Let me just be clear: I am not a birthday party kind of Mom. I do not enjoy organizing or throwing parties. I have never felt like my kids needed big parties. In fact, my rule was that I would throw a party when my kids were 5, 8, 12, 14, 16 and 18. I don't know why we decided this or how those specific ages were chosen. Probably it was done during our tenure as expert first-time parents ;)
However, I read an article that really changed my perspective. It talked about how when kids are young, that's when they really love parties and they are the easiest to throw and manage. So at the last minute, Jared and I decided to put together a "Shimmer and Shine" party for Leila's 4th birthday. To say she was excited doesn't even begin to capture her enthusiasm. When she came down and saw the purple tablecloth she literally, LITERALLY gasped and twirled in a circle, hands on her cheeks, saying, "I LOVE IT!". It definitely cemented in my mind that we had done the right thing.
Having her party was also a great opportunity to invite friends and family over to see our NEW HOUSE! Did I ever blog about that? I don't think that I did. In a complete whirlwind, we sold our first home to buyers, even though it was not even on the market. We then found a new home, with a third bedroom, and about 300 sf more, less than 1/2 mile from where we were. We are SO happy there.
Leila's party was low-key. Pizza, cake and ice cream, cousins and friends, and lots of presents and fun!
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| The birthday girl in her Birthday Dress! |
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| My favorite moody teenager! |
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| JoJo wanted to be sure we were paying attention to her and regaled us with somersault attempts. |
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| This Shimmer and Shine jewelry box plays music and has been at the center of waaaaay too many fights between the girls |
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| Leila requested a Shimmer and Shine cake with BLUE frosting. So Christian and I improvised |
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| One of my all-time favorite photos of her! |
Happy Birthday to my sweet, sassy and formidable opponent, Leila!
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