Monday was Sonya's 8th birthday. EIGHT! As in -she was one, then two, then three...all the way to eight! How I ask? HOW?!! Time goes way to fast when you have kids. Anyway, over the weekend for her birthday we took her and two of her friends to get their nails done. Then we went out to lunch. They were all very excited and such little ladies. And also gentleman, because Carter joined us as well, but not until lunch. He decided he wasn't into getting his nails done. Although there are quite a few men who do that now. Well, at least here in Los Angeles, and no they aren't all gay.
After lunch we came back to our house and had cake and ice cream with everyone. It was a fun little birthday celebration for her. Sure it cost a bit with the nails and lunch, but all I had to do was make a cake, so I'll take it! I spent many years planning and hosting big birthdays at our house. We decided once the girls turned five that would be the end of the big parties. Now they pick a couple of close friends and do something fun, like nails or mini golf. Hey I still make my own cakes, so I'm still working! Just a bit less, and it's fabulous. I actually get to enjoy their birthdays now.
The other thing that is nice about having only a couple of friends to celebrate with is less presents. She doesn't receive dozens of toys or other things that she won't use and we have no room for. She got three gifts from three good friends who know her well and got things she will use.
My favorite part of the day was after Sonya opened her gift from her friend Gwen. It was a salon chair for her American Girl Doll. I don't know if you know about the American Girl Doll craze or the complete racket that store has going on. If you don't then here's a piece of advice: STAY AWAY! I can't get over how much crap they have for those dolls. You can buy furniture for them that is better than what I have in my house, and just about as expensive. I am so not kidding about this. The good news is that places like Target and Kohls have knock off furniture, clothes, etc for a fraction of what the "real" AG wants to sell it for. Sorry, I digress.
So, Sonya opens this salon chair, and it's exactly as it sounds. You can put the doll in the chair and fix her hair. It came with all kind of accessories to play beauty salon. Sonya was completely excited about the gift and was ready to play the minute she opened it. Carter, the only boy amongst all these girls, eyed it for minute or two. He looked interested in it, but I could tell he didn't want to look interested in it, so he said to Sonya,
"Sonya, I am probably going to regret saying this, BUT I will play American Girl Doll with you if you want."
Well, don't let us twist your arm Carter! Andy and I looked at each other and we both surpressed our laughter. Then I immediately texted Stacy to let her know how funny her son was. Sonya was more than happy to oblige Carter and let him play dolls with her.
Monday was her birthday, and lucky for her, they had the day off school in honor of Veterens Day. (Thanks to all those soldiers who do and did so much for our country, my Daddy being one of them.) I told her, since she didn't have school, we could do whatever she wanted that day. We could go anywhere, the zoo, aquarium, park. What did she most want to do?
"I want to go to the farm and pick vegetables," was her reply.
Yup, my daughter WANTED to go pick vegetables. So that is what we did. Since Stacy doesn't work I invited her and Carter to come along with us. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the farm we go to doesn't have 'pick your own' after October during the week. Sonya was slightly disappointed, but there were so many other things to do there she got over it quickly. They ran around and fed the chickens, sheep, and horses. They had fun in the petting zoo with the baby goats, which I was ready to put in my pocket and take home they were so damn cute, and they rode the cow train a couple of times. Then we bought some vegetables from the famers market there. They sell the veggies they grow on that farm. So we sorta picked our own. Just not directly out of the ground.
All in all, she had a fantastic birthday. Still, 8 has been hard for me to wrap my head around.
On Sunday night, as I was putting her to bed, I said to her, "This is your last night of being 7, I can't believe it!"
"Why?" She asked. "It's not that big of a difference from 7 to 8."
"No?" I said.
"No! It's not like I'm turning 13 or something," she told me.
"Why, then it would be a big difference?" I asked.
"Well, yeah!" She said. "Because then I will be old and almost dead!"
Soooo...if she thinks 13 is old and almost dead, I must be living on serious borrowed time. Maybe she thinks we live in 1812 when 13 was old and 38 was unheard of. The truth is, her turning 8 has made me feel old, especially because of how grown up she acts now. I guess that's what it is. She's a big kid now, not a little girl at all. I was prepared, somewhat, to raise babies and toddlers, but this big kid to tween to teen stuff...I am so screwed! Help.
Happy Birthday baby girl! I love you! No matter how old and sassy you get, you will always be that baby in my heart.
