Birthday Bird

Susannah Wren turned six years old this week.  SIX years old.  I don't know how much more growing-up I can handle, so I've declared a moratorium on birthdays until further notice.  I'll probably lift it on March 31st, though, because Annika turns eight on April Fool's Day.  EIGHT!  (Hm.  Maybe I won't lift it...)


Requested birthday waffles.

Birthday girls aren't allowed to sing the Happy Birthday song

...because it's "Happy Birthday to YOU."

We spread her birthday over two days because John had to work late on the day itself, so here she is the next morning opening a few gifts from Grandma Owen. 

(On a side note, look how chill this girl is.  Why jump over the candlestick, Jack, when you can just sit on it?)

THE DOLL.  Oh, my.  She loves her, McGamma.  Thanks so much!

For the cake, Susannah requested "a lake, with a swan swimmin' in it, with shrubs all around it"...."OR a Pegasus flyin' up high in the air looking down at the ground and trees below."  When I asked, with some trepidation, "Is there anything ELSE you might like?" she answered, "Mmmm.  OR a house.  OR a castle."  Since she had a castle last year, and a house sounded easier, I steered her homeward.


Well, it turned out cute, but it would have been cuter if I hadn't run out of time and frosting. (I made a quadruple batch, though.  C'mon!)  I spent an hour and a half cutting, constructing, and frosting the thing, but when guests arrived I had to slop on some white curlies and call it done. Perhaps those extra touches I so badly wanted to add-- creeping vines! flowers! rose bushes! vegetable leaves!-- would have landed me in Crazy Mother Camp.  It's probably for the best.

The girls set the outdoor scene with items pilfered from the dollhouse.  In the backyard, a peaceful vignette: the children and father relax while watching wildfowl frolic in the pond.

...while in the front yard, the mother labors in the garden.  WHAT?!  I don't know how they come up with this crazy stuff.

 (And I love John and Susie hugging in the left-hand corner.  At least a piece of him is represented!)
 
Cousin Dakota is one of Annika's best pals. Look at her grin.

Papas play with dolls, too.  The proof is in the pudding.

After cake, she opened more presents to round out the day, only these were from Grandma and Grandpa J. and the cousins.  (Su said that it was her doll's birthday, too, so she had to sit at attention.)

Yes, her toes are sticking out of her tights.
Yes, it's fashionable.

And one last unvarnished picture, to help me remember what these days are REALLY like.  Piper still wearing the p.j.'s she woke up in because I was downtown for half of the day and busy making a war zone of the kitchen for the other half of the day.

I'll miss these times.  I know I will.