Avery came in the other night and said, "Mom, I really need your help, Hazel's birthday is coming and she wants to have a camping party" she smiled at me. "Can we pleeeeease do a birthday party for her with little tents and real s'mores and a pretend fire, please mom?" I couldn't help it. Those big brown eyes and that cute grin I gave in quickly. So of course the next day the construction paper was out and a scene was being set.
Avery did a great job making a fire and taping up some trees for a backdrop.
I made some little makeshift tents and banners and got stuff set up for doll sized Smores. The girls were beside themselves getting more and more excited the more we arranged everything.
Soon the girls had all the party guests in their places and the party was underway. I started to help pull the baby dolls out to set around the fire and Ave said, "Mom the baby dolls aren't invited. This is a six year old birthday party." Oh,....sorry. Apparently though Hello Kitty and some random Valentine puppy have connections because they made the cut :) Avery went around and had everyone introduce themselves (making sure to use a slightly different voice for each person) then demonstrated to the group how to make a s'more. Avery was explaining and making one for Hazel and Emma kept looking across the circle at Ariel every few seconds as if she was checking on her. Finally she got up and walked over to her. "Do you need me to help you?" she asked her. She took Ariel's stick and step by step showed her what to do then placed the stick back in her arm. "Okay there you go sweetie and if you need anymore help then just let me know" she said smoothing Ariel's hair and then going back to sit by Ave. "Sometimes she just gets a little frustrated" she told me and then looked over to check on her again grinning at her. I was dying. The rest of the party continued to be full of these adorable moments. Hunter and Hudson played cars in their room while I sat there as an observer watching my girls in girly bliss. I sat and watched them play for well over an hour and just listened to them. Moments like this I remember being a little girl and spending countless hours playing with my own sisters. Can't I keep my girls little?
Eventually it was time for me to start dinner and as I went to leave Ave said, "Wait Mom can you take a picture of me and Emma with our daughters?" "It is cool because me and Emma are sisters and we both have girls and they are cousins and we want a picture together."
Later at bedtime all the dolls were tucked into pillowcases for the night....
The girls had eaten way more marshmallows and chocolate chips than was probably healthy but they had camped out all afternoon. As I went to kiss the girls goodnight they both told me how much fun they had had and thanked me for helping them. Right as I reached their door Ave rolled over and said, "Yeah we better start thinking what we want to do for Ariel, Emma said her birthday is coming up in September." Oh boy, what have we started :) :)