Tuesday was Emma Vance’s much-awaited fifth birthday, which she spent mostly at Ryan’s mom’s house, eating all sorts of treats, opening gifts and enjoying the royal treatment. In the evening, we swam with a couple friends and neighbors at our pool. And, of course, there was cake. In fact, we had zebra cake (a UGA AXO favorite — stacked ice cream sandwiches and whipped cream) topped with a bunny per the birthday girl’s request. The evening was perfectly E.V. — full of water and sugar. ;)
I had terrible Mom Guilt that I had to work on E.V.’s actual birthday, so on Wednesday I told her we could do anything she wanted to do. Because she is obsessed with a being a teenager, she decided we should go to the mall. That’s easy enough! I figured we’d spend 20 minutes at the Disney Store, grab a pretzel and be done. Not exactly. Somehow the girls and I ended up in a four-hour long vortex where I had no sense of time or sanity. It was fun though, I have to say. Plus, I had major flash-forwards to a decade from now. (What is it about women bonding over shopping?)
During our mall spree, we rode the carousel (of course), ate Chick-fil-A ice dream cones, bought some sandals…and then I lost my mind. Seriously. Emma Vance has been asking to buy earrings all season, and I’ve been having to remind her that her ears aren’t pierced. Then, Cricket overheard these conversations and started begged to get her ears pierced constantly. We were about two hours into our mall trip when we passed Claire’s…and for like the first (and last) time in my life I decided to be spontaneous. Let’s do it! Emma Vance went first, and she was all set to be brave — until the piercer tried to trick her by sneaking in her first earring without telling her. E.V. was shocked, and it was painful, of course. She didn’t cry, but started yelling that it hurt, and then insisted that, “I only wanted ONE! I only wanted ONE EARRING! Don’t do the other ear. I ONLY WANTED ONE!” I had to hold her down to get that second ear pierced. As soon as it was done, her experience turned into a war story and she showed off her sparkly ears to anyone who would look. Cricket was easier, but as soon as my smily girl hopped off the chair with newly-pierced ears, everyone else in line started oohing and ahhing at her bravery, which made her cry. Go figure. At least it’s all done and I don’t ever have to do that again…for at least a decade.
Post-impulse-piercing, we headed to Disney for a Jedi Knight training event. (A surprise bonus that I hadn’t really planned for.) Emma Vance thinks she likes Star Wars (never seen it) because the boys in her class like it. ;) She was into the event (where they learned to do different things with The Force), and then chose a Rey costume for her special birthday gift. It actually was a perfect balance for my sweet girly tomboy, especially since I gave E.V. her birthday gift as soon as we got home — a wooden bow and arrow (per her request). (If she gets elected for The Hunger Games, she’s a shoe in.)
Happy birthday, dear heart!
