Three Kids and a Dog: Hailey Turns 10!

This past week was all about Hailey! It started with my trip to Abercrombie Kids. She has recently become very into what she's wearing, telling me what the 4th grade trends are and what she needs for clothes. More often than not, she gets Peyton's hand me downs, but what I'm realizing now, in just four short years, is that the trends and the brands have changed. And, while she'll wear those clothes still, she wants some that are just her own and who can blame her?! Heck, I'm just thrilled she's starting to want clothes over stuffed animals and toys!

This is 10!

Anyway, I buy her some really cute outfits that are all hers for her birthday so of course she needs a really cute one to wear on her big day. Who doesn't love to feel gorgeous on their birthday?! So the night before the big day, she opens her first present. Wide leg, comfy pants and a very cute sweater. She's thrilled and beaming when she leaves for school that morning not even complaining about not getting to open the stack of presents on the kitchen table before school.

She comes home just as happy with a new plastic birthday hat signed by all of her classmates. They announced her name on the intercom, her friends (and the boy she likes) wished her a happy birthday and they got to have "hot lunch" (aka Home Run Inn pizza) at school that day.

When she arrives home, the phone calls wishing her a great double digit year start. She finishes some homework, gives me her order for her dinner that night (her pick - Noodles and Company), and I drive her to soccer practice.

Her teammate has the exact same birthday as her so they are happy to see each other and wish each other a happy birthday. The other mom and I coordinate, and we distribute birthday treats of cookies and gatorade after practice.

It's 7:30pm and we are home at last but not everyone in our family is home yet. She eats and devours her mac n cheese she ordered from Noodles and Company (we've never eaten there before but she said she saw it advertised and wanted to try it) and I would go back. Healthy options and pretty good for fast food. We get her requested birthday dessert ready - cookie skillet and wait for the two other kids to show up from their practices so we can sing and finally open presents. They do by 8:15pm and she opens her presents - clothes, animal bracelets, earrings, books and cat pens. It's a good birthday week so far.

On Sunday, we have her family party. Her last one as next year will be a friend party (if she wants one) and then we stop the parties once they reach middle school. She requests Chipotle and an ice cream cake (she is not a fan of cupcakes or regular cake). Her cousin brings her cats, she opens more amazing gifts - clothes, books, stuffed animals, etc. and then finally her birthday is over.

I think 10 is going to be a great year!