Eight Is Great!

Today is Ellie's 8th birthday!  We all got up early so we could open gifts before Evan left for work.  It was a little odd having all that time in the morning.  It's usually so rushed, but it was great because Ellie got a chance to play with her new toys before she had to put shoes on (drama ensued of course) and go to school.  She was really enthusiastic about all of her gifts, which made me feel good because I didn't really spend a lot on her.  Usually there's one big gift, but this year I just got her a few little things. Guess it went over well.  Evan had a great idea (have to give credit where credit is due) to give her a cork board for her room.  It was a "big" gift but it was only $11 at Target.  She was so excited she wanted to hang it before she left.  We started the process, but I finished it and it's all ready for her when she gets home.  I hung a newborn picture of her on it already along with her first birthday card, from Meema, and a picture she colored at art class last night.  I thought about covering it with fabric too to give it a little fancier look, but I'm not sure if we'll ever really do that.  I'll have to get Ellie's opinion.

I'm excited for her to be 8.  With Caden,  because he's the oldest, it's always a shock when he gets a year older. ("I can't possibly have an 8 year old!  That seems so old!")  But with Ellie I'm over the shock and I can put it in perspective.  I remember 8.  Seven, a few things here and there and the years before, a few memories, but 8.  I remember being 8.
That seems to be when I can remember what I played, going to school, riding the bus, riding my bike, my room, what I watched on TV, even what I LEARNED in school.  It seems like the beginning of childhood to me.  Before that was just little kid stuff.  As I've said before, Ellie's kind of a reflective kid.  I think she'll look back on 8 and realize that it really is pretty great.  Maybe not.  Maybe she'll like a different age, but I think 8 is right in the zone.  It's when you're old enough to do a lot but still young enough to not have to worry about all the tween crap.  As I was looking for party decorations for Ellie's family party tomorrow night I walked down the Sweet 16 aisle.  "Thank God not yet!" I thought.  I still have a few more years of kittens and Frozen (the two party themes Ellie selected for her family and friend party, respectively) until One Direction and Justin Bieber take over.  (By then Bieber will be really old, right?)

So happy 8th Ellie!  Enjoy it!  It's a fun year!

Yes, She's wearing a Happy Birthday tiara.  Yes, she did wear it to school.