June 4, 2001 was a momentous date in the lives of my husband and I. That is the day we became more than just a married couple, that is the day we became parents to our very first child: Emalea Lynn Boatman...and our lives have never been the same.
This year marked Emma's eighth birthday, and if you read my previous post, you already know how strange that is for me to dwell on...being the mother of an eight year old...so I won't go into it all over again (yes, I hear those sigh's of relief!), we'll just get straight to the celebration! (And TONS and TONS of pictures, don't say I didn't warn you! =oP )
Ever hear of
The American Girl dolls? They are awesome, high quality, can I add insanely expensive, dolls that have more accessories and furniture than I do (something is very wrong with this picture!). The Galleria in Dallas has a
store that is a near Mecca for lover's of all things
AG. Two stories of pink, pink, and more pink and all the dolls and accessories a girl's heart could desire. They also have a yummy bistro on the second floor, so with Em and two of her dearest friends, Emalee and Alyssa, (and her father, brother, twin sisters, Nonnie, and Granddad) we set out for a day of eating, shopping, and fun, but first....
We had to make a stop in Terrell at Starbucks. Yum! What would a trip to the city be without a stop for a caffeine hit? Have you ever seen young children after they have been given large amounts of caffeine? We have. The results of a two year old who finds Daddy's chocolate covered espresso beans and refuses to sleep for 257 consecutive hours is not pretty. So, needless to say, Mommy and Daddy got the caffeine...the girls had hot chocolate, vanilla milk, and girlfriends to chat with. =)
(No worries Jenn and Jules, I did not corrupt your children....much.)
After several arguments over whether those overpasses and 72 story sky scrapers really indicated that we were nearing "The City"...we finally arrived...they had to lift their mouths off the floor when we walked in. Wow!
(Alyssa and Nikki, Emalea and Samantha, and, Emalee and Mia)
Of course, since Starbuck's was an hour prior, re-fueling was at the top of the list.
There's room for each girl *and* special seats just for her
AG doll.
(Elizabeth with her Bitty Twin "Elizabeth" and Caitlin with her Bitty Twin..."Caitlin". So original, I don't know where they come up with this stuff!)
The AG Bistro charges a flat rate per person ($14.50) and the girls loved the fact that they got to pick whatever appetizer and entree they each wanted...and portions weren't exactly child sized, lol, Caitlin thought her Fresh Basil and Tomato Bread was a personal pizza, and Em went back to her bunny roots with delight over the Veggie Tray...and those were just for starters. Other choices included a bowl of tomato soup with a star crouton, a warm, soft pretzel with cheese dip and mustard, and cheese fondue with bread squares.
Each napkin ring was printed on the inside with a virtue: loyal, honest, brave...etc., awwww....
Pink Lemonade was the most popular drink of choice, but Emalee and Alyssa caved to the temptation of a Fresh Strawberry Smoothie.
And speaking of temptation, not one of the five girls could resist the utter cute-ness of a miniature hamburger and hotdog with curly fries...
...and a fruit skewer shaped in hearts and stars.
While the girls were indulging in all that pinkness, the guys were having their own brand of fun:
On the ice....
And at the 5 Guys Hamburger joint (btw, they have awesome burgers and fries.)
But this post is about a certain 8 year old's bday, soooo...
After the lunch we ladies commenced to do what we do best.....SHOP!
We started at the American Girl store, checked on the guys, made our way to Godiva (ooooohhhhhhh, and free samples of chocolate covered strawberries!), and also managed to hit up Bath and Body Works, and Williams Sonoma (okay, so I snuck that last one in there just for me.)
And afterwards everyone just HAD to relax at the play area on the top floor,
Wait....we're missing one...
Ah, there she is, whew!
......oh, and stop by the family restrooms to check out the kid sized lavatories (no worries, I left the camera outside for *that* one.)
And finally, after hours of fun, laughter, and fun we made our exit...and our way home.
Happy Birthday, my girl!
2 comments:
Aww it looks like you all had a really good time!
That looks like a birthday everyone who attended will remember for years to come! How fun!
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