Kara's Fifth Birthday

Kara turned five this week.  I know I have said this before (and, I know I'll say it again), but it amazes me how agonizingly long some days are and yet the years just fly on by.  For her birthday, she wanted to have a party at the gymnastics center.  We booked it back in November (or maybe it was early December) for Saturday, February 15.

Her actually birthday was on Wednesday, the 12th.  We had joked with her for about a week about how things might be different when she was five (i.e., we didn't know if she would give such good hugs as a five-year old, and what if she woke up much taller, etc.), so I think she was relieved when I came into her room and she felt the same.  She had to prove she could still give great hugs and was very happy with her surprise birthday shirt.  It was a school day and she brought cupcakes in to share with her class.  Then, for her birthday dinner, she chose a cheese fondue and an orange cake with "lots of different colors inside."  She opened her presents, which consisted of a clock radio, a doll from the movie Frozen, a My Littlest Pet Shop character from Anna, and a snow globe from Jack (as silly as that present sounds, it was a thoughtful gift as it's something that Kara had been asking for.) 

On Friday, she got a birthday package in from her Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Dave.  She was very excited to open it and thrilled that the birthday celebration was continuing.  They sent her some toys and lots of books.  One of the books, "The Days the Crayons Quit" became an instant favorite and I think Thomas and I have read it about 10 times in the past two days.

Finally, it was Saturday, they day of her party.  We had the late afternoon session (4:30-6:30), which made it feel like a very long day for the kids.  The gym is pretty amazing.  The kids did a few sessions last year and really enjoyed it, but there are just so many activities for them to chose from and it fell by the wayside when they signed up for soccer.  Anyway, they were happy to be back. Kara had such a good time and was very happy that so many of her friends were able to come.  We invited the little girls from the neighborhood (and their brothers, of course) and a few of her friends from Mechanicsville that we haven't had the opportunity to see in a while (along with Lily and Curtis, who don't live in the neighborhood and who aren't from Mechanicsville, but without whom no Wilson party would be complete).  It was fantastic!

Photo dump time:

This foam pit is in 9 feet deep!  

After all the cold and snow, the kids were more then ready to just run and run and run