Taylor Swift Party

What kind of request if a Taylor Swift Party? What on earth do you do at a Taylor Swift Party? Will all seven year olds even know who she is? Macie was insistent on a Taylor Swift Party. She had it all planned...they would dance the whole time, and she would give Cory's paper dolls as party favors. And that was that. 

All year we have been talking about her Taylor Swift party. I had wanted to take her to the concert, but missed out on the cheap tickets, and because I'm so cheap, didn't want to pay an arm and a leg to get them. So, we settled for the party. I knew that there needed to more than just dancing...but couldn't think of many things. Pinterest really wasn't a help either. Apparently it isn't a common theme. Imagine that.

I tried to make the invite close to the CD cover. It wasn't too close, but you got the idea!

The party was red glitter filled. We will be cleaning up red glitter for years, I'm sure! I am killing myself that I didn't get a picture of the girls with their cardboard guitars that they made. I had planned to take on under the banner thing, but completely spaced it. That is one reason why pregnant moms shouldn't do birthday parties! I got Macie's picture under it, so I guess that was enough! I also had planned to draw a "13" on their hands...just like Taylor, but a mom ended up staying, and I don't think she would have been too keen on that idea. Had she not been there, I would have just done it, and suffered the consequences later, but oh well. They still had fun! We made bracelets first, then decorated guitars with red glitter...they even had a red glitter tulle strap. Yes, glitter everywhere I tell you. Everywhere. I found heart sunnies and spray painted them red to get the "Taylor" look. 

And yes, they all did get exclusive PaperDolls by Cory Taylor Swift paper dolls. I wanted to do red lipstick, but they are seven. So, we went with nail polish instead! They love, love, loved the paper dolls! And I'm pretty sure they are the only ones in the world who have a set. Right, Cory??

It was fun party with lots of dancing. It was a good choice, and no one will have a party quite like it! Happy Birthday, my little Taylor loving seven year old!

Macie is SEVEN.

Seven. I remember being seven. I remember my birthday party when I turned seven. I remember a lot about being seven. And this makes me nervous as a mother! If I remember being seven, she sure will...so I better not mess up!

She has been counting down the days til her birthday since about September 17th of last year. For some reason she has been DYING to turn seven. I'm not sure why it's been such a magical number to her, but she seriously could not wait. She's got a later birthday, so she's one of the youngest second graders, so the fact that most of her friends turned seven during first grade could be why she was so eager to turn seven. She was also insistent that she would grow the morning of her birthday. We measured her the night before on the wall, and the first thing in the morning she brought me a pencil and wanted me to measure her again. And, guess what? She had grown! It was crazy. Like seriously. She had grown a little. Maybe she was just standing a little taller because of the excitement of her birthday, but that mark on the wall was a bit higher than the one the night before, and she was ecstatic! 

She was a little disappointed that she had to go to school on her birthday.Who wouldn't be? I never had to go as a little girl, but I knew that I wouldn't want to! So, I wrapped up her lunch. Everything in her lunch was wrapped like a gift. I knew that she would either love it, or be really mad at me. Turns out, she loved it.

She got to open the present from Momo, Pa and Cory before school. {I kinda knew there would be birthday clothes inside! ;-)}

She got a little excited about her birthday cinnamon roll. She's a goofy girl, for sure!

I had high hopes of surprising her with balloons after school. However, Mother Nature had other plans. It was 104 when it was time to pick her up. I know the balloons wouldn't last. They would either just fall or pop, so we decided against that, and just showed up with Daddy and lots of hugs and kisses! Just having Daddy there was enough, really.

At home she had to wait to open presents until after cake. It was killer! Luckily, they get out of school at 3:20, so by the time we got home it was nearly 4, and pretty much time for an early dinner. She got to pick anything she wanted for dinner. I told her that I could make her anything she wanted, or she could pick ANY  restaurant. I was sure she would pick Olive Garden. She didn't. She picked Del Taco. Del Taco? Yeah, I don't know why, either. However, she changed her mind to Chick Fil A. That was a step up, but whatever. She wanted to go. So went head there. When we got there, there was a tent set up outside with princess stuff everywhere...including horse drawn carriages. I was sure that this was a private birthday party, and we would be screwed because it would be packed. It was a but busy, but it was Chick Fil A's princess night! Macie picked the perfect place on the perfect day! 

After eating and playing in the playplace, Mace decided it was too loud inside and we headed outside to all of the hoopla out there. The line was far too long for a carriage ride, and she just wanted cake and to open presents, so we got off on that one easy, but she did want a picture with Rapunzel. When it was our turn, Macie told her that it was her birthday, and Rapunzel broke out into song, singing Happy Birthday to her. I didn't have enough warning to video it, but it was pretty awesome.

We finally got to eat the cake and open presents. She was a little over the top while opening presents. She is our drama queen. My goodness. I can see an acting career in her future!

To end the night, she got "Golden Pepsi". That's pretty much all she wanted, really. She was a content, sugared up, seven year old! It was a fun day, and although she had plans to do so much more for her big day, there wasn't enough time in the day! 

She's such a grown up little girl. I do have to remind myself several times a day that she is just a little girl. She may be feisty and know what she wants, but she's still just a sweet little seven year old. Never grow up, baby girl. Never grow up.

Avila is two.

I seriously am in denial of my baby girl turning two. Even with another little one on the way, Avila is my baby! She's so tiny...totally opposite of my other three, so I think of her a lot younger. However, she thinks she's at least five. Seriously. If you ask her how old she is, she will say, "Avi five." And she walks around as if she is five. She potty trained herself a few months back, she will not take a bath...only showers. She washes herself. She has to buckle her carseat by herself. Only she can put her shoes on. She is a little diva girl. But, we love her all the same!

I had orignally decided that I wanted to throw her a Snow White birthday party, but she didn't like that idea. She requested "Min Mouse". And so that is what she got. She is obsessed with Minnie. EVERYTHING Minnie. And it's funny. I never pushed anything on her, she just liked it! And not just any Minnie, she prefers the red polka dots over the pink, but likes the pink, too! {Secretly, I was all for the red and black decor, knowing that Macie's Taylor Swfit party was just around the corner and I could totally reuse it!}

 She started out the day with her birthday muffin. Naked, of course. She called the shots. She attempted to hold up two fingers...it's difficult when you're only two. I guess we should have practiced sooner!

 Since she is two, she wore a tutu during the day, pre party. Clever, huh? A tutu for a TWO year old? Ha, it still gets me for some reason! Oh, the thinks that amuse me. BUT, Avila would not have a photo shoot. This is what I got. She would much rather play in the dirt. Again, she called the shots.

 And then it was off to Fazoli's for her birthday lunch. She loves her Italian food! And then it was party time...well, a few hours later. The nice thing about just having family birthdays, they can start whenver you want. There is no deadline. It's perfect! We ate hot dogs, and just hung out with Momo, Pa and Cory who came to celebrate with us!

She loved everything she opened. And examinied every little thing about each thing. When she found the "flop flops" and the sunglasses, she just had to put them on. Completely a girly girl, for sure!

 Uncle Cory used his mad cake decorating skills to while out rice krispie treats in the form of Minnie's head!

 The picture in the frame is also a Cory masterpiece. It looks a lot like Miss Avila! {Thanks, Cory!}

It was a fun little day for the special two year old! My baby is two. It's going to take me a while to sort through that one! She's a funny, spunky little girl and makes everyday an adventure!  I love you, baby girl!!