Hannah had such a great time at her birthday pool party in Kentucky - Steve invited some of Ann's cousins and nephews to come over and swim with Hannah. Kathy organized some games for the kids. Hannah also got to pet the ponies and feed them, and she picked some beans and tomatoes from Steve and Ann's garden. Poor kid, we can't even keep a garden here - with dogs, a rabbit infestation and high, dry winds, it's pretty hard to grow anything except herbs in pots. Not like Kentucky, where you just have to spill some seeds and a plant will grow.
So after the kids left, we had the birthday party, organized by Kathy and Janet. There was a Hello Kitty cake and Graeter's chocolate chip ice cream, after chicken kabobs Steve and Ann cooked on the grill. Hannah loved all her presents, but I think the funniest one had to be what she got from Uncle John. Ever since the day at Disney World, two years ago, when he ate Hannah's croutons while she was in the restroom, there's been a running joke between them about Uncle John eating all her croutons. So he made it up to her by sending her a special present for her birthday - but you have to see the video of Hannah opening the present:
Hannah and I got back from our vacation in Kentucky last night. We had a great time - Hannah told me yesterday morning, "I don't want to go home!" She wanted to stay there forever and go to Kindergarten at Aunt Janet's school. We told her that it wouldn't all be fun and games if she lived in Kentucky - pretty soon it would be just like living in Colorado, except without Mommy and Daddy and the puppies. I think that changed her mind - especially the part about the puppies!
I couldn't upload pictures from Janet's computer at the lake house, so I'm just going to put up some pictures now. These are of Hannah's pool birthday party at Uncle Steve and Aunt Ann's house:
Yesterday was Hannah's Spa Birthday Party. She invited Priscilla, Cassidy and Lainie, and it was a great time. I got a fair amount of grief from people who know me well - I think they thought it was going to be a "child beauty pageant" type makeover or something! Never fear, I would never do that to Hannah. Instead, Hannah and her friends were treated to Princess Pedicures. They got to wear tiaras and princess jewelry, and each of them got a grown-up style pedicure, complete with foot massage, cuticle cream, lotion and nail polish.
Hannah was funny during her pedicure. She sat there so quietly and seriously at first, perched on the very edge of her chair so her feet would reach what she called the "foot hot tub". Then she loosened up a little but she was very polite and grown-up acting. All the girls were.
After their pedicures, they got a little wild and ran around playing. They had the place to themselves most of the time, so the shop didn't mind them getting a little noisy. One of the girls brought her ten year old brother along, and at first he sat there in one of the barber chairs acting cool and above it all with a book. I told him, "Eli, I'm sorry I didn't know you were coming, so I didn't book you for a princess pedicure. But I'm sure they have an extra tiara if you want one!" After a while he loosened up and sort of rode herd on the little girls. I think Hannah had a little crush on him - she kept teasing him.
I had made "hors d'oeuvres" for the girls - tortilla and cream cheese pinwheels, rice krispy treats, and veggie dip. When I told her I was going to make hors-d'oeuvres for the party, she said, "Oh, Mommy, can I help?". I told her yes. Then, after a minute she asked, "What are or-derbs?" I told her they were just snacks, but since this was a grown up kind of party, we had to call them "hors d'oeuvres". And we had vanilla ice cream and birthday cupcakes. Hannah brought some of her CD's and her boom box, so we also had dancing at the party.
Here's a video of the girls singing "Happy Birthday". I wish I knew how to edit my big butt out of the video. That's what I get for forgetting to bring my memory stick, and having to rely on other people to take pictures for me. If you're not taking the pictures, there's always a chance you'll be in one of them!
Of course, after all the preparations and running around, I needed a spa day! When Hannah was getting her pedicure I told her, "Hannah, I'm jealous of you - I wish I could get a princess pedicure too." She said, "They're just for little girls. But you can have a queen pedicure." I think getting a pedicure or manicure together may be one of our "mommy-daughter" things we get to do together from time to time.
A cute thing just happened. Hannah and Priscilla are playing in Hannah's bedroom upstair. Just now, I heard them chattering, and then they started shrieking. Hannah ran to the balcony and shouted, "Mommy, Mommy, there's a real goblin in my room, and I'm not joking!" Priscilla and she were both "crying", and I told them, "Oh, no - what are you going to do?" Hannah said, "I don't know, but it's a real goblin! It's not make-believe!" I told her, "Well, why don't you take your magic wand and make him disappear?" Hannah asked Priscilla if she wanted to do it. "NO!" Priscilla said. Hannah said, "Then we'll go together - let's hold hands." They whispered together a little, and then I heard Hannah sort of chant, "Oh goblin, oh goblin, I want you to disappear!" It must have worked, because they both said, "Yay!" and ran back into her bedroom. Kids are so much fun!
We measured and weighed Hannah, as we do on every birthday. She is now almost 41 inches tall (104 cm) and weighs 35 pounds (15.9 kg). I think that makes her tall enough for a booster-type car seat, instead of a "baby car seat" (Hannah's words) - she's so happy about that. Cassidy has a booster car seat, and she wants to be just like Cassidy. So I guess the booster car seat goes on the shopping list!
I don't remember such a rainy July Fourth weekend, at least not here in Colorado! The rain has been pretty much constant since Friday afternoon, but it looks like it finally cleared up. Of course, that's no guarantee that it won't rain again tomorrow. I took this photo from the deck a few minutes ago:
We had an indoor barbecue at our friend Sandra's house on the rainy, rainy fourth of July. At least we were able to cook the steaks outside, because her patio was covered. But it was way too cold and wet to actually eat outside. Here's Hannah with the dogs, who were banished outside on the (covered) porch due to muddy feet:
Today it poured again. So we decided to celebrate Hannah's last day as a four year old by going out to eat at Five Guys Burgers and Fries - this is a great restaurant, but definitely not health food! We never eat dinner if we go there for lunch because we're stuffed for hours. Tomorrow Hannah's 5th birthday will be a rather subdued affair. After all, she is having a spa birthday party for four of her friends on Tuesday, and then a Fay family birthday party in Kentucky next Saturday. No sense in spoiling her. Right - like she's not already spoiled!
Since the Courts were closed today (the 4th of July is a Saturday this year, so the Courts took a day off today), Lindsey stayed home from work, and after Hannah went to Pixies roller skating class, we decided to go see the new "Ice Age" movie. Hannah invited Priscilla from next door to go with us.
So we all sat in a row, with Hannah and Priscilla sitting next to each other. Several times Hannah leaned over to Priscilla and said, "Isn't this fun to go to the movies together!" It was like a new idea no one had ever thought of: go to a movie with a friend? Great idea!! It was great to see them enjoying themselves, and each other so much. But I'm afraid the new Ice Age movie isn't as good as number one and number two. I think maybe they've played out that franchise.
The movie theatre has a big fountain out front, so the girls decided they had to run in the fountain and get soaked. I got some cute pictures and a movie of them playing. Another little girl was playing with them, and when I asked Hannah and Priscilla to stand together and "Smile, girls!", the other little girl stopped playing and smiled too! So I have no idea who the little blond girl in the photos is.
