The Last of the Single Digits

Today was a big day for Anastasia! The big 9! My baby is growing up.

We like to make birthdays an all day affair. We started in the morning by opening her present: a cute pink stuffed dog she named Strawberry. She also requested cinnamon rolls for breakfast (don't the kind in the tube count as homemade?).

For lunch, she desired "Red Robin", a place that has great ambiance, but not so great food for pretty expensive prices. Still, they had lemonade with real strawberries in it! Yum! Also, we got balloons!

Francesca was just happy to eat a lemon.

My favorite part was when the waiters all came out and sang to her!

Nothings says "Happy Birthday" like a giant, plastic red bird.

Now for what you have all been eagerly waiting for! The cake!!! Anastasia wanted a beach/ocean cake. I decided to put two cakes side by side. Chocolate, of course. In our family, there is no other flavor. I was quite worried at first at how the cake was turning out. The cake kind of looked like a giant sky with some dirt nearby, but.....

I managed to make some pretty cool waves.

The sand is made out of brown sugar, which, by the way, really compliments the icing. Sugar on top of sugar.

The shoreline turned out to be everyone's favorite. All the kids wanted a piece of it.

Last week, Anastasia accidentally dropped my camera. I knew it was bad news when I picked it up and the lens was rattling. Now I only have my 35mm lens, which I usually only use for close-ups. I was having a fit because I could only get half the cake in focus.

Ok, I know, enough pictures of the cake already!

We met some friends at the park where Francesca was traumatized by some real sand.

Victoria totally had a blast. For once, she was content to just sit and not fuss because she wanted to walk.

Poor Francesca.

Catherine and her friend, James, had a wonderful time together.

Finally, Francesca found something to be happy about - pizza!

Who needs a playground when there is a mulch hill to explore?

This is Tristan and Abi. Tristan and Anastasia have been friends since they were only two. This year though, they were both too embarrassed when I asked them to hug each other. I love the looks on their faces.

Here are Janie and Rebecca.

Of course, Logan!

Happy Birthday my sweet angel pie!!!!!