Lucy turns 5!

The Party

Lucy asked for a summer swimming party.  I told her that might be a little hard in the middle of January.  There was talk of space heaters, bringing a load of sand in a big box for the building sand castles and filling up our big bathtub for a "swim".  But then we thought of a much simpler solution - a swim party at the Bartlett Rec Center.   It was free and easy and best of all our house stayed a house and not a beach. phew.

ready to party summer-style

Not quite summer though - Jane tried to stay warm by wearing Joey's wetsuit shirt -- hee!

Josh and Grandma Katie

 Afterwards Lucy and I went to pick up her cake from The Cookie Store and met everyone at the best place to have an after party party - Taco Bell.    This is a girl who knows what she wants and she gave very detailed instruction for the guy frosting her cookie cake.   "I want thewe to be sand with people laying on towels and then the other pawrt watew with somebody floating on a floaty and it to say happy birthday Lucy"....  

thought it turned out perfect... except those darn europeans. :)

The bike

Lucy got a balance bike for Christmas which gave her almost a month to practice on that before her birthday present of a big bike!!  A couple days before her birthday - Joey taught her how to ride a bike and she learned in seconds because she'd been practicing on the balance bike.  (Joey said he bought that balance bike to save his back. :)  Also, Grandma Songer got her a basket and a bell that says "I love my bike"  When she got it she said "What?! But I really DO love my bike!!!"   It was so exciting to see her do this.  She has been asking to ride just about every day since.

  Lucy learns to ride a bike from katiehale on Vimeo.

The Day

Had some Frozen birthday cereal - a delicious part of a complete breakfast.  And she's off  to school as an official 5 year old. 

 I brought cupcakes to her class and then took the 3 musketeers to get happy meals and play at a park. 

ah, look at that pretty hair in the sunlight... but don't get too attached....

 The 3 musketeers turned to 4 musketeers because their friend Piper from their class just happened to be there!!  More cupcakes at the park and then Piper got to come back home with us to play.  (Her first time EVER being left by a parent or grandparent.... no pressure!  But we returned her in one piece) 

 The Date(s)

I'm kinda embarrassed about how spoiled she was cause she somehow managed to basically get 3 birthday dates out of us!!  She went on a special Daddy/Daughter Date, a trip to the Salon with mom ... but reminded us that a birthday date is supposed to be with a mom AND dad and that we promised we would take her roller skating.  Oh boy. 

--Daddy/Daughter Dance

all ready 

 Joey and his miniature female version

The official dance picture

Joey said Lucy was in heaven and didn't want to stop dancing.   His recap went something like this: gross freezer food (kid food), pink everything for dessert, disco lights spinning around, all the girls were smiling, little girl music, girls-only dance to girls just wanna have fun and Lucy literally danced until she dropped.  (Joey has fancy long stemmed sucker in his mouth - in case you were wondering)

---The Salon

 "Like she just stepped out of a salon...."

Our before and afters  -- (the after was our rollerskating date)

birthday video clips

rollerskating, dancing at the salon, singing to herself 

Lucy's birthday video from katiehale on Vimeo.

Phew!!  That was the longest darn birthday post ever.   

I'm about as tuckered out as this little girl

Lucy - you are amazing.  You have so many talents and strengths that I don't.  Like I love how opinionated you are.  And how artistic and creative you are.  It's fun to be your mom and have you choose stuff for me and boss me around.  But sometimes it's hard because I AM the mom you know.  But please bless we'll be friends forever.  You are so so funny.  And I like funny.  

Happy 5 my dear!!