Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Happy Birthday Ceara

Yes, I know it is a late birthday post! She turned 14 on October 7th. We celebrated her birthday on the 11th, though, at her Nana's house. That part was kinda a surprise to me, and probably to Barb as well. I thought we would have it out our house. It was just a small party, family only.

Barb innocently sent an email to Jeff and me asking what time the party was going to be at. I replied and asked what time Jeff thought because he had to work that day. He responded and said, "I was thinking around 3pm at your house, Mom."

I thought he was playing with her. But it turned out he was serious. Which was an excellent idea and I think we should make her have the parties more often! She decorated a table for the event, and made games, and had prizes! I would have never thought of any of that.


Ceara is not my biological daughter, so I don't have a story to tell about how I went into labor or anything this time, but I do tell everyone that I have 3 kids because I have known her since she was 5 years old. I have helped raise her for the past 9 years, and I do consider her one of my kids.

I have watched her grow into the level-headed young woman that she has become and I certainly love her as if she were my own. She has become the middle child at our house and at her mom's. She is very easy to get along with (for the most part, she does have her moments, as we all do) and she is helpful around the house as well. She is also very sensitive. She is the one who cries with me during sad movies.

For the party, we had pizza and cake. Barb decorated with the beads she got at Mardi Gras - and we all know how you get beads there!
OK, just kidding on that part. But it was very festive at her house!

For an October day, it was certainly hot outside. We hung out under the shade tree for the most part, while Conor and Gage played in the yard.

It was a pizza buffet! Three kinds of pizza, cheese sticks, chicken fingers, chicken wings...

Jeff just sat at the table with all the pizza, scratching his head and wondering which one to eat first. It's a good thing we all got ours before he sat down.

And he is so gonna yell at me for this picture when he gets around to reading my blog. He has no clue I took it. I was giggling with his mom when I did it.

Ceara doesn't even like cake, did any of you know that? It might be a recent thing, but she did manage to choke down a few bites. Had she said anything BEFORE the party, I would have made a cookie. But when I asked her what kind of cake she wanted, she said white with white icing. Not sure how she is related to Jeff when she doesn't like chocolate cake...

Brother and sister hanging out together. Conor just wanted a piece of cake I think.


Both boys did. Corner pieces with a lot of icing. Because that's all they eat, you know. The icing. They don't bother with the cake part.

She got a lot of money for her birthday, which she is going to be using to buy new tennis shoes, and some for her trip to Washington DC that she is going on next week. Oh, wait... next week? Wow I forgot it was coming up so soon!

She also got a digital camera for the trip. She asked for it, I'm sure it is so she can take pictures in the mirrors of the hotel in Washington DC, rather than the sites.
She also got a photo album to put all those pictures in when she takes them.

And lots of money.



Conor insisted on counting the money. He is obsessed with money and loves to count it. It has made him rather good at math, though, so I don't mind. He always asks to count the money in my purse, but since there is never much in there, the birthday money gave him a challenge! lol

One of the games Barb had planned for us was for us to draw Ceara. Only one person drew her head, one her body, one her legs, and one her feet. You couldn't look at what the other person drew, but had to just draw your part.

It is hard to see in the bright lights of the sun, but it turned out pretty well.

My mom did her head, Jeff did the body, Allie did the legs, and I did the feet. It turned out pretty good, but I think the feet just made the whole thing look good. I did an excellent job on those. Even painted her toenails.
I don't think I officially was declared the winner of the contest, which I think was just so the other three didn't get their feelings hurt. Come on, Barb... you can tell me. Mine was the best part, right?
Happy Birthday Ceara! May you have many, many more!

2 comments:

pearlsandchocolate.com said...

Happy Birthday!!!! She looks like a wonderful daughter!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the compliments.

You are welcome for the party at my house, it was lovely that you brought all the food!

You all did very well at following the directions for Ceara's portrait, I think everybody did a great job!!

Your pictures are better than mine!

However:
THAT IS NOT HOW I GOT THE BEADS!!!
THEY WERE AT WAL-MART!! ARGHHH!!