Happy Birthday Lana Darlin'!!!

Our sweet little red-head is a big five year old. Lana is such a sweetheart and as I said in the last post, she is trying so hard to be a good girl all day, every day. She melts my heart and she is my little buddy lately. She loves to be with me and I love having her company. Her giggle makes me laugh and her sweetness makes my day.

Since she is turning five, she got to have her first "real" birthday party. She wanted to have a princess party, and so a princess party it was!

Last Friday, we had a house full of lovely princesses! Lana dressed up as her favorite princess, Snow White. I had to laugh because her hair is SO the opposite of Snow White's jet black hair, but she looked darling anyway.

Since Lana was dressed up as Snow White, we did a variety of games with a Snow White sort of theme. We played a "Poison Apple" game that is played much like hot potato. The girls passed the apple around the circle as we played princess music. When the music stopped, the princess left holding the apple was "out," but to prevent big princess tears, we let them pick a prize when they were out. It was a lot of fun. They wanted to play this game over and over and over again.

Then we played a game where I gave each little princess a wrapped gift. They sat in a circle and I read the story of Snow White. Each time I said "Snow White" they had to pass their gift one princess to the left. Then at the end of the story, they got to open the present they were holding. They loved it! (Notice my brother, Prince Charming, hanging out on the couch - probably wishing he could have a present too!)

I had to chuckle when Lana was opening her gifts. Those girls were piled in as close to her as they could. So I held the camera above them and snapped a shot just to see if I could even see the floor in front of Lana, or if it would be a bunch of little princess hair-dos! Yep, that's what I thought. :)

Although the girls were lovely princesses, we had to let them get out their female aggression in a productive manner by beating the crap out of a pinata. Yes, you do see pull strings on this pinata, but where's the fun in that? C'mon, even dainty girls love getting out a bat and whacking something open - especially if there is candy inside!

See, look at Rylee and that concentration on her face. Better get out of the way when she swings!

We had a lot of fun at Lana's party, and thank you to all of the sweet princesses who came to help her celebrate. They were all adorable!

Now, fast forward to today (her REAL birthday!) She woke up this morning to decorations and presents. She was so excited!

It wouldn't be a birthday in our family unless there are at least a couple of extra sets of hands helping with the presents! This picture cracks me up because Lana looks so excited, Hayden just can't get the paper off fast enough, and Rylee looks so intense. Lana loved all of her gifts, and has been playing with them all day.

Of course, she had to have a new birthday outfit. I LOVE her in this turquoise blue color. I had so much fun picking out this outfit. The brown skirt, little white leggings, pretty shirt, and flip-flops just seem so cheery! I LOVE her birthday because it is just on the verge of spring, so I can buy her flip-flops, skirts, and short sleeve shirts. Here she is looking so old (boo) in her new outfit. At least her favorite hairdo is two braids, and that is what she requested today. That keeps her looking a bit more like a little girl.



Happy Birthday, sweetie. We love you and all of your personality and sweetness so much!