Ella’s Birthday Part 1
I certainly can’t write about Max’s birthday without writing about Ella’s! At this point my kids ask me to write about certain things which melts my heart! My sweet Ella turned 7! My middle child who wants everyone to get along! The one who interferes when Seth and I are fighting to say something so smart like “you guys are the best couple!” She is a natural therapist! We can’t help but stop fighting and look at each other with a big smile! Ella is the child who sees my stress and tells me what a good job I am doing as her mom. She lights up the room and really helps to keep me sane every day!
If Ella wants something it is really hard to say no to her. She told Seth and I:
1) She wants to go to Panera for her birthday dinner with her grandparents and parents and siblings. She wouldn’t listen to any other restaurant suggestions! She didn’t want me to make anything she only wanted Panera!
2) She was in a theatre performance that talked about boogie shoes and a roller rink. All she wanted to do was have her birthday party at a roller rink. Shout out to the Academy of Theatre Arts for a great performance! “Ella, don’t you think first graders will have trouble skating? What about a girls spa party?” I ask her trying to entice her! “No way mom, I want a roller rink with my whole class! I want to put on my boogie shoes!” How do I say no to her?
3) Can I please get an iPad? You may think Seth and I are totally nuts! I get that! However, Max has an iPad and then Lillie tends to be using Seth’s iPad which means Ella ends up without one! With the help of all the grandparents we bought Ella an older version of a mini iPad! Totally spoiled children! I am very guilty!! For the record I do not even have an iPad!
It is Ella’s birthday morning and I am hustling like I am every morning to get everyone ready but Ella is begging for her scavenger hunt. We do a scavenger hunt on every birthday. It has become tradition. If I try to skip it they get upset so I will humor them and keep doing scavenger hunts! Note to self: do scavenger hunts after school! They do the hunt, find their toys, and then want to open and play with these toys! “I can’t take it!” I yell. I am trying to get them ready and they are asking me to open things! Now Ella is looking at me with sad eyes! No, no, no…..I can’t have her upset on her birthday! “I am so sorry Ella! I am sorry I yelled! I just want you happy on your birthday! I learned today that scavenger hunts have to happen after school! You can play with your stuff after school! I have to get you ready for school!” She nods and understands and I get them out the door!
I head to the lunch lady’a house (my friend) to give her cupcakes so she can give one to Ella during lunch! I love to stop in on their birthdays with a cupcake during lunch but I was heading to a funeral and my sweet friend was willing to help me! Ella was so excited that my friend turned off the lights during lunch and the cafeteria sang to her! Sometimes in life you click with someone and see their sweet soul shining through! This lady is one of those people in my life! If you read this a big thank you to you. XO
One of my very bestest friends in the whole world’s brother died so I head to his funeral. The ironic thing is this friend came to my grandma’s funeral on her birthday! Wow, are we connected! How can I be so sad and so happy on the same day! I say goodbye to my friends brother and wish him peace (he deserves it more then anyone with all he went through). Time to head to school to read to Ella’s class and put a smile back on my face! It is so so hard to see my friend and her family sad!
I can’t tell you how much I love volunteering at my kids school. My husband and I joke that I should just work there! I tend to take on a lot of volunteer jobs and don’t get paid for anything. My husband is a saint for putting up with this! He even gets suckered into helping me with my volunteer jobs cause he is such a good guy! I notice and appreciate this Seth!!
We head home and the kids happily play with their new toys! Yes, I get all of them a little something for every kids birthday! I want them all to find something at the end of the hunt! I am good at finding ways to spend money. My husband asked me to have candy at the end of the hunt (the one who doesn’t want them eating candy). I refuse to do candy as I am on a mission to buy less and less junk! I am currently doing zero junk food for me! Now to work on my children!
I learned a lesson after Max’s birthday! Max had 1) his actual birthday where we celebrated! 2) a Grandparent celebration with all of us! 3) a kid birthday party! I don’t want to do three different days if I can help it so we invited the grandparents to Panera. Let’s do the family celebration on Ella’s actual birthday and cut out a day for me! Everyone seemed happy with this!
Ella eats dinner, eats cake and goes to open her present! I tell Ella “this present is very special. All of your grandparents and your parents put their money together to buy you this!” Ella’s eyes widen and Max says “I bet it is an iPad!” Did he really just say that!?!?!? I grab Max and bring him over to me praying Ella barely heard him. Max sees the steam coming out of my ears. He knows when I am really angry and he is playing it down like, “What did I do? It isn’t a big deal,” he is attempting to calm me down! That kid!
Ella is thrilled and I smile knowing she had a really great birthday! Part of me truly wishes that could be it! Why do we have to have a kid party?
Ella, I will re-energize and enjoy your party with you!!
P.S. Ella is now obsessed with texting! If she texts you 50 times a day I am so sorry!! I am much more amused then Seth is!
