Emory's Painting Party

I will start off this post by telling you just how different this birthday planning adventure was this year with a little girl vs. a boy.  Maybe it is just MY little girl vs. MY little boy, but wow what an experience nonetheless.

Where Bennett just nodded and agreed with different thoughts I had for his birthday parties, or he suggested a desired idea {like Thomas at age 3} and I carried it through; Emory planned this party from start to finish.  She asked for a
- painting party with
- pink balloons
- chocolate cake with chocolate icing and chocolate chips
- pink and purple dots on her invitation
- jumpy in the backyard
- swinging on her swing set

I nodded and said, OK!

It was her first real backyard birthday party - whereas Bennett had birthdays 1-5 in the backyard, Emory had small get togethers with just a few little girl friends for her first two birthdays and then her third birthday was spent at the beach last year.  I am a huge fan of backyard birthday parties for kids - I love the memories and the {free} simple location and the freedom to make it look however I want, because it is my own house! ha!  Seriously though I loved her little vision and was so happy with how it turned out and, note to self, Sunday afternoon parties are very well attended! :)  So plan for that!!

 She is happy she got a bike:

And then she is not happy she got a bike:

And then she was happy she got a bike again.

Being four is so tough .... :)

It had rained all morning so the party had to move from the backyard to the carport.  It wasn't ideal but ended up working just fine.  We were thankfully still able to blow up the jumpy but it was a pretty squishy humid muddy mess in the back!  Thankfully mud {and the paint!} was washable :)

It was honestly just a pleasant coincidence that our dining room artwork {by Susie Bettenhausen} matched the colors of Emory's party to a "t"!

Early morning Lola-Granola's finished masterpiece :)

Emory,

Oh sweet sweet Emory - you are a pint sized {yet solid!!} ball of dramatic energy.  Your lows are low and your highs are astronomical.  You know what you want and don't stray from it.  You are chatty and animated and outgoing.  You are all about pink, purple, ponies, sparkles, princesses, mud, being barefoot, art, yogurt, cheese, music, tom and jerry, and being a girl.  You love being the center of attention and talk over others who might be stealing the spot light.  You can be super fragile and shatter at the drop of a hat.  Thankfully you also love being a "big girl" so it is much easier these days to talk you down from your breaking point.

You are an amazing encourager and can make anyone feel like they hung the moon.  Little things excite you and you are "so very excited" about everything from going to bible school to having a snack to reading a book to holding hands to getting in the car to going potty.  You love so greatly and with your whole body.  You love to snuggle and being "girls with the girls and boys with the boys."  You remind Daddy regularly that you are "Daddy's little girl."  You add so much unexpected sass and fun and heart to our family.

We would be lost without you, and you let us know it.

Thank you for keeping us in line and teaching us what it truly means to parent a strong willed child.  I admire your energy and zest for life and feel so blessed to share how wonderful it is to be a girl with you.  You are already planning your fifth birthday party :)

I love you so very very much

xoxoxo
Momma