Little House Birthday

Ane is actually still celebrating her birthday. She will take cupcakes to school on Tuesday for her “class party,” and then we have her kid party this Saturday.

But on her actual birthday, we gave her a special surprise. Right after church, Tad went over to Grandma’s house, and the Webmaster and I took Ane to Seattle see the Pacific Northwest Ballet production of the Nutcracker.

She was VERY excited.

The Webmaster and I hadn’t been to the Nutcracker in years, and it was every bit as good as we remembered. Ane loved going to a “real” ballet, and looking at all the sets and costumes. She knows the music pretty well, though not the E.T.A. Hoffman version of the story that the PNB uses. I actually own a copy of that story, but I haven’t yet read it to her. Her Nutcracker book is a much more laid-back children’s version. But she loved the performance – she told me she wasn’t scared of the Mouse King, but she didn’t like Clara’s nightmare at the beginning of the ballet. Her favorite pieces were the Trepak (Russian Dance), the Dance of the Reed Flutes, and the Waltz of the Flowers (which is my favorite part). She was very tired by the time Clara and the Prince were dancing their pas de deux, but I managed to perk her up with a peppermint candy for the end of the ballet. She clapped with the best of them at the end of it.

The next day was her family birthday party. Ane had requested a log cabin birthday cake because she wanted to have a Little House in the Big Woods party. This kid thinks I am a professional baker or something. Anyway, after consulting with Grandma, this is what she got for a birthday cake:

The house is cake, the logs are pretzel rods and sticks, and the roof is cardboard with pretzel rods hot-glued to it, with frosting as the chinking between the “logs.” The frosting blossoms on the roof ridge is where the candles eventually went. I was SO exasperated with this cake by the time I was done, but Ane loved it. So I guess I didn’t do too badly.

Ane was pleased beyond belief to FINALLY be the birthday girl and get to open her presents.

Though her brother and cousins were very interested in the whole process – and didn’t mind crashing her moment every now and then.

Ane got several gifts that were appropriate for a Princess-crazed six year old girl.

And when it was time, everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to her. Tad even sang her a solo “Happy Birthday,” but threw his own name in there instead of his sister’s.

And the cake was enjoyed by all.

It was a fun party. It’s good to be six years old.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 4th, 2010 at 1:16 am and is filed under Children, Family, Holidays.
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