Party, Girls

For Jada's birthday party, we decided to move it up in the month and let her and her friends make Valentine's Day cards for their classmates.  Jada and her seven friends tore into this activity with gusto, also delighting in decorating the mailbox that they could use to carry the cards in, as well as in putting together a Valentine's-themed bookmark.  Meanwhile, the adults (Amy's sister came over to help out, and her husband spend some man time with poor Aaron, who wanted in on all the girl fun) peppered the kids with questions, which they were happy to answer, such as "what's your favorite subject in school," "how many siblings do you have," and "what's your middle name." 

About an hour in, the kids were getting antsy, so we shifted to birthday cupcakes, and then let them run amok on our third floor.  Some played house, some drew on the white board, and some beaded.  In an instant, parents were returning for pick-ups.  Jada opened her presents after she had helped clean up the third floor and gotten out of her party dress and into pajamas, and was pleased about all of her gifts.  She especially liked the American Girl books she got, "because I wished for it."  Happy birthday, Jada.  You have good friends and together you guys have good times.