Beyond the Birthday Party, with a Cherry on Top

We don't take birthdays very lightly around here, obviously. I come by my love of celebratory occasions honestly. Though Boston Sister and I have birthdays separated by just 10 days {which would be the perfect excuse for joint birthdays for sane most parents}, we never shared a party growing up. In fact, I remember separate, wonderfully-themed birthdays with our local/school friends, followed by nearly as large family celebrations back at 'home' in Jacksonville. These weren't lavish affairs by any means, just thoughtfully and creatively-executed celebrations of us; reminders of how much we were loved. 

I'm pretty certain my mom learned to love birthdays from her own mom, and yet, I know those 'celebrations' were not extravagant at all. Being raised in a home with 15 siblings {okay, they weren't all in the house at the same time, but at least seven were there when my mom was a child}, as the daughter of a hard-working farmer, my mom grew up very simply. But despite the fact she wore hand-me-downs, shared a bed with at least two sisters and had to fake gratitude for the pleather knock-off Gogo boots she finally got one Christmas, I do know for certain that the day she was born  was marked each year by a deliciously homemade cake created with love by her own mom.

Speaking of the matriarch of my mom's family, I came across this photo last week...

This was taken in 2008, the day Grandma met LE for the first time, and it is one of my favorite photos of all time. This lady had a hard life and yet in her latter years, this is what I remember the most... happy moments cherished with her abundance of grand-kids and great grand-kids. She may not have left riches behind for us, but what she did give us was the constant reminder to hold your loved ones dear, and of course, to celebrate birthdays with style.

And so we do.

Since Peanut's birthday falls over summertime, her preschool party happens in mid-May. While I avoid licensed characters like the plague {characters are only allowed on underwear and 'comfy' naptime shirts in this household}, I succumbed to her hopes for a Hello Kitty party at school...

Hello Kitty can be classy, right?

These were no easy creation and without Shannon's patience and hours and hours of help {plus her additional help after the completed Kitties impaled themselves on the sticks in the heat of the May day}, they never would have happened. But, they were well worth her excitement...

Fun little favors for her school 'freeeends'....

The celebrations continue well past parties... 

Post-party hula hooping at Lofty Pursuits with Aunt Kassie.

And to mark the day she was born - June 16th - a trip to Orlando to celebrate with the best of freeends {who were gallivanting through the Keys on the day of her party, so we did what all normal people do... took a trip together to Sea World}.

Dr. Ben happened to have a dental conference that weekend, so we booked a room at the Gaylord Palms and came along for some fun. We were pleasantly surprised upon arrival when we discovered a lovely upgrade from the standard room we had booked to the Presidential Suite...

LE told us at the end of the weekend that her favorite thing all weekend was the automatic curtains in our suite. We're kind of wondering what she will expect for her 5th birthday?!?

We spent the weekend just as we should have, with lots of pool time...

Tackling the water slides...

Lunching poolside...

Napping poolside...

 Watching movies poolside...

 And playing in the bathtub as large as a pool when we weren't poolside...

Birthday morning, we woke up to a special gift selected by Tax Man...

Who do you think is more excited?

Love that morning bedhead.

 Breakfast with Shrek...

Paigey loves Fiona... Shrek, not so much.

Bravely, the big four-year-old took a quick shot with the big, green ogre.

After Shrekfest, we headed to Sea World... making lots of memories...

Including LE's first roller coaster ride... pretty certain I was more terrified than she was {I think I bruised her arm I was holding so tightly}. Should've been a bit more terrified. As the Shamu Express came to an end, she pulled her little legs from underneath the lap bar. Oh good. She was really safe, right?

After 11 pm birthday cake in the Presidential Suite, we finally decided it was time to put the exhausted kiddos to bed. To say we celebrated every moment would be an understatement.

And the cherry on top? Just a few days prior to her Ice Cream Parlor Party, Tax Man received word.. he is officially a CPA! Cheers to him for an incredible amount of hard work for our family.

LE, it is hard to believe four years have passed since we were sitting, waiting, wishing for you. Thank you for giving us so many reasons to celebrate and an infinite number of smiles. We love you to the moon and back!