AnnMarie turns 5!

Somehow someway my baby girl is FIVE!!!!  wOw.  It passes so quickly!  I am so thankful and proud to have this darling girl in my life.  We celebrated BIG, and here's a rundown of it all:

Her birthday always falls on Spring Break, and we always have lots of fun playdates scheduled.  One of them this year was with some of our faves, the Watwoods.  Sophie and AM have so much fun together and since Soph could not make the party, she wanted to sing to AM at our lunch date.  Wasn't that sweet???  And those yummy pink icing cookies too...

Her faaaavorite thing that she picked out at DW was a replica of Cinderella's castle, complete with all the characters and accessories.  Since it was a bit of a pricey souvenir, we decided it could wait and be the perfect birthday present from Mommy, Daddy, and Bubba. 
Here it is primed and ready to go outside her door the night before her bday.  :)

It was a fun surprise and a big hit!  We I of course had to start the morning by singing Happy Birthday!

I'm serious, it was a BIG hit.  She played with it nonstop that morning and lined all the people up just right so I coudl take this picture.  :)

Grandmommy and Granddaddy had sent her some birthday money earlier in the week so we headed out bright and early to (where else??) Toys R Us to pick out something special.
TA DA!!!!!  That's right, a giant Rapunzel doll!! 
I mean, how often does she get to just go to the toy store and pick out whatever she wants?  Let her get what she wants, right?  :)

I forgot to bring my camera to lunch, but we went to Olive Garden (her random choice) with Gigi to celebrate.  Thank you, Daddy, for watching Clark so we could eat in peace!
That night we were all supposed to get together with the rest of the fam, but little brother ended up having a double ear infection and strep throat so we decided to postpone it. 
But===Mommy still whipped out a cookie cake as requested by the birthday girl!

AnnMarie's best birthday gift was that her best buddy from Tulsa, Riley, came for the weekend!  What a treat!
This picture was taken just minutes after they arrived, and I love it because it shows how they just picked up and started playing like they'd seen each other yesterday.  (even though it'd been 2 years!) 

They played and played (and wore each other's clothes) all weekend.  Friday night we went to the chinese buffet.  (This was MY GIFT to my friend, Holly, who, like my husband, looves some chinese food.)  I do not so much love the buffets, but I will make sacrifices for my friends.
It wasn't so bad, actually.  :)

Bath time!

First thing Saturday morning?  Open Riley's present!!

A Rapunzel vanity!  The Clarkster REALLY likes it.

so sweet

Friends since (before) birth!
Did I mention they like to wear each other's clothes?

And then at 10:30 it was time for the party.  How has it been five years????  Don't cry, Mommy!

All the little girls brought their dolls and strollers so of course they had to have party hats!

And we bathed the babies...

And changed/pottied the babies...

And rocked the babies to sleep...

Happy Birthday to you!

Then after some play, it was time to go for a stroller walk. 

yay!  It was a beautiful day!

Peekaboo, baby!

And the babies went down the big slide and were pushed in the swing...

And their mommies took them down the baby slide!

All the mommies and their babies  :)

When we came inside, I read them one of my favorite books from my childhood, "Baby Dear". 

They listened so intently, sang their babies a lullaby, and played, "This Little Piggy". 

And then the big moment...

My angel girl.  So grown up and smart.  I love you, little one!

Holly helped me make these "sleeping baby" cupcakes the night before the party.  She deserves jewels in her crown for that!

They told me they were being mermaids.
:)

Presents!!!!!!!

She was, as always, blessed so much by her friends.  Thank you!

Windy attempt at a family shot.  Clark looks giant!  Where did my baby go? :(

I'll take this stroller...



The favors!  Paperdolls!





Is that not the cutest thing you've ever seen?  come on

And then we relaxed with our buddies the rest of the weekend.  They were inseperable and had so much fun together!
Here they are painting...



Oh, a sad goodbye. :(  But==we do have plans to go to Tulsa this summer, so we'll see you then, Riley!  Thank you so much for coming to see us!!!!!!!!!!!!



Y'all, this is what I was holding five years ago.  Sweet little peanut.  I had no idea of the laughter we'd share, how fun she'd be, or the memories we'd make. 

What an awesome ride it's been, and I can't wait to see what the next five years will hold!

Happy #5, AnnMarie!