Or so she tells me:
I'm a Beautiful Princess, Mom
- my limited experience with linguistics does not qualify me to attempt to render her exact pronunciation mind you
Mama, I'm Belle
Mama, I'm Ariel
Mommy, I'm a Beautiful Fairy Princess
- usually announced as she prances about on tip toe.
To those who knew me as a small child, this behaviour probably sounds familiar. Except I was Snow White, or Sleeping Beauty, or Wonder Woman, or Isis...
Given her fascination with princesses it seemed fairly obvious that the Thrifties Cake of choice be the 'Four Princesses' (Belle, Ariel, Aurora & Cinderella). I have been known to bake a cake and even decorate it now and then, but with the ongoing state of our house it seemed prudent to order a cake. Besides, I have tendinitis in my right pinky finger (long story), which means that cake decorating is OUT for at least a few more weeks (hell, writing long hand is a killer these days). I decided - oh, probably close to a month ago now - that there would be no big party. Even back then I had a feeling the house would be in no shape for it, and mentally, the thought of planning a party elsewhere, inviting people, getting together party bags - it was just too overwhelming with all the renovation stuff still left to do. It's a good thing I didn't because we ended up at Otter Point this past weekend, escaping the fumes of the floor varnish for the upstairs hall and stairs (something that was planned for the previous weekend, but a sick house does not renovate!).
There is something to be said for low-key stress-free family-only birthday parties. Zoe still had all the party trimmings; hats (she wore hers almost all day), party plates and napkins, a big foil princess balloon, a fabulous princess cake, 'Happy Birthday,' and of course a slew of presents! The whole day was Her day and she revelled in it! She kept telling me and Steve and Nana (on the phone) "It's my Birthday." She also kept asking - um, telling - me to call daddy and tell him to bring her her "happy cake" now - please (he had to pick it up when he was in town doing another floor coat).
I'm sure next year will involve new found preschool friends and maybe a few others, but this year we all enjoyed our little home-grown celebration of Zoe's second birthday.
