Wrapped up in the moment...

With all the excitement and emotion, the laughter and the chaos of yesterday, my favorite moment of Emily's Birthday is all wrapped up in this picture.
It was taken about 4PM...after all her 20+ friends had gone and it was just family here.

She had been smiling for 10 hours, opened tons of presents and had been the center of attention at every turn. She was about to go out on the town with Aunt Jean and be royally spoiled.

But in this little half hour down in the basement with us, we got to celebrate in the quiet our love for Emily. Sarah got her spots on her (note the robe). Grace was so great about letting her little sister be in the limelight all day. And this present she's opening? It's a seven dollar Petshop playdough toy. The kind where you squeeze the playdough out their heads and it comes out like stringy hair. I LOVED that when I was a kid, so I thought it would be fun to share it with her. And the size of her smile made me glad I did. I was so pleased with her because she was so sweet and kind to everyone, and most of all--she was grateful--for the big things and the little things that happened throughout the day.

She called me twice while she was out with Aunt Jean to keep me posted on all the exciting things they were doing...like going to Friendly's and Build A Bear and Claire's and how she was going to get to drink in the bath with bubbles and candles (hope that was juice Jean, and yes, Emily was talking in run on sentences very fast.) But even in the midst of all that she paused and said, "Mom, thank you for everything you did to make my day special."

And especially in that moment, I was grateful that I did.

You're welcome Em&m.

Very welcome.

Happy 7th Birthday.