Eight is Great!

One week ago, our our Little Miss turned a big, crazy, eight. 

Her big birthday requests: 

-A celebration with a few friends at Chuck E. Cheese 

-Shopping, shopping, and more shopping. 

Apparently she inherited a few things from me, including my love and pickiness of clothes. So I allowed her to pick a few things out online (because I was tired of her not wearing things I bought her), and the morning of her birthday party, we gave her a limit and she went on a little spree at Le Tarjay. 

What have I created...?!

She had a blast at the mouse house, playing her heart out for copious amounts of tickets which bought limited amounts of super high-quality playthings. But the fact that there was zero party prep or clean up -- all we had to do was show up and leave -- I can't complain!

She talked about this ticket blaster every
day for like a month before the party.

Time for cake (I didn't make!)

Her actual birthday, which was a week after the party, fell on the last day of our annual church campout (much more to come on that one). It was a much simpler, yet equally wonderful birthday celebration.

When we heard the first sounds of life at the crack of dawn, we scrambled out of our tent (well I did anyway, Peter was already up and cooking breakfast) and sang happy birthday to her through the wall of the kids' tent amidst giggles and groans. When I unzipped their tent to take a peek, I found her busily drawing and coloring: 

I caught up with her more at breakfast, where she was busy having her morning hot chocolate. She said that she wanted to go fishing before we packed up to head home, so fishing we went. 

We still have never managed to actually catch a fish while fishing, but Little Miss did find a moth in the water, so she spent a good long while rescuing it and helping it to safety. 

On the drive home, she had her nose in a book as usual and then decided to share with the family. So we heard a few chapters of Little Women and found out how high her reading level has skyrocketed over her summer of bookwormery. I know I shouldn't be surprised about these things anymore but...I was impressed.

Finally, we arrived home to find the very first ripe peach on our peach tree, which Marie got to pick. She also donned some of her new clothes once home and picked the perfect Coldstone cake to share before bedtime and measuring time - another three inches gained this year! (I think my days of being taller are numbered). 

I love reflecting on this little girl who first gave me the gift of motherhood - it is amazing to see how she is growing, with her sweet heart and the innocence of little kid loves and the complexity of big kid ideas and all sorts of fun in between. Here's to eight great years of loving our lovely Marie!