Brynn's 9th birthday

Brynn turned nine on Saturday, March 7, 2020.  Her birthday celebrations started on Thursday, the 5th.  I checked her out from school a little early and drove her to meet my parents in Park City.  Then I drove back home to do piano lessons while she did some birthday shopping with them.  Then they came back to our house to show us what she got and give her a couple more gifts.  She picked out some clothes (summer outfits) and shoes.  From Grandma and Grandpa, she got a unicorn bathrobe, slippers, nail polish, and a gymnastics mat.  She wasted no time in pulling the mat out and showing us some tricks (backhandsprings).

They treated us to dinner that night for my birthday (the week before) and Justin's birthday (the following week).  We took them to Cafe Galleria because my dad loves Italian food.  We have only recently discovered it and everyone loved it.  Ivy was shoveling in her spaghetti as fast as she could.  She had no trouble finishing off the entire plate.

It was Brynn's year for a friend party.  Since she had recently discovered the Descendants movies on Disney+ she decided that she wanted to have a movie party and watch the first movie in the series.  We decided to have the party from 6-9-so a kind of "late night" party.  She was very excited.  We started the party with dinner: pizza, soda, fruit tray, veggie tray.

Haylie McPhie, Addy Starks,     ,     , Brynn, Ellie Graff, Carli Steiner, Corbin and Raylie Anderson, Ivy, Mari Freeman

After dinner, she wanted to do presents.  She got two bracelet making kits, stuffed elephant, mini puzzle pieces, nail art book, how to draw book, Beanie Boo, candy, and a Descendants art kit.

Brynn and Addy

Ellie and Brynn

Raylie, Brynn, Corbin

Brynn, Addy, Carli, Corbin, Haylie, Mari,     ,     , Raylie, Ivy, Ellie

After presents, we did cupcakes.  She wanted white cupcakes with light blue frosting.  That 9 candle is backwards.

I didn't go to a lot of trouble planning games but I did have a few planned just in case we needed to kill time before starting the movie.  We did.  We played Limbo and had a dance party.

We had all the girls bring a pillow and blanket so we had them settle down after that and turned the movie on.  They watched the movie for a while but a lot of them wanted to play too so we kind of had girls all over-some playing, some watching.  Most of them flocked to the play diner.  Brynn had invited a girl from school who lives in the trailer park and she had brought her sister.  They were so nice and polite but they were so in awe of our "big, big house" and "all the toys."  They were so gracious and really made me pause to be thankful for all the things we have.

I woke up on her birthday to make her requested breakfast (light blue crepes) but then we had to hurry out the door to baseball.  Brynn was such a good sport to go to Stockton's baseball tournament on her birthday.  (Molly was at a YW's retreat and wasn't available for baby-sitting so she really didn't have a choice).  Her and Ivy took their scooters and rode around and played at the park for the few hours we were there.  She got to pick whatever she wanted for lunch on our way home.  Justin and I had some things we had to do to get ready for her birthday that afternoon (me: cake and dinner; Justin: birthday present/surprise).  Molly had made it home and was so good that afternoon to set up a little spa for Brynn.  Brynn got her nails and hair done.

Finally, it was time for presents.  She hunted around the house for her birthday treats (licorice nibs, mini starbursts, watermelon gum) and then ended up at her bedroom door.  She had not been allowed to go in her room since the night before so she was starting to get very curious about what was going on behind her door.  For the previous several months, her room had been the dropping place for tools and supplies for the house project.  She had kind of been floating-with her clothes and toys and things in her room but not actually being in her room.  So for her birthday, we decided to re-do her room.  Her favorite color has switched from purple to light blue and her bedspread was ripped and needing to be replaced.  So Justin painted and we got her a new bedspread, rug, lamp, and throw pillow-with "flippy" sequins which is her favorite style ever.  We repainted the purple shelf to match the blue wall (not pictured) and plan on repainting the bulletin board that hangs over her bed (it needs to be glued back together).  We hung up decorations and her canopy. I think it turned out really cute and she was really happy with the change.

Brynn wanted tacos for dinner and chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  I made the Hershey's chocolate cake again like I did for Stockton's birthday only this time I make it a triple layer cake.  This cake tastes great but I didn't give myself enough time for it to bake and then freeze so I could frost it properly.  So, the frosting kind of got thrown on there and I didn't even try to make it look smooth.  Brynn covered it in sprinkles, we stuck 9 candles in it, sang to her, and cut into that cake.  We are not big cake eaters around here but this one never lasts long.

Brynn was tuckered out that night.  She fell asleep on the couch and had to get carried to bed.

Her birthday continued the next day when we went to Gene and April's for dinner.  From Gene and April she got her birthday doll, a sequin bag, The Girl's Book "How to be the Best at Everything," and a gravity maze.  I also got my birthday gift from them-a wind chime.  Molly and Brett spent time building an inverted pyramid.  And we finished up Brynn's birthday celebrations.  And it's a good thing we were able to have a good celebration since just one week later, the whole world shut down.  Whew!