She's 5! She's 5! She's a Big Girl Now....

She's FIVE!!!! (These are some of the words to a song my mom sang all weekend from the moment she arrived!

Madeline's birthday fell on a Sunday this year and my mom flew in for the weekend to help celebrate with us. She got in late Friday, but Saturday morning we headed out to run some errands, but first took Marmie to show her the "new playground!"

Madeline LOVED her time with her Marmie :) Here she is giving Marmie her Gratitude turkey:

Last year, the last day of the County Fair fell on Madeline's 4th birthday...so that's how we spent the evening of her birthday :) Since then, she associates her birthday with the fair. She new it'd be coming to town near her birthday and she couldn't wait to go.

My mom spotted a face painter as soon as we walked in and set Madeline up (Ethan, as usual, wanted nothing to do with that paint touching him):

Turned out super cute:

I seriously don't think Madeline would ever tire of these rides:

Daddy and his girl:

Last year, Madeline "won" 2 goldfish (actually, the people were just nice and gave her 2 for effort). We still have one and Madeline was hoping to win her a new friend:

No new fish :( so we moved onto the petting zoo. Ethan didn't hesitate even though it looks like his sister was helping him along:

Even Doug got into the action:

My mom took us out to eat at Outback after the fair. I brought a candle and the waitress staff came out and sang to her.. She LOVED it! Not sure that she could have been smiling any bigger! I couldn't resist sneaking my camera out of my purse after they were done singing:

We got home and let her open her presents from Marmie (my Mom) before bed...I'd say she was a bit excited:

Brotherly love (or something like that) before the openings:

Um, I think she made out! American Girl Doll (Kit) and some awesome accessories, a new winter jacket, sunglasses, a drawing book, and a Christmas dress:

I was the first one up in the morning, but Madeline was not far behind.  She asked to paint first thing...and what the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets:

The two pieces on the left were just the ones I had practiced with the night before, but the piece on the right was the one she did in the morning.  It's me and her with her birthday cake in the middle :)

Gearing up for her party:

After lunch, we let her open her present from Daddy and Ethan:

And her present from Mommy:

She loved the piece of fabric I picked out...all her favorites: rainbow colors, love, and flowers:

Anxious to see how she picks it up (hope a lot easier than it is for me!!).  I think she'll be a natural, another outlet for her creativity:

A few weeks prior, I tried to teach Madeline how to crochet.  The major obstacle with that...I don't know how to crochet!!!  I even had some amazing, talented ladies teach me once, but I am just not cut out for crocheting!    So, even with the help of books and YouTube, I was no help to Madeline... yet she still was very interested in learning.  So when my mom visited, she brought some stuff and worked with Madeline.  my mom said Madeline was definitely paying attention well and wanting to do it, but that he fingers just aren't quite ready yet.  We'll try again in a year or two.

My mom finished her a scarf for her teddy bear:

A girl I know here just started a new business, Thursday Night Creations.  Basically, they make cake pops designed around a specific theme.  Knowing how creative and talented she is, I asked her to make an Art themed cake, and this is what we got (a paint can filled with swirled YUMMY cake pops, along with a decorated wooden "M" that we'll hang up):

When we returned from picking up the cake, I realized we hadn't checked yesterday's mail.  In it was a box from MomMom and Poppy... FOR MADELINE, DADDY!

She got a couple pairs of pajamas the she LOVED.  She had a tough time deciding which pair to wear that night!

Then the guests started arriving.  As soon as they arrived, we had them work on a little art project so that it had time to dry before they left:

So glad the moms weren't afraid to step in and help!!

It was neat to see how different each one was.  Awesome work girls!!

Singing Happy Birthday:

(Thanks Becky for taking the pictures!)

Love it!

Happy 5th Birthday, sweet girl!

All the finished pieces (Doug and I taped the letter for all of the kids except the 3 kids that live across the street.  They're older so I thought they'd enjoy (and could handle) taping their own design, so that's why you'll see a few that stand out :)

Madeline's:

The next day, my Mom would be heading to the airport (only to have to return to our house and try again the next day...but that's a long story), so she spent the morning and early afternoon playing with the kids.  Here they are coloring Madeline's new Recycled Dollhouse from the Schultz family:

Then a game of HeadBanz:

I was trying to sew something real quick, but listening to them play kept making me chuckle, so I had to come out and check:

Well, that concludes Madeline's Birthday Celebration.  A fun one it was!!!