Seven

I can't believe my girl is seven years old.


We started the party with blueberry pancakes, new earrings, and a shirt "with words on it" to wear to school. Apparently seven years old means you need shirts with words. The new hot cocoa mug was a hit since we still love all things Minnie.

We painted nails and curled hair before school which was absolutely crazy. To make matters worse, when we went to put in her new earrings (her very first time taking out her studs) we discovered infected ears. That led to a loud round of screaming and crying ten minutes before we left for school. "My ears are hurting but I want to wear my new earrings SO badly!" Oh, the drama.

But in the end we got the new earrings in, and she was thrilled. We alternate each year between friend parties and family-only parties, and since this year was family-only I really wanted to pack the day full of special surprises. Katherine helped with the special surprise part by flooding the upstairs bathroom so much it leaked through the floor and dripped down from the ceiling all over our family room carpet below. She decided to make amends by helping me make lunch. Two minutes later she and her sliced open finger dripping blood everywhere came to report that maybe she shouldn't have tried to cut the cheese by herself. Luckily, I think our ceiling, carpet, and her finger will survive.

After school we did homework and then rushed to Chuck E. Cheese. I feel like putting on rubber gloves and a mask every time I step through the doors of that cess pit, but the recent renovations helped. And since it was Tuesday, we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Our girls are officially the perfect ages to appreciate Chuck E. Cheese. Not old enough to turn their noses up at disgusting pizza, and young enough to think tokens are magical. Elisabeth was in hog heaven!

We finished off our festivities with a girls' night out to see the movie "Tangled." Since Madeleine's final gift was new p.j.'s, we made it a pajama party.

Katherine felt so grown up staying out late with us. She promised Madeleine ahead of time that she would NOT talk during the movie, which was one of the conditions in allowing her to tag along. But of course she spent most of the movie sitting in my lap offering a running commentary on how terrible the old hag is, and how she doesn't think Rupunzel's hair cut at the end is cute AT ALL.

As I drove two sleepy girls home I asked Madeleine how it feels to be seven.

"The best thing about being seven is I don't feel little anymore." My heart went thump, thump in my chest. But don't worry, I didn't lecture her that she will always be my little girl.