The Queen Bee is Five!

ALL HAIL THE QUEEN! Our sweet and strong willed little girl turned FIVE last week. Say it ain't so. It seriously seems like last year (I just can't say yesterday, because ages 3 and 4 had some really really long days) that we were bringing our first born home from the hospital. I like to replay the minutes of her birth in my head over and over and it gives me the chills every time. My easiest "labor" (I use the term very loosely because I have never been in "labor") and delivery to date. After a couple of hours of prep, a 30 minute surgery and a quick recovery the 7 pound blue eyed beauty was all mine. We spent the five days in the hospital welcoming visitors and scaring Aunt Cece (a minor choking issue that kicked off my sisters anxiety, sorry Cece). I wondered what the next 5 years would bring for us. Who this little girl would become. How her voice would sound. What she would look like. How we would be the best of friends. Turns out the first five years of Ellie's life have been the longest five years of her dad and mom's life but we are beyond blessed that we were given this amazing person to get us through the roughest days.

Soon after Ellie turned one we welcomed Brother #1, followed very quickly by Brother #2. #1 took some getting used to, but she has welcomed #2 with open arms. Our little mother hen, Ellie is quick to reprimand the brothers or tell me when Patrick is eating non-food items, again. She loves to be the boss, and the brothers are quite aware of this. I swear they are going to start calling her "m'am" soon.

Ellie is a very passionate person, or as we call her "overly dramatic". Strong willed to the core, Ellie won't back down in an argument or fight for what she wants. This is a characteristic of hers that I totally lack and am jealous of, but currently is killing me. We butt heads frequently on our quest for being right and we drive each other nuts. I think she gets her debate skills from her Uncle Tim.

While Ellie and I have our major differences (she wants colored socks, I want her to wear white.. she wants to wear size 18 month dark pink tank tops, I want her to wear a size 4 white Polo.. she wants her hair down, flowing, long and straight.. I want it curled w/ a perfect bow on top.. she wants MAC Creamsheen Tickled Pink lipstick.. I want her to NOT sit at the makeup counter and get her colors done..), we have thee most fun ever. We are really a team in this house of boys! We like our seats down and our nails painted. We like Bride Shows in bed w/ the brown blanket and ice cream. We love to laugh and play silly games and to stay up late. We love to go to the mall and buy buy buy :) We love being together despite all of our differences.

Ellie can be a total girly girl, but then she flips a switch and is wearing camo at the farm with her dad and cousins. Jumping in the lake and riding go carts. This thrills Chris as I have turned into a total anti-camp anything since having kids. Chris can't wait to teach Ellie how to shoot a bow or gun and sadly, Ellie can't wait either.

Ellie is currently in Pre-K and is loving it. Outside of school she is playing soccer and dancing. Watching little girls dance may be my most favorite thing ever, but I have to admit, soccer was so cute too! I sometimes think Ellie only agrees to go to dancing school because of the Sugar Shack right next door. But even I get excited about the old school penny candy. We skipped last year because she just wasn't that in to it when I forced her to dance the first time around, but this year it is already clicking more.

I think the highlight of Ellie's 4th year of life had to be her starring role in Cece's wedding. As the solo Flower Girl, her year was definitely made. As with all activities, Ellie started off pretty shy but warmed up at the end on the dance floor. She is still talking about her big job holding Cece's "Bale". I only wish that we could do it again this year so I could experience the whole event with my sweet girl again!

Ellie is truly the light of our lives. Our five year old has the kindest heart and sweetest soul. She is kind to her friends and her brothers and compassionate to all around her. She is so very smart and learns easily. Chris and I could not love our sweet Ellie Bee any more. There are days that she could most definitely live with my mom or sister, but the good days outnumber the bad.

It was only natural that Ellie's 5th birthday party was fit for a Queen! Ellie told me she wanted princesses, girly, and a lot of purple and DARK pink. Not light pink, it had to be dark pink. I figured this was probably my last year for princesses, so it was a go! I used to be one of those people that swore up and down that my kids would not have anything with a character on it. But you know what, they only live once and it makes them so happy, so who cares. I will say that our characters are limited, especially in the apparel department. I mean, I only have control for so much longer.

As I do with most things, I procrastinated until about Friday evening for all things party. And then I turned into psycho mode. Why do I even have parties? I go crazy cleaning my entire house- like I even clean the fridge because god forbid someone looks in my fridge and the yogurt labels are not facing out- scream at poor Chris and am sweating by the time the door bell rings. I can never relax and have fun and am just a ball of nerves the entire time. So many thank yous to my mom and Chris for always putting up with me on these days and helping me clean and set up!

But with every party, everything comes together in the end and it is always just as I had wanted it. Ellie invited 12 of her 5 year old friends and was beyond excited for everyone to come to her house. I kept decorations and paper products super simple to avoid an anxiety attack (that didn't happen). We did cake and cupcakes and a couple of snacks. I wanted the "entertainment" to be the focus rather than juice and candy. But if I were having a birthday party for Johnny, juice and candy would be where it's at.

Ellie is super into Rapunzel (because of her long, straight, blonde hair) and Belle for god only knows why. I decided to rent a'princess and have the girls come over for an hour of entertainment. They told me as long as I didn't have Elsa or Anna that I would have no problems booking.

Belle and Rapunzel arrived in their hatchback Honda Civic and took the girls breath away. They were in character from the second they walked in the door until they left. The girls hovered around them and stroked Rapunzel's hair. Belle was quick to an answer when one little girl asked where her mom was. They were quick to change the subject when another little girl kept insisting on talking about Elsa. LET IT GO kids. For real.

The princesses took turns reading the girls their story. Rapunzel really was a hit and captured the girls attention. As Belle read, the girls took turns stroking Rapunzel's long brain and the one kept asking where Elsa was. Poor Belle. She didn't seem to mind as she forged ahead. How on earth can people have this much patience with 5 year olds is beyond me.

They went right into a Princess quiz game. Belle would sing a song from a movie and the girls had to guess the Princess. They were like so smart. Someone even got the princess from that movie w/ Dr. Derek Shepherd, Enchanted. Like how do they know that?

After books, it was time for dancing. The girls learned so many new princess moves. The little girls curtsied and floated all around the back yard.

After all the singing and the dancing and the reading it was time for Ellie's Coronation. Princess Ellie as she will now be known was given an official decree and princess crown (which I am fairly certain Patrick has eaten). Ellie led the girls in a parade and the day was almost done.

We could not have been happier with how the Princesses turned out and we are grateful to them for making these little girls day. I feel like I would be in the corner instagramming how terrible my job was if I worked for their employer.

I have 900 more pictures that I could post but I have hit my limit for typing princess for the night. Thank you to all for making our sweet Ellie's birthday so great. We hope all her wishes come true.