The Festivities Have Finished.

Thank heavens.

Jooj (in another amazing Vintage April outfit) took cupcakes and "Googie Bags" to preschool today. I asked her how she liked the cupcakes (I used a pirated "Sprinkles" recipe from online) and she replied "Well, We threw them over the fence because the birdies will like to eat them."

So then I went and just bought a cake.

We opened presents after school, and she panted by the window for four hours until her party guests arrived.

Side note: I decided that our new birthday party tradition would be that whatever day your birthday lands on is the day that you get to celebrate. So if your birthday is on a Saturday, then you get to have a party! If it is on a school night or the Sabbath, then you can invite a friend over and have a nice dinner. No more of this family party, kid party, school party week-long nonsense. That is reserved for Mamis.

She chose to invite the missionaries over, and her friend, Joey and his family. We ate chicken adobo a la Fig, and some peaches and cake. Then one of the missionaries showed the kids how to make bubbles in the sink.

Now she is in bed. I am beat. Happy birthday, Jooj! I love you more now than I did four years ago, mostly because I only had known you eixisted for two days at that point. But I bet I will love you even more as time goes on!

The Festivities are Commencing...

On Sunday Jooj wore an amazing outfit from Vintage April, a company that sells gorgeous girls' clothes. It just happens to be run by one of my favorite friends from college, April Smith. She does not have a website, which is why I am so irritated that I can't link to her. We will work on it and get back to you.

Then, at Primary, we got to sing the Birthday song to Jooj! She was REALLY REALLY REALLY excited about it. I am the song lady. I was less excited. Because, you know, I am lazy. Also, I need to get my roots done.
After church, we started on the goodie bags to take to school tomorrow. We printed out the most awesome free downloadable labels from A Print a Day and stapled them to the top of the bags.

Soon, we will be making cupcakes to bring, too.

Tomorrow is the actual celebration, I will keep you posted. By posting.

I can't believe I have kept her alive for four years.

Candles are not safe for those under twelve.

So, there is this person that I adore. She barely knows I exist. Mostly because I moved away when she was little. But, still, I adore her.

I love all of her siblings fiercely, but she extra is special to me.

Because when her mom was pregnant, I lived next door. And more than anything in the whole world I wanted a baby. But I didn't have one.

And I got to see her arrive. Before her mom did, even. (Thanks, icky positioning in the delivery room!)

And I held her for hours while her mom napped. I mothered vicariously through her. I whispered to her and asked her to send some messages to The Big Guy and get me my kid soon.

Then I moved away.

And less than a year later, she totally followed through. Because she is a go-getter that way.

Happy day, SuperStar! Don't eat any baking chocolate today.