Grace's 7th Birthday

We came home from Orange Grove 2 days before Grace's birthday, during Spring Break. Her birthday will likely always be at Spring Break. This has perks because she is not in school and we can do something fun during the day. But, also it is tough because we can't plan a birthday party that week or sometimes, even the weekend before or after Spring Break. For this year, she decided she would skip a party for a special outing with her friend Ellie instead. With Granny's funeral taking up the first half of Spring Break, we got a late start. But, GG came into town and we had plans for Vic and I to take Grace to lunch on Thursday, her birthday. And then we'd have a family party that night. And then, we'd go to Build-A-Bear with Ellie & Stacey on Saturday because Grace has been DYING to go to build-a-bear since her birthday last year.

Well, our plans changed slightly. This thing called the Coronavirus, had begun in China back in November and cases had recently come to U.S. in the Washington State area. In fact, when we drove back on Tuesday from Orange Grove, we learned that A&M had already planned to extend Spring Break for 2 days because of this virus starting to spread. By Grace's birthday, there was talk to put it all online and cancel A&M for the rest of the semester. Then, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo gets cancelled midway through. After that, other things started to halt and change and the craziness of the coronavirus had begun. By the next day, CSISD has postponed coming back to school for one week.  And then, as you read this blog, you will see how the coronavirus, or COVID-19 progresses.

Anyways, talk was buzzing about things closing starting on Grace's 7th birthday. We still went to lunch at Cheddar's that day and enjoyed time with her. I hadn't had any good ideas of what to give her for her birthday, so I took her to Learning Express to pick out something fun. She chose Aqua Beads. We came home and had a Llama themed birthday party, at her request. She got some great gifts and had a fun cupcake pull-apart birthday cake. As usual, we sang Happy Birthday multiple times and actually kept lighting candles for all the kids to blow out. Hazel has hit the stage of really loving birthdays and singing Happy Birthday in her own little version. It's the cutest! It was a great night celebrating our great big 7 year old who we love so much! Oh and check out my Pinterest comparison in the pictures below: one side is my cake and the other is Pinterest! I'd call it a Pinterest win!

Grace - you are silly and smart and a great reader. You are the sweetest friend and the most thoughtful. You never stop talking around those people you love, but you are also really shy and sensitive and nervous in certain public situations. You love your family and I feel like you and I have the most special bond. You are so pretty and petite with your long legs and tiny little self and you have great hair! I also love seeing your little freckles that keep growing in number across your face. You love all fun girl things: sequins, unicorns, flamingos, rainbows, reading, your American Girl dolls, your stuffies (especially your purple lamb that you call "lamby"), pretending with Shopkins or Friends legos, wearing a sleep mask to bed, playing, painting your nails, drawing, crafting, playing with your siblings doing whatever they want to do, taking care of Hazel, helping me when I need it, and coming up with all kinds of hilarious ideas and vacations and songs and you love to sing and dance (at home where you can be you). You love cartwheels, apples, candy, Alexa, sleeping on our floor, and getting extra mommy time (like all the kids! ha!). You are just the very best 7 year old we know and we love you!

Here's some pictures of our day!