Long Awaited Gift, Julie

This past week Madelyn's nine year birthday gift finally arrived. This poor doll languished in the Shanghai customs office for more than three weeks before she finally made it to us! We joked that maybe the customs officers were playing with her, but she arrived in mint condition, with only the outer box having been opened. Madelyn and I were SO happy to finally have her here! We had a fun afternoon introducing Julie to Madelyn's other doll, Nellie, and dressing them and fixing their hair.

"Julie, meet Nellie."
Madelyn and Julie, both wearing two ponytails.

Back to schoolwork, with Julie and Nellie watching! Nellie and Julie, all ready for bed!

Nine in 2009

Madelyn's 9th Birthday! Here, celebrated with friends (Azeria, Lily and Jalen) with feather fans~ say that five times fast! We had a birthday lunch with a couple of familes... here the group was singing to Madelyn before everyone decorated their own tiny bundt cake. Madelyn's finished cake!Later that night, we had Madelyn's friend Caroline sleep over. The girls changed to their jammies as soon as Caroline arrived, at four o'clock in the afternoon! Here they are making their dinner, little pizzas.

Later in the weekend we celebrated at our small group get-together... nine candles flaming on the rice krispie treat cake!

And now, nine days past her ninth birthday, we are still waiting for Madelyn's birthday gift to arrive. It has been stuck in customs in Shanghai since the day before her birthday. Madelyn has been (mostly) very patient. Not sure what the customs officers want with a doll...

Arty Party

That's what Kid's Gallery, the place we had Madelyn's birthday party last Saturday, called it. I've never done this kind of thing before where we just go somewhere for a birthday party and someone else does all the work... it was pretty nice! The girls had fun decorating Chinese fans together at Kids' Gallery, and then afterwards we walked over to Ice Season (a gelatto place) for treats for the girls. There was kind of a private area at the back where we were able to sit after the girls had their treat to open gifts and sing to Madelyn.
Enjoying gelatto at Ice Season... it was a pretty cold and wintery day, and I had thought maybe I would get the girls hot chocolate or something else warm, but they all thought the gelatto sounded good!

January 10, 2000.... Eight Years Later

Happy 8th Birthday to our Millinium Baby Girl! We had a fun lunch party yesterday with some homeschool friends of Madelyn's and their moms and siblings. Finger foods for lunch and cupcakes to frost and decorate with lots of little candies, and plenty of time to play!
Happy birthday, happy birthday,

We love you.

Happy birthday, and may all your dreams come true.

When you blow out the candles,

One light stays aglow.

It's the love light in your eyes,

Where e're you go.