#9

Yesterday was my Olivia's 9th birthday.  Nine.  I can't believe she's 9 already!

She wanted a party, but I really am soooo over birthday parties, you know?  All that work and money and, for us anyway, no one ever shows up but family.  So we compromised.  She got to have a "play date" at the park.  I brought cupcakes and drinks and she invited 5 friends.  One showed.  And she was late, so for a while I was really worried that Olivia would be upset, but she was very happy.

Dummy me, though... I had told my sister that we were going to celebrate on Olivia's birthday a few weeks ago.  I told myself all day Saturday that I needed to remind her, but I never did.  When we were at the park, I wondered where they were and happened to look at my texts to her and realized that all I told her was that we were celebrating on Olivia's birthday.  No time, no location... I felt awful when I texted her and told her what had happened.  She did a great job busting her tail getting there, though.  

Olivia had requested "Quadruple Chocolate" cupcakes.... chocolate cake with chocolate chips, chocolate icing, and chocolate sprinkles.  This is how they looked Saturday night after I decorated them...



This is how they looked once we made it to the park...



It wasn't that the plastic wrap smooshed them, the icing melted within minutes of getting into the van.  =(  Any time we have taken cupcakes somewhere for her birthday, they melt.  I guess maybe next time I should freeze them?  



She really didn't care though.  It was windy out, as well, so she had like .5 seconds to blow the candle out.





Her friend gave her a Mooshka doll, which I had never heard of until about a week ago.  They're awfully cute and they don't do anything.  That's my kind of doll.  Santa might be bringing the girls more Mooshka dolls...



It was really sunny out... most of my pictures had horrible sun flares.  I guess that's what happens when you're stuck with the cell phone camera.  =(  I miss my DSLR.  I'm still not sure if I'm going to see how much it will cost to fix it or just replace it with something less fancy.

The girls played for a good, long while.  My Mom kept Olivia's friend's mother deep in conversation the entire time, so I didn't even have to force myself to be all that social.  I'm terrible, I know....



Me and my oldest, one year older!

I managed to get some  pictures of me and my Mom and Dad out of the day, too.  =)





I always hear "You look just like your Mom" or "You look just like your Dad" depending on who I'm next to in the picture.  I'd say I got a good deal from both of them.  

Next birthday is mine!  I'm just a few years older, though ;)