Man, I just love planning parties. I think that if I didn't love teaching so much I could definitely make a career out of party planning and catering. And it would be SO much fun to spend someone else's money. But I digress. On Mother's Day we hosted the girls' second and fourth birthdays and had our family and friends over for a picnic. My trust in the science of meteorology was wavering when it was still overcast and drizzling at 10:30 am, but, just as predicted, the sun peeked out at 11:00 and the rest of the day was amazing.
I don't think I've ever had a more exciting birthday bash. Not because of the decorations, guests, presents, food, etc, but because of the immeasurable happiness on both girls' faces all day long. Kaia is definitely a birthday lover. It doesn't have to be her birthday, just any birthday. She knows that where there's a birthday, there's cake, and that's all a girl really needs, right? In the weeks leading to her birthday at the end of April she woke every day to declare, "it's my birthday!" In the two weeks between her birthday and the girls' joint party her daily declaration became, "it's my birthday party!" There was never a doubt that her party was going to make her happy.
Kenzie, on the other hand, had a kind of subdued excitement about her pending birthday. She thinks much more analytically about it all. She remembered that turning four meant she would finally be able to have popcorn ('cause for some reason it's a choke-able until age four, "they" say). She knows that age four means the start of preschool, and it means being one year closer to being five. She's very excited about five. Possibly because a year ago I, apparently, told her that when she is five she can ride a horse. As her big day got closer, though, her outward excitement grew. The night before her party I tucked her into bed and said, "Guess what? Tonight you are going to sleep and you're only three, but, when you wake up in the morning, you're going to be four!" Her ear-to-ear grin was beautiful.
As evidenced by the following videos and pictures, Kenzie and Kaia had the most fun they've ever had. Kenzie couldn't contain her joy, often jumping and running with excitement. Kaia ate any piece of junk food she could get her hands on and made the rounds drinking from every "boo box" (juice box) she saw. It helped, of course, that we have the most fun and loving group of family and friends that any two girls could dream of. What a great weekend.
Kenzie looked like she might cry from the sheer joy of it all.
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| Cousin Kaitlin leads the girls around the yard. |
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| Super cool, impromptu fort. |
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| "Mommy, look at my gobbles." |
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| Jumping for joy (and this was after nearly everyone had gone home). |
