A Very Special Birthday

I am rather tired tonight.   Looking forward to hopping into my bed and snuggling down with my book and then drifting off to sleep. Maybe tonight I won't get any nighttime visitors?  I probably will though.  Not that I mind. I love the way Sophie snuggles down into my back and drifts back off to sleep.  Its when she wakes up asking for a banana in the middle of the night that tries my patience.

Anyway......my Biggest Little Girl turned the big  "5"!  Traditionally its this number that marks the end of the pre-school chapter and the beginning of the formal schooling one. Its the birthday where school bags, pencil cases and lunch boxes reign supreme in the present-giving.  Its the number where most parents and children are anticipating/dreading the elusive 'first day of school'.  Its almost a rite of passage.  

But not for this little girl.  Her time at Kindergarten ended yes. But this birthday marks the beginning of a new chapter of schooling at home.  I am looking forward to spending time, loads of time with her.  Its my gift to both her and me.  I truly love that I have all this unhurried time with my children.  I am excited. Kaitlyn will be the first of my children that has not been to school. She will not have the 'school' way of learning ingrained in her. She will be free to learn the way God has designed her too.  That in itself is such a blessing to me.

And as with all momentous occasions and birthdays we celebrated in style.   Celebrations started the day before her birthday with a "tea party" with three of her most special friends from kindy.  It was the most fun decorated the house for this. A ladder was even required!

 

We even had tea cups filled with "Pink Tea".

(Lemonade with a few drops of pink food colouring in it)

Lacey table cloth and pretty flowers, a must for a tea party!

The look of anticipation on little sisters face is priceless!

My big 5 year old in her favourite tea party dress!

Kaitlyn decorated her own ice cream cake (you can stop thinking of all that sugar)!

Its a cheats versions of an ice cream cake. You tip a tub of ice cream upside down on a plate and go to town decorating it with sprinkles, wafers, choc fingers and chocolate sauce!  You have to work fast mind you as it starts to melt, then plonk it back into the freezer until you need it.



Then it was time to say goodbye to her friend and we sent them off with a special 'thank you' gift!

It was such a lovely afternoon!



That night I spent a considerable amount of time and energy constructing her cake, which was a surprise this year!  Actually I had a temper tantrum over it and even swore a couple of times. My husband will tell you that he feared for his life but it wasn't THAT bad.

Here is the final product.

We mamas are super special I tell you!

No sleep in for us, its up early on Birthday morning to open presents of course!!

 

Miss '5' was super excited to discover her bestest present!!

Of course you have to try it out immediately, even if it is inside!

Once again stop looking at the sugar!

Tradition has it, in our family the birthday person gets to choose whatever they want for breakfast.  This year she chose 'Froot Loops'! I was so embarrassed I had to hide them in the bottom of the shopping trolley along with the Cocoa Pops little Sophie chose for her birthday three days later!

Thank you for all the gifts she got given.  She spent the evening talking about all the presents she received.  Very Pink!  And VERY girly!   Right up her alley!

AND last but certainly no means least

THE CAKE! THE CANDLES!

THE SONG!

and all the

ATTENTION!

After all, isn't that what birthday party's are all about!!

I THINK SO!!

Happy Birthday my

Princess!

Thank you to all who came and celebrated this day with her and with us.

 You are all important people in our lives!

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.-- Oprah Winfrey

Now on to this sweet little princess's birthday...