A Gr{8} Day!

This weekend we celebrated Emily's 8th birthday!  I swear {and I don't swear!} we just celebrated her 7th...like yesterday...but somehow it's been a whole year!

I wasn't that excited about her turning another year older...

...but I think she was!

We surprised her a day early with streamers, balloons and flowers and an early present Saturday morning and jumping out yelling "Happy Birthday!"  I loved the look on her face...she was truly surprised!

She celebrated with a few friends and a sleepover!  Four girls together = lots of loud giggles and excitement!  She was in heaven!  {mom and dad may have needed some headache reliever...but it was all worth it!}

I wish I had more pictures of all of them...but they were seriously an energetic blur all night!
We went out for pizza and ran off some of their energy at the Commons playground!  Ellie had a great time too going down the slide and playing with all the girls!

Then it was time for ice cream at Zaharako's...where we sat right next to the old pipe organ! 

Then it was back home for presents, pajamas and making lip balm, bath bombs and body scrub = a big 'ol mess!

I was so worried about how I would pass the time with all the girls...but they kept busy with a movie and playing house and restaurant with the old kitchen set Alex got for his third or fourth birthday!  I had them go to bed around 10:30...but the giggles continued until 11:00!  It was a fun night! 

They woke up the next morning around 7:45 and Dan bought donuts {Yum!} for breakfast! Alex was fortunate to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's to escape all the girly giggles...and Emily waited all morning for them to arrive so she could open her presents!

{anxiously waiting for them to get home!}

{It's time!}

{singing Happy Birthday and blowing out the birthday candle makes it official...}

She was ecstatic to get the Lego house!  It was her night to go to the IU basketball game with daddy...the last one of the season...and she passed it up so she could stay home and build her Lego house!  She worked on it for almost three hours...until it was finished!

She also decided that she was going to use her birthday money for an iPod touch...so I surprised her after school with it when I picked her up from her friend's house!

It's amazing how grown up she's become in one year!  It makes me sad...and so proud all at the same time!  She is smart, sweet, sassy, spunky, stylish, generous, forgiving, and a friend to everyone!  She is always reading a book...or two...and right now is reading Harry Potter and the Dork Diaries.  I am rarely with a book in my hand, so I am so proud to see her love of reading!

It has been a fast-moving year...I get sad at how quickly the days pass...but I am always intrigued at what the future brings and look forward to watching all the kids grow and learn!

Happy 8th Birthday Emily!  We love you more than we can ever tell you!  You are an amazing sister and friend and daughter!  Have an awesome year being eight!