Crafty Tuesday ~ All Things Birthday.

So, it was a little someone’s birthday around here. And you know how we love to do it up on our Birthdays in our house. It gave me a few opportunities to break out Eva and make some tees…

Our traditional “number” t-shirt to wear on birthday day:

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Next year we will have to get a bigger shirt, big enough for 2 numbers. (sigh)

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Birdie #2 and I are a little bit obsessed with the British “Keep Calm & Carry On” signs, (or anything British, really) so when I saw these being knocked off, I had to make a volleyball one for Em:

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And for Easter we made carrot whoopee pies. It was a mix I found at Target, but the packaging was so stinkin’ cute, I couldn’t walk away. I mean, look at it!:

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They were ok. And then Em decided for her “treat” to give her classmates, she wanted to do whoopee pies as well, except in chocolate. Seemed easy enough, I mean…easier than the cakepops, right?

While I was reading the recipe, I realized they were just using a cookie sheet to make the “cake part” of the pies. Now, thanks to JB, I do own a lovely whoopee pie pan, but it only makes 6 pies at a time. I needed 36! So I decided to try the cookie sheet to speed things along. Epic fail. So worth the extra time it takes to make the pies in the proper pan – or buy a second pan, I suppose.

Not that they tasted bad, but those irregular blobs that didn’t quite puff up like they were supposed to kinda grated on my perfectionist sensibilities. I mean look at these:

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And now look how pretty these are:

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See? At any rate, the pies were finished and delivered to school to the delight of all the third-graders (and a few choice first-graders, too!):

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And I’m sure the kids didn’t get my pun, but I liked it and I guess that anything to keep Mama happy when she is covered in flour and frosting is good:

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And the birthday girl enjoyed them, so that is really all that matters:

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Happy 9!

Dear Emma Gracie Girl –

Happy Birthday, my sweet, sweet girl. I’ve been obsessing about this post the entire week.  I don’t want to say I’ve been dreading it, but…I’ve been dreading it. I am finding it impossible to write about everything that is floating around in my head (and in my heart) at this moment. What is tripping me up the most is the fact that you are now – NINE! Nine…one little year away from double digits. It doesn’t seem possible.

It is also near impossible to write something that I haven’t already written before. Although you are really trying new things (like volleyball!), it mostly seems that you are just getting better and better at everything you were already so very good at.

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You have had a fantastic year as a third-grader, including a recent report card where you could absolutely not get any higher marks if you tried. It was perfect. You were nominated class president and I think secretly enjoyed the little bit of bossiness that it allowed you. To my delight you have taken to the piano like you were born to play, we’ve found a dance class that you really love, and you are finding your voice and place at our church. As I watch you grow, I sometimes have to pinch myself and ask “how did we get so lucky to have a gift like you?”

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You continue to work on being a good friend, which I’m so thankful for. But I’m probably most grateful for your vigilance and dedication in your job as a big sister. Nothing makes my morning better than walking you and Addie to school and watching you lean over to kiss her goodbye as you say, “I’ll see you at recess. Love you.”

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You are a parent’s dream, Emma Grace. I know we’ll have rough patches (heck, we have already hit a few!), and I’m sure there will be times when we are disappointed in one another, but for every tough moment we have, there are at least a thousand others where I couldn’t be more proud to have you as a daughter.

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I love you, Gracie. Happy Birthday and I hope you get everything you reach for this year.

Love,
Mama