Alysha's birthday weekend - Friday night

Since Jon had to work Saturday and Sunday, we decided to have the official celebration start friday night and just continue it through saturday. Friday night, after we finally got home, (see previous blog), we started making Alysha's birthday dinner. She wanted TGI Friday's appetizers and as luck would have it, WD had them on sale for buy one get one. Woohoo! So, we had Onion Rings, Potato Skins, Steak Fajita rolls and Cheese Sticks. It was great!!

Alysha and I also finished up the cake. We had baked the two layers the night before and all we had left was to ice them. We had cream cheese pound cake with cream cheese icing. (Do you see a theme?) It was, in a word, FABULOUS. She did a great job. We put 12 candles on there and everything.

She opened her last present from us Friday night. I say last because this year I had wanted to do something to make this birthday really special for Alysha. This is her last year as the only child and I know things are going to change when Shay gets here, so I wanted this to be memorable. So, this year I started a Birthday Week tradition with her. My mom started this with me when years ago and I knew one birthday I would start it with her. It works like it sounds, you get a whole week of birthday presents. My mom and I, when I lived there, would get creative, coming over at night and leaving the present in each others car and things like that. Just knowing you have a present to expect each day is exciting. We have always bought simple things, never spending more than a few dollars a day. The point is not to give great and elaborate gifts, but just to let the other person know that they are loved! So, I started the birthday week tradition with Alysha this year and she had a present to open every morning that week. She LOVED IT! She got fake nails and pens and polka dot stuff, which she is really into. The last night, Friday, she got two movies she has been wanting. The day of your actual birthday, you get your nice gift, the BIG ONE. :) Although that was not a big one for her, she requested a day of shopping as her gift this year, and that is what she got (I will blog about saturday seperately)

So, we all sat down to watch the movies about 8:00. I promptly fell asleep, after all, I have been on my poor feeties since 8:00 that morning carting Alysha around all day. (see previous blog :) I was a tired pregnant birthday girl mommy. I have never been so exhausted, at least I thought, Saturday would prove to be an even longer day!