Claire turns 5!

It is killing me to have to say "I have a 5-year-old," but alas, it is true. Claire turned 5, much as I tried to talk her out of it. But she is SO HAPPY about it! It's been a month since her birthday, and she's still greeting people with, "Hi! I had a birthday and now I'm 5!" She spent her actual birthday in Tennessee with Bill and Barbara while Brad and I were in Boston, and I didn't think I was actually going to be up for having a party here. My physical capabilities are just extremely limited these days, and my stamina is even less reliable. Claire's preschool strongly requests that if you have a birthday party to which you invite anyone from class, you invite everyone from class. I knew I wasn't up for that, so I decided I would try to do something really small with just a few church friends. 

I picked a Saturday, texted several moms on the Tuesday just before to see if I could get a quorum of guests, and invited everyone to meet us at a local park, where my plan was to let the kids run and play and then stop briefly for cupcakes. It was the most low-maintenance plan I could think of, and I was fine with that. I told Claire NOT ONE THING about her "party" (if you can call it that) until after I picked her up from school on Friday afternoon (if you've ever met Claire, you know that any remotely sensitive information is not safe with her. I couldn't risk her knowing about her party and then going to school and telling everyone about it- when none of them were invited.). 

And then, within 24 hours of the party, the weather forecast changed. Saturday morning ended up being wet and 40 degrees. I had to text everyone again and tell them to come to our house instead. And we had to prep our house for a party, which I had been so proud of avoiding in the first place. I decided we were having a "Thomas the Train" party. What does that mean, you ask? Well, this:
1. We set up the girls' Thomas pop-up tent and our vast collection of toy trains (that is not a facetious statement: we have a RESPECTABLE collection of trains).
2. We picked a Thomas movie on Amazon Prime to watch.
3. We popped popcorn and laid out blankets for the kids to watch the movie.
4. Claire wore her Thomas shirt (and tulle skirt #trainprincess).
5. We hung a few streamers and blew up a few balloons.
6.. I'd already made cupcakes (Funfetti. From a box.), and I cut up some fruit. 
DONE.

Claire was happy, and all the kids seemed to have fun, so we're calling it a good party. I'm going to have to up my game in years to come, as she becomes more aware of things (like how other moms have games and crafts at their kids' parties), but this year, I'm just happy we had a party at all and that she was happy when it was all said and done. She really is such a happy and easy-to-please little girl. For that, I'm grateful.

Our little birthday party crew. Lily insisted on wearing an Elsa gown to the party, and when I texted my friend, Katie, about it that morning, she said her daughter would totally join in on that.

I love this picture! They were both having fun...these are just their "cheese" faces.

Richie was Claire's guest at her 2-year-old birthday party, which was her first one in Durham. They've grown up a little since then...

In 2015. They were SO LITTLE!

With our train-loving friend, Toby.

And I remembered to get a picture with MY friends.

Claire is the very best bear, and we love her to pieces. Even if she insists on growing up every year...