Ava's Cafe

Saturday our abode was transformed into a little eatery, Ava's Cafe, to help celebrate a certain 5 year old's birthday.
 

On the menu: drinks, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, fruit and donuts.  All favorites of the five year old crowd. 


There were activities to keep the customers happy while they waited for the servers to take the orders.

Hmmmm.  What to order, what to order?  Should I have the chocolate or glazed donut?

The well trained wait-staff took the food orders and served most professionally. 

The birthday girl's dessert was on the house though the chef did not make her ride a bull or wear a sombrero or even sing an obnoxious song.

Later there were food-themed games: a marshmallow stew relay race and a recipe memory game.

Ava's Cafe would not have been possible without the skills of one detail oriented Spouse, aka Matthew Stewart.

My baby turned 5 this week

 If you can believe it, my baby turned 5 this week.  She asked for her favorite food for breakfast: Ramen Noodles.  For breakfast.  It was painful, but I allowed it.  I made some blueberry muffins for the rest of us and thought that perhaps #3 would be tempted to give up her dream of brothy noodles and give in to a normal breakfast food.  But she knew what she wanted!  She slurped that whole big bowl down.

#3 is at the developmental age where she is experiencing irrational fears.  She has always been my most sensitive and emotional child, so this phase is more intense than it was for the other two.  Upon lighting her birthday candles we discovered yet another deathly fear: lighted birthday candles!  It took all her courage to blow them out. 

#3 loves to wear dresses.  If she had seven, I'm sure she'd wear one every day of the week.  Her grandmother sent her this one for her birthday and she wore it two days in a row.  She tried putting it on for the third day but I insisted she give it a break for washing.

#3 is a deep feeling soul, often crying in movies and at sad stories.  She is compassionate and very affectionate. She loves closeness and will often move her toys or coloring into the bathroom where I'm getting ready because "she gets lonely."  #3 has matured and progressed by leaps and bounds this year and I know with the start of Kindergarten in August I only have a few more months to enjoy my little girl.   Some of the little girl things I'm going to miss:

• Rice Kippies and muse-gik (rice krispies and music)
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• Lazy hair and her forebrain (wavy hair and her forehead)
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• The way she sings her way through life.  #3's life is a song and she is always singing about her feelings or things she's read about or what she learned about in church or the things we pass while driving. 

As if to prove her point that she's growing up and I can't stop it, today she excitedly showed me her first loose tooth!

This just cracked me up!  She couldn't hold the bubble wand without out making this funny face! I've got about 15 different pictures with the same face.

Why I'm looking tan

Over that past few weeks I've heard, "You look tan!" from several friends.  This is why:



Buster's spring baseball season involved afternoon practices and early evening games = sun exposure 

(The highlight of the season for Buster was winning the "All-Star" award in a game in which he hit the ball all the way to the fence.  210 feet!)

 

#1's tennis lessons = more sun exposure

(#1 enjoys the pacing and small group dynamics of tennis.  She has especially improved her overhand serve this spring!)

  

#3's early afternoon swimming lessons = even more sun exposure

(Is there anything cuter than a four year old in a Speedo and goggles? No, there isn't.  Those goggles make kids look so nerdy; I love it!)

 

Please understand, March-June is our tan season here in AZ.  After that only crazy people go outdoors. 

News on #4

Yesterday my family huddled into my doctor's small exam room.  The children felt strange watching me climb up on the table and tuck my shirt up. They had a million questions for the doctor, "What's that slimy stuff? And why are you putting it on my mom?"  "Where's the camera?" "Is that a t.v.?" 

My patient doctor tried to answer one question before being bombarded with the next one, all the while trying to do the job he was there to do: measure and check up on our #4.  Turning the tables on the children he asked them a question, "Who is hoping this baby is a boy?"  Spouse and Buster raised their hands.  "Who is hoping this baby is a girl?"  #1 and #3 raised their hands.  "Well, it looks like you boys are outnumbered.  It's a girl!"

#1 and #3's faces beamed.  Spouse gave my ankle a squeeze.  I felt content.  Buster's face was red and his lip went up in the funny way it does when he's trying not to cry.  I grabbed his hand and smiled to him.  The tears fell.

The poor boy has been praying for a brother. 

Later when we were alone I talked to Buster about how special he is to our family being our only boy.  I told him that God must know what a kind brother he is to his sisters and this little girl must be in need of a very loving and good brother. 

Today, after sending out a mass text announcing the gender I received many sweet responses.  I was surprised at how many were sensitive to Buster, asking how he was taking the news.  I guess he's not the only kid in the world to have been let down by the wrong kind of baby. 

The best news is that my swollen feet, my aching back and my expanding body haven't been sacrificed in vain. The baby (girl) is healthy (and big!) and beautiful!


22 (and a half!) weeks down, 17-18 to go!