After lunch we came back to our house and had cake and ice cream with everyone. It was a fun little birthday celebration for her. Sure it cost a bit with the nails and lunch, but all I had to do was make a cake, so I'll take it! I spent many years planning and hosting big birthdays at our house. We decided once the girls turned five that would be the end of the big parties. Now they pick a couple of close friends and do something fun, like nails or mini golf. Hey I still make my own cakes, so I'm still working! Just a bit less, and it's fabulous. I actually get to enjoy their birthdays now.
The other thing that is nice about having only a couple of friends to celebrate with is less presents. She doesn't receive dozens of toys or other things that she won't use and we have no room for. She got three gifts from three good friends who know her well and got things she will use.
My favorite part of the day was after Sonya opened her gift from her friend Gwen. It was a salon chair for her American Girl Doll. I don't know if you know about the American Girl Doll craze or the complete racket that store has going on. If you don't then here's a piece of advice: STAY AWAY! I can't get over how much crap they have for those dolls. You can buy furniture for them that is better than what I have in my house, and just about as expensive. I am so not kidding about this. The good news is that places like Target and Kohls have knock off furniture, clothes, etc for a fraction of what the "real" AG wants to sell it for. Sorry, I digress.
So, Sonya opens this salon chair, and it's exactly as it sounds. You can put the doll in the chair and fix her hair. It came with all kind of accessories to play beauty salon. Sonya was completely excited about the gift and was ready to play the minute she opened it. Carter, the only boy amongst all these girls, eyed it for minute or two. He looked interested in it, but I could tell he didn't want to look interested in it, so he said to Sonya,
"Sonya, I am probably going to regret saying this, BUT I will play American Girl Doll with you if you want."
Well, don't let us twist your arm Carter! Andy and I looked at each other and we both surpressed our laughter. Then I immediately texted Stacy to let her know how funny her son was. Sonya was more than happy to oblige Carter and let him play dolls with her.
Monday was her birthday, and lucky for her, they had the day off school in honor of Veterens Day. (Thanks to all those soldiers who do and did so much for our country, my Daddy being one of them.) I told her, since she didn't have school, we could do whatever she wanted that day. We could go anywhere, the zoo, aquarium, park. What did she most want to do?
"I want to go to the farm and pick vegetables," was her reply.
Yup, my daughter WANTED to go pick vegetables. So that is what we did. Since Stacy doesn't work I invited her and Carter to come along with us. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the farm we go to doesn't have 'pick your own' after October during the week. Sonya was slightly disappointed, but there were so many other things to do there she got over it quickly. They ran around and fed the chickens, sheep, and horses. They had fun in the petting zoo with the baby goats, which I was ready to put in my pocket and take home they were so damn cute, and they rode the cow train a couple of times. Then we bought some vegetables from the famers market there. They sell the veggies they grow on that farm. So we sorta picked our own. Just not directly out of the ground.
All in all, she had a fantastic birthday. Still, 8 has been hard for me to wrap my head around.
On Sunday night, as I was putting her to bed, I said to her, "This is your last night of being 7, I can't believe it!"
"Why?" She asked. "It's not that big of a difference from 7 to 8."
"No?" I said.
"No! It's not like I'm turning 13 or something," she told me.
"Why, then it would be a big difference?" I asked.
"Well, yeah!" She said. "Because then I will be old and almost dead!"
Soooo...if she thinks 13 is old and almost dead, I must be living on serious borrowed time. Maybe she thinks we live in 1812 when 13 was old and 38 was unheard of. The truth is, her turning 8 has made me feel old, especially because of how grown up she acts now. I guess that's what it is. She's a big kid now, not a little girl at all. I was prepared, somewhat, to raise babies and toddlers, but this big kid to tween to teen stuff...I am so screwed! Help.
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| 8 days old to... |
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| 8 years! |
Beautiful! My two youngest are in high school, so I know what you mean about time taking wing.
ReplyDeletewhat farm do you guys go to? I've been looking for a good one that has everything you mentioned :)
ReplyDeleteJust came across your blog - your daughters are absolutely gorgeous! You are a lucky lady! Side note: I was so into American girls when I was little. Now I'm buying them for my nieces (I may like them better than they do... oops). But in order to buy them bigger gifts I found a competitor that is actually reasonable/normally priced called springfield here's a link if you ever need a financial break from those expensive outfits! http://store.springfielddolls.com/clothes.html
ReplyDelete@Tara-Underwood Farms. It's out in Moorpark
ReplyDelete@ Nicole-thanks for the AG competitor! I will check it out!