Nine is Divine

Nine years ago, on April 20, I was given the best gift I've ever received in the form of a button nosed baby girl who made me a mom for the first time.  The past two days have been about celebrating her.

  After school on Friday we went to the Lincoln Children's Zoo.  

Madeleine was terrified of the Apes when she was little, a fact we remind her of every time we visit the zoo.

After the zoo we let her pick a restaurant to eat at.  She chose the China Buffet.  We have been there once, about 9 months ago on a Tuesday, when kids eat free.  Steven and I were not overly impressed, but she was delighted by the concept of "all you can eat" and has mentioned the place many times since.  

Due to the cost, we were determined to eat our money's worth, something we all did that later put me into a food coma on our couch.  


Today, (actually yesterday since I am up blogging past midnight) we celebrated Madeleine's 9 marvelous years on this earth with a party at Paint Yourself Silly.  

The girls got a few helpful tips on how to make their pieces of artwork look ready for a gallery.  

Then they were set free to let their creative juices flow.  

I was very impressed by all of the girls' creativity. 

Happy birthday to you . . .

Make a wish and hope it comes true!

After all of the cake was eaten and the presents were opened, the ladies got a tour of the back room where the pottery is dipped in a clear glaze and fired at 2000 degrees.  They all seemed fascinated and a few of them had some great questions.

Later in the evening all of her grandparents came over bearing fabulous gifts.

A Dolphin Tale and . . .

a gift card to Barnes and Noble from her Grandma Melanie and Papa Bob.

A high tech journal from her Great Uncle

Madeleine and Josephina, the newest edition to her American Girl collection thanks to Grammy and Papa.  She has been admiring her Aunt Natalie's Josephina doll for quite some time.

It seems that whenever I have the most to say words fail me and the ones I muster up are cheesy.  So the following will in no way sound poetic and may even sound a little corny, but I am so grateful to have Madeleine in my life and consider it pure joy to be her mommy.  It is my hope that as we celebrated her this weekend that she felt profoundly special and adored.