Happy Birthday Miss Pips!

What a gift from our loving heavenly Father our little Pippa is! It is a joy to have her in our family. I am amazed also at what about my parenting has stayed the same and what had changed. I am so much more of a patient mommy. Man, if I had two more maybe I could be knocking on the door of Michelle Duggar!

Piper Elizabeth is pure joy (well, mostly joy with a tiny bit of whining tossed in). She has a giggle that deserves to be in a commercial. She says the funniest things. Her favorite "game" right now is to come into my bathroom while i am getting ready and she asks "Remember that game we play where you are a fashion girl and I am your daughter?"  "You mean the game we played yesterday and play most days?" "Yeah. Lets play that."  We then talk in British accents while I put my makeup on. She will try to pick out my shoes - which will always be heels - and say "These are SO fashion." Its A-DORABLE. And then we talk about how to be truly "so fashion"  a girl must be beautiful, modest and have a happy heart. We do it almost every day and instead of growing tired of it (see, see, I told you I was more patient) it squeezes my heart each time. But it would yours too if your heard her say "so fashion" in her cutie accent.

So what could be more appropriate than a "So Fashion" party? This was her first party so it the stuff big deal are made of. (Before I start I should give credit to the Dollar Store, 40% off Hobby Lobby coupons and Pinterest for the great party.) Pip and I made the invitations together (proof of greater patience #2)...

Before the party I had a huge project in my sights. I wanted to make these adorable magnetic paper dolls I had seen on Pinterest for each of the girls (oh - and that reminds me! I now fully believe that one key for having a great party is inviting only 3 guests. It sure did make everything so much easier. And cheaper!). So I started going to Hobby Lobby every day - even twice a day to buy my supplies. Why? Because you can only use your 40% off coupon once per customer at a time. Since my closest HL is 1 mile away it was worth it to me and the pocketbook to get everything 40% off. Yes, even the dollar tins.

 I printed all the little Betsy McCall dolls and dresses on to printable magnetic sheets and then cut them out. After I had a wardrobe for each girl I spray painted the tins (which said "sweet baby" because they were meant to hold a gift card and be given as a shower gift) and mod podged on personalized labels...

They were adorable! I stayed up playing with them when they were finished. They stick right inside the lid and are easily portable because of how small they are.

Decorating was so fun. A great thing about having a house full of kids is that also means a house full of helpers. And even though they may be reluctant when it comes to cleaning, when it comes to throwing a party it is all hands on deck.

I love decorating when the birthday child is asleep so they wake to a birthday wonderland. She was amazed - and ready for a photo shoot. If only I could post all 30 pictures I took of her. She is such a ham and loves to have her picture taken. Every shot was different from the last.

You get the idea.

Her precious little friends arrived and we took pictures...

The they colored in their own fashion girl...

We ate pizza for lunch ($3.99 pizza day at Little Caesars!) and for dessert - well, no cake. Pips kept requesting a cake that had chocolate chips on the side, with whipped cream and a strawberry on top. Now, I know I could make a cake that fit the bill but ultimately decided what she was requesting was more of an ice cream dessert. So I used ice cream sandwiches to make a scrumptious treat.

 We painted nails, played games and opened gifts. At the end we sent our friends home with their paper dolls,  gloves, a pink feather boa and a framed picture of the "so fashion" friends.

It was a wonderful day of celebrating our special girl.