Happy 5th Birthday Callie Elizabeth!

This sweet birthday girl was at the side of my bed at o-dark thirty this morning asking if she could open her presents :). We let her open one.

She got this new headband and necklace from Gramps, along with some new clothes (and I LOVE having a child that gets excited about new clothes!)

Breakfast donuts

And off for a breakfast date with Daddy!! She was SOOO excited!!!

I've signed up our whole crew for everything birthday club that exists. IHOP sent an email with a coupon for a free Rooty Tooty Jr. for the birthday girl so off she went with her Daddy to enjoy it!! She ate EVERY bite!! (pancake, egg, bacon, sausage - yum!)

THEN - keeping in mind this is 8:30 AM people - the staff came out to sing happy birthday to her and brought her this HUGE ice cream sundae!!! Ice cream for breakfast? YES please!!!

Walking on the wall outside waiting for mommy to come and pick her up so Daddy could continue on to work

I took them to lunch at Firehouse Subs so she could claim her free birthday sub (it's a HUGE medium sub!) - which I ate and thoroughly enjoyed! Bought 2 kids meals (turkey subs) for them :) Callie ate the WHOLE thing and Caleb ate almost his whole sandwich. I remember the days when the kids would just eat a few bites off mine, or they could share one kids meal. Those days are LONG gone!

We enjoyed our afternoon - although it wasn't totally as I had planned. I told her she didn't have to have rest time in her room - that we could watch a movie together. She picked Horton Hears a Who, and we settled in to watch it together. Unfortunately, Caleb did not obey and stay in his bed for a nap so I was up and downstairs spanking him. He finally was told he was not going to get to have ice cream tonight. Very sad. I was sad for him and knew it was not going to be a pretty sight at Coldstone later on....that's the consequence of not obeying though!

When David got home from work, we finally let her open the rest of her presents. Can I just say how THANKFUL I am for our consignment sale? Got ALL of Callie's gifts there this year!!! VERY thankful!

Josiah rushed off the bus today saying "I need you to keep Callie away from me so I can work on her birthday present!!" He gave her $5 (VERY hard earned money that he has JUST started earning from teaching jr. karate lessons) and then made her "her favorite" pokeman cards! She was thrilled!! I was so touched by his thoughtfulness - he has a tender heart.

Jacob whispered to me as we were walking home from the bus stop ("is it okay if I give Callie one of my dollars? I don't have 5"). Oh baby. Yes. How precious. He gave her $1 (he only has $2!!) and one of his real pokeman cards. Sweet brothers. She loves them so much.

A friend from church gave me these towels for Callie - she has a Callie that is growing up and too big for these towels...but they are perfect for my little girl!

Caleb gave Callie a new "magic" book for her TAG reader :)

Reading the card from Aunt Kelli and Uncle Scott

Just look at her surrounded by all her brothers!

Kelli got her these new nighties with MATCHING nighties for her baby doll! See Callie clapping? She was thrilled!! (And she is SO much like her Aunt Kelli it is hysterical. Kelli claps for everything too!!!)

Gramps got her this mermaid Ariel doll that can really swim in the pool/bath - just what Callie wanted :)

Reading the princess card from Aunt Kristen and Uncle Chris

...complete with a crown inside! Perfect! :)

She got new trainer roller blades :) (did I mention how thankful I am for the consignment sale???)

And a new carebear!!! Remember how she fell in LOVE with my sister's old one the last time we visited my mom in February? Well, I found this one at the consignment sale and it SINGS! This is Callie's face when she realized it sings!! :)

Mom got her this ADORABLE new bathing suit - i LOVE it!!! She told me it looks just like mine! (because it's a tankini :) )

After a birthday dinner of tacos (her request), we headed to Coldstone for her free birthday ice cream. We had cake for her party, so I thought this would be a fun something different. I brought candles and still sang (quietly, because Josiah was horrified even though no one else was in there). She picked watermelon sorbet with gummy bears...just like Josiah ordered :)

I was thankful - Caleb fell asleep on the way there (remember, no nap today?) so I didn't have to listen to a crying, sad baby who wasn't allowed to eat any ice cream. (don't worry - he still got the message. When I was putting him to bed, he said "no ice cream?" with this pitiful sad face. I'm hoping he got the point!)

Here's the new twins of the family!!! :)

It was a FULL, fun day celebrating my precious girl. When we found out we were pregnant with her and that she was going to be a GIRL, our heads started spinning! We had "done" 2 boys - felt like we knew what to do. Life TOTALLY changed and was flipped upside down when she came along. She is ALL girl - loves EVERYTHING girly - but is absolutely tough as nails thanks to her brothers. She is so exuberant and full of life - which I absolutely love and can also drive me crazy. We are working on her volume level - because she seems to only know one and it is VERY loud. She is beyond excited about kindergarten in the fall - but I am SO thankful for the 5 years that I have had her at home with me. She completely adores David and yet is my little shadow all day long. God has amazing plans in store for her and I am excited to see how He continues to mold her into a woman that will fear and serve the Lord!!! I love you, Callie Elizabeth! I am SO thankful that God put you in our family! We would NOT be the same without you!!