Payton Grace is 9!!!!!

This year, Payton had a really hard time figuring out what she wanted to do for her birthday.  For the last 3 years, she's shared a birthday party with Addi.  Their birthdays are exactly four years and six days apart.  You can read about those parties here, here, and here. Payton really didn't care what she did for her birthday, she just wanted her cousin Jessi to be at her party.  Since we are going to Missouri with our extended family soon, we've planned a celebration while we are there.  We wanted our big nine year-old girl to feel extra special on her actual birthday, so we planned a really fun day for Payton.  While Daddy was at work, Evan, Addi, Karsyn, and I took our birthday girl out to lunch.  She chose El Chico.  And just so you know, when you walk into a sit down restaurant with four kids ages 10 and under as the only adult, people look at you like you are crazy.  The kids were all really good, so I'm sure I'll get the crazy looks again soon. ha!

Karsyn was really glad to be eating there too.

After we ate, we did a little shopping.  Payton picked out a new top and got her ears pierced.

Payton has had her ears pierced before on her 7th birthday.  Her holes grew back together when she left her earrings out for too long.  She has talked forever about getting them pierced again.  The first time, it went very smoothly, they did both ears at the same time and it worked out great.  This time things didn't go quite so well.  She was a champ with the first ear.  I could see the pain in her eyes while it was happening, but she held it together.  After experiencing the pain from the first ear, Payton decided that having one ear pierced was enough.  Ummm...no!  It was one of those moments in motherhood where there just didn't seem to be a right answer.  Do I take out the earring in the freshly pierced ear and call it a day?  Or do I make her get her other ear pierced?  I swept her long hair to the side with one hand, held her arm with my other, and she now has two pierced ears.  She's very happy with her earrings, so I feel like the right choice was made.  We got home and Daddy took Payton and Katelyn from our best friend family to see the movie Maleficent.  Payton said it was the best movie EVER!

While they were at the movies, Evan, Karsyn, Addi and I got all the makings for Payton's favorite dinner and a birthday cake.  Karsyn picked out this cake for Payton at the bakery.  This cake is perfectly Payton.

We got home and Evan took care of some inside party planning while Karsyn, Addi, and I hung a banner up outside for our birthday girl.

Karsyn and Addisyn

Daddy called when they pulled up so we all ran outside to say happy birthday and to see how she liked her banner.  These are the kind of things that make Payton feel very special.

After dinner, it was cake time.  When I opened her 9 candle, it was broke.  It looked kind of silly in her cake and everyone giggled.  We lit the candle anyway, sang Happy Birthday and then Payton made a wish!

We decided to start a new tradition on the kids' birthday, by having them be a blessing to someone else.  Isn't it the best gift to do something for someone else?  So, after we ate cake, Payton and I did our first drive by diapering.

Payton left a package of diapers on the front porch of a friend who has a new baby.  She knocked and then ran to the car as fast as she could, so that we could make a clean get-a-way.  I don't think we've ever laughed so hard together as when we were driving away.  We both loved it!  When we got home, Daddy had put together the karaoke machine that Grandma got Payton as her birthday gift.  We spent the rest of the evening singing songs from Frozen and a few 90's pop songs. =)

I really hope we made our birthday girl feel special.  She means so much to us all!

Happy Birthday Payton Grace!  I love you so much!