Emersyn's 4th Birthday

{I know Everett's birthday was first but I'm still waiting to get his party pics back from a friend. His post will come later}

I cannot believe my baby girl is FOUR years old now!! She's officially a little girl now, a little kid not to be confused with a toddler. My preschooler. Wow.

I wasn't sure what to do for her birthday this year since I knew I wanted to throw a big bash for Everett's first one. However, I wanted to do SOMETHING since she's more aware of things now at this age and because birthdays are like a love language for her. She has a wooden cupcake set and she plays birthday party nearly every day with her babies. She loves singing happy birthday and is totally into celebrating like her mama. I love it.

We love to frequent our local Starbucks and the manager had offered casually one day to throw her a birthday party. Initially I didn't think it would work because of the amount of people that would come but then I decided to cut the party list to only kids that are preschool age with Emersyn and do a party there. It turned out darling!! There were 9 little girls there, plus moms, a few dads and a bunch of younger siblings. There were 5 one year olds! It was a little crazy but a lot of fun!!

I brought the paper plates and napkins. Starbucks did the balloons and gave me the kids cups. :) 

Emersyn even got a present from Starbucks, a cool new tumbler! 

We did the party at 10am which is a little early for a birthday party but the perfect time for Starbucks! It was a great success and we may just do it again someday! :) Next year Emersyn said she wants her party to be at Fred Meyer (which is a grocery store if you're not from my area). She's pretty easy to please.

We continued our celebration of Emersyn's last day being three later in the evening with dinner at Baja Fresh, bowling and then coffee/hot chocolate at our favorite outdoor spot.

The actual day of her birthday was the day after her party. I learned on her two year old birthday to never do her party the day of her birthday again. I love spreading out the celebrating and oftentimes I'm too exhausted after a party to enjoy the birthday kid. The night before Ems birthday I felt like Santa Claus. I was busy baking her ice cream cake, went to the store for wrapping paper and last minute fun items, wrapped up all her presents and then got her room all set up to wake up to. I hung streamers outside her door and we covered the floor of her room with balloons (thank you Pinterest). My mom was sharing a room with her and said that when Ems woke up she was SO excited about the balloons and said the streamers were sooooo beautiful. 

Brett and I have a tradition of waking up our kids with a balloon and singing happy birthday to them on their birthdays. Since Emersyn had already woken up, we told her to go back into her room and we could come sing to her. You should have seen her sprint for her room. I then hear her scream, "Mimi.....OUT!!". My mom was sleeping in her bed and apparently Emersyn wanted to have the authentic birthday morning experience so she kicked my mom out of the bed and got all snuggled in the covers so we could come and *wake her up* by singing happy birthday. It was too cute. 

I made her birthday banana pancakes and then we got ready to go pick up her cousin for an afternoon at the *spa*. (Thank you Groupon!) 

Emersyn and Annabel got to get their hair and nails done. It was so cute! It totally makes me want to get more creative with Emersyn's hair. 

 

Special birthday lunch with cousin at Burgerville. 

For her birthday dinner we went to Old Spaghetti Factory, our family's favorite, and had a nice dinner with my mom, Brett's parents and my brother's wife. My brother had to work. After dinner we headed home for cake and presents!

Ems got spaghetti all over her birthday dress so she got to change into her new Minnie jammies from her cousin. 

I got Emersyn this special devotional bible as a gift from me. I wrote her a letter in the front of it. Last night was the first chance I got to read it to her. I read her the letter first and she loved it. Then I told her I could read one little chapter from the book before bed and she just asked me to read the letter I wrote to her again. It made my heart so happy and it was a very special moment for me and my girl.  

I made a strawberry ice cream cake, per the birthday girls request!  

I cannot believe I am the mama to a FOUR year old. I am so so blessed to have my two children and I thank God for them every day and pray that I can be the best mama I can be to these precious gifts that I have been entrusted with!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMERSYN GRACE!!  I hope your day was wonderful!!