Seventh Heaven

We are down to just over a week in our house, but we took a day off from packing yesterday to do a little birthday celebrating.  I can hardly believe that my baby girl is seven!  I remember looking into her eyes for the first time like it was yesterday.  I just don't know where the years go.  And next year she will hit the big eight!  I'm starting to feel old!

We kicked off Madison's special day with birthday crepes in bed,















followed by a fun present opening session.



















Maddi had been eyeing the American Girl Doll of the Year Kanani for months, so we decided to make her day by going all out with Kanani gear.  Grandma and Grandpa Hoskins bought her the doll,



















Nick and I got her the matching dress, the Kanani books, and a few of Kanani's other outfits,



















and Grandma and Grandpa McArthur topped off the gift-giving with matching jammies for Maddi and her doll.

The whole rest of the day the girls and I played dolls and we all greatly appreciated the break from boxing up our life.  That evening our good friends the Andersons joined us for dinner at Maddi's favorite Mexican restaurant,

and then we stopped off at the ward Christmas party to cap off the night.  It was a fairly low key party, but Madison was ecstatic nonetheless.  After all, the love of her life--Ty Winder would be there.  And since I refused to let her pick Ty for her birthday outing this year, this was indeed a special treat.  Actually, as it worked out, she forfeited her birthday outing altogether this year in leui of getting in on the big "un-birthday party" in the Spring.  I didn't love this idea at first, but when I realized we were going to once again be traveling on Spencer's birthday, I decided to make Mason's un-birthday party a Hoskins children's un-birthday party and let all of the children in on the action.  Emma will still get her big fourth birthday celebration at Disney World, but the rest of the kids agreed to stay simple on their actual birthday in exchange for big fun later on.  So far they've requested a pony and a bounce house.  We'll have to see how that plays out!

Anyway, Maddi seemed content with her special day, and we all feel so proud to call her ours.  She is an incredible daughter, sister, and friend.  She has really grown up so much this last year and she seems to be totally at ease with who she is and where she is going in life.  Happy Birthday Maddi girl!!  We love you!