Happy Birthday Ashley!

Ashley is 4 years old!

On February 20, 2010 my baby turned 4!  How is that possible?

Ashley is a fun-loving, silly, singing, dancing, High School Musical-obsessed, lip-gloss wearing, outfit changing, non-veggie eating, gum stealing, junk food loving adorable girl and we had fun celebrating her birthday!!!

She invited 9 little princess friends over for her party. She has been talking about this "Belle Birthday" for over 6 months. She decided a long time ago what the theme would be and never considered changing it. Unfortunately, Belle birthday paraphernalia is hard to come by... so we had to go with the general princess thing and add a lot of yellow. Naturally, Ashley had to wear a Belle dress herself. 

The girls played some games then dined on a royal feast of Go-Gurt (by far the biggest hit), Cheese Puffs (which Ashley begs for every time we go to the grocery store), licorice, hot dogs, grapes, marshmallows, Fairy bread (our Aussie fav), baby carrots and snap peas.

The games we played were Pin the Horn on the Unicorn, Dancing Statues, and Princess and the Pea. It amazed me how much the kids love the last one. You make a circle with some pillows and tell them the story of the Princess who felt the pea under her bed, which proved she was a real princess. They walk in a circle while music is playing and when it stops they must sit on a pillow. A hidden tennis ball under the pillow is felt by the girl who then proclaims, "I'm a princess!" and is out. You have never seen girls so anxious to be "out"! Ashley about had a breakdown after 4 or 5 rounds and she hadn't felt the pea yet.

Finally it was time for cake and presents. I had been stressing about the cake all week because my oven is terrible. I have to set it 50 degrees low and take it out about 10 minutes before the recommended time and it still doesn't usually turn out. One positive note- it has saved me from my baking obsession, but it's so frustrating. 

I had told Ashley we'd do a Belle cake, not knowing how I would pull it off and make it look good. Sadly, she thought I meant it would be a Barbie cake and that morning started searching around for a Belle Barbie! In the end, I made a lemon cake with buttery yellow frosting and found a small Belle for the top. She seemed pleased, so it all worked out alright.

After cake and ice cream she finally got to open her presents. Her friends were so generous. She got some fantastic gifts that were totally up her alley. I think she is the luckiest 4 year old there is! She has toted around her gifts all week long and told everyone about them, in detail, including our piano teacher and my visiting teachers. She is one happy girl!

Ashley's guests included: Front L-R Elena, Jane, Ashley, Isabella, Andee

Back Lauren, Kaylie, Stella, Ellie

Gifts she received: princess castle, mini Belle doll and Belle t-shirt, flower hair clips and fairy wings, Belle phone and Disney princess book, magnetic doll set, bracelets, chapstick and feather boa, pack of Disney princess lip gloss and Disney princess nail polish, and a Pucci Pup which she named Isabella, of course. (For those of you who don't know, Ashley wishes every day that she could be named Isabella and often asks, "Mom, why did you name me Ashley?! That's not what I want my name to be! Call me Isabella.")

She later opened gifts from family members. From Nana and Papa, some little white mary janes she picked out at Target and a Princess purse which she has carried every SINGLE day since she opened it.

From Nanny and Grandad, a Princess art kit. From Stuarts, a Barbie dress-up, from Mahers a Zhu Zhu pet, from Lori a Hannah Montana microphone with lip gloss inside (a HUGE hit) and a set of bracelets/rings. She is such a spoiled girl!!!

Happy Birthday to our favorite princess! We love you so much Ashley. You keep us laughing and we can't imagine our family without you!!!