Celebrating Ellie

In our house your actual birthday is super special. On your birthday you get to decide what we do that day and what we eat. When you're one of 4 kids that's a really big deal! (Especially if you're a quiet middle child!) All the kids like to talk about what they want to do on their birthday but nobody plans quite like Ellie!
For her birthday this year we went to Lion King at the zoo the night before (and got some play time in at waterfall junction!) and then slept in and had a lazy morning. The kids watched TV all morning and Ellie got to pick what they watched. If you know Ellie you know she loves TV!

Evelyn and her dad joined us for the movie!

After lunch all the kids had some rest time since we had been at the zoo until very late the night before. After naps, Ellie decided we should go to the Children's Museum. And when it's your birthday you get to pick what we do first when we get there! It worked out pretty well because Paul was with us so we could split up if someone wanted to go do something else. Ellie (and everyone else) had a wonderful time!

After the museum we headed to Moe's to eat dinner and then 32 degrees for frozen yogurt. Funniest moment of the day: The kids get to pick 3 toppings at 32 degrees. While we were eating dinner Ellie looked at me and said "because it's my birthday I get to have 4 toppings". We have NEVER done this but she totally stated it as fact. I'm pretty sure she figured that I wouldn't be able to remember if we'd done it before and so if she said it confidently enough I'd just go along with it. Unfortunately for her I knew we hadn't ever done this before but fortunately for her I think she's adorable and funny and I'm all about having a super special birthday so I went along with it. :) Ellie Belly always makes me laugh and she totally knows how to work the system.

She said that since it was her birthday she thought it would be really nice if she could have some cheese dip!

It was a nice day so we were able to sit outside.

When we got home Ellie opened her present from her siblings (Mad libs, a Beanie Boo, and a keychain to replace her favorite one that she'd lost). She had already gotten her present from Paul and I when we did her family party. Once she opened her present we sent the other kids to bed and Ellie got some special alone time with Paul and I. She picked out some games for us to play which is always fun.

I had told Ellie that for her party she could either invite 2 friends to spend the night or she could have a big party. She choose the spend the night. She invited 2 of her school friends. Unfortunately one of them couldn't come because of a family emergency but Ellie and her friend Chloe had so much fun having Ellie's first spend the night party! Emmie started spending the night with friends last summer and Ellie has been so anxious to get to do it too. We went to the pool for a bit and then came home and had tacos for dinner and cookie cake and ice cream sundaes. Once the kids got ready for bed Ellie picked Shrek to watch. The kids went to bed around 9:15 but it was about 11 before they finally calmed down and went to sleep! The slept in a little in the morning (as in they got up at 8 instead of 7:30!) and I fixed them a big breakfast before Chloe's mom came to pick her up.

I think Ellie thoroughly enjoyed her birthday weekend and we loved celebrating our sweet SEVEN year old!

Happy Birthday Ellie!

Dear Ellie, 

Today my sweet Ellie Belly you are SEVEN! It's so hard to believe and yet at the same time it feels like you have always been a part of our lives. 

You are a ray of sunshine for our family. You are almost always so content and even keeled. You just go along with the flow and do your thing. You are a perfect addition to our family. I was telling someone the other day that you and Emmie's personalities complement each other so well. Through those first few REALLY hard months where you weren't sleeping and were so cranky, I was super nervous about what the next few year would look like. I had no idea what balance you would bring to our family. (And once we got your tummy feeling better you became so much happier!) You have a personality that is so uniquely yours and the more time passes the more I see how perfectly you fit in your place as the second child. 

You love life. You are my bravest child. If we are doing something new and someone has to go first you are always willing to step up. Whether it's something fun like a ride at Disney or something not so fun like flu shots. Sweet Ellie, keep being brave and you will do great things! (Also, as you go through the teenage years please remember there is a difference between brave and stupid!)

This year I have loved watching you learn. Your reading has absolutely exploded. You even read the first 3 Harry Potter books all by yourself (and loved them!). I love to talk to you. You say the FUNNIEST things. You have a wonderful vocabulary and I just never know what new word is going to pop into the conversation. You don't always say a lot but you take in everything that is going on around you. You love to learn new and interesting facts about the world around you and then you love to share that information with us. I hope you always keep learning new things!

Ellie I love how excited you get about anything that you deem "special". Things like going to the zoo, birthdays, going to get ice cream. You love the little things in life and the time spent with family and friends. Your joy for life has always been one of my absolute favorite things about you. 

This year I have loved seeing the friendships you made in kindergarten transfer over to first grade. You have a sweet little group of friends that you always play with. For years I felt like your only friends were Emmie's friends and so I have really loved seeing you go out on your own and make your own friends and then carry those friendships into the next school year. 

This year for your after school activity you decided to do dance. You liked it at first and then you were kind of over it. But you stuck with it. You got more into dance when you found out your recital piece was from Mary Poppins. You really loved that and you loved being on stage! You did Dance Theatre and absolutely loved every minute of that. We also discovered that you are clearly meant to be on a stage...perhaps just not as a dancer. You're going to do theater camp this summer so perhaps that will be your "thing". You also have said that maybe swimming is your "thing". Whatever you decide to do this coming year I hope you love it!

We had such a great year together this year Ellie. Your rocked first grade, we went to Disney World, you danced in Red Riding Hood with Dance Theatre, and everyday you were a little more "big girl" and a little less "little girl". I looked at your beginning of school and end of school pictures and couldn't believe how much you had grown and changed. 

You are SO ready for whatever this next year has in store for you (we're starting life off with and I'm so glad I get to walk with you every step of the way on this fun, exciting journey through life!

Love,
Mom

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Weekend Fun

A few weeks ago Paul had a work conference at Biltmore. I went with him and we dropped the kids off to stay with my parents in Greenville.
The kids had a great time in Greenville. Friday after we left they went to TCBY (Ellie's favorite!) and met up with Grandaddy.

Saturday my parents took them to Roper Mtn. Science Center. Roper Mountain currently has a butterfly exhibit. The kids enjoyed that but what they REALLY loved was the living history farm. Emmie apparently spent most of her time in one room schoolhouse and Ellie very much enjoyed the farm where she could churn butter and wash clothes. Ruthie and JP had lots of fun too! The kids are STILL talking about how much fun they had. I think it made it even better for the big girls because we have been reading through the Little House books.

Saturday afternoon they went to the pool and they also enjoyed some popsicles.

Paul and I came back on Sunday and we all ate lunch together.
Funny story...the girls had lots of options for sleeping arrangements. Ellie quickly claimed a room all to herself. Emmie said she "would have slept in a room by herself" but apparently Ruthie wanted to share a room with someone....riiiight...I'm sure it was Ruthie. LOL. So she and Ruthie shared a room and everyone was quite happy. (JP sleeps in his own room in a crib still.)

While the kids were having fun in Greenville Paul and I had a wonderful weekend at Biltmore. We ate lots of good food, hung out with friends, and I spent Saturday afternoon at the pool while Paul played golf.

We got back home Sunday night and the girls and I headed to see their friend Emma in Shrek Jr. (And we discovered our friend Nick was also in the show!) It was so good and Emma did a GREAT job...we were all so proud of her!

The cast came out into the audience at the end and sang and danced...Ruthie was thrilled to get to get up and dance with Emma!

Evelyn, Ellie, Emmie, Nick, Ruthie, Emma, and Emmie ( SOOOO many "E" names!!)