she had a busy day... which in her mind was undoubtedly FABULOUS!!

Ashley Sisk August 18, 2010 at 3:29 PM  

Happy Birthday Eleanore! She already looks so grown up.

Marie August 18, 2010 at 3:35 PM  

Oh Beautiful Birthday Girl! Sounds like she had a very special day :) So glad!!!

Unknown August 18, 2010 at 3:39 PM  

Happy Birthday Eleanore!! Looks like she had a blast!

alliehallmarr August 18, 2010 at 3:47 PM  

Happy happy birthday! She is so cute! Her day sounds like it was so special, I love that even if she doesn't remember it she'll have such wonderful pictures and detailed description to look back on!

That cake looks so good!

Casey August 18, 2010 at 3:50 PM  

Aw, what a good bday, she looks so happy! Confession- Leia has never had a birthday party. Ok, so she'll only be 3 but still. We've never had the room to host a party or the money to rent a place to have one. This year, we will, though! I can't wait to through an obnoxiously pink girly party =)

April August 18, 2010 at 3:52 PM  

I wanna be 4 again (and one of your kids)! That sounds like a terrific birthday! Yay, for nerd kids that like books... I've got 2 of them!

BeckyKay August 18, 2010 at 3:57 PM  

a complete Hello Kitty bed set?

I am sooooo jealous!!

Emily August 18, 2010 at 4:26 PM  

Happy Birthday Eleanore! So cute! Lacey introduced me to your blog and I love it. Your kids are completely adorable!

R Montalban August 18, 2010 at 4:26 PM  

Happy Birthday and hope it is a year filled with lots of fun.

This Little Bird August 18, 2010 at 4:36 PM  

Simply wonderful. You obviously put A LOT of effort into making Eleanore's day very special... it must have been very hard considering your still not well, and nursing a new baby on little to no sleep...you rock mama! Eleanore is extremely lucky girl and she will always know her parents did everything they could to make her happy.

Rock on mama... keep up the good work. Also...the pictures are lovely. I love the last ones with her hair coming out... it was THAT fun of a day.

Anonymous,  August 18, 2010 at 4:39 PM  

Aww, Happy Birtday Eleanore!!!

She really does look like such a big girl <3 An incredibly HAPPY big girl!

xx

considerthelillies August 18, 2010 at 6:54 PM  

hooray for a special day for you Eleanore! She looks happy as can be and the cake looks awfully good!

Alyssa S. August 18, 2010 at 7:25 PM  

AWWW! Sounds like a great birthday. Happy Birthday Miss Ellie. Hope you have another GREAT year :)

Colleen August 18, 2010 at 7:44 PM  

Sounds like you did an amazing job of making her day special. No mommy guilt necessary. (I say that but I always stress birthdays.).
Btw... I don't remember my fourth bday but I have vivid memories of my fifth.

Anonymous,  August 18, 2010 at 10:33 PM  

I hope she had a wonderful birthday!! She is such a gorgeous young lady!!

Mommy Elephant Sarah August 19, 2010 at 2:34 AM  

Ya! You got that cake made! Did you knock on doors for bananas? hehehe. ;)

She looks like the happiest little girl, just like she should be on her birthday!

Happy Birthday Eleanore!

Lacey August 19, 2010 at 8:08 AM  

It's sweet days like this that make me LOVE being a mom. Ok, so I love being a mom every day. But on these days...just a little bit more.

My insides were all warm and fuzzy on the inside just reading this post. I can only imagine how you were feeling ALL day living it!

Happy Birthday, Eleanore Sue!

Oh Mandie August 19, 2010 at 9:39 AM  

Sounds like a perfect day! Happy Birthday Eleanore! Do you think I could get away with wearing a tutu on my birthday in 3 weeks, because I totally would!

Anika August 19, 2010 at 9:56 AM  

Sooo sweet! And with photos like this I am sure it's one to remember forever. Such a good mom!!

Annie Rose August 19, 2010 at 10:15 AM  

Happy, Happy Birthday, Eleanore dear!
Happy days will come to you all year.
If I had one wish, then it would be...
A happy, happy birthday to you, from me!

:) Annie

Unknown August 19, 2010 at 5:29 PM  

happy, happy,happy birthday!!!
very sweet:) lovely girl

beka August 19, 2010 at 5:56 PM  

Aw, what a sweetie. I can tell it was super-special!

Adriana August 19, 2010 at 8:43 PM  

wow. she is just too cute. what a great bday!!!

Melanie @ Whimsical Creations August 20, 2010 at 3:49 PM  

What a wonderful special day!! Happy birthday to your little girl. =D

Sam @ The Ellison Family Expansion Plan August 20, 2010 at 4:10 PM  

Aw, happy birthday to Eleanore! She looks so so happy in these photos. I love it!

I kind of remember my 4th birthday... but I think it is only because we have pictures from it. We don't have pictures from many of my other birthdays... I believe only 1st, 4th and 7th. How random.

The photos from my 1st birthday have my bald baby self in one of my big brother's old t-shirts sitting on the floor in front of a big dome shaped cake. (Did my mom bake it in a bowl??)

In the photos of my 4th birthday I'm wearing a floral green dress. My cousin Amy, who is 5 months older than me, had big I-wore-my-hair-in-braids-then-took-the-braids-out hair that may have been in a half-up side ponytail. She wore a pink sweater. There is a photo of me holding a bouquet of daisies. Another photo of me and Amy; she's got an arm full of colorful plastic bracelets that I'm sure I had just received as a gift. There's also one of me and all the other kids playing ring around the rosies.

I think it was my 7th birthday where I'm wearing an outfit that was pink with black polka dots. It was a top and skirt-attached-to-stretchpants set. There is a photo of me holding up an outfit just like it, but in a different pattern that I got as a gift. I look REALLY happy. The photos also tell me that I got a "new" bike; an old pink one with a banana seat. (I later wanted to sell it for a mountain bike. My uncle Keith bought it from me for five dollars. I'm pretty sure he then sold it in his front yard for ten.) I also got a gift that I still have to this day! I got ALL FIVE New Kids On The Block action figures. (This is an old SPT with them)

That was a loooong comment... but it was fun! I wish I had the photos so I could put them on the internets.

Rachel Elizabeth August 23, 2010 at 8:54 PM  

Looks like she had an amazing birthday!

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