One Year Older

Miss Julia celebrated her 5th birthday yesterday! Hooray! She's been talking about her "birthday party" for the past 8 months. Every now and then I'd hear her whisper to her friends "you're invited to my birthday", like it was some sign of their friendship or something. Ironically, she didn't even end up having a "party" with her little girlfriends, instead her Grandma and Grandpa Salmon took her to Disneyland, which she LOVED! This morning as we were getting ready for school she told me about seeing Mickey and Donald Duck and riding her favorite rides: Autopia, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, The Matterhorn, and then she said: "You know what Mom? None of my friends came to my birthday at Disneyland." I guess she didn't believe me when I told her that they wouldn't be going... that only SHE was granted a free ticket to celebrate! She was happy though to have spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa Salmon, her cousin Tyler, Aunt Erika, Aunt Kristi & Juan. What a lucky little girl!

Since she was going to be gone on her birthday, Daddy surprised her by coming home on Tuesday with a donut.

The simple pleasures in life.

Then we took her shopping to spend her birthday money from Grandpa Monroe and Trent and to pick out a few things from Mom and Dad too.

First thing the next morning Emily called to wish her a "happy birthday!"

After school Grandpa picked her up and off they went to "The Happiest Place on Earth".

And if that wasn't enough, today Emily came over for a special birthday play date. She gave Julia the book "If you give a pig a party" along with this adorable pig. Super cute!

Happy Birthday my big girl. You have truly grown this year. What a year it has been! You graduated preschool, had your first dance recital, learned to ride a bike and how to swim, started Kindergarten, are playing on your first soccer team and are starting to read and write all by yourself!
I just love you my macaroni & cheese, chocolate-loving, cookie-making, finger nail-painting addicted, beautiful daughter!

Love,
Mom