And then comes Birthday #2

Next up in our Spring Birthday Lineup is Little Miss Elisabeth turning 7 years old (how is that possible??).  And in contrast to Samuel who had changed his mind about what he had wanted for his birthday every single day up to and including his birthday day (you say you want what?), Elisabeth had decided that she wanted a strawberry party.  And, perhaps because it was such a (relief) contrast to the previous planning process (isn't parenting fun!?), I felt like if this girl really wanted a strawberry party then by golly she was going to get a strawberry party! Hooray!

And, yeah so somewhere in the process I might have gone a little pinterest crazy and decided I could really go all out with strawberries, strawberries everywhere!  So many cute ideas! Really, strawberries are just so adorable.  The first thing I wanted to do was make little felt strawberries as decorations for her gifts, with embroidery accent things.  Yeah.  This is not something I've ever attempted before.  But look how cute!  Not bad for a first ever attempt, eh?  It did take me a ridiculously long time, though, so I only ended up making one.  But still, I'm pretty proud of myself.  Especially all things considered.;)

And I made a very yummy partially homemade strawberry cake (white cake mix, strawberry jello mix, fresh strawberries blended in, homemade fresh strawberry frosting).  It was pretty amazing, if I do say so myself.

And what's a strawberry party without strawberry shortcake dolls!  Of course.:) I found them pretty irresistible myself, I don't even know exactly why.

They are very different from the dolls I had as a kid, but something about their shiny smooth hair and cute shoes . . . .  

Those shoes!  It's like I could . . . . eat them.  Ok, I don't know what it is.

Anyway, I think Elisabeth had a pretty fun day. She is a fun little girl, growing up and learning to read and taking gymnastics and playing with her brothers and playing with friends and becoming her own independent person.  It's amazing to watch my youngest become so big.  She is now the age that Abigail (the oldest) was when she (the baby of the family) was born.  That was a really strange realization.  She is all at once still so little and all of a sudden so big.  We love her to pieces.  It's a crazy whirlwind life we are trying to keep together here, but it's a good one.