Tilly's Super Birthday

I know this is a late post since her birthday was May 28th, but I had to share it with all of you. About a month before the big day she asked me, "Mom, will you surprise me for my birthday?" I am quite sure she said that and then promptly forgot ever having suggested it, but it must have struck a cord with me because my brain became obsessed with throwing Tilly a superfied sixth birthday bash. The theme for her birthday also unfolded as every single store is full of Hawaiian stuff right now. She would walk by and look at it all and say, "I wish I could have a Hawaiian party." I kept telling her that she would only be having a family party this year so I had to make like that was all she would be getting, but I secretly made surprise birthday party invites with oil pastel Hawaiian flowers on the front.

For her present she made a short list and said I could pick what to give her (so Tilly). I decided she had to have a trunk for her American Girl doll since the make shift room she had made out of pillows and wash clothes and a paper table with doll clothes rammed in a Tupperware was driving me nuts. Jon began work on said trunk with a matching bed a little later than was wise and consequently had three very late nights in the garage. He kept calling me a slave driver and telling me I was a creep for making him stay up late, until I was forced to remind him that he was the one who decided to make Tilly's present and he knew when her birthday was. ("I am not spending that much money on a cardboard trunk. I can make one for cheaper and it will be way nicer.") He finished just in time for me to spend the night before her birthday modge podging the trunk and bed.

The weekend before her b-day was one of Jon's late nights. The girls went to spend the night at Katie's. I painted birthday bags at work for eight hours and then came home and burned the midnight oil with Jon until they were done. We went to bed around three. You might be asking yourself do a bunch of kids even care about hand painted goody bags? The answer is an emphatic no, but I do, so I videoed my masterpieces to share with all of you.

On her actual birthday we went out to Pirate Pizza and then to Cricket's softball game. We came home and had cake and ice cream and opened present.

The next day, JP took her out of the house. Jon blew up the Bonzai slide and I decorated. Her friends arrived and when she walked in the front door we all yelled "Surprise". Her reaction made all the hard work worth it. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face and she told me thank you about ten times.

I hope she never forgets how much we love her. Happy Birthday Tilly!