Lia's 11th Birthday!

It's hard to believe, but our first born turned eleven years old today.  I just don't know how this has happened.  The time has gone way too fast!  Due to having a baby last month, I told Lia that we would postpone her friend party by a month just to give myself a bit more time to recover and have the energy to put on another mega party for 20 girls.  As a result, we were able to keep things simple this weekend.  I sent her to school this morning with 27 brownies to share with her class and we hosted my parents for her birthday dinner tonight.  As always, she requested "breakfast for dinner."  So, we dined on delicious cinnamon rolls, a breakfast casserole, and bacon for dinner.  We then opened gifts before finishing off the evening with some banana cream pie (also Lia's request).  Lia got some wonderful gifts this year including some new clothes, some additional AGD items from the Blaire Wilson collection, some awesome studio lights to use while filming her AGD stop motion videos for youtube, and a bunch of items for her NEW bedroom that she will be getting this summer when she switches bedrooms with Logan.  Her new room will be decorated in an adorable mermaid theme with bedding and decor that I discovered a few months ago at Target.  Up until this evening, Lia thought she was going to be sharing her room with Ella for the next few years which was our original plan.  However, Ron and I changed our minds after I discovered this bedroom set and realized that it really would be best if Lia continued to have her own room since she is so much older and more grown up than her sister.  Needless to say, Lia was thrilled with the news which made it the perfect way to end her special day!

We started off Lia's birthday this morning with our traditional waffles with whipped cream and strawberries on top.

We sang "Happy Birthday" to her before she blew out the candles.

After school and dinner, Lia opened up her gifts in front of all of us.

Logan decided that it would be appropriate to make a pillow fort out of one of the couches in the living room before Lia started opening gifts.

He watched her open her gifts by peaking through a gap in the pillows.  Oh, this boy...

Lia opening up her miniature studio lights.

Showing off a new pair of pajamas that say, "Mermaid in Training."  Lia has LOVED mermaids ever since she was three years old when she fell in love with princess Ariel.  Eight years later, very little has changed.

Lia holding up the darling, wall canvas that will hang in her new bedroom.  It says, "You can find me in the sea, fabulous, wild, and free, splashing, swimming, water glistening, it's the mermaid life for me."

Lia reading the mermaid-themed birthday card from grandma and grandpa.

Grandma kept Emmett happy while Lia opened gifts.

Mother and daughter posing before singing to Lia.  I can't get over how tired I look in this picture.  I guess that is what six weeks of bad sleep will do to a person!

Ella and Logan posing with Lia before we sang "Happy Birthday" to her a second time today.

Blowing away!

Ella trying to help her big sister.

Papa giving Lia some attention after she told us that she didn't feel like the center of attention due to the adults being too focused on their own conversation while sitting at the table.  It was rather funny!

Our beautiful, birthday girl enjoying her pie!

Lia holding baby Emmett while taking a picture with grandma and grandpa before they left.  I can't get over how grown up she looks in this picture.  We love you, Lia!  We are so proud of the responsible, kind, intelligent, conscientious, and thoughtful girl you are becoming!  We are so grateful that you are the oldest child in our family!