One of Ellie's friends declared on the bouncy bridge: BEST! ELLIE! BIRTHDAY! PARTY! EVER!
And so it was.
Mommy splurged on an InStyler (as seen on TV). Next stop, Toddlers and Tiaras.
"Dear Santa, I've been good. I love you. I wish it could snow this year. Please bring me a guitar and drum. Love, Ellie" (Our fireplace is blocked with a panel since I fear the gas logs, so we had to leave Santa a key. Thankfully she didn't ask how he would get inside the house to get the key.)
We called NORAD's Santa Tracker hotline and were informed that Santa would be entering Texas airspace at 9:00p.m. EST. She was out by 8:55.
Bedhead and Christmas morning excitement!
Way to deliver, Santa!!!
Those of you who heard me talk about not going crazy with the Christmas gifts can stop laughing now. (Not pictured - she also got a big girl bike.)
Or maybe start laughing at the "Bob the Builder" get-up (accessorized with a chocolate milk mustache.)
MORE presents at the grandparents'. Not spoiled at all. 


Green Eggs and (not green) Ham - courtesy of the grandparent bed & breakfast. Huge hit. Happy New Year! Ellie insisted she could stay up until midnight to see the "party" so we opted to celebrate on east coast time. Sparkling lemonade in fancy glasses and a tiara constituted a sufficient party that she felt it was worth it.
Any snow is cause for gearing up and outside dancing.










Can I close with a rant? Why is this cute stethoscope shirt only available in the boys' section at Target? Wouldn't it be just as cute in pink or purple? I know that there is a lot more to imprinting a world view on a child than a tee shirt, but if I want to buy my daughter a shirt that declares a statement other than that she's spoiled, a diva, cute, a princess, sweet as candy, etc. I have to shop in the boys' section. I'm not saying she doesn't have her share of pink, butterflies, and glitter in her closet, but she also has Beatles and The Who tees, dinosaurs, and this sweet doc in training one. She wears rhinestone earrings to rock out with her drumsticks and to hunt bugs with her magnifying glass, but who says she can't like both? It would be nice for more stores to consider that girls might like more than one thing - that they might want to wear a pink hard hat while they play with tools or to carry their matchbox cars in their purse.









