Geburtstag für Ella

I put my hair up this morning, something I haven't done in ages, and then remembered the problem with trying out a new hairstyle.  You discover all sorts of new gray hairs.  Although I shouldn't be surprised that my hair is shot with gray. After all, as of today, I have an eight-year-old daughter.

Dennis made another batch of birthday cookies, this time for Ella's class, with our very special hoard of chocolate chips, and he walked Ella in to school this morning to help deliver them. It seems any parental presence in Ella's class is quite rare: the class is always overly curious when one of us shows up.  When they asked why her dad was there, and Dennis explained that today was Ella's birthday.  Then he went to give his daughter a hug...but our little grownup daughter instead quickly stuck her hand out for a very Swiss handshake.  The kids, watching carefully, asked, did Ella, um, maybe...did she bring something for the class? Something like a cake?  And Ella, understanding, proudly held her containers aloft.

She reported that the kids loved the cookies and spent all recess chasing her, begging her for more.  Of course: Dennis cookies are transcendent. And, despite my nervousness yesterday, she said that today was the best day of school that she ever, ever had.  She earned all of two paperclips (she reports that the teacher is rather stingy with them, but nine more days of effort to get a gobstopper, she's decided, is quite acceptable.) And she didn't lose her marbles.

Ella desperately wanted NochElla to come over to help her celebrate, and NochElla, her mom said, was over the moon to be asked.  The two friends walked home by way of the candy store (Ella had found twenty cents on the playground: just enough for two pieces of Smurf bubble gum) and then snuggled up to do arts and crafts until Dennis finished baking Ella's birthday treat. (She had requested a giant cookie instead of a cake. Transcendent, I tell you!)

Giant chocolate eggs

NochElla's brother Paul wandered over, and Ella happily invited him to join the party. We rounded out the day with a dinner of pizzas and still more cookies, paired with Garfield cartoons, but judging by the insane laughter coming from the other room, I think it made them every bit as happy as a bouncy castle or a pony ride would have done. 

Ella made out quite nicely with her pile of presents. The rainbow legwarmers from her cousin Chloe had her in ecstasy.  Her Uncle Dave asked me to get some chocolate for her, and so I got her some giant KinderEggs in her name:  I think the look on her face speaks volumes.  I set aside the scooter from my parents until last: Ella looked at the box and said, "Uh oh, this looks like a big one. I think I'm going to need some help opening this," sweetly inviting Joey (who was looking on tearfully, wondering where his presents were) and Alex to help her.















Alex had none of Joey's jealousy while watching Ella open her presents, because he knew a secret.  When my Dad had  purchased that scooter for Ella, he was worried about how Alex would react, being without. "Oh, it's okay, they'll share," I told him.  But Ella's friends are constantly on their scooters, and now, so will our Ella.

Being a little sibling myself, I well knew how painful it would be for Alex to watch the bigger kids scoot away without him, so this afternoon I took Alex and Joey to the sports store and got them some wheels as well.  And I'm proud to say, Ella didn't mind in the least, sharing the glory of her day.

Eight is looking pretty good so far.

Pre-bedtime video chat with Grandma and Grandpa Geels