and she's eight

little people are slowly turning into big people around here. and I am becoming more and more convinced that I have missed my true calling as someone who throws birthday parties for children and likes it a little too much.



that ava, she is officially eight. wasn't I just talking about five and six? did I even get around to seven?



several months ago, she asked for a party with a chinese theme. it was all I could do to keep from emitting a series of high-pitched screams. oh, the possibilities! picture me wild-eyed, visions of red paper lanterns and pink parasols dancing in my head. I could not help myself.







it's my 7th birthday that I remember most. me in a frothy confection of a dress, white organza with a layer of candy pink underneath. I remember the way my mom transformed the living room of our very brown split level home into a sugary sweet land of hovering balloons and crepe paper magic. the whole scene is faded but forever set in my mind like a partially developed polaroid. we are playing musical chairs, pin the tail on the donkey in slow motion. I am wearing bright white socks carefully pulled to the tops of my knees and shiny black mary janes. I am surrounded by a collection of friends: marsha and melanie from across the street, michelle and anna from my first grade class and cindy, the class bully. whom I invited because I was afraid of what might happen to me if I didn't. cut to the part where they are all singing to me and I am smiling, gathering breath to take out seven tall, skinny birthday candles, wishing it could all go on forever.



so this is my gift to them, year after year. parties they will always remember, details that will (hopefully) find their way into stories they will eventually tell about childhood. I'm not going to lie, I thoroughly enjoy it, probably a little too much. I love the entire process, from beginning to end. the planning, the brainstorming and researching of ideas, the collecting of supplies, the making, the doing. I love it. this is something I can give them, so I do. and I will continue on with it until that day when they pretend it is so uncool. when my enthusiasm is just too much for them to take. I will step down graciously, I promise.



until then, all bets are off. happy 8th birthday, sweet girl. not sure how we are going to top this one. I think this one was my favorite.


p.s. back in june, ezra turned four and had a robot party. where are the photographs and the stories? they are coming. am now completely undecided as to which was more fun: chinese paper lanterns or robots wearing party hats.

p.p.s. the ideas for ava's party were already pretty much in place but my sweet friend christina sent me this link which just about sent me over the edge of happy creative party-making. thank you, christina.

p.p.p.s. see ava's entire birthday bash here.

p.p.p.p.s. yes, I do like the p.s. thing. a lot.