Lia's 18th Birthday Party with Friends

Although I was supposed to be done hosting friend birthday parties for Lia after her Sweet 16, she managed to twist my arm last year and again this year.  She was able to convince me to throw an 18th birthday party due to the following three reasons:  a "smaller" list of invitees, no sleep over (that would require me to make a big breakfast the next morning), and agreeing to use the same decor theme that Ella had already chosen for her 12th birthday party next month.  So with all of those reasons in place, I summoned up enough energy to host this final friend party of Lia's career.  Although she promised that it would be a smaller party, Lia ended inviting seventeen girls from her elementary school group, her running group, and her NTWL and high school theater groups.  Fifteen were able to join us for the evening's affairs.  I decorated the party in light pink and black, bow-themed decor and provided a dinner and dessert for the girls.  They ate dinner, opened presents, ate cupcakes and ice cream for dessert, went crazy with the photo backdrop downstairs, and ended the night watching one of Lia's Barbie movies (on a DVD) from her childhood.  Lia allowed Ella and Emmett to join for the evening's festivities while Logan avoided the group like the plague.  Everyone seemed to have a great time and I am glad that Lia was able to have one last hoorah as a child before she moves on to bigger and better birthdays in the future!

The party decor around the fireplace.

The kitchen decorated in pink and black with lots of bows.

A close-up of the head table.

Lia asked all of the girls to wear something whimsical that celebrated their inner childhood.  She chose to wear a pastel colored dress with little flowers on it.  Here she is standing outside next to the sign that Ella wrote a "welcome" message on.

All of the girls enjoying dinner together.

Lia at the head table with some of her friends during dinner.

Lia and her friends:

Back row (from L to R):

Griffin, Elle, Mollie, Sienna, Lia, Hope, Ani, Esley, Emily

Front Row (from L to R):

Rian, Emma, Cobie, Willow

(Not pictured:  Abbie who left early and Erika who came late)

Ella hanging out on the couch with Lia's close friends from elementary school.

Lia holding up the very appropriate shirt that her high school theater friend, Emily, gave her.  The message on the shirt says, "Maybe I Am The Drama."

Lia holding up the homemade booklet that her friends Cobie and Willow made that contains pictures of all of her fictional husbands.  Such Silly girls.

Lia posing with one of her closest and oldest friends, Mollie.

Lia waiting for the group to sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

Blowing out the candles.

Lia helped me make a photo backdrop in the basement that entertained the girls for quite some time after dessert.  Here is Lia posing with her elementary school friends.

Lia with her high school friends.

The girls (plus Emmett and Ella) all bundled up and ready to start watching a Barbie movie.