Brenna the Birthday Girl

Luckily, the countdown to Brenna's birthday is very short after Grant's special day.  Brenna asked for weeks and weeks how many days it would be until her birthday.  This girl was born old.  She is ready to race through young childhood and can't wait to claim a larger number as her own.  We tried, in vain, to convince her to do a party just with our family and go somewhere special.  

She opted for an at home friend party.  Because Brenna has a winter birthday, we thought we would make it a BRRR-thday party.  We invited her buddies to come in pj's, play games, decorate sugar cookies and drink hot chocolate.  Ironic that this year, for her winter party, the temperature was in the 60's!  Winter has been skipped this year.  It is almost eerie.  We played pin the carrot on the snowman (on the front door), blindfolded kids to scoop snow (cotton balls), freeze dance, popped balloons to find a special snowflake, played frozen peas (hot potato) etc.  I believe it was a hit.  Here is a pic of the group: Katelee, Audrey, Cooper, Kate, Madison, Brenna, Keira, Kinley, Cooper C, Jane, Boden, Megan and Emree.

The friend party was a few days before her actual day of birth, so she still had the 10th to look forward to.  

 It was a preschool day, so she filled out her VIP poster with pertinent information...favorite animal (giraffe), favorite food (white bread), what she wants to be when she grows up (a missionary), her favorite place (Disneyland), what she likes to do (dance, color and play with friends), favorite color (pink) and a wish (Elsa's freezing powers).  And off she went to Miss Amy's.  Brenna has decided she should be done with preschool, and should be in kindergarten.  To her delight, and my horror, it will be here before we know it.  

After school, we prepped for her family celebration.  Dinner consisted of Ham, broccoli, cheese rolls and chocolate dipped strawberries, as per the 5 year old's request.  

She opened presents.  Grandma and Shannon were there.  Grandpa McArthur was in town.  Aunt Amy and Mark stopped by, as well as cousin Michael.  She was thrilled with her gifts, and had to pull a crazy face holding each one.  

Then, cake and ice cream.  Who knows why this pic won't turn for me, but it's a tiara, if you can't tell.  This little darling is one prissy princess.  Everyday she loads on the make-up, to the dismay of Katelee, because most of Katelee's make-up stash has been discovered and used.  Every outfit must be accessorized and she frequently designs her own hairstyles.  I don't even explain to people when she wears one side of her head a piggy tail and the other a tiny clip on top or a braid pinned across her head that she desired it so.  They have to know it was from her orders, or they feel sympathy for my lack of hairstyling skills.  Both assumptions would be accurate.  

Every year we have seemed to capture a photo of Brenna gazing dreamily at her lit up cake.  I love it because each year has the look of  'this is the greatest moment of my life' on it.  She exclaimed after her friend party.  "Best. Party.Ever."  Then she said "Best. Day. Ever." after her family party.  As I was tucking her in, she was asking when her next birthday would be!!  Ha!

 Harry wheeled around Brenna's overnight bag and donned the paper crown. Brenna was so excited to have a special over night sleepover alone with grandma, we knew she needed a new bag for it. 

  It was wild times at our house, perfectly fitting of our wild child.  Our family, no, the world would not be the same without Brenna.  She makes up saucy dances daily, orders everyone around, makes me laugh and scares me all at the same time!  She is a mover and a shaker and we love her more than she will ever know!! (even if she proudly and unabashedly eats her boogers...after being sick the other day, Shannon told her maybe it was something Brenna ate.  Brenna wouldn't believe Shannon because she only eats 'boogers and food."  Brenna tried to convince Shannon on the tastiness of the slimy mucus, but Shannon has yet to be swayed!)