Happy Birthday, Arwen!!

This post has been way too long in coming since Arwen's birthday was in January! What can I say, I've been busy. Arwen turned six on the 30th! Every birthday of hers is weird because then we have a child that age for the first time, since she's the oldest. Her request for her birthday dinner this year was sandwiches and chips and oranges (I made her pick a fruit or vegetable to go with her meat and starch :) ). I was ecstatic because it was super easy to fix and yummy to eat. I had started working on her cake a couple of days before and it was really fun this year for two reasons. Firstly, John and the kids got me some cake decorating stuff for Christmas. Secondly, Arwen decided to go with a butterfly for her cake so I got to purchase and use a new cake pan, Yay! So here is Arwen blowing out her candles on her technicolor butterfly:


The inside is strawberry cake. Interesting, but I probably wouldn't choose it again (I convinced her it would be good.) Below, is Arwen opening a childhood classic--An EasyBake Oven. She really enjoys it but John and I are bummed that the desserts that come out of it are so nasty. At least Arwen likes the taste. :)


According to Arwen, everybody is "so into Hannah Montanah, but I think she's stupid." She was happy enough to get Hannah Montanah slippers and I think she was trying not to be like the other kids. Maybe it's because she has a Dora backpack and maybe other kids don't? I'm so new at all of this. But she wears her slippers ALL the time. :)


My favorite part of the evening was doing one of her new puzzles with her. This one happens to be a penguin family, but we also completed a princess-ball-themed puzzle.

You're probably wondering why no one is in the pictures except for me and Arwen. Well, John had the camera and Jack and Eleanor completely conked out on the couch, giving Arwen some nice personal attention, which was good. Also, we could eat our cake in peace until the little ones woke up!

Thank you to so many who sent cards and money and gave her presents! Wow, my daughter is six--so weird.