Flashback: Royalty

All my daughters have loved dress-ups and girly things, but not one has loved dressing like a princess as much as our little Ivy. She's a girl after my own heart. She celebrated her fourth birthday on September 21, 2008 - which brought sadness with the happiness for me. My baby is growing up. I'm beginning to understand why my mother refers to me still as her "baby." So here's Ivy, after church and hence the messy hair, waiting eagerly for the gift-giving to begin! The only hitch? Her father was on the back patio conducting a meeting with some of the men he works with in the church. She wasn't patient enough to last the whole time, so we let her open a few gifts. (This party was just for family) But she had to wait for daddy to open the final present - the one from mommy and daddy. When dad was too slow coming in, she simply opened the back door and told him to hurry up. The men got the message and dispersed soon after. A princess has that kind of power.

Notice the excitement?

The sheer joy?

Trying on the dress she has nearly permanently-borrowed (thankyou Amelia) with her new crown and scepter! The gorgeous shoes didn't make the picture, but sufice it to say that her mom would love a pair!

Dressed in her new Sleeping Beauty outfit from mommy & daddy.

A few weeks before her actual birthday I asked her if she would like to have friends come to her party. Of course! Why did I even have to ask. As of then, she had only had family parties but had been invited to friends' celebrations. So we talked about how it definitely had to be a princess party and we would have "muffins" (aka: cupcakes) and she named the little friends she wanted to include. Then she gave me these careful instructions. "Mom, when all my friends are here you have to line them up behind the couch. Then when I come down the hall they can all yell 'Surprise Ivy!'" Of course, on cue, I organized a surprise party. And how fun (and easy) it is to surprise a little person even when the surprise was her own idea!! McKenna took her to a friend's house and dressed her all up and then brought her home once the friends had gathered.

Press the arrow to watch her reaction.

The royal court

The table set for a royal feast - and this time anchored with duct tape. There had not been so much as a breeze until just minutes before we were about to sit down for the "muffins" and ice-cream. I was able to finally snap the picture after the THIRD time of gathering plates and napkins off the yard and replacing them - thanks to the help of my older daughters.

Her most loyal lady-in-waiting

Her handsome prince who rescues her from swords and spiders and all situations of distress. (And, if truth be told, he is responsible for many of those situations!)

I dressed up for the party too! What's a princess party if you can't wear satin and bling?

Her smile says it all.