Annual Father's Day trip to the Toledo Zoo!

 

Back yard fun

Spent some time climbing the pine tree and learning to do cartwheels. :)

Taking a picture of her feet

A Visit from the Tooth Fairy

Gretje's Sixth Birthday Party!

I had assistance from no less than three different helpers while making my trademark stevia-sweetened lemonade! I just cut the lemons in half, and let Mirriam, Emma, and Mirren take turns juicing them, while I washed and cut strawberries.

 

The daddy of the house evinces Aquaman, with his orange tee shirt and green shorts (and of course, movie star good looks!) 

Time for cake!! Gretje states that at the moment, her favorite color is baby blue. So I picked up some all-natural food coloring and added it to the frosting. It was so humid out, I had to stick the mixture in the freezer while I was in the middle of beating it, just to firm it back up!
 

Cake time!

Obviously, singing the birthday song is the highlight of a birthday party. But Gbear gets a little overstimulated when she's on the spot. It breaks my heart when I see that glassy look come over her while everybody sings happy birthday, with tears beginning to form in her big, beautiful eyes as they loose focus and stare into the empty space 12 inches in front of her -- even as the frozen smile on her face starts to droop. 

Fortunately, all I have to do is dive in right next to her, contain her in my arms, and close out all the negative space I can see her perceiving around herself. That close, contained feeling seems like all an upset child ever really needs, right? Or maybe people in general? And also cats?

"I don't want to make a wish right now," she said into my ear. 

 "That's okay, baby," I told her, "We'll make one tonight."

She wished to wake up as a fairy. ♥

 

You know what this party needs? MORE CHAOS! Let's decorate our superhero capes!!!

This is the third year in a row that Gretje has requested a party activity that involves decorating something with puffy paint.

It was well past the supposed end point of 4 pm when the kids rediscovered the water guns.

My, what a cosmopolitan couple!

Everybody was too busy running around and having fun for present-opening to be part of the festivities -- and given the aforementioned overstimulation, it seems to go over better without the crowd there anyway. But Gretje was still DELIGHTED with everything she received, and spent the entire next day playing with the story dice (thanks, Cavenaughs!!!), blowing giant bubbles in the back yard (thanks, Buchanans!!!), already blew threw all the templates that came with her sticker painting set, and wore her new messenger bag to school (thanks, Whites!!!).

As if this all weren't enough, it was then time for the big reveal!



The first thing Gretje said when we entered the living room was "It's our house!" 

We could NOT have made this beautiful house without Alessandra, who basically assembled the entire frame! Thanks, Alessandra. You're the best sister (and Aunt!) ever.

After all the time it took to super glue shingles, drill teeny, tiny pilot holes for teeny tiny screws, and assemble porch posts and window frames using binder clips as clamps, it made my heart explode seeing Gretje truly adore her Blythe dolls' new home. She and Maddie dove right in! ♥♥♥♥

We got her started with just a little bit of furniture, with many years ahead of painting and wallpapering, and picking out new pieces over time. After all, so much of the fun of playing with dolls is fashioning their beds and other household objects out of other toys, like blocks. Which of course, Gbear immediately started doing. :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you to every awesome person who came, including all ten glorious children, the delightful grown ups we got to hang out with while they ran wild. 

Gretje is usually too smart for her own good when it comes to fun, and always goes to bed after a big event like this saying "I'm sad, I wish it was my birthday tomorrow." But not this time! Gretje was totally in the moment. When we put her to bed after this party, she was completely blissed out, and all she had to say on the topic was "This was the best day ever."

Addendum:

Gretje requested that the party have a superhero theme. That's basically what she requested last year, but it was fine by us to do it again! 


I say this to explain my strange outfit. I'm dressed as Captain Marvel.

Not that I'm opposed to dressing like this of my own volition. ;)