Three Kids and a Dog: Hailey Kate Turns 8!

Hailey turned 8 yesterday but the celebration will last just about a week. We started her birthday festivities on Sunday night with a dinner at her favorite restaurant (Fuller House) with her favorite giant pretzel. Given our Monday schedules (even though Peyton and & Hailey were off of school) we weren't going to be able to do dinner out on her actual birthday so Sunday was more relaxing as we grazed on her favorite foods and watched the Bears game. Once home, she got to open a few presents (mostly because there wasn't going to be a time on Monday where we would all be present unless before 7am or after 8:00pm (and Hailey couldn't wait to open her presents til 8pm and there was no way my teen and tween were getting up early to open presents).

Hailey is very into this National Geographic app called Animal Jam so most of the presents she opened were all about Animal Jam - stationery, charm bracelets, journals, stickers, necklaces and lots of books that I found.

The next morning she awoke to a big #8 sign on our front lawn and more presents - fox figurines, fox slippers, more Animal Jam toys and a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes.

She then really wanted to do her iPad (go figure) so we gave her some time for that before heading to pick up her Bundtinis (little bundt cakes) for her Brownie Troop to help celebrate with her during her Brownie meeting that afternoon. Then it was a special lunch of hot ham and cheese on brioche buns (her request) and off to her first Brownie meeting to earn her nature badge with a scavenger hunt and other activities before helping to distribute her birthday bundt cakes (she did not want them to sing to her).

Once home, more time to play with all of her new toys before the rain poured down which essentially canceled some evening practices, and so we found ourselves with only one practice on Monday night and lots of bored kiddos (Austen). Hailey entertained herself with her new toys and we ordered Chick Fil A for dinner (her request) and then sang and had her blow out her official number "8" candle before feasting on more Bundlet cakes for all. Number 8 is great and Hailey can't wait to celebrate all week leading up to her family birthday party on Saturday where many of her other favorites will be featured on the menu!