A Birthday Extravaganza

Does five mean you get five parties?  In our house birthdays are a week long festival of fun.  Molly's fifth birthday has been no exception.  Even with half of her family in far away states, we celebrate continually!  She is blessed to have so many friends and family with whom to share her important day.

First up was a birthday party at Build-A-Bear with ten friends.  Preschool, neighborhood and lifelong friends came to the Mall of America to build a stuff animal and celebrate Molly turning five.

The best part was all of her friends had to put a special heart in her bear.  This heart holds a special wish for Molly from each of her friends, so her bear is full of love and good wishes.  She named this bear Lisa and it now sits in a place of honor on her bed.

Then she was treated to a special five year old dinner at Rainforest Cafe.  The Rainforest Cafe is the sort of place that is an experience like no other.  There are singing gorillas and thunderstorms, in addition to beautiful fish tanks and a star lit ceiling.  Grandpa Mike and Grandma Julie joined us for this adventure into the rainforest.

Highlights from the evening included the presents, spending time with grandparents, the volcano cake and the thunderstorms.  It turns out that the Rainforest Cafe may be her new favorite restaurant!

Saturday we celebrated with the cousins...my cousins that is.  My cousin Brent and his wife Julie had Abby on February 5, one day before Molly.  So Abby and Molly got to celebrate their birthdays at a small family party with Mac and Cheese and ice cream sundaes.  The best part is having girls to play with because they really understand how cool American Girls, My Little Ponies, Princess dresses and crowns really are.

On Sunday we celebrated at a Superbowl party with our neighbors.  Brad, Molly's Birthday Buddy, and Molly got to blow out candles on a cake at half time.  Brad's wife, Krista, made an amazing football cake for the two of them to enjoy.  It was the only cake Molly actually ate for her birthday...it turns out she is more of an ice cream girl, but Krista's cakes are so good that you just can't resist!

Finally, after so much celebrating, her actual birthday arrived!  It was sort of a let down to just celebrate with her small family.  We had a donut breakfast and gave her a couple of gifts.  She then went to school to share her birthday with her class.  They gave her a crown and wished her well.  She got to share a special snack too.  Then we had lunch at church and headed to dance.  For dinner she chose Davanni's cheese bread and chocolate cake from Target.  There were many highlights to the day, even though it wasn't quite at the extravaganza level.  She loved getting calls and FaceTime with her family.  She loved getting to play video games with her brothers. She loved the extra attention everywhere she went.  Turning five is a big deal and she got to revel in that today.

All that is left is a trip to the American Girl Cafe with Grandma Nan, Megan and Riley...and the dolls!  Then the extravaganza will be complete!  A lucky girl indeed!