Birthday Girls

A few weeks ago we were planning to do a combo birthday party for the girls, but that’s when the bottom fell out of my thyroid, and the thought of throwing a birthday party made me want to cry.  And tell my children there was no such thing as birthdays.  Anyway, we just decided to skip it and figure out something later.  We ended up doing something very very simple with a few of the girls’ friends on Friday afternoon. 

Natalie’s been talking about having Cayley at her 4th birthday party since about the time she turned three.  :)

Often I can’t get Natalie to look at the camera without her striking a silly pose.

We decorated sugar cookies!

It didn’t take James long to figure out exactly how this all worked.

Decorating cookies must just be one of those things you’re born knowing how to do.  :)

Cayley didn’t want to eat her cookie so she took it home.  She stayed very clean.  :)

This one… did not.

I think this girl has grown up quite a bit recently – doesn’t she look so old?!

After we cleaned up the cookie mess, I painted the girls’ nails.  Cayley looks less than thrilled here, but she really was.  :)

Big girls!

Lisa got some James snuggles.

And some bicep curls.

Ray and Laura slept through all of this (what?!!), but they brought the girls (and James) travel magna-doodles!  They have drawn and drawn and drawn and drawn on them since Friday.  Thank you friends!  I debated waking Ray up for party stuff, but I just couldn’t do it!  I hate waking up littles!  So I sent him home with cookies and icing; I hope he got to enjoy that with his daddy!

Cayley brought Natalie a little diary set, and she LOVES it!  She puts her treasures in the box, and writes little notes all the time.  It’s very cute. : )

The Vandengirls brought Joanna and Natalie this My Little Pony train set, and all three (four?) of my children have had the best time running it on the coffee table.

It was a perfect little party (with a very perfectly manageable amount of presents to play with!).  The girls had a lovely time, even though I’m kind of a slacker mom.  At what age do they really start calling you on that?  :)

Joanna’s actual birthday is Friday, and we’ll probably do a repeat of Natalie’s day last month.  I’m thinking something yummyish for breakfast and dinner out with our little fam.  I still have to go out and get Joanna’s gift from us, but since she’s at school the rest of the week, and my “extra” kiddos are on vacation, I think I may actually be able to do it.  :)  The idea has been had; it’s just about execution.