Allison's 5th Birthday Party

I know I've been slacking on the posts lately but it's all because of my phone.  For some reason, the pictures I take have stopped synching with my computer, so it's a pain in the butt to transfer them to the laptop so I can then crop and resize.  It used to do all that for me before.  So I have been lazy, and here I am just now getting around to posting Allison's birthday pictures.

This year we did a Tinker Bell birthday party and since it was her 5th birthday (the big one!) we wanted to invite her teacher and her friends from school.  I wanted it to be special and fun for Allison, so I spent weeks beforehand making the decorations and planning the menu - or at least the desserts.  So get ready for lots of pictures of my creations.  It was also garden-themed from the giant paper flowers to the pixie dust cupcakes.

Here is my child, not even waiting for all the guests to arrive before getting into the cookies.

There was plenty for the kids to do.  Of course they wanted to play with everything in Allison's room, but I also set out crayons and Tinker Bell coloring pages for the artsy ones.  It warms my heart that these kids love music and they're so loving toward one another.  Allison is a big hugger - something that will never get old.

Allison enjoyed having her friends over to play and celebrate her birthday.  She has been to a lot of birthday parties lately, so she was excited that it was her turn to open presents.  She was so ready to blow out the candle and tear into her lemon pixie dust cupcake.

I can't believe my little girl is so grown up.  Time goes by way too fast.

First School Program

Allison recently participated in her first school program for black history month.  The pre-K kids sang two songs:  Dr. Martin Luther King Had a Dream and Skinamarinky Dinky Dink.  Allison was brave enough to go up to the microphone and sing in front of the whole school and all the parents.  We were very proud of her because this is something she would not have been able to do before going to Carver.   

Snow Day

While mommy was gone, it snowed in Bryan.  Allison woke her daddy up saying, "It's snow!" over and over again.  She was so excited, so they went outside first thing in the morning so she could play in it.  It snowed about 4 years ago, but she was too little to remember.  The snow was very powdery and she enjoyed kicking it around, shuffling through it, and picking it up in her hands.  Maybe one day we will move to a place that has lots of snow for her to play in.

Allison's New Bike

Allison got a Radio Flyer trike one year for Christmas, but she has been quickly outgrowing it.  She still tried to ride it, but her knees would hit the handle bars.  Obviously it was time for something new.  We told Santa (grandma) that Allison might like a new bicycle for Christmas.  We opened some presents on Christmas Eve, and then Santa had one big present left for Allison.

She had to get all the paper off the box before she could completely look at it.  She was very excited to see a new bicycle and she gave hugs to grandma and grandpa.

Unfortunately it was in pieces, so we had to wait until after Christmas to get home and put it together.  Then she was finally able to get on her bicycle and ride it around our neighborhood.  Next, we need to find her some kind of helmet so she can be a safe driver.

Preschool Christmas Party

Allison's teacher wanted to plan a little party for all her kids outside of the classroom, so we had it at the house to keep costs down.  We told the parents to bring something to share with everyone else and made it into a pot luck.  I was stressing out about not having enough food, but we had more than enough and everything was delicious.

Ms. Rafay organized a craft for the kids to do.  They made Santa masks from paper plates and cotton balls.  Allison still has hers and insists that her daddy put it in front of his face and say "Ho ho ho!"

I put up the felt tree for the kids to play with too

But I think they were way more interested in Allison's room

The teacher asked that everyone bring a wrapped book for the kids to exchange.  They each drew a number for the book they would open.  She is really good about promoting reading to all the kids, and I think it has made a difference in their lives.

They were so excited to see which books they would get.  Ms. Rafay bought them each a book too. 

 Allison was ecstatic to receive a Pete the Cat book.  They have become her favorite thing lately, and I've had to hold back from buying them for her.  Her favorite song to sing is "My buttons, my buttons, my four groovy buttons."

She got a few other books that she loves as well.  I think she really enjoys Ms. Rafay reading to her.  We were very fortunate to be able to have a teacher for the past two years that loves her kids and actually wants to spend time with them outside of the classroom.  Weird, huh?

The kids enjoyed playing with the cat toward the end of the party.  They all wanted to pick her up and chase her around.  I think the cat was grateful to be out of quarantine for a bit.  She's not coming back out till the tree comes down.

The party was a great success and I think everyone had fun.  My house has been overrun by small children before, but these kids were better behaved than any others and their parents are some of the nicest people.  I would not hesitate to do this again.

Outdoor Tree Decorating

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we have free rein to decorate for Christmas and enjoy the holiday music and lights.  Allison wanted to help grandpa decorate his outdoor trees, but she needed a little help reaching the branches.  She wanted to pick the ornament colors each time.  She especially liked the smooth ornaments and how they felt against her face.  She has been asking to put up the Christmas tree for months, so I think she will be happy to decorate our house once we get back home.