Nine
Happy Birthday to my sweet Emma. Today my eldest child is NINE. I can hardly believe it. I remember her baby days so clearly, the toddler tantrums (she was very good at these, there was sometimes even head banging), the pre-school chatter, the learnin to ride a bike, and bang, now she's in grade 3, a smart, beautiful, capable, charming and pretty funny kid of nine.
She's got pretty nice friends too. Nineteen of them were at her birthday party and it was a very pleasurable experience. Having it in a giant play place with a climbing structure doesn't hurt since I just needed to watch them run around, but all the same they listened when we spoke to them, were polite and didn't throw any pizza.
I didn't even need to drink a F(estive) A(dult) B(everage) when it was all over.
And they were extremely generous with the gifts. Emma asked for books and a donation to the foodbank. They brought lots of both.
I'm particularly fond of the Daring Book for Girls. It teaches her everything from how to put up her hair with a pencil to how to change a tire. It's now on my "to get" list for other girl birthday parties. Like her parents, Emma enjoys reference books.
She also rather liked the 84 gel pens since art and drawing are her favourite thing. They add a little sparkle to the sparkle she already brings to everything she does.
Even though I'm in college I kind of wish someone would gift me that Daring Book for Girls. I flipped through it at the bookstore and it has so much cool info!
Posted by: Sam | January 15, 2008 at 07:40 AM
Wait... *what* happened to the number of guests = age thing?
Posted by: j. | January 15, 2008 at 07:50 AM
Happy Birthday Emma! Nine, huh? I'm just praying I can get through nine months, let alone nine years. Way to go MOM!
Posted by: Cara | January 15, 2008 at 08:21 AM
Ohhh Judy Moody!!! Is Emma still a bit young for the Judy Bloom books? Has she ventured into Roald Dahl yet? Kids books are a bit of a mind field...I fear Abi becoming a Sweet Valley High reader...
Well done with the party!
Posted by: Mel | January 15, 2008 at 08:30 AM
Happy Birthday Emma!
We've got both the Daring Book for Girls (Em gave it to Liz for Christmas) and the Dangerous Book for Boys (from my Mom to Em @ her birthday) and we think they're both grand.
Posted by: anmiryam | January 15, 2008 at 08:56 AM
this is funny : my emma also turned 9 on the 10th :)
happy birthday to your beautiful girl!
Posted by: sandra | January 15, 2008 at 11:03 AM
that looks like an awesome party! I'm particularly envious of the gel pens. And the hat, of course.
congratulations for successfully shepherding your daughter through her first nine years. And kudos to you for throwing her a killer party. I get queasy just thinking about it (and I have one turning 10 in a few months).
Posted by: doulicia | January 15, 2008 at 11:53 AM
I like the Daring Book for Girls, though I prefer the one for boys. They both have information that would be handy for anyone to know, and it was a little odd at times how things were segmented between the two books.
Posted by: Seanna Lea | January 15, 2008 at 11:55 AM
It sounds like the party was a great success. How nice it was to bring items for the local foodbank. Happy Bithday to your little girl!
Posted by: Knittripps | January 15, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Happy Birthday to Emma!
Posted by: cari | January 15, 2008 at 01:59 PM
happy birthday emma!
rebecca got the same girls book, and she's 19 ;-)
fantastic photo with the gel pens :-)
Posted by: vanessa | January 15, 2008 at 03:56 PM
Happy Birthday Emma!
I'm gonna hafta get me that book!
Posted by: sandi | January 15, 2008 at 04:40 PM
Wow! Happy birthday to Emma!!! Mine is 9 in June. How does time pass so quickly?
Posted by: Romi | January 15, 2008 at 05:46 PM
She's growing up so fast! Happy B Day Emma.
Posted by: Michelle B | January 15, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Wow! She asked for donations to the food bank? You raised a good one there, ma'm!
Posted by: kmkat | January 15, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Aw, happy belated birthday, Emma! A girl after my own heart -- I would've wanted books and pens at that age, too. (But I wasn't smart enough to think of food-bank donations.)
Posted by: alison | January 16, 2008 at 01:33 PM
That last picture is so cute. Happy birthday.
Posted by: Nik | January 17, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Happy belated birthday to Emma!!
Posted by: Jacquie | January 17, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Dang, I'm 40 and I want the same birthday presents Emma got!
Should that worry me?
Posted by: Laurie | January 17, 2008 at 06:16 PM
Good friends and good times. Moms make memories at birthday parties. Good on you.
Posted by: Angie | January 17, 2008 at 08:54 PM
Happy Birthday Emma!!
I'm so happy you to read Mum wasn't carted off.
Posted by: deeni | January 17, 2008 at 09:18 PM
Happy Birthday!!! My kiddo just turned 9 too! :)
Posted by: scoutj | January 21, 2008 at 06:05 PM
What an amazing human you're raising! She looks lively, happy, and engaged in life, which is further evidenced by her birthday requests: books and gifts for the food bank??! Remarkable! Any writing/drawing implement = excellent gift. It appears it was a very memorable day. Many happy returns to the birthday girl. Yay for January birthdays! Kudos to you!
Posted by: ldp | January 25, 2008 at 01:40 PM