{Made it Monday} Olivia's birthday album

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey internets!

I'm so glad to be back in action!

My sweet lil' computer is back on track and we're ready to roll!

I finally got around to making Olivia's 6th birthday album right before my computer went away.

Let's keep it real here and understand that this is the *ONE and ONLY* birthday album I've ever made for her (or anyone else, for that matter). Don't get all judgemental on me and tell me about how you've never made even. one. album. for your child because up until now, I was in THE SAME BOAT, OKAY???

Anyhoo.

I like it. I think it turned out cute.

I used all the Instax pictures we took on the trip. The Instax camera was one of O's birthday gifts. She loves it. I love it even more. I love how cute and tiny the pictures are (the size of a credit card) and how you snap the picture and out it pops.

Instant gratification?!

I'm a fan.

So, here are a few pictures of the album. (Click each picture to make it larger.)




















While I was working on the album, Olivia glanced over at me at one point and asked, "Mommy, why are you spending time making a scrapbook for me? I know what my birthday was like."

I sat there for a few minutes wondering this myself. Why DO I spend tons of time putting together an album full of little memories of this, that and everything else during that one little trip??

Then it hit me. The answer.

It's because I have *NO* idea what I did for my 6th birthday. Or what I was like as a 6 year old girl or what toys I was "into." I remember my favorite friends (who are still some of my faves, by the way) and who my teacher was that year, but other than that, nothing. (Am I alone here? My memory is reeeeeeally bad.)

And, that's a little sad to me.

Am I okay despite the fact? Absolutely.

(Mom - stop tearing up. I'm okay. Really. Hey! By the way - do you remember what we did for my 6th birthday? Just wondering.)

So, that's why I do all this crazy scrapping for my kids (when I can). So they can remember. When they are older with families and children of their own, they can remember.

We can remember.

All the little details.

Not just pictures in a box, but the details of the good times. The details that are so quickly forgotten in every day life.

Will they still need therapy? I'm almost certain they will.

I'm okay with that.

What they won't need help with is remembering the details that are so often lost for me.

Hopefully, they won't need help with that.

Wanna Know Who's SIX?!?

This girl:



I'm still not quite sure how it happened, but apparently someone stole my sweet baby girl and replaced her with this snaggle-tooth, sassy, Justice-loving, Beiber-fevered six year old!

WHAT? I'm not ready for this. I'm not. I can assure you.

In keeping with the resolution of the year, we stuck to *NOT* having a birthday party this year (despite some subtle pleas and nudges to the contrary).

Yes. Every year I plan these wonderful fetes and my sweet little precious children end up being not-so-thrilled by the time the party actually rolls around. Call me crazy, but I'm not planning a party for myself, so the parties were put on hold. I told the kids they could each pick a fun place to go and take a friend this year for their birthdays.

Does anyone see where this is going? Anyone?

Whit chose Chuck E. Cheese.

Olivia chose The American Girl Doll Boutique and Bistro in Atlanta, Georgia.

Wow. Really?

Who does that?

Apparently Olivia.

So last weekend, we took a trip to Atlanta. I can't lie. It was awesome. Seriously, any little girl's dream come true. And, apparently, a mommy's, too. :)

On Saturday morning, the girls arrived at our house. Kit was waiting for them with their matching birthday outfits.

(Click on any picture to make it bigger!)




For all my scrappy friends, I used Bring on the Cake: Doodles by Kate Hadfield to create the iron-on transfer for their shirts. I bought the little outfits at Michael's and they were perfect! They saved me from having to buy clothes at the AG store (looooove that!!).




They all changed their dolls into their new outfits and we were ready to roll!



We arrived at the Bistro early. Our reservation was for 1:30pm, but we rolled in around 12:30. Lucky for us, we were seated right away and did not have to wait. Keep in mind this is the one and only time I have ever {EVER} been early for ANYTHING in my ENTIRE LIFE. Mommy was a little excited. Just sayin'.

The girls were exciiiiiiiiiiiited, too.



And they couldn't get enough of the little tea sets with REAL water!! {gasp!}





After we ate, the staff sang Happy Birthday to Olivia with a sweet little ice cream, candle and note. She was happy.




Once our lunch was over, we headed into the store to shop and make hair appointments for the dolls.

Yes. They have to have appointments. The DOLLS have to have appointments.

What kind of place do you think this is, people? Apparently walk-ins are NOT welcome. Appointments only.

Who knew?

So, while we waited, we shopped, looked, oogled, shopped and oogled some more. We headed out into the mall to do some site-seeing and ride the huge merry-go-round. The girls had a ball.




Once we were finished with the hair appointments and all the purchases were complete, we headed to the hotel for the night.

The Marriott Atlanta (Alpharetta) totally caters to the American Girl guests and even has an American Girl Doll Weekend Package. We did not choose to do that package, and we still had an awesome time in the pink dining room for breakfast!

Upon arriving at the hotel, the girls promptly decided it was time for presents.

Olivia got some great stuff and looked like this a lot:





When she finished up, she decided it was time for the girls to open their goody bags, too.


They each got a towel wrap.





And matching pajamas for their dolls and themselves (THANKS TO LEXI'S GRANDMOTHER FOR THOSE)!!



Although I have nothing really to say about this picture, it was by far one of my favorite pictures of the whole trip! How cute are these piggies?



I made sure to find a hotel with an indoor pool to keep us busy. I'm not quite sure why I was worried...we also painted nails, colored pictures, snacked, made bead bracelets, wrote notes to each other, snacked, played in the magic mirror closet, took nice long bubble baths and snacked while we were there. There was NO downtime. Did I mention I was TOTALLY happy I packed a cooler with drinks and a bag of snacks for these little divas?!? They were hungry ALL. THE. TIME. Srsly.

After dinner and swimming (around 10pm) the girls crashed on a palette in the floor! Thank you, Jesus! I was WORN. OUT.

The next morning, we got up, got dressed and headed down to the American Girl dining room. We enjoyed a nice breakfast surrounded by the most Pepto-flavored decor of any place I've ever seen. All the while, the girls lamented leaving and schemed up ways to come back. They were smitten, for sure.

I mean, HELLO? Any restaurant that let's a group of 5 and 6 year olds drink out of glasses like these, deserves a gold star in their book.




Once breakfast was finished, we packed up our things...



stopped for one last picture...



and headed for home.

Thanks to my awesome friend (and next door neighbor - oh, and Lexi's mom) for braving this trip with me, for helping me navigate my stupid GPS, for enduring a 3 hour trip with multiple art tools and AG dolls under your legs and for encouraging me to try a new Mexican place that I would've driven right by if you hadn't been with me! I was sooooooo glad to have you along for the adventure!



That's all for now!

Love and hugs,
Leigh

Tooth Fairy FAIL

Just in case any of you are wondering, I need you to know that things aren't always peachy keen in the Theo house.

Take, for example, yesterday morning.

Wait. Back up.

Let's go back to here. Remember our fantastic Tooth Fairy escapades?

Yes?

It was a sparkling, grand idea wasn't it?!?

Any little girl's dream!

To wake up after losing a tooth and find a different colored dazzling glitter and water combo each time? All left by a tiny flittering fairy who wandered around your room dipping herself into the water and spilling her wonderful fairy dust all over your chest of drawers?

Yes. Grand, indeed.

Olivia has become quite fascinated with the beautiful colors that she's found so far (pink, turquoise, and green). Her sweet little imagination runs WILD wondering which color dress the tooth fairy will wear next. She even leaves a note each time pleading for the tooth fairy to take a dip in the water and turn it a new color.

In fact, she is *waaaaaaaaaay* more interested in the water/glitter color than the money the tooth fairy leaves in the tooth tin (which, by the way, is also sprinkled with the night's chosen color). We even leave the glass of tinted water and glitter sprinkles out for days (sometimes weeks) after the visit.

So, when she lost her FOURTH tooth two mornings ago, she immediately started wondering (out loud) what color she would end up with this time. She promptly asked me for the little cup we use and went about making the preparations for that night's Tooth Fairy adventure.

Unfortunately for Olivia, something like FOURTEEN HOURS passed between 7 a.m. when she lost the tooth and 9 p.m. when the "Tooth Fairy" fell sound asleep on the couch for the night.

Unfortunate, indeed.

When I stepped out of my shower yesterday morning, I was immediately greeted with the saddest, most heart-wrenching pitiful eyes of any 5 year old girl you've ever seen.

No tears.

Just utter sadness.

Upon questioning, I learned the root from which the sadness came.

The STUPID, TIRED Tooth Fairy FORGOT TO COME TO OUR HOUSE!

Isn't that just swell?

OH, the PAIN!

I quickly reassured her that the Tooth Fairy must've been confused by the light being on in her room all night (that's a whole 'nother post all in itself). I mean seriously, a Tooth Fairy can NEVER come in your house if they think you might possibly still be awake!!??! No way. And, even though she left the tooth lying on the nightstand, I was POSITIVE that the Tooth Fairy must've been looking for the tooth tin that we usually leave it in. Since it wasn't in there AND the light was still on, we got NO TOOTH FAIRY.

After some consoling, Olivia picked herself up and brushed herself off. I calmly encouraged her to go through the setup process one more time. I told her I was *sure* it was all a mistake and that I was *sure* it would be okay.

Tonight, we did things differently.

The Tooth Fairy has already come. She left some extra money and a little note apologizing for the confusion.

She tinted the water, sprinkled the fairy dust and left an extra dollar for the trouble. She kissed Olivia on the way out the door and promised to do better next time.

All this time I thought I would spare my children the glory of needing adult therapy.

I guess not.

In all honesty, we have plenty of other daily troubles and worries, just like every other family in America. It's hard to come here and post about those, though. No one wants to join in on that misery. So, instead, I come here and post about our not-so-traumatic worries. Just thought you should know.

Oh! And tonight, the Tooth Fairy wore a nice sunny shade of yellow.

She did whaaaaaat?

The tooth fairy assigned to our house last weekend must've been a *new* fairy-in-training. She went a little crazy in Olivia's room.

Here's how it went down.

Olivia lost her tooth. (SHOCKER, I know).

She was alllllllll excited about a tooth fairy visiting (as was I) until she got an offer to spend the night at Papa Joe's house. At that point, she promptly decided the tooth fairy wouldn't mind making an extra stop along her nightly travels. I agreed.

Not one to ruin the party (or interrupt a quiet evening at home with no children), I quickly sent her out the door with a promise to write the tooth fairy a note, letting him or her in on our plans. (Thanks to the movie The Tooth Fairy, my kids believe there are all sorts of fairies that can come and get your tooth - not just one - not just girl fairies - and not just professionals - there are fairies in training, as was OBVIOUSLY the case with this one).

Well, wouldn't you know, that sweet little tooth fairy flitted all around Olivia's room looking for the tooth fairy tin I sent to Papa Joe's house?!?! The sparkles from her dress got ALL OVER Olivia's dresser and she must've taken a dip in the water I left out for her because the water was PINK!





HOLY COW! Olivia Grace Theo had a CORONARY when she saw the scene. She just COULD NOT stop looking at all the sparkles and the pink water and the note that the TF left for her (scrawled with a glittery, silvery pen at the bottom of my note). I know the picture is bad...you can hardly see the writing.



In fact, Olivia was SO excited that she gave me SPECIFIC instructions to leave another glass of water out tonight since she lost her second tooth today. (HOORAY...the crooked Nanny McPhee tooth has FINALLY LEFT THE BUILDING!)

I'll have to let you know how it all turns out tomorrow! I'm thinking tonight's fairy may have a little turquoise number on...I'm feeling awfully turqoise-y. Thanks to a recent trip to Michael's and a 50% off coupon, I have every color glitter under the rainbow to prepare for the next few years of tooth shedding!

Here's to sweet little girls with big imaginations and mommies willing to encourage them! (Oh, and cool people on the internet with the idea that started it all).

Good night all!

Happy dreaming!

Check, check, check and check

Here are all the ways we checked off the items on our summer bucket list.

I had to make a slide show because, really, I just don't have 3 hours to upload all of these pictures one by one. Sorry.

So that's it! Tons of fun summer memories all wrapped up in one little slide show!

Now I just need to print the pictures and put them in our book and we're all set to remember Summer 2010 for a long, long time!

Hope yours was fantastic, too